Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 133
March 19, 2014
Oh, for the Love of Words! A Guest Post by Janice Ross, Author of Loving Nate
Oh, For The Love Of Words
What is this desire that many have with books? Whether we choose to read in a traditional state by way of tangible works or by way of an electronic device, the abilities of mere phrases to transform is astonishing. Can anyone think back to the first time they fell in love with a book? My first enticement was in reading “Wuthering Heights” at about eight years old. Sure I’d read more age appropriate titles before that time, but there was just something about the language that seduced my young mind. And then, I moved from Emily Bronte to Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre”. With either book in hand, a dictionary in the next and notepad (with pen) on my bed, I became bedazzled by great writing. I would sniff each book, inhaling the musky aroma because they held a promise of life – a life that I could claim whenever I read. Talk about imagination! I would consider each unfamiliar term, look it up in the dictionary, write it out and use it in a sentence to make certain I understood its meaning. I was desperate for stories, and felt my life too simple. And would you know, any life at all would do. I tried not to limit my reading because you never really know what treasure you might find within the pages of a book. And so I read the wonderful “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, and a book that I am not sure of how I ever got hold of, “Dianetics.” All that mattered to me was that I was reading. Oh, for the love of words!
I’ve grown since then and continue to enjoy words, books learning and even my own writing. I still know how to appreciate great reading and remarkable words. But these days, I read on my tablet . It has a built in dictionary, I’m able to highlight and comment on my thoughts. Boy, do I take full advantage of those features. This enables me to daydream and hold my spot at the same time. You see, each book offers a life of its own. And for those writers that gift us with work that serves up the deepest most intimate thoughts of their characters, I thank you for feeding my needs. Thank you Paulo Coelho for every single book that you have ever written! And thank you to the newer published authors that have fed my need for words.
As for with my work, I strive to do the same. It’s about what a writer includes and how they include it all. I love to be seduced by remarkable characters, clever wording, and believable circumstances. But then, there is also that need for a story to captivate all of my senses, keeping me alert and aware at every moment. I strive to give this to my readers. I write to make that connection as real as possible. Oh, for the love of words!
Loving Nate is Leah’s story of falling in love with Mr. Perfect. Leah falls fast and hard, losing all sense of reasoning. Love can do that to a gal, especially when the guy is as smooth as Nathan Moore. Loving Nate is about Leah’s journey of falling in love, when she should have been standing in love.
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Author’s Note
I’ve decided to provide two very different endings to this novella. Have you ever made a decision and wondered whether or not it was the right choice? Or perhaps you made the right choice because you knew that the alternative would’ve been disastrous? This is my gift to readers. Regardless of Leah’s final choice, I wanted readers to be able to reflect on the possibilities.
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Excerpt
Nate pulls up in front of the building in a light-gray Infiniti QX56. Noticing that he’s too eager to play escort, I extend my palm to stop him and attempt to rush into the vehicle. I’m moving forward, while my head is turned backward, making sure to keep tabs on everyone coming out of the lobby.
As I step up and go to rest down, my leg misses. Had I been paying attention, I would’ve recognized the difference between inside and outside. Since I wasn’t, I end up hanging onto the door, practically straddling the ground. I don’t want to get up; my only desire is to shrivel up and disappear into thin air. Obviously, that will never happen. No sooner do I end up in this embarrassing disposition, I’m recovered by a saint and delivered onto the passenger seat. I sit completely still, clutching my purse against my gut. I think he feels bad for me because he takes hold of the seatbelt and guides the path under my arms, securing me for the trip.
“Are you okay?”
I shake my head. How do I recover from being a complete imbecile?
“Why are you so jumpy, Leah?” Nate asks once he’s behind the wheel.
“Because I’m heading out with my boss’s boss. How do you think that looks? And on my very first day too . . .”
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The Storyline of Loving Nate
Loving Nate is a story about a young woman who falls in love when she should’ve been standing in love. I open up this tale with an acknowledgement/dedication to someone named “Superman”. A bit of advice that I received from this man was to never fall in love – stand in love. Over the years, I’ve considered this lesson of sorts, even thinking back to when I was in a similar situation like Leah.
Leah meets the perfect man, when she literally runs into Nate. She is swept away and is beyond help. Sadly, Nate knows that Leah is weak for him. He takes advantage of his effect on her, as she allows him to drift in and out of her life. Nate is the time of man that knows how to carry himself with a confidence level of perfection. He is totally irresistible! Leah is easily led.
My personal experience was not as shameful as Leah; however, I’ve known a version of Nate. Like Leah, I marveled at how impressive his charms were and lusted for his excellence. Where my experiences part ways with Leah is that I eventually pulled away when I realized that this man might have a hidden life. I paid attention to the red flags, putting an end to a situation that was sure to rip out my soul.
I always wondered what would’ve happened if I had remained in Leah’s situation. Therefore, Leah’s journey is a hypothetical journey. I also considered something that many women might contemplate – what ifs. After taking Leah on a roller coaster romance, I offer an alternative ending for reflection sakes – walk away or fight for love. After you’ve given your all to a relationship, do you ever consider the pros and cons of leaving, especially if total heartbreak seems inevitable? That is at the heart of Loving Nate.
Loving Nate Trailer
Playlist
GIVEAWAY
$25 and 3 eBooks
Giveaway Direct Link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YTQ1NWM3Zjk2MGMzZTg0ZThhYTIzYWJlNDcwMWUxOjI5/
About the Author
Janice was born in Guyana, South America and migrated to the USA in 1980. Although her citizenship certificate now reads the United States of America, she considers herself a citizen of the world. Sure she has not physically been around the world and back, but she’s travelled in her mind and dreams.
Janice is an author. She enjoys writing about social issues and personal experiences. Janice’s debut release was entitled Damaged Girls. She uses the three books in that series to detail the effects of different forms of abuse, discussing issues that are known to be taboo. Her next release, Jumping Ship, is a dedication to her country of birth and an introductory novella to the Island Hopping Series – due out in 2014. It’s poised to be a colorful and emotional experience of life, love and family. As of present, she is also a contributor to a short story collection – Just Between Us, Inspiring Stories by Women. And lastly, Loving Nate is a novella about the realities of losing one’s self to love.
Janice enjoys reading. And is drawn to stories with distinct characters that she can love or hate, characters she can form alliances with or characters that she can swear off and despise. She is also weak for a good cultural tale, preferably in the form of historical fiction. Janice loves to be taken off guard by clever language and settings.
Janice is also a devout supporter and promoter of other authors through social media. She hosts a weekly show, Cultural Cocktails, on the largest social radio network, Blog Talk Radio.
Buy Links
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
GoogleBooks
Smashwords
Connect with Janice
Website: http://www.culturalcocktails.com
Talk show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/culturalcocktails
Blog http://jgrwriter.wordpress.com &
http://myculturalcocktails.wordpress.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/JGRWriter
FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/Cultural.Cocktails
&
https://www.facebook.com/jgrwriter?ref=hl
Google+https://plus.google.com/1045796279449...
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/janice-ross/58/691/894/
LOVING NATE TOUR SCHEDULE:
http://fabulosityreadsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/03/tours-stop-schedule-loving-nate-by.html
March 18, 2014
Spotlight On: The Shadow Soul by Kaitlyn Davis
The Shadow Soul (A Dance of Dragons, #1)
by Kaitlyn Davis
Release Date: 02/20/14
Summary from Goodreads:
GAME OF THRONES meets GRACELING in a new young adult fantasy by bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis. Told in alternating male and female perspectives, THE SHADOW SOUL has been hailed as “an amazing start to a new series that is going to have people of all ages wanting so much more.” (Happy Tails & Tales Reviews)
When Jinji’s home is destroyed, she is left with nowhere to run and no one to run to—until she meets Rhen, a prince chasing rumors that foreign enemies have landed on his shores. Masquerading as a boy, Jinji joins Rhen with vengeance in her heart. But traveling together doesn’t mean trusting one another, and both are keeping a deep secret—magic. Jinji can weave the elements to create master illusions and Rhen can pull burning flames into his flesh.
But while they struggle to hide the truth, a shadow lurks in the night. An ancient evil has reawakened, and unbeknownst to them, these two unlikely companions hold the key to its defeat. Because their meeting was not coincidence—it was fate. And their story has played out before, in a long forgotten time, an age of myth that is about to be reborn…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18656484-just-like-a-musical?ac=1
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Praise for THE SHADOW SOUL
The writing is flawless. The story and plot line, and plot twists, had me captivated and enamored for the first words. I couldn’t put this book down for anything, and I absolutely cannot wait for book two. The world building is amazing. I feel like I can feel the spirits when Jin speaks of them. And I can feel the fire on my skin like Rhen. And the secondary characters are just as great as the main characters…It’s an amazing start to a new series that is going to have people of all ages wanting so much more. – Happy Tails and Tales
I loved the characters. Jinji is an amazing girl of such strength. Reading about her sometimes brought tears to my eyes because I couldn’t help but love her from the beginning. And Rhen, even though I was suspecting him of treachery he didn’t fail to be surprising at every turn… I can’t wait to find out what happens next!” – Creating Serenity
Praise for KAITLYN DAVIS
Kaitlyn Davis writes some of the best action scenes I have come across in a young adult book; they are fast paced and so well delivered. – Reflections of a Bookworm
I really enjoyed Ms Davis’s writing, I was riveted throughout and was eager to see what would happen – there was drama, danger, action and romance that was wonderfully detailed and described. – Obsession with Books
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The Shadow Soul – Buy Links:
Amazon (paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Soul-Dance-Dragons/dp/1494900092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392903909&sr=1-1&keywords=the+shadow+soul+kaitlyn+davis
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-shadow-soul/id795258293?mt=11
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/395961
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Author Bio:
Kaitlyn Davis is the bestselling author of the Midnight Fire series, a young adult paranormal romance, and the A Dance of Dragons series, a young adult epic fantasy.
Kaitlyn graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars. She’s been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to finally share her work with the world. She currently lives in New York City and dreams of having a puppy of her own.
Author Links:
Blog: http://kaitlyndavisbooks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavisKaitlyn
Tumblr: http://kaitlyndavisbooks.tumblr.com/
Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kdavisbooks/
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KaitlynDavisBooks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5276341.Kaitlyn_Davis
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kaitlyn-Davis/e/B008R4OPM0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
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GIVEAWAY:
2 signed paperbacks of The Shadow Soul (US only)
or:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MjM0OGI5ZGJmNWUwNzllYTYzNjAyYzhhZGU0MDc0OjIzMw==/
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Blog Tour Hosted by:
YA Bound Book Tours
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Spotlight On: Clarity by Loretta Lost
Clarity – PROMO Blitz
By Loretta Lost
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Date Published: February 23, 2014
Fiercely independent Helen Winters was born completely blind, but she vowed never to let her disability keep her down. She did not expect a traumatic event to devastate her life and force her to drop out of college. Disillusioned by the cruelty of people, Helen retreated from society to live by herself as a reclusive writer in the woods—where no one could ever hurt her again.
When a brilliant young doctor shows up on her doorstep, promising her that his new research can give her the ability to see for the first time, Helen stubbornly refuses. She has learned not to trust anyone, and to rely only on herself. But Dr. Liam Larson will not take no for an answer. He makes it his personal mission to rescue Helen from her loneliness, and bring joy into her world once more—the joy she has denied herself for so long.
When Helen’s demons come racing back into her life, threatening to rip her apart and destroy the strength she has carefully rebuilt, Liam is the only one who might be able to save her.
Can he reach the broken girl in time, helping her to heal and see the world in a different light? Or will Helen’s grief send her spiraling out of control, lost to him forever?
EXCERPT
I look down to hide my embarrassment. I can feel him staring at me, and the tension is beginning to grow thick in our small quarters. He is sitting very close to me, even if we are separated by the back of his seat. When Owen was in the car with us, the atmosphere was light and funny. But now, it’s dark and intense; it’s laced with something I don’t understand and don’t want to discover. I try to think of something to say to take his focus away from me and my life. “It’s just a job,” I say dumbly.
He scoffs. “Just a job? Helen, I work with other doctors every day. We heal people, and it should be glamorous; we should feel like heroes. But in truth, it gets… mechanical. At some point, you start to question how important your work really is. I mean, you can heal a person’s body… but that doesn’t really heal the person. We aren’t just bodies, you know? That’s where your books come into play.” He pauses, and I can feel him giving me an earnest look. “Books are medicine for the soul. They heal the eternal parts of a person.”
“Liam,” I say in surprise.
“You are a doctor of sorts, too,” he tells me, “except for the fact that your work persists. If a person reads a good book—they become permanently changed. They can’t even help it. They can’t unlearn what they’ve learned. It will always be with them. Our bodies all crumble and fade, and we’ll all eventually lose our eyesight near the end, along with many other basic bodily functions. But I like to think that even when we’re gone, the soul retains some of that wisdom—some of that feeling. What I do is simple science, but what you do is… magic.”
“Stop talking,” I whisper. “Seriously, stop talking right now.”
“Why?” he says, somewhat hurt at the interruption.
“Because I’m pretty sure that if you keep talking like this… I’ll have to marry you, or something,” I explain nervously. “So just zip it.”
Loretta Lost knows how dark the world can be, but chooses to believe in happily-ever-afters, despite all evidence to the contrary.
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords
March 17, 2014
Spotlight On: Lakota Honor by Kat Flannery
Lakota Honor – PROMO Blitz
By Kat Flannery
Historical/Paranormal/Western Romance
Date Published: 5/30/2013
Fate has brought them together, but will a promise tear them apart?
In the small town of Willow Creek, Colorado, Nora Rushton spends most of her days locked up in her home with a father who resents her and fighting off unwanted marriage proposals from the wealthy Elwood Calhoun. Marked as a witch, Nora must hide her healing powers from those who wish to destroy all the witkowin—crazy women. What she doesn’t know is that a bounty hunter is hot on her trail.
Lakota native Otakatay has an obligation to fulfill. He has been hired to kill the witkowin. In a time when race and difference are a threat and innocence holds no ground, courage, love and honor will bring Nora and Otakatay together as they fight for their freedom. Will the desire to fulfill his promise drive Otakatay to kill Nora? Or will the kindness he sees in her blue eyes push him to be the man he once was?
EXCERPT
Colorado Mountains, 1880
The blade slicing his throat made no sound, but the dead body hitting the ground did. With no time to stop, he hurried through the dark tunnel until he reached the ladder leading out of the shaft.
He’d been two hundred feet below ground for ten days, with no food and little water. Weak and woozy, he stared up the ladder. He’d have to climb it and it wasn’t going to be easy. He wiped the bloody blade on his torn pants and placed it between his teeth. Scraped knuckles and unwashed hands gripped the wooden rung.
The earth swayed. He closed his eyes and forced the spinning in his head to cease. One thin bronzed leg lifted and came down wobbly. He waited until his leg stopped shaking before he climbed another rung. Each step caused pain, but was paired with determination. He made it to the top faster than he’d thought he would. The sky was black and the air was cool, but fresh. Thank goodness it was fresh.
He took two long breaths before he emerged from the hole. The smell from below ground still lingered in his nostrils; unwashed bodies, feces and mangy rats. His stomach pitched. He tugged at the rope around his hands. There had been no time to chew the thick bands around his wrists when he’d planned his escape. It was better to run than crawl, and he chewed through the strips that bound his feet instead. There would be time to free his wrists later.
He pressed his body against the mountain and inched toward the shack. He frowned. A guard stood at the entrance to where they were. The blade from the knife pinched his lip, cutting the thin skin and he tasted blood. He needed to get in there. He needed to say goodbye. He needed to make a promise.
The tower bell rang mercilessly. There was no time left. He pushed away from the rocky wall, dropped the knife from his mouth into his bound hands, aimed and threw it. The dagger dug into the man’s chest. He ran over, pulled the blade from the guard and quickly slid it across his throat. The guard bled out in seconds.
He tapped the barred window on the north side of the dilapidated shack. The time seemed to stretch. He glanced at the large house not fifty yards from where he stood. He would come back, and he would kill the bastard inside.
He tapped again, harder this time, and heard the weak steps of those like him shuffling from inside. The window slid open, and a small hand slipped out.
“Toksha ake—I shall see you again,” he whispered in Lakota.
The hand squeezed his once, twice and on the third time held tight before it let go and disappeared inside the room.
A tear slipped from his dark eyes, and his hand, still on the window sill, balled into a fist. He swallowed past the sob and felt the burn in his throat. His chest ached for what he was leaving behind. He would survive, and he would return.
Men shouted to his right, and he crouched down low. He took one last look around and fled into the cover of the forest.
About the Author
Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. When not researching for her next book, Kat can be found running her three sons to hockey and lacrosse. She has her Certificate in Freelance and Business Writing. A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. She’s been published in numerous periodicals. Her debut novel CHASING CLOVERS has been on Amazon’s Bestsellers list many times and was #62 over all their titles. LAKOTA HONOR and HAZARDOUS UNIONS are Kat’s other two books and both have made bestseller lists. Kat is currently hard at work on her next book.
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | itunes
Giveaway
Kindle Fire!
March 16, 2014
Spotlight On: All Hallows Night (Night Series, #2) by Marie Hall
All Hallows Night
Night Series, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Secrets and truths, lies and red herrings… which is which? That’s what Pandora’s trying to figure out. Ever since the death of her best, and probably only friend by her own hands, she’s not sure who to trust anymore. The Priest is dead. The Gray Man is… she’s not even sure what. Luc, well, Luc is Luc.
The Order has sent her deep into the heart of Mexico to investigate a potential zombie uprising. She arrives at the start of the Dia de los Muertos festival—a celebration for the dead and immediately things don’t feel right to her. For one, bodies (the living kind) keep disappearing. They’re not being kidnapped, no, if only things were that simple. Literally there one second, gone the next, she’s not sure what to make of it. On top of that mum’s are floating all over the place. Is that merely symbolism associated with the festival, or is it a clue of something far more sinister?
In this explosive sequel to the USA Today Bestselling, Crimson Night, an old ally returns and a shocking truth is revealed. One that will turn her investigation into The Order’s duplicity on its head and make Pandora question everything she ever thought she knew…
I’d meant to ask around town, see if any of the locals knew of or had heard about any recent or strange deaths, but I was a stranger to them. A gringa (white face), they wouldn’t trust me enough to answer me.
Part of Lust’s glamour was that I could turn myself into the walking embodiment of anybody’s deepest desire, but doing so also required that I had sex recently. A sort of tit for tat kind of arrangement.
But since that night and the possession of my third soul, Lust wasn’t working so well for me anymore. My desire for sex was practically nil. Luc was the first person I’d slept with since waking from my semi-coma, and even that had left me empty and cold.
I knew I should be a lot more worried than I actually was—I dunno, maybe Lust was still in shock after our stint in Hell. Meeting Wrath had done things to Lust, screwed with her head. She was like a whimpering, terrified dog tucking tail and hiding in a corner, and there wasn’t much I could do to bring her out.
So I had to do this sleuthing thing the good old-fashioned way. Being as old as I am, you get a feeling for people. The outer shell might be different, but the inside was always the same. If I wanted to find what I was looking for, I had to go someplace designed to loosen tongues and get men talking. Get a man drunk enough and he’ll tell you anything you want to know.
Opening the door to the first dive I found in town, I entered and stood just inside as my eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting.
OTHER BOOK IN THE SERIES:
Marie loves books that make you think, or feel something. Preferably both. And while she’s a total girly girl and loves glitter and rainbows, she’s just as happy when she’s writing about the dark underbelly of society. Well, if things like zombies, and vampires, and werewolves, and mermaids existed. (Although she has it on good authority that mermaids do in fact exist, because the internet told her so.)
She’s married to the love of her life, a sexy beast of a caveman who likes to refer to himself as Big Hunk. She has two awesome kids, lives in Hawaii, loves cooking and occasionally has been known to crochet.
Connect with Marie:
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Blog Hop!
It’s Springtime, and the blogs are hoppin’–I’ve got several blog hop entries this week!
I have spent much of my time this spring working on a contemporary romance novel for Entangled Publishing, so I’ll be giving away several of their new releases. When you enter, be sure to leave a comment telling me what kind of romance novel you like best–paranormal, YA, contemporary, sweet, etc.
(Please note that this giveaway is in no way endorsed by Entangled Publishing; I am sponsoring the giveaway and providing the books.)
Enter to win the giveaway here:
Direct link to the Rafflecopter Entry Form: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDc2NDEyMTFiMWVhMDg4MzE4NzZlNDdkNjZhMTgxOjI3/
After you enter this giveaway, HOP to enter the other giveaways:
http://www.iamareader.com/2014/02/4th-annual-lucky-leprechaun-giveaway-hop-sign-ups.html
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Novels by Margo Bond Collins
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Fairy, Texas Blurb:
Fairy, Texas. A small town like any other.
Laney Harris didn’t want to live there. When her mother remarried and moved them to a town where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that “boring” would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough. But when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious. Especially since he had wings that only she could see. And then there were Josh and Mason, two gorgeous glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Not to mention that dead guy she nearly tripped over in gym class.
She was right. Boring took on an entirely new dimension in Fairy, Texas.
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Buy Fairy, Texas
E-Book:
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00I7BTMJ4/
Paperback:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins/dp/1495419800/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fairy-texas-margo-bond-collins/1118584512
Books a Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Fairy-Texas/Margo-Bond-Collins/9781495419805
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins/9781495419805
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Waking Up Dead Blurb:
When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, when she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex, she went to Alabama. Now she’s witnessed another murder, and she’s not about to let this one go. She’s determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up dead in Alabama?
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Buy Waking Up Dead:
Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00HKQQRJA/
Paperback from these booksellers:
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-up-dead-margo-bond-collins/1117526839?ean=9781493750467
Books A Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Waking-Up-Dead/Margo-Bond-Collins/9781493750467?id=5868658257083
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Waking-Up-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/9781493750467
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About the Author
Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Waking Up Dead, Fairy, Texas, and Legally Undead (forthcoming in 2014). She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.
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Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/MargoBondCollins/
Add Fairy, Texas to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19502285-fairy-texas
Add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead
Add Legally Undead to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18366353-legally-undead
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March 15, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday: Work in Progress ~ Playing Dead, sequel to Waking Up Dead
Hi, everyone! I am currently working on sequels to Waking Up Dead, Fairy, Texas, and Legally Undead. Today, as part of the Sneak Peek Sunday Blog Hop, I’m sharing a bit of Playing Dead, the sequel to Waking Up Dead. Check it out, then HOP to the rest of the blogs!
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Playing Dead: Prologue
A few months ago, I died and went to Alabama.
Not heaven.
Not hell.
Alabama.
It’s the strangest damn afterlife I’ve ever heard of. And for a while, it was lonely—I didn’t know anyone here, and even if I did, it’s not like very many of them could see me. But then I saw Molly McClatchey’s murder and couldn’t stand to watch her husband go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, so I found some people who could help me: a bank teller named Ashara Jones and her grandmother, Adelaide Thomkins, better known as Maw-Maw.
Along the way we picked up Stephen Davenport, a musical-instrument repairman who worked for Molly’s husband Rick. Ashara decided to take Stephen home and keep him—figuratively, at least. Maw-Maw calls him “Ashara’s white boy” because she likes him. If she didn’t like him, he’d be long gone.
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HOP to check out the rest of the sneak peeks!
http://sneak-peek-sunday.blogspot.com/2014/03/march-16.html
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Books by Margo Bond Collins
Waking Up Dead Blurb:
When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, when she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex, she went to Alabama. Now she’s witnessed another murder, and she’s not about to let this one go. She’s determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up dead in Alabama?
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Buy Waking Up Dead:
Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00HKQQRJA/
Paperback from these booksellers:
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-up-dead-margo-bond-collins/1117526839?ean=9781493750467
Books A Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Waking-Up-Dead/Margo-Bond-Collins/9781493750467?id=5868658257083
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Waking-Up-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/9781493750467
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Fairy, Texas Blurb:
Fairy, Texas. A small town like any other.
Laney Harris didn’t want to live there. When her mother remarried and moved them to a town where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that “boring” would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough. But when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious. Especially since he had wings that only she could see. And then there were Josh and Mason, two gorgeous glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Not to mention that dead guy she nearly tripped over in gym class.
She was right. Boring took on an entirely new dimension in Fairy, Texas.
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Buy Fairy, Texas
E-Book:
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00I7BTMJ4/
Paperback:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins/dp/1495419800/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fairy-texas-margo-bond-collins/1118584512
Books a Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Fairy-Texas/Margo-Bond-Collins/9781495419805
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins/9781495419805
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About the Author
Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Waking Up Dead, Fairy, Texas, and Legally Undead (forthcoming in 2014). She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.
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Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/MargoBondCollins/
Add Fairy, Texas to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19502285-fairy-texas
Add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead
Add Legally Undead to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18366353-legally-undead
Book Trailers:
Guest Post: Writing About the South, by Samantha Charles
Writing about the South
by Samantha Charles, author of Redemption
As a writer, I have written many things, academic papers, marketing materials and even articles for local magazines. Exploring other venues has taught me a great deal about the craft of writing, as well as why I write. What I have learned over the past several years differs somewhat from the old adage “write what you know.” After all I was somewhat knowledgeable about the material I had written before Redemption, but I found little joy in the work I was doing.
Writing can be an arduous undertaking if you allow your focus to deviate from passion to paycheck. I now only write fiction, specifically southern fiction. Although it has been several years since I lived in the area, I remain passionate about the culture and the people of the Appalachian Mountains, and enjoy sharing the rich, diverse culture heritage of this southeastern region of the United States.
My southern pride, however, is a dichotomy. Growing up, I witnessed the bigotry inherent in the culture buried as deep beneath the fertile soil as the rich veins of coal. I cannot deny the crimes our ancestors perpetrated on humanity over two hundred years ago; denying the most basic of human rights, freedom, to an entire race of people, and the residual intolerance that became a legacy I despise. However, I have also been surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, and lived among, and grew to love the people who populate the small coal mining towns where I was raised. My debut novel, Redemption explores the social and cultural issues of what it means to be southern, and introduces you to strong people who are determined to overcome the past in a world where sometimes merely survival is the ultimate goal.
About the Book
Lindy Carver Harrington loses her unborn child during a violent altercation with her husband. On the same day, her closest friend Sara careens off a mountainside to her death. Lindy is devastated. Imprisoned by grief, and paralyzed by fear, she is easy prey to her husband’s abuse. She is unable to summon the strength to fight back, until now…
A brutal confrontation forces Lindy to choose to either end her husband’s life, or save her own. Escaping, she returns home to Parson’s Gap to rebuild her shattered life. Still haunted by the cryptic message Sara left moments before she died, Lindy becomes determined to answer the voice from the grave and unravel the mystery surrounding Sara’s death.
On a perilous journey into the final days of her friend’s life, Lindy’s quest for truth will expose shocking secrets that will shake a small southern town to its roots. Confronting the demons of her past, she strips away layers of lies buried beneath the magnificent mountains she calls home. When the past and present collide, the truth may set Lindy free, if she can only live long enough to take her last shot at redemption.
About the Author
Samantha Charles is a southern writer. She grew up in the Appalachian region of the Southeast in small towns that are somewhat isolated from modern-day society by geography, and choice. She remains passionate about the magnificence, as well as the malevolence, of the southern culture.
She now resides in the Midwest, with her husband and three children. She attended Baker University in Kansas where she earned her Master of Arts degree. When she isn’t busy creating new worlds, she teaches English as a professor at a local college.
he is currently creating a series of short stories about Parson’s Gap; a coal mining town inspired by the people and places she grew to love as a child. She is also hard at work on Salvation, the sequel to Redemption.
Redemption is her first novel.
If you would like to learn more, please visit her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/author.samantha.charles
March 14, 2014
Flawed Perfection by Cassandra Giovanni: Dreamcast
Bobby Beckerson was the American All-Star hockey player–he was the spitting image of perfection to his family. Goofy, sweet and undeniably gorgeous, he had everything but the one girl he wanted: River Ahlers.
River Ahlers is successful in everything but love. She’s been in love with Adam Beckerson since they were kids. Worst of all she’s stuck right in the middle of the brother’s dueling over everything and anything, and she doesn’t even know she’s the ultimate prize.
Adam Beckerson was a boy with a guitar, a smile that sunk girl’s hearts and a stone wall around his own. He was anything but perfect, and no matter how hard he tried he was nothing compared to Bobby. Sweet, damaged, with boyish good-looks, nobody thought Adam loved anyone but himself.
Bobby loved River, River loved Adam and Adam only loved himself–or so everyone thought. Then one night everything changes, and as it threatens to destroy everyone involved a tragedy strikes that will break them all…
GENRE: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Kobo ~ Google Play ~ Signed Paperback
Cassandra doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character’s stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. In 2012 she became a published Young Adult author, releasing In Between Seasons (The Fall, #1) and the Amazon bestselling thriller, Walking in the Shadows. In 2013 she branched out by using her artistic illustrating talents to publish her first Children’s novel, The Adventures of Skippy Von Flippy: Tales of Friendship (Skippy Tales, #1). Cassandra released her first New Adult novel, Love Exactly, which became an Amazon Bestseller overnight in June of 2013. She’s currently working on her new New Adult Contemporary Romance, Beautifully Flawed. The first novel in the series, Flawed Perfection is scheduled to be published on March 7, 2014.
Besides being a writer, Cassandra is a professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is the owner of Gio Design Studios Photography and Gio Design Studios Publication Marketing . She is currently studying to receive a degree in Marketing. Cassandra is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England with the other loves of her life their dogs, Bubski and Kanga.
Cassandra can be found on:
Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ @cgiovanniauthor
Spotlight On: Eden’s Darkness, by D. M. Sears
What would you do if the person you loved the most became the very thing you were fighting to destroy?
Eden will have to answer that very question before her quest is through. The land she has come to love is at dire risk of being lost to the shadows seeking to consume it. Circenn, now the consort of Darkness, waits to claim her granddaughter and her powers, unaware that Darkness has his own agenda.
He has but little time to obtain his vessel and find his true form. Will he succeed? And will Eden be able to face the disturbing visions that continue to pursue her
Nightmares will become reality in Eden’s Darkness, Book Two in the Ellethny Series.
“It’s an ambush!” Lex yelled, out of breath yet trying to be loud enough for all to hear. Shadows were coming in waves out of the forest blocking any escape route we may have had.
“Lexington, get behind me!” Val set up a barrier between them and the shades, doing what she could to keep Lex safe this time. “I can only hold this for a few moments. Eden now would be a good time to do something.”
“You got it.”
I took off in a dead run calling up my dragon. Bronze scales covered my body from toes to head; my feathery wings transformed into those of the dragon. As I ascended up into the sky, my body finished changing and I was Ryu, in all her splendor and ferocity. The penumbral outline of my birthmark glowed brightly on my dragon’s forearm. Ryu burst through the sky like liquid bronze bellowing white fire from her mouth.
Be careful my heart.
You be careful. I am safer than you are right now.
You have to keep our daughter safe.
She is fine. Always the worried papa. Let us finish this– I am getting bored.
You would think this kind of excitement would make your evening.
Nah, they need some new tricks, been there done that.
I blew off the situation with my carefree attitude, but deep inside I knew this couldn’t continue. My family and friends were wearing down, and I would be giving birth soon.
Ryu’s vision allowed me to see everything going on at once. The shades I burned were writhing on the ground, screaming a shrill of agony that was deafening. I searched the ground, monitoring my companions. I zeroed in on Maiya pinned by two shadows; a third was working its way towards her. I searched for the closest of my family to go to her aide.
Gregor, Maiya needs help–there are too many shadows attacking her at once. Go to her quickly!
The thought of another person being seriously injured as my uncle had been was not an option.
That will not happen Eden. I will not allow those insects to harm her.
I sent a mental swell of pride at him. My vampire, always so chivalrous.
You are a pleasant distraction my heart, but just now I must stay focused.
Oops.
Gregor raced with blinding speed over to the silver wolf and threw the two shadows back; the crunch of bone against rock gave a sickening echo. Koren saw what was happening and ran at the third, clamping his strong jaws around the shade’s neck, ripping the head from the body. Black ooze splattered from the head as it was severed from the neck. Maiya rolled over onto her feet and sprang at another shadow, never missing a beat, always ready for the next assailant.
I admired my friends and family for fighting with me, for putting their lives in the balance for a cause that was mine.
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D.M. Sears lives in Missouri with her daughter and one crazy cat. Her first paranormal fantasy, Eden’s Mark, was recently published by Solstice Publishing. D.M. Sears is a Director of an early childhood center and bakes cupcakes on the side. She loves most genres of books and is currently finishing Book 2 in the Ellethny Series.
Connext with D.M Sears:
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