Michelle N. Files's Blog, page 11
August 31, 2014
Embrace Your Number
Today would’ve been my husband’s 30th birthday and against his wishes I would’ve had him a party. (He wasn’t a big fan of birthdays or birthday parties but I would’ve done it regardless.) Because a man like him deserved a celebration and because this time last year he was a co-conspirator in helping make my 30th birthday special with a surprise party.
Thirty is such an odd age and maybe I just say that because I’ve spent the last 364 days as a thirty year old. Thirty is one of those numbers that really starts to wig people out. I hear it all the time…it’s my second, third, or tenth 29th birthday. I don’t understand why thirty is such a hard age for so many people but I know it is. Maybe it’s because we always thought by thirty we’d have it together. We’d be well on our way to being whomever it was we dreamed of being as kids and we’d be settled down or living our dreams whatever they may be.
But do we ever really have it together? Do we ever truly get to a point where we have our life together? All the pieces in place? All goals marked off the list?
If you do, well then what are you living for now? Truth is I don’t think we ever truly get to the point where everything is as it should be or at least how we’ve planned it in our head. If thirty taught me anything it was that life never turns out how you’ve planned…sometimes it might come close but never does it fit into nice neat checkboxes where all our dreams, wishes, and plans come to fruition at the perfect expected moment.
What’s the purpose of this post? Where I am going with this? You ask. The real reason I sat down to type this is because I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I’ve made and I want to celebrate the life of the man who will forever own my heart…whether he’s breathing next to me in the flesh or in spirit.
Life…we get so wrapped up in the day to day we forget to stop and take a look around and realize we’re living. Life is all about the journey. “Traveling” is where we spend most of our time. So, while planning and goals are great (and they are necessities for moving forward, upward, and onward) they aren’t the game itself they’re the finish line.
I ask of you a few things…enjoy the ride, love, hug and cherish those around you. Take the time to see people, to visit with friends, to laugh with family. Make it a point to at least spend one day a week doing something other than running from dance practice to work, from class to the gym. MAKE it a priority. You’ll never regret those times spent with your loved ones. I promise. You never realize how many memories you have until your loved one is gone—and no matter how bittersweet those memories are sometimes they are the only thing that will help you through.
And secondly, embrace your number! What does that mean exactly? I can’t tell you how many times people say oh it’s my 29th birthday when we know it’s not. We’ve all heard it if we haven’t said it ourselves. Knowing my husband will never age more than 29, hearing that phrase hits me hard and heavy every time I hear it. Why are we so afraid to be proud of our age? Surviving another year is a blessing. Always remember that. Things might not be the way you expected them, life might not feel the happiest, but embrace your number! Be proud of your age. Not everyone makes it 30, 40, 50, and so on. So, be proud and be grateful. I say this not only for you but for myself.
Tomorrow I’ll be 31 an age my husband will never reach and there’s so much heartache in knowing that. I don’t want to celebrate it (and I usually love birthdays.) I’d prefer to not acknowledge it, but I will. Because for whatever reason I’m here and while 31 looks nothing like I hoped it would it’s still a blessing, because life is a gift even if sometimes we’d rather exchange it or return it for a new one…it’s still a gift.
For every year you’ve lived—you’ve been blessed. Don’t dismiss it. Don’t be ashamed of it. So, you’ve got a few wrinkles or your hairline is receding. Or you just aren’t at the place you’d thought you’d be in your life by now. Smile. Stand tall. Be grateful. Embrace your number. You never know which birthday will be your last—so make each one special.
Finally, to my husband in heaven, happy birthday! I’ll keep celebrating my years on earth until it’s time for us to celebrate together on the other side.
August 25, 2014
The Write Stuff has ARRIVED!
It’s here! It’s here! Tiffany King’s The Write Stuff has arrived!!! Check out this smoking cover….
Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn’t taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.
Not that she hasn’t tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.
Opportunity presents itself in the form of hot-as-sin-on-a-lollipop-stick bartender/premed student Alec Petropoulos, who agrees to be the cover model for her upcoming book. Sparks fly instantly between them, and Nicole begins to entertain the possibility that she’s finally found the right guy to hand over her tattered V-card. Alec has all the makings for a perfect one-night-stand candidate except, much to Nicole’s surprise, he seems to be the only man in existence not interested in bagging a virgin.
Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what’s a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn’t it work for her?
After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.
So, I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of this book and I absolutely LOVED it! It’s a classic Tiffany King book…love, humor, and depth with a few surprises mixed in. Tiffany continues to prove with every book that she’s here to stay and I couldn’t be happier or more proud! The way she manages to weave such depth into her characters while creating a fresh, fun, sexy storyline is true testament to her talents. Here’s my official review–I kept it short to keep it from being spoilery. 
You’d think by now I’d stop being awestruck by Tiffany King’s stories but she’s done it yet again! The Write Stuff is literally the right stuff! I devoured this book in a day’s time. Tiffany throws us into the world of a writer, Nicole who is incredibly lovable and genuine. When Nicole decides its time to lose the V-card to her cover model things get sexy, hot, and hilarious.
The Alec-Nicole chemistry was off the charts from the first moment they met. I loved the glimpse into the glamorous and at times not so glamorous writing life. I cheered for Nicole’s success as a writer and in romance. I yearned for the Alec-Nicole love connection with each turn of the page. And of course I cried…I’ve yet to read a TK book that hasn’t made me tear up.
This book turns up the heat, warms your heart, and sooths the soul! Remember, what happens under the cover stays under the cover…so crack this baby open and find out all the secrets that lie beneath that smoking cover. You won’t be disappointed The Write Stuff delivers!
Hurry go grab your copy today from one of these fine retailers!
About Tiffany King
USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iPhone and iPad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.
For information on any of Author Tiffany’s titles, visit her blog at www.authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Where to connect with Author Tiffany
Twitter- @AuthorTiffany
Facebook- AuthorTiffanyKing
Pinterest- Tiffany King
Blog- authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Goodreads- Tiffany King
Email- authortiffany@yahoo.com
“Dreams do come true…Dream big.”
August 20, 2014
#WhyILoveABookVacation – Share The Love Continues…
This is my favoritest part of #ShareTheLove the moment where I get to share with you Why I Love Shana from A Book Vacation! The reasons are endless but I shall attempt to be brief.
Hold up! Before I tell you why I love Shana/A Book Vacation check out her “awards” for being this week’s honoree…
If you know anything about Shana then you know she’s a minion lover! 
That’s a placemat/poster AND a handmade bag from Etsy! Woohoo! These bad boys are in the mail to you, Shana!
So, I first met Shana online in Tiffany King’s street team aka The Wolfpack, but we truly got a chance to connect at UTOPYA 2013 where we had dinner, hung out at panels, and shared all sorts of other awesome moments together! There are just no words to fully encompass the awesomeness that is Shana as a person. She is kind, honest, caring, helpful, welcoming, and fun–those adjectives barely scratch the surface. All of these qualities shine through in her blog posts as well.
I remember the first time I read one of Shana’s reviews on her blog A Book Vacation, it was a book that wasn’t really her cup of tea but she managed to critique it in such an honest and constructive way. Reading that review said spoke volumes to me about her. I found myself saying, “This is how blogging should be done!” There is no greater gift to an author than a constructive honest review and Shana has such a great way with words. Her reviews are truly masterpieces. (Seriously…read some of them!)
She also manages to find and collect the coolest swag and signed books from authors. Often using her own money to support the authors and spread the word about their work! Then she gives these pretties away to the masses! Talk about thoughtful and selfless!
And her amazingness continues! This past April I attended my first book event as an author in my hometown of Martinsburg. Shana came into town to support me. I cannot tell you how much that meant to me to have someone from my virtual book community there. We even had the chance to hang out that evening for a bit, have a nice dinner, and I gave her a quick driving tour of my neck of the woods. It was a great day! But I’ve learned every day that involves Shana and her amazing blog posts is like that…GREAT!
She is always welcoming and friendly to others both online and in person. Her enthusiasm for books is absolutely contagious. How she manages to read so many books and support so many authors and bookish peeps, I will never know. She is truly a gem! Every conversation that makes mention of Shana/A Book Vacation always is includes the following adjectives awesomesauce, amazing, wonderful, and fabulous. Again, her ability to touch so many lives with positivity both astounds and inspires me.
Okay, I’m going to reign in the gushing before this post becomes the longest love fest blog post in history. To recap A Book Vacation is blogging at its finest and Shana is a person you must add to your people I HAVE to meet list. She is such an important part of this book community and I am forever grateful for her blog, her enthusiasm, and her kindness! Why do I love Shana/A Book Vacation? Because she freaking rocks! Nuff said.
I’ve told you how much I heart Shana/A Book Vacation so now it’s your turn! Tweet, write a FB post, or leave a blog comment on Why You Love Shana/A Book Vacation. Be sure to use the hashtag #WhyILoveABookVacation in order to earn your extra entry! Go forth my bookies and #ShareTheLove! And be sure you’ve earned all possible entries in the Rafflecopter below. Til next time #ShareTheLove (Winners will be announced Sunday!)
*Giveaway note – signed paperback and swag pack is for US residents only. If international winner is drawn an e-book of SS plus an additional e-book from Shana’s 2014 favorites list will be given as substitute for signed swag and signed paperback.*
August 17, 2014
#ShareTheLove RETURNS!!!
HAPPY SUNDAY!!!! Guess what guys? SHARE THE LOVE IS BAAAACCCCKKKK!!!! And I’m so excited I can barely contain myself. Eeep! So, in case you don’t know how this is gonna go from time to time I’m going to have a lovely bookish person on the blog. I’ll interrogate…umm I mean interview them, share why I love them so much, and also have a super epic giveaway where you can enter to win! Super fun, huh?
Are you ready for the fun to begin?! I am! Who do you think the first honoree is? Reader? Author? Blogger? Cover Designer? Publicist?
Well, if you guessed BLOGGER you’re CORRECT! To kick off Share the Love we have the amazingly superbly stupendous Shana from A Book Vacation!!!!
Shana runs one of my favoritest blogs A Book Vacation. Go follow ASAP! For those of you who don’t know Shana all that well yet here’s a little bio…
I am a voracious reader and reviewer (over 1,000 books read in the past three and a half years), and nearly all my free time is, therefore, spent reading because, “books [are] the cheapest vacation you can buy,” as Charlaine Harris once said. Oh, how true that is!
While one might think that my reading pile would keep me extremely busy, and it does, I still have lots of time for all the demands of my job (and there are a lot), to socialize, watch movies, work a second job, etc., though reading is indeed my favorite pastime. I have found that I get a little cranky if I don’t have a chance to read for pleasure at some point during the day, but as you can denote, I tend to become wrapped up in my books and tend to read them in one sitting, hence, I try to read a book a day.
A book a day! Wow this girl is on it…maybe that’s why I’ve been so cranky lately–not enough reading time.
Shana being the stupendous person she is took a few minutes out of her busy reading, reviewing, loving life schedule to answer a few of my questions…
So, how did you get into blogging?
I got into blogging in late January 2011 when snowmageddon hit—with a state of emergency ban in place, no where to go, nothing to do, and the effects of stir-craziness setting in, I decided to start a book blog to review all the books I read. I’d been gobbling up books for forever, but never thought I had anything worth saying. Some friends of mine encouraged me to start writing up reviews for the books I’d read, but until the second week of snowmageddon, I just hadn’t had the willpower to make it happen. Thank God for two week long snowstorms, I guess.
Snowmageddon…how could I forget that mess! Lucky for us it lead to blogging! Exacly how long have you been blogging?
Three and a half years—since January 27, 2011.
This bookish world is full of really cool experiences. What has been your best experience as blogger/reader?
UtopYA 2013. This was the first time I actually got to meet the authors and readers I had becoming friends with through blogging. I never knew it until I started blogging, but there is a huge reader base, and authors are one of the most friendly people groups out there you’ll ever meet. Getting to meet my idols in person, and connecting with new authors, bloggers, and readers was so much fun—like a 3 day slumber party. I am now a UtopYAian for life.
And that is where we met for the first time! I’ll never forget that book event. Special memories there for me too! 
Since you’re now a seasoned blogging vet can you share a few tips for authors and/or blog readers when it comes to blogging/reviewing/interacting?
Support one another. People are watchers, especially online. Because we can’t always see the face behind the screen, there is much anonymity, and we tend to forget about others, or take them for granted. Reach out and support—especially authors and bloggers! Let me give you an example of what I mean: In 2011, back when #ff was popular on twitter, Tiffany King used to ALWAYS #ff me and a ton of other bloggers. I had no idea who she was, or how she’d found little ole’ me, but after a number of #ff’s, I looked her up and bought her first book, Meant To Be, because I wanted to know who this chick was that kept supporting me on social media. Needless to say, I FELL IN LOVE with Meant to Be, emailed her and told her how much I adored it, bought a signed copy of the book, and our friendship has blossomed ever since. Because of Tiffany’s support when we were both just starting out, she an author and I a blogger, I have made tons of connections through her, in both indie and traditional publishing, and I owe a ton of that to Tiffany. It was actually Tiffany’s invite to UtopYA that got me there in the first place, which as I said before, was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
There’s no one quite like Tiffany. Dare I say she’s one of the patriarchs of this beautiful indie/hybrid book community! She has created so many beautiful relationships! Her good works are still thriving!
There’s an entire new movement of up and coming bloggers which I LOVE! Do you have any advice for those aspiring bloggers?
Be passionate. Blog. Do it. But do it for you. Do it for your passion for books.
Be nice. No one owes you a thing, so don’t demand anything, especially from authors.
Be patient. You won’t be popular overnight, and it will be hard to get readers. That’s okay. Just do what you do, and the readers will come.
Be professional. DO NOT bash books or authors in your reviews. Extreme cussing is frowned upon. Be objective in your reviews and mindful of the young eyes that might read your review. You CAN write a bad review, but make it tasteful. Explain what you didn’t like and why, but remember that everyone has different tastes. Just because you hated something doesn’t mean you need to spew venom about the book or the author. Don’t be a jerk.
Be supportive. Reach out to authors (and bloggers) you love and ask them for interviews or guest posts (don’t ask them for free stuff though, cause that’s kind of rude—establish a relationship with them and really get to know them before asking for things like donations for giveaways, etc).
Run giveaways. It draws attention to your blog and garners more readers. Rafflecopter is your friend. Learn to use google docs and make a donations form for giveaways—share it, and ASK POLITELY if people are interested in donating
Join blog tours and cover reveals (check out http://www.Inkslingerpr.com for a banging company and work with them)
Buy an ereader. Specifically, a Kindle (Kindle books tend to be cheaper than Nook books AND there are more Kindle books available than Nook books)
Join Netgalley and Edelweiss—promote your blog through them, request the books you want, and if they give them to you, REVIEW THEM ON TIME—generally, a day or two PRIOR to the release of the novel, or ON the date of release. Make sure you send the publisher your feedback.
Cross-reference your reviews on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads. If you can get to iBooks, leave your review there, too.
Have a review policy and be specific about what you are and are NOT interested in reading.
Start a Facebook Page, Twitter, AND Pinterest for your blog.
Find your blog on Bloglovin’ and put the link in your sidebar of your blog so others can find you there. Then, find blogs to follow on Bloglovin’ and read their posts daily. You will learn good tips through reading other bloggers posts.
Don’t get caught up in drama with others online. You are bound to see it at one point or another. Ignore. This going back to being professional.
What awesome advice! Thanks, Shana! This advice can actually be applied to everything you do in life! So, more bookish inquiries…do you have a favorite genre/style? If so, deets please!
I’m all about YA—I teach high school and I’m always looking for the next big things for my students because, let’s face it, the dry cannon of works students have to read for school aren’t always making them lovers of reading. I like NA as well, but I’m really not into all that sexy time in books. I think an amazing book can be written without all the sex speak. It’s been done, and those are the books I admire and love.
There’s nothing quite like an awesome YA book! I know this might be a toughie but name your top reads of all time!
Twilight . Wait, don’t groan. A student of mine told me to read this back in 2010, and I did. I loved it—it was what got me back INTO reading, and it helped my connect with my students and what was “popular” at the time. Also, what Meyers did had never been done before (at least, I’d never seen it before), and it wrapped me up and spit me out a new person.
Harry Potter —all of them. I was a teen when the first movie came out, and I’d never heard of the books at that time. I loved the first movie so much, and all the subsequent ones, that I bought the set and read them (only once all 7 were released—couldn’t do that cliffhanger, yearly wait stuff with this series, I had to be able to read them all at once.)
On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves—I read this back when it was an indie novel and Tracey was just starting out. I swooned and stayed up ALL NIGHT reading it. I was worried going in because of the topic, but it turned out to be different and my worries were assuaged. Read it!
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. Like, whoa.
Looking for Alaska by John Green. This is my high school story. Like, for real. Change the sexes of the two main characters and it’s like my life way back when. I bawled my eyes out for this one. So many memories.
Many. More. Check out my FAVORITES lists from 2012 and 2013:
2012: http://abookvacation.com/2012/12/31/favorite-books-read-in-2012-and-a-giveaway/
2013: http://abookvacation.com/2013/12/31/favorite-books-of-2013/
I need to check out some more of these books! I completely agree with your Twilight comments. It brought me back to my love of books and I’ll always be grateful for that. Let’s talk bookish travels! What book events have you been to? Do you have a favorite? If so, what, where, and why?
I have been to:
NCTE (National Convention of Teacher of English): 2x – fun but rigid. No time to talk to authors or interact
UtopYA: 2x – best experience ever, as I’ve already said. Three day slumber party with your favorite authors, bloggers, and readers
BookBash: 1x – Not my favorite. Won’t be doing it again. Too many people, too small a venue, not enough time to meet and greet.
Martinsburg Chocolate and Book Festival: 1x – will be going annually. This is perfection—books and chocolate on a walking tour. So. Much. Fun.
Indie Bookfest: 1x – It was fun to reconnect with authors I’d just met at UtopYA. May go again if I happen to be in the area.
Upcoming:
Chapter by Chapter in NYC — September 2014. Can’t wait!
Baltimore Book Festival – First time in September 2014
NCTE 2014 in D.C. – Three days of fun in November 2014
Apollycon in Philly – February 2015
Martinsburg Chocolate and Book Festival 2015
UtopYA in Nashville – June 2015
So much awesomeness! I cannot wait! Another toughie…what has been your favorite 2014 read(s) thus far?
Right now—I have 37 of them. Here they are in the order I read them…
LOVED White Hot Kiss and Don’t Look Back by JLA. Sooo gooood! This one is always a hard questions for me to answer but let’s see how you do. Who are your most memorable book boyfriends?
Oh, Goodness…
Edward from Twilight .
Kai from the Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins.
River James from Of River and Raynn by Rebecca Ethington (who I haven’t met outside of Rebecca Ethington’s online journals and interactive videos, but can’t wait to read about this month when the book finally releases!)
TyDane from Raine Thomas’ The Ascendant Series .
Aelyx from Alienated by Melissa Landers.
Cameron from Crow’s Row by Julie Hockely
Roth from White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout
And the list goes on…
What is your favorite song(s)?
I rarely listen to music. I guess Thrift Shop?
Thrift Shop…I love it! Time to get personal, what’s a little known fact about Shana?
I am a carney. That’s right… one of my summer jobs is traveling with the local carnival in the evenings and over weekends.
Gah! How did I not realize this before?! That’s pretty epic! Random question of the day, if you could have any super power what would it be and why?
Mind control. There are so many times each day that I find myself wishing I could control people; it’s scary.
Oh, that’s a good one. Yeah, I could do some serious damage or repairs to people with mind control. Great choice! I know back to school is upon us meaning less free time but if you do have the time, what’s your ideal day look like?
One where I have no obligations aside from reading and reviewing.
Truth! Okay time to wrap this interrogation up! I love doing the “think fast” “speed round” type questions so reply with the first thing that comes to mind. Get ready, set, go!
Color—BLUE
Food—Pizza—supreme! Or Papa Johns. YUM!
Animal—Shark—scary as hell and has no predators aside from man
Band—D12
Season—Fall
Movie—Despicable Me
Woohoo! I want to extend and extra hug of gratitude and thanks for Shana sharing such fabulous insights about blogging and herself! Shana mentioned this earlier but what kind of post would this be without a GIVEAWAY!!!!!! Here’s what you can win!
*Any e-book verision of Shana’s favorite 2014 reads*
(that are currently available for purchase/pre-order)
*Signed Paperback of Soul Survivor by yours truly*
*Random swag pack of awesomeness*
(includes UTOPYA swag I’ve collected and swag from RT 2014!)
And here’s the rafflecopter to enter! Good luck and remember to #ShareTheLove for Shana/A Book Vacation! Stay tuned for Wednesday’s post for Why I Love Shana/A Book Vacation which will include an additional chance to win! #ShareTheLove #BloggerLove #Giveaway
*Giveaway note – signed paperback and swag pack is for US residents only. If international winner is drawn an e-book of SS plus an additional e-book from Shana’s 2014 favorites list will be given as substitute for signed swag and signed paperback.*
August 8, 2014
Witch Hunter Olivia by T.A. Kunz *Check It*
“Witch hunters and sexy tattoo artists? This New Adult Paranormal is EVERYTHING fans of romance and action are looking for.”
- #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout
“A fun, action-packed, enjoyable read!”
- New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack
“The perfect blend of New Adult and Paranormal. It’s absolutely fantastic!”
- New York Times bestselling author Nichole Chase
~ ~ ~
Reviewers are calling Witch Hunter Olivia “amazing, fun, well-written, and entertaining.” You don’t want to miss the hottest New Adult paranormal romance of the summer!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the town of Piedmont Pointe, where paranormal is the norm, a girl can easily get herself in over her head with a single wrong move. Unfortunately for Olivia Adams, she’s about to make several.
Starting over is never easy, but it seemed like the only option to Olivia. The decision to turn her back on the Guild of Witch Hunters, the very group she devoted her entire life to, was one of the hardest things she ever did. It meant leaving her family, her friends, and her old identity behind forever. Coming to terms with what caused her to abandon her duties in the first place was even harder.
While trying to lay low and stay off the Guild’s radar, Olivia finds herself thrust back into her old ways after unknowingly interrupting an assassination hit on a powerful witch. What follows is the last thing she ever thought she’d agree to do–protect the very thing she was groomed to hunt.
To complicate things even further, Olivia begins to develop feelings for a tattoo artist who also happens to be half warlock, and no matter how hard she tries to fight it, she can’t resist her inescapable draw to him. Olivia’s forbidden relationship isn’t her only issue though, because once the mystery behind the assassination attempt starts to unravel, she’s forced to choose sides when the loyalties still tied to her past life are tested again.
So much for the idea of a fresh start.
BUY THE BOOK NOW:
Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AUS ~ B&N ~ iBooks ~ Kobo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Author T.A. Kunz has always had a fondness for reading thrilling mysteries and action-packed urban fantasies. So, it was no surprise when T.A. decided to write stories that theyíd fall into one of those two genres. T.A. lives in Central Florida with two fur babies and a mechanical engineer who also happens to be quite the culinary badass, which there are no complaints about. Being a self-diagnosed caffeine addict, many joke that T.A.ís addiction to Starbucks coffee will likely be their downfall later in life.
STALK THE AUTHOR:
August 6, 2014
Soul Promise by Rachel Walker *Blog Tour*
Cover Design: Regina Wamba, Mae I DesignYA Paranormal Romance
Book 2 in The Soul Mate Series
Release Date: July 22, 2014
“Broken is finding the light and the
healing you crave, and knowing you can never have it.”
After the attack on his sister and his new found abilities forming,
Henry Williams is struggling to keep it all together. His wolf does not allow
him to sleep, and he is beginning to hear voices, torturing him mercilessly.
Henry feels as though there is a war brewing inside of him and heis unable to control it. As a protector, he must find a way to fight his inner
demons before he is left vulnerable to the real ones.
But an unexpected love finds Henry and he tries hard to resist it.
Will Henry be able to overcome his inner demons? Will he be able to protect his
mate?
*** This is
book number 2 in this series. Please note that it is suggested to read the
series in sequential order.***
**WARNING**
This novel is intended for mature YA readers. 15+ for language and mild
violence.
Excerpt
Finding Dad and Sophie’s graves, I
shift back to my human form and slip the elastic belt loose to release my
shorts. I put them on and walk between the stones to sit right in front of
Dad’s headstone. Seeing his name, Curtis James Williams, I nearly lose myself.
I break my stillness by wiping away some dirt from the face of the stone.
“Hey, Dad,” I whisper. Taking a
seat in the grass, I begin pulling weeds, my usual routine. “Things have
been…well, pretty insane.”
I think back over the last few
weeks since the last time I visited. Between finals in school, working out,
pack duties, learning things of this world that I never knew possible, fighting
and not fighting with Skeeter, things have been intense and nonstop crazy.
“Football will start in August. I
don’t think I’m doing the playbook boot camp again this year. I know it’s
important, but I’ve got a lot on my plate now. I won’t give up football,” I
promise my dad.
With a hard swallow, I decide to
move into updating him on the family. “Mom is trying to be Mom,” I say, yanking
a weed from in front of his headstone. “She’s okay, I think. I know it’s harder
on her than she lets on, but she’s trying to live for us, which is more than
she did a few months ago. She has days where the tears just won’t stop, but
they’re not as constant now. She seems angrier than usual.” I wince as memories
zoom around me. Mom got angry at me for throwing my wet towel in the hamper,
ripped into Leland over a brand of peanut butter he bought, and has been
suspicious of Jaz and Seth for no reason. I’d rather not rehash all that again,
so I continue on with the family updates.
“Alex is talking more. Sometimes we
can understand him. He just started calling me Heywe the other day,” I say
proudly. Alex is Leland’s son and is a little over a year old. He only says
“dada” and “Heywe.” Mom and Jaz were a bit upset about that and are still
trying to teach him new words.
“He’s getting a lot better with
walking, too. He’s not tottering as much and doesn’t need help all the time.
Mom fusses when he falls down, but I know she’s enjoying watching him walk and
try to reach different milestones. Leland had to baby proof the living room and
kitchen, too, because Alex thought his gold fish crackers belonged in the VCR
and DVD player. That was a mess. Leland just tossed it after attempting to
shake out all the crackers.” I snort.
I don’t tell him about the time
Alex put his teddy in the cabinet next to the oven. None of us could find it
and he had no way of letting us know where it was, even if he could remember. I
can laugh now, but that was a rough two days. He screamed almost non-stop for
that thing. Jazzy finally found it when she went to make waffles, and he conked
out as soon as he got his little hands on it. Dad had picked out that teddy
bear just for Alex the day Psycho Sammy, Leland’s ex, dropped him off, calling
him freak spawn. That teddy is Alex’s best friend now.
I grab a few more weeds and pile
them off to the side. It’s not many, and the landscapers usually get them all,
but they don’t come out often.
BUY LINKS
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About Rachel Walter
Rachel is a wife and mother from CentralPennsylvania. Her favorite season is fall, for hockey, changing leaves, pumpkin
everything, and bonfires often. She’s also a coffeenista with an insomnia
problem. When Rachel isn’t playing with the people inside her head, making her
family believe she belongs in the loony bin, she enjoys spending time with her
family, friends, species confused cat (he believes he’s part dog, love him),
and finding new books and music.
Regarding writing, her first love is Young
Adult Paranormal, but she’s venturing outside of her comfort zone and opening
up to writing more genres. Be on the look out!
Stalk
Links:
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Goodreads
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More from this Author
True Connection (The Soul Mate Series) #1
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Available on Amazon , Barnes & Noble , and iBooks
Add on Goodreads
A Message of Flowers (A Pocono Valley Romance) #1
Adult Contemporary Romance
Available on Amazon , Barnes & Noble , and iBooks
Add on Goodreads
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August 2, 2014
Devyn Dawson’s Killing Me Softly *Blog Hop*
Welcome to my stop on Devyn Dawson’s Killing Me Softly Blog Hop! She’s got an awesome giveaway happening AND she’s sharing Chapter 1 with us today! Woohoo! Keep reading for all the blog hop deets, rafflecopter, and awesomeness! Enjoy!
Blog Hop!
Keep Reading to get to the Rafflecopter
For The Writer’s Voice, I’m giving away this handmade rose that I made from one of my books. There’s a separate Rafflecopter for the rose.
July 15 – August 3, 2014
Fabulous Prizes!
Guitar Pick Necklace
USAF CoinKilling
Me Softly Blog Hop Schedule
July 15 – August 3, 2014
July 15
Michelle Muto www.michellemuto.wordpress.com
Candy Smith www.purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com
July 16
Amber Clark www.bookloveramber.blogspot.com
July 17
TBA
July 18
Brea Essex www.breaessex.com
July 19
Kendall McCubban www.bookcrazy123.blogspot.com
Erin Danzer http://www.authorerindanzer.com/
July 20
Melissa Stickney www.crazybeautifulreviews.blogspot.com
July 21
Kristi Strong www.strongnovels.blogspot.com
July 22
Amy Jones www.amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com
July 23
Kris Kendall www.ireadselfies.com
Mandy Anderson www.twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com
July 24
Tiffany Perry http://strreviews.blogspot.com/
July 25
Amy Stogner Avid Reader Amy www.avidreaderamy.blogspot.com
July 26
Lisa Hines www.heffroberts.blogspot.com
July 27
The Writer’s Voice
July 28
Trish Davy
So Many Books So Little Time http://manybooksnotime.blogspot.com//
July 29
Tia
Bach http://www.depressioncookies.com/
July 30
Carlyle www.worldsawaybookblog.blogspot.comJuly 31
Devyn Dawson
August 1
Raine Thomas http://rainethomas.com/blog/
Clean New Adult Military Romance
Killing Me Softly
By
Devyn Dawson
www.devyndawson.com
Preface
I glance down at my black
pointy-toed high heels and realize they’re the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve
ever worn. Andy’s mom let me borrow a
pair of Andy’s shoes since we wear the same size. It will take me a while to think of her in
the past tense. Looking around the room
all I see are strangers. None of these
people knew her like I did. No one knew
the way she loved soft furry blankets and in the summer she loved softy silky
pajamas. They didn’t know that she spent
more time praying for her friends and animals than she did for herself. No, they didn’t know those things, and they
never will.
My best friend, Andy, died four
days ago in a car accident with her boyfriend Doug. A car crossed over the center lane and hit
them head on. The police say they died
instantly. I talked to her exactly ten
minutes before the crash, she told me she was going to stop by on her way
home. We’ve always done that; stop by on
our way home from shopping to show what we bought. Doug took her to Dallas to pick up a guitar
and to go shopping. Andy’s parents have money. They spoiled her, but she never
acted spoiled. She was kind and
giving. For her birthday, her dad gave
her a prepaid credit card. She had to
keep her grades up, if she did, he’d load a thousand dollars on the card every
month for a year. That’s more money than
I make at my job. When I go shopping, I hit the thrift stores and yard
sales. Just because I don’t spend tons
of money on clothes, doesn’t mean I don’t look like I do. There’s a thrift shop not too far from here
that I find the best deals. If the
outfit doesn’t fit me, I do the alterations myself. My money is from my job at the vitamin store
in the mall. Eight dollars an hour doesn’t go far when you’re the bread winner
in your family.
Andy didn’t spend the money on
things just for her, no, she would buy things for an after school program she
worked for as a volunteer. She would give you every dime she had if you needed
help. When she went shopping for herself, she would buy a matching outfit for
me. She would always say that I was the
sister she always wanted.
Linda, Andy’s mom, is making her
way over to me, her grief is written all over her face. I stand up and wrap my arms around her thin
body and in that moment the magnitude of what happened hits me like a brick
wall. I start to tremble, but I force
myself to keep it together until I get home.
That’s when I’ll have the luxury of breaking down.
“Sugar, how are you holding up?”
Linda asks. One of her friends leans
over and hands her a fresh martini.
“I don’t know,” I shrug my
shoulders. “It doesn’t seem real, does
it?”
“She loved you so much,” I smell
the alcohol on her breath as she kisses me on the cheek. “You’re welcome here any time, you’re part of
our family. If that daddy of yours gives
you any trouble, you come over and you can sleep in Andy’s room. She’d want you to be here with us, you know
that.”
“I know. If you don’t mind, I need to go home and
check on my dad. They changed his meds
this week. As usual, he’s been in one of
his moods. Never mind all that, if you
need anything, I’m number five on your speed dial. I’ll drop off the shoes later this week.”
“Holland, keep the shoes, I don’t
need them back. Go check on your dad,
I’m going to try to get everyone out of here at a decent hour. My head hurts too much to deal with so many
people. I love you, Holly, don’t you
forget it either.” Andy’s the only person who ever called me by my childhood
nickname. When I started high school, I
went back to my given name, Holland. Linda pulls me in for another hug, this
one is tighter and longer than the last one.
In my head I can hear Andy complaining that her mom is getting
mushy. I smile at the thought.
“I love you too. I’ll be by soon.” She’s hugging me as if she’s holding onto a
piece of her daughter for dear life.
Most everyone here are family or
friends of the family. A few people from
high school came to the funeral, but everyone bailed before the graveside
service. If it were anyone other than
Andy, I would have done the same. My
heart is heavy in my chest and tears threaten to come, but I suppress them so I
can get home before I start the water works.
My street is ten streets away from
Andy’s house, but the neighborhoods are polar opposites. Her street is lined with manicured lawns and
matching brick mailboxes at the end of each driveway. Several people on our street have taken their
mailbox down because some kids drove by with a baseball bat and dented in the
metal mailboxes. A couple of the
neighbors have cars parked in their yard and many of the houses have some type
of car up on car ramps or a jack. Andy’s
neighborhood is filled with houses with three bedrooms and two or more
bathrooms. Ours isn’t.
I pull into the driveway that is
cracked from neglect and hot Oklahoma summers.
Our small two bedroom house is dark red brick with white trim that could
use a new paint job.
The screen door bangs closed as I
step into the living room. Dad is right
where he was when I left this morning, asleep on the couch.
“Dad, it’s after two.” I say it loud enough for him to hear me.
He pushes himself up to a sitting
position. “How was it? Is her mom holding up okay?”
“It was as nice as a funeral can be
for an eighteen year old girl. Her mom’s
okay, she’s a strong woman,” I say harsher than intended.
“When will you go to the store to
buy groceries?”
The only question he cares
about……food. He doesn’t give a crap about
the funeral, he’s been sitting on the couch all day. He sits around and feels sorry for
himself. “Dad, I told you I don’t get
paid until Tuesday. Your Social Security
check paid the bills. I have thirty
dollars for gas. That’s all the money we
have in the bank. There’s stuff to eat,
just not what you want. Give me a few minutes to change for work and
I’ll make you some supper.”
“You’re working on the day of your
best friend’s funeral?” He asks, posing
as the concerned father.
“Yes, I’m working on the day Andy
was buried. I have to pay the bills, so
working isn’t an option. Your prescriptions will be running out this week, I
need money for your co-pays. Look, I
don’t want to talk about this right now.”
I set my stuff down as I head down the short hall to my bedroom.
“Holland, I’m getting better! Don’t you worry, before long, I’ll be able to
go back to work!” He shouts out to me.
He’s told me a thousand times how
he’s getting better. Per Dr. Paul, his
regular doctor, he’s never going to be fit to work again if he doesn’t go to
therapy on a regular basis. He’s two
steps away from being placed in an institution.
He was involuntarily committed last October, it lasted for five
days. Being the selfish person I am, it
was the most sleep I’ve had in years. He
was safely behind locked doors, and I didn’t have to worry about which side of
him I was going to come home to.
My little room is large enough for
my full-size bed and a small desk I found at a garage sale. Most of my clothes are folded up inside big
plastic bins. Andy teased me about my
organization skills. She said I’m the
only teenager who puts away their clothes on their own. I found it easier to strap a bin of dirty
laundry to my skateboard and pull it the two blocks to the Laundromat than to
carry it that far. I’ve been doing our
laundry since my mom left when I was thirteen.
That was the year my dad lost his job with the advertising firm and everything
spiraled out of control.
I bend over to tie my shoes and
pick up my keys that fell to the floor.
I double check my reflection in the mirror before rushing out of my room
to make a quick dinner for my dad.
Crap! I think to myself as I
realize I got more bleach splatters on the hems of my khakis. Thankfully, Gerrie won’t be working tonight
to gripe at me about buying a new pair of pants. She find a way to complain about me at every
opportunity she finds. She hates it when
I wear my long hair down, she says I shed it all over the store. Last year she
got upset with me for not being tan like all the other girls in the mall. She told me guys would come in to buy
vitamins if I had a tan and wore make-up.
Andy and I would dream up crazy
come-backs to Gerrie’s insults, but I never used them.
Andy.
How can I face another day without
her humor? How am I going to deal with
my dad without her encouragement? How
will I carry on?
***
Chapter One.
Cheeky
Six months later.
“Yes Aunt Laney, I know his
birthday is Saturday. Dad won’t show up
for dinner, he never does. He hates surprises
and apparently he hates showers too. I
know you don’t like to come to our neighborhood, so you can drop it off at the
mall. I’m working tonight and tomorrow
morning.”
“Okay, I’ll bring it to you at the
mall. I’ve reloaded that Visa for you to
get some groceries. Holland, you can
come live with me, no one would blame you,” Aunt Laney says for the hundredth
time. She’s my dad’s older sister and
the only family member who still checks in on us. Her husband is a big corporate lawyer who
represents every big company in Oklahoma.
She was his paralegal, until they fell in love and got married. To ease her conscience she loads a prepaid
Visa so I can buy groceries and gas. She
paid off the mortgage last Christmas.
She has no idea how much easier she made my life when I didn’t have to
worry about that bill anymore.
Things have been looking better
this year. June moved away and I was
promoted to assistant-manager, which included a two dollar an hour raise. “Okay, I’ll see you then….and thank you for
helping us by loading the Visa.”
“Oh honey, you’re a doll. I’m proud of you for being such a good
daughter to my baby brother. I hope
you’ve been able to keep your flawless GPA.
You’ve been working so many days a week, it must be hard to keep up your
grades.”
I can picture her admiring her
fingernails as she talks. She’s always
struck me as a superficial person by the clothes she wears and the people in
her life. “Thanks, I don’t have any
choice, he’s my dad.” I state the
obvious. “I’m taking online classes, so
it works around my schedule. Not to be
rude, but I need to go; I have to be at work in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll see you later.”
“Okay, I’ll see you this evening,”
I click my cell phone off and close my bedroom door behind me.
“Dad, your dinner is in the fridge in the
purple container, heat it up for one minute.”
I turn the corner and see my dad sitting up for a change.
“You’re going to work early, you
should eat breakfast,” he suggests.
“Dad, it’s four in the
afternoon. I have to do laundry
tomorrow, so it would be nice if you took a shower and put your dirty clothes
in the hamper.” He won’t. He’ll give me excuses why he couldn’t shower
before I got home. Recently, he
developed a fear of showering in an empty house. His therapist called in a new medication, but
it only seems to make him more of a zombie and has done nothing for his fear of
cleanliness.
“Four? The days sure go by so fast.” He rubs his hand across his unshaven
face. He’s not even forty, but you’d
never know by the amount of grey in his beard.
“Gotta go, Dad,” I hold my breath
and give him a peck on his head.
—
Friday evening at Darby Springs
Mall is crowded as usual, leaving the only parking spaces ridiculously far from
the doors. During my lunch period I’ll move
my car closer so I don’t have to get security to walk me to my car after
work. I ease the Charger between two
SUVs, barely clearing the one on my right.
Aunt Laney gave me her old one as a graduation gift during my senior
year. Old to her is anything older than
two years old. She had only owned this
one for a year before giving it to me.
She even covers the car insurance so it wouldn’t be a burden on me and
my dad.
“Hey Sam, can you stay until
close? It’s the fifteenth which means
payday for the military, and they love to come stock up on the protein
powder. This is usually the busiest day
of the month.” I glance around the store
to make sure everything is in order.
“Is that what’s going on? I had to restock the powder a couple of times
already today. One guy wanted to return
something, but I told him to come when you’re working. He said he’d come back tonight,” Sam says.
“Will you straighten up the display
of Vitamin C? Someone turned all the
bottles backwards, it was probably a kid.” Sam’s a quirky guy who spends all of
his paycheck on body building powder and his spare time in the gym. He dates a girl I went to high school with,
she’s rumored to have appeared in a couple of adult films. She’s a pretty girl but she can’t carry on a
conversation without talking about kinky sex. “I’m going to the back to place
some orders, if you need me just call,” I say as I turn to the back of the
store.
“Holland?” Sam’s voice booms over
the phone intercom causing me to jump.
“Yes, Sam.”
***
“That guy is here with the return.”
“I’ll be right there.”
There’s a guy at the register
dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt talking to Sam. His short light brown hair is definitely Air
Force the way it is perfectly squared off on the back of his neck.
I remind myself that I’m the assistant manager
and not to be intimidated.
“Hi, I’m Holland, what can I help
you with,” I ask as I step behind the cashier counter. Another pretty-boy airman with his deep
dimple and flawless skin. There’s no way
he’s much older than I am, that’s good because I don’t typically back down to
people my age. Older guys in the
military scare me, they seem so hard and angry.
“Hey Holland, Sam here told me to
come back when you’re here to refund this powder.”
The first thing I notice are his
eyes, pale blue eyes…incredibly pretty blue eyes and smile. The manager-in-training classes I took told
me to always hold the customer’s gaze.
They obviously never looked into eyes like his. It takes everything in me not to shift my
eyes away from him. It makes me feel
exposed as if he is literally looking into my soul.
“Yes sir, is there a problem with
the powder?”
He’s first to avert his eyes and
look down at the jug of Mega Muscle Protein Powder. “It gave me a rash,” he replies without looking
up at me.
Most of the guys who come in are
embarrassed to admit they ended up with a rash. “A rash? Do you have a photo of the rash?” Our return policy on store-brand products are
if it gives you a rash, you have to provide a photo. There’s nothing more disgusting than looking
at a rash on a stranger.
“That rule on your policy is pretty
intrusive. When I read it, I was floored
that it was a real rule.”
Here we go, he’ll turn off the
charm and turn into a douche. I’m sure
Sam is doing the countdown in his head.
“Yes sir, we must turn in the photo along with the explanation in to our
corporate office. Our policy is for
quality control and has nothing to do with being intrusive. May I see the picture?”
He pulls out his cell phone and
scrolls through his pictures before holding it up for me to see. Sure enough, it’s a rash… on his ass! He took a selfie of his ass rash in the
mirror. He is standing in his boxers and holding one side of them down and
taking a picture with his other hand. I
need to call Andy and tell her about this, she’s going to die laughing. Dammit!
I can’t call her, because she’s dead.
“I need a print of the picture,” I
snap. My mood has gone from good to
pissed in two seconds.
“You really need a picture of my
ass to give me a thirty-five dollar refund?”
I cock my head to the side, my
go-to defense pose when I’m hiding my feelings from the world. “I didn’t write the rules, but I follow
them.” This is the look Andy called my bitch-face.
“Look, I’m not going to go print
off a picture of my ass to get a thirty-five dollar refund. You can keep the powder and the money.” He shakes his head back and forth before
taking his receipt and folding it up neatly before returning it to his wallet.
I stand at the register and watch
him walk out of the store.
“What happened?” Sam asks.
“Nothing, I’m following policy,” I
reply nonchalantly.
Sam looks at me like he wasn’t
buying it for an instant. “Holland, one
minute you were okay and the next you flipped and were pissed off.”
“I didn’t flip.” I gather up my paperwork to tally out our
sales for the day. My dad flips, I just
get pissed.
“I think there’s Pamprin in the
office, if you need it,” Sam says sarcastically. Good thing I like him or I’d write him up
just because I can.
“I’m not PMSing and just for that,
you get to mop the floor tonight.”
Without turning around, I head back to the office. When memories of Andy pop into my head, I’m
reminded how lonely life is without her.
I’ve been going to her grave and sitting there for hours. She was always my sounding board when it
came to my dad, now I feel guilty for all the times I made her listen to me
complain. We should have spent more time
doing pranks and laughing at stupid movies.
Now, I’ll never be able to do those things with someone. Lately, everything reminds me of her and I’ll
either cry or get angry. It isn’t that
I’m mad at her, it’s I don’t know when the pain will stop. My therapist says dumb things like, time heals all wounds, or everyone grieves differently. The therapist was Aunt Laney’s idea since the
health insurance policy she bought for me covers the visits.
“Knock, knock,” Sam’s voice brings
me back to reality. “Hey, do I really
have to mop the floor? I have plans
after work and I don’t want to smell like bleach and dirty mop water.”
“I told you to mop not take a
bath. I’ll let it slide this time, but
don’t ever hint for me to take Pamprin again, okay?”
“Deal. Your Aunt Laney is in the store, do you want
me to send her back here?”
“No, I’ll go out there.”
***
www.devyndawson.com
https://twitter.com/DevynDawson
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Devyn-Dawson/145383098868553?ref=hl
DEVYN DAWSONI’ve thought of myself as a writer for as long as I can remember. I played grown-up with my family, until everyone grew up and left me to figure out what I really wanted to be. Jumping over the cliff, I took a leap of faith and wrote my first full length novel, The Legacy of Kilkenny. My love of young adult books, helped mold me into the writer I am today. The books I write, reflect the types of books I enjoy reading. Every story I write will have a huge twist at the end, one that often leaves the reader in shock (no pun intended, if you know me, you know why I say that, LOL). Thank you for considering to read my books. Happy reading!
Thank you for having me on your blog!
July 7, 2014
I was thinking…
Dangerous, right? I’d say so. Anyhow, I was thinking that I really miss all the fun stuff I used to get into when I ran my old blog Share The Love…you know the whole Indie Author of the Month features, par-tays, and such. I really loved doing that stuff…supporting my fave authors and sharing all their awesomeness with you. And since it’s important for me to start filling my life with the things that make me happy I thought why not reinvent Indie Author of the Month? SO, that’s exactly what I’m going to do! *claps*
I’m going to set up a new feature called #ShareTheLove but here’s where it gets even cooler…not only do I plan on pimping out my favorite author peeps BUT also my favorite blogger peeps and readers and cover designers and editors and photographers…I mean really the list of bookish people that I love is endless. I’m thinking interviews, excerpts, music, and of course GIVEAWAYS! What do you think? Sound like fun?
Now, I’m off to compile my list of Loves and start making plans to make this happen. Watch your inbox peeps! I might just be contacting you to be a part of all the loving!
June 13, 2014
Jordyn:The Final Battle by Tiffany King is HERE!!!!
She’s baaack! And I’m so excited! Jordyn is one of my all time favorite characters and she’s back and in action today! Check out all the deets on Jordyn: The Final Battle and hop on over and grab your very own copy! Here’s everything you need to know….
By USA Today Bestselling Author Tiffany King comes the final installment in the Daemon Hunter Series.
I have finally come to grips with the purpose of my existence. I am a weapon in the battle against evil. Accepting that doesn’t mean I can’t still wish to have a normal life sometimes.
Well…Normal in my world.
My friends and family members are angelic beings, my boyfriend is an ex soul trader, and most of my time is spent training and hunting daemons.
After rescuing my friends from an eternity of torture in the Caverns of Gloom, I may have accidentally opened a gateway to hell, unleashing an army of daemons to run wild throughout the city.
Once again, I will do what I was created to do.
I am the only hope. I am Jordyn.
Grab your copy of Jordyn:The Final Battle here:
USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iPhone and iPad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.
For information on any of Author Tiffany’s titles, visit her blog at www.authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Where to connect with Author Tiffany
Twitter- @AuthorTiffany
Facebook- AuthorTiffanyKing
Pinterest- Tiffany King
Blog- authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Goodreads- Tiffany King
Email- authortiffany@yahoo.com
“Dreams do come true…Dream big.”
October 4, 2013
Whispers and Wishes by Hollie Westring *Cover Reveal*
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00015]](http://michellenicolewrites.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Whispers-and-Wishes-Front-cover.jpg)
It's so pretty, isn't it? ;) Now feast your eyes on the whole wrap...
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00015]](http://michellenicolewrites.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Whispers-and-Wishes-FW.jpg)
We know the cover is super amazing but now I'm betting you want to know a bit more...
Synopsis:Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life. What Eliza isn’t expecting is to have two men enter the picture, not making her decision to stay or leave any easier. One has been her foundation, while the other is as comfortable as she is hopping from city to city. Throw in a kooky grandmother, a cheerful best friend, a sarcastic guest, a town where residents and spirits interact like neighbors, and Eliza has little time to contemplate her future. Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what's really important.
And boy is it ever a lovely tale of secrets and such! Get ready to grab it come November 7th!!!! Here's a bit more info about my gal, Hollie. ;)
About the AuthorHollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style. After realizing the hours of journalists were not productive to any type of social or family life, she settled into a job at a publishing syndicate. She worked with comics, astrology columns, word puzzles and feature columns for six years. Although she enjoyed her time there, Hollie decided to leave the nine-to-five world and join the twenty-four/seven world of motherhood. Now she edits from home. When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan. Hang with HollieTwitter: @holliewestringWebsite: www.holliewestring.comFacebook: facebook.com/authorholliewestring
