Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 164
September 24, 2013
Guest Author: Robin Mahle
Welcome to today’s guest author, Robin Mahle, here to discuss why we want our books in series! Be sure to enter the giveaway below and check out Robin’s books!
WHAT IS IT ABOUT A BOOK SERIES THAT KEEPS US WANTING MORE?
by Robin Mahle
We love them, or we love to hate them; the familiar characters that keep us coming back for more. This is what a good book series is all about.
What’s better than following the characters you have grown to love from the very first scene through to the final chapter of the final book? Why is the desire so strong to want to watch them face their biggest fears and celebrate with them on their greatest triumphs? We become so attached to these very well written, three-dimensional characters that it is hard to say goodbye. They are our best friends or our worst enemies.
Not to mention that once we’re introduced to them, the subsequent books jump right into the action. No need for introductions. It’s like we never really left, even if it had been a year or more since we last followed them on their adventures.
There’s no question as to the popularity of book series. It seems many authors have taken to creating stories that continue to pull the reader along willingly. I am no exception, both as a reader and as an author.
I nearly cried at the end of the Harry Potter series. They all were my most beloved friends whom I had to be content with letting go. Rowling did however; give her readers an appropriate goodbye when she allowed us to see the characters as adults. It was the closure I needed and I was grateful.
Other book series pulled me in so much that I simply could not move on to any other task until I finished with the last line in the series. Hunger Games was like that for me. Fortunately, I picked it up after all three had already been released and so I wasn’t forced to wait for each one.
I wonder if the reason for the popularity of ongoing stories is that, in an age where we are becoming increasingly disconnected in our real lives; where the preferred choice of communication is email and text rather than verbal conversation; we long for the connection that we feel when we delve into the lives of our heroes and heroines. And, we don’t want to give them up.
I guess you could say that I didn’t want to give up on the hero and heroine in my Redwood Violet series and I’m not entirely sure that I have. Maybe I was only able to close the door on a particular chapter in their lives. Maybe I haven’t given up on them just yet. Time will tell.
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Robin Mahle’s Books
Redwood Violet - Book One
Released: March 20th 2013
Average Rating: 3.91
Purchase: Amazon
REDWOOD VIOLET #1
Katie Reid is living the quintessential Southern California life. A dream job and her college sweetheart, Spencer top it all off. However, she can’t seem to shake the terrible dreams that have been tormenting her nights these past few months. After seeking help to find relief from the exhausting effects of these dreams, it becomes apparent that Katie is dealing with something much deeper and much more sinister. Her only solution is to delve into a past that no one wants her to remember. With the horrific discovery of a dark secret kept hidden for years, Katie is drawn into a world mired in evil and lost innocence. And only with the help of Detective Marshall Avery will she be able to channel her pain and anger. But, will he be able to contain Katie’s desire for vengeance that has begun to unravel her perfect life? The first in a two-part series, REDWOOD VIOLET, a fast-paced, mystery/suspense novel, will keep you up long past your bedtime!
All The Shiny Things - Book Two
Release date: September 27th 2013
All the Shiny Things on Goodreads
ALL THE SHINY THINGS #2
The endless nightmare has been brought to life and it’s too late to turn back, but Katie and Marshall are no longer fighting the battle alone. In this second installment of the Redwood Violet series, the last piece in this horrifying puzzle has been revealed and the case grows beyond what they could have imagined. Now the FBI wants in.
Katie enters into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the man who taunts the authorities at every turn.
Soon, an unexpected alliance forms as she takes matters into her own hands.
But Marshall knows she’s risking too much and sides with the FBI. Now the authorities have precious little time to find the killer before he takes another life. Who will it be this time?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bestselling Author, Robin Mahle, lives with her husband and two children in Arizona. Robin found her passion for writing, which later became her second career, after spending nearly 20 years in the construction industry.
Having always been a lover of books, Robin attributes her creativity to the wonderful overseas adventures she has shared with her husband of 14 years. Backpacking (or certainly close to it), throughout Europe and having lived in England, opened her mind and with that came a steady stream of story ideas inspired by her author- idols in the thriller/suspense genre.
Through many late nights and weekends locked away in a room, Robin published her debut psychological suspense novel, Redwood Violet in the Spring of 2013. Intended as a two-part series, Robin is hard at work again writing the sequel, All the Shiny Things and is on schedule for a September 2013 release!
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Contact Robin
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Enter to Win
Win paperbacks of Redwood Violet and All the Shiny Things or a $25 Amazon card!
Blog Tour, 9/24
Reviews by Dee
Be sure to enter for a copy of Waking Up Dead or an Amazon gift card!
Waking Up Dead
Margo Bond Collins
Guest Author: Renee Novelle
Welcome to today’s guest author, Renee Novelle! She’s here with a Top Ten list of the things she wishes she had known before she became an author.
10 Things I wish I’d know about being an author…
By Renee’ Novelle
When I was preparing to release my first novel, I practically absorbed every piece of information I could possibly find about the process. I read the good, the bad and the ugly of the publishing industry stories. I was inspired by tales of riches, but grounded by fables of failure. And by the time I got that very first email, the one that told me my book had gone live on Amazon, I thought I knew almost everything there was to know. I’d prepared myself as best as I possibly could.
Then reality hit. And I realized that everything I’d learned up until that point was actually just the beginning. The tip of the iceberg. Not that my decision to self-published would’ve been deterred in any way. But I feel like I didn’t get the whole story.
So, in an effort to save you from the same awkward fate, here are a few points I’ve recently learned that took me by surprise as a new author.
The world does not stop turning just because I finally finished my project. In fact, often times it seems like it’s sped up.
Writing a book is not an instant gratification process. It can take months – maybe years even! – to successfully complete a perfectly polished book. You agonize for countless hours over the simplest sentence structures. You second-guess every word choice you’ve made in every description. You compare yourself to every major bestseller out there, ask for opinions, take advice, then give the WIP one more polish.
And then finally, it’s done. And it’s live! Your precious darling is available for the general public to buy and fall in love with. You pop a bottle of champagne, celebrate with your friends, then sleep for 24 hours straight. And you expect everyone in the world to stop what they’re doing, take notice, and celebrate right along with you.
Only this doesn’t happen. Sure a few close friends and relatives might. But people will continue on with their daily lives, will have babies, get sick and even ignore you. And after those first thrilling 48 hours are over, during which you’ve been sailing on cloud 9, your life is thrown into a ridiculous cycle of promoting your book while working on the next one. All as you attempt to hold down a day job, a social life and your sanity.
The word “busy” takes on an entirely different meaning.
You think you know what busy felt like before? So did I. But trust me when I tell you that you have no idea what busy means until after your book has gone live and the promotion process begins. There’s no way to describe it, just… brace yourself.
Clones would be useful.
Because of this never-ending cycle of “busy”, I decided I would need the formula to clone myself – several times over. I would need one Renee to hold down the day job (I still have bills to pay, and success doesn’t come overnight – despite what you’ve heard). One to promote my current project (yes, book promotion is a full time job), one to write the next project (you can’t live off the success of one book your whole life, after all), one to cook, one to clean (because who has time for either of those chores), one to keep up with my social life and relationship (because no one has time for that anymore either), and one to enjoy all the freedom that being a writer is supposed to supply. That’s seven Renees! SEVEN!
Coffee is a necessity, not an option.
Because I’m still working on that clone making formula, I’m forced to try to tackle all the work of seven people on my own. That requires a lot less sleep and a lot more hours put into working. I’ve gone from drinking several cups of coffee a day to several pots, and now I’m trying to figure out how to get a truck to just deposit a never-ending supply every morning. Or how to get a doctor to supply it in IV form. When I get that figured out, I’ll send you the memo.
Excitement and support can be found everywhere.
All the hard work is beginning to pay off though. People I don’t even know, and certainly didn’t realize cared, have come from everywhere to offer their congratulations and support. I’m getting great reviews from people I’ve never met, and those I do know are spreading the word about my book on my behalf. It’s a really humbling, inspiring feeling to be amidst this much support.
Dismissive people can be found everywhere too.
Still, the world is full of “haters” who constantly berate, ignore, or try to dismiss what I’ve done. But I just ignore those people. They don’t matter anyway…
The sheer ecstasy of getting a (good) review.
Knowing that there are haters out there sweetens the pleasant remarks that much more. So when I get a five star review, I’m beyond ecstatic! It’s the best high there possibly could be, and there’s absolutely nothing in this world that compares.
Everyone is of the belief that I suddenly have more.
However, with this new role, and all these pleasant remarks, people around me automatically assume I have abundantly more in life. More free time to help them with their own projects, to have lunch, to make phone calls, to take care of tasks. More money to spend on fancy things, nice vacations or contribute to various charities. More freedom of schedule to socialize, to stop whatever I’m doing and attend to something else.
But the fact is, I’m now juggling the responsibilities of seven people (still no clones!), and that takes even more time than I had before. And no, not every author is rich beyond imagination at first. It’s all a process. When I get the riches, I’ll hire the clones. But until then, the only thing I have more of is work.
Publishing is addictive.
That rush, that high I spoke of before? It’s the best kind of addicting. I’m no longer satisfied with just having one book out. I want more. I want dozens. And I want them now. This, however, will take some time to accomplish. Doesn’t mean I haven’t put the pressure on myself to attain those goals. Is this good or bad? Time will tell I suppose.
At the end of the day, I’m satisfied in a way I had never imagined.
Had I known that, maybe I wouldn’t have put off releasing that first book for so long…
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An investigative journalist gets an unlikely tip from a mysterious informant. Dismissing it as impossible, she disregards the information and drops the story. Until the informant turns up dead, as predicted.
Plunged into the murky waters of a seedy underground prostitution ring, this psychological thriller provides twist upon dark twist in a story that would ultimately pin the church and several government officials in the largest murder cover-up the city has ever witnessed.
But is it true, or has the journalist merely been used as a pawn in a greater scheme? And how many people is she willing to sacrifice trying to figure it out?
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About the Author
Renee’ Novelle is preceded by a long line of published family members, including Pulitzer Prize nominated author and Poet Laureate of Kentucky Jesse Stuart.
As a child, Novelle was already gaining recognition for several of her works, and in her formative years, she continued this trend by earning local awards for her short stories and poems.
Inspired to cultivate her talent, Novelle pursued freelance journalism and has found placement of 75 of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her savvy, effective writing style to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.
In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. Writing under the names Renee Novelle and R.S. Novelle, she has a publication schedule that includes psychological thrillers, suspense, paranormal fiction, contemporary women’s fiction, chick lit, and new adult.
Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, Summa Cum Laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you meant to be.
For more information, to view pictures, read blog posts and see the upcoming release schedule, please visit the website at http://www.RSNovelle.com
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Connect with Renee
Website
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
September 23, 2013
Spotlight On: An Element of Time by Bebe Knight
An Element of Time
Eternal Flame Series: Book One
By: Bebe Knight
Releasing September 24th, 2013 through Solstice Publishing
A vampire and a slayer walk into a bar… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but for Veronica and Mackenzie, it’s the beginning of the rest of their lives…
The world has seen its fair share of evil, but Veronica Chase had no idea such monsters truly existed. Werewolves, poltergeists, witches… even vampires. Ignorance was bliss. But her reality was crushed on that horrid day her family was taken away from her. Now, Veronica has devoted her entire life to hunting those very creatures, searching for the werewolf pack that murdered her parents in hopes of finding her abducted sister. Nothing will get in her way of settling the score for the hand she was unjustly dealt. That is until her newest assignment brings her to her knees.
After one hundred and eight years on earth, Mackenzie Jones thought he had seen it all. With the exception of daylight of course, but that’s what comes with the territory being a vampire and all. Perpetually damned to live his life as a bartender in the shadows of the night, nothing has sparked his interest lately. Just once he wished something exciting would happen in his mundane life. Little did he know, his wish was about to come true. Walking through the door to his bar, and into his heart, Mackenzie allows love to take the wheel for the first time. There’s just one slight problem. She’s there to kill him.
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Excerpt
Veronica took a seat on an empty stool in a deserted corner, far enough away from anyone to hear a conversation. He glanced her way and held up a finger to let her know he’d be right over. Mackenzie was currently busy talking with two girls, a blond and a brunette, who were both dressed to kill and definitely playing him up. The blond kept laughing louder than necessary, while the brunette playfully hit his arm.
Veronica rolled her eyes. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain what they were after. However, his demeanor suggested that he was uninterested. Either that or just very naïve. Points for her if that were the case. When he was finally able to remove himself from the talkative twins, he made his was over to take her order.
“What can I get you?” Mackenzie asked with his back to her, ringing out another customer on the cash register. He had no clue that she held the fate of his life in her hands.
“Make it a Bloody Mary,” she requested. Trying to see if she could get him to turn around, she hoisted her messenger bag onto the bar, making a loud thump in the process.
He cocked his head toward her, and raised an eyebrow. “You sure you can handle it? I like mine extra hot.”
“Yeah, ninety-eight point six degrees,” she muttered under her breath. “Bring it on Mackenzie, I like a challenge.” He turned around at the mention of his name.
God, he’s gorgeous, Veronica thought. Shit, is he using mind control on me? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Now was her chance– all she had to do was hop over the bar and stake him. Easy enough, right?
“Now that I have your undivided attention, let me introduce myself. I’m Veronica Chase and I’ll be your slayer tonight.” She took a stake out of her bag and placed it on the bar. “Any questions?”
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About the Author
Bebe Knight is the author of the paranormal romance series The Eternal Flame Books. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband and son. Writing has always been a part of her life whether it be books, plays, or handwritten letters to friends and family. It’s a dream come true for her to be able to share her stories with others.
Contact Bebe:
https://www.facebook.com/BebeKnightAuthor
http://www.goodreads.com/Bebe_Knight
http://www.twitter.com/Bebe_Knight
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Waking Up Dead Pre-Release Tour
Blog Tour
Waking Up Dead by Margo Bond Collins
Follow the tour and enter to win one of four copies of Waking Up Dead or a $10 Amazon gift card!
If you’re interested in hosting a stop on the tour, email me at MargoBondCollins@gmail.com.
September 22
Words, Words, Words: Tour Kickoff! http://margobondcollins.com/2013/09/22/waking-up-dead-kickoff
September 23
Rapid Reviewer: http://rcharlesworth1990.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/%e2waking-up-dead-promo-and-book-amazon-voucher-giveaway%e2/
Books on Silver Wings: http://onsilverwingz.blogspot.com/2013/09/guest-post-blog-tour-and-giveaway.html
Fabulosity Reads: http://fabulosityreads.blogspot.com/2013/09/waking-up-dead-by-margo-bond-collins.html
September 24
Book Reviews by Dee: http://bookreviewsbydee.com/margo-bond-collins/
Escape Into a Book: http://eatsleepread88.blogspot.com/2013/09/waking-up-dead.html
September 25
Words, Words, Words: http://margobondcollins.com/2013/09/26/waking-up-dead-book-trailer2/
Renee Novelle: http://reneenovelle.com/ReneeNovelle/Blog/Blog.html
Reading in Twilight: http://readingintwilight.blogspot.com/
September 26
Write Away Bliss: http://writeawaybliss.com/
September 27
Words, Words, Words: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
September 28
Dawn’s Reading Nook: http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com/2013/09/talking-with-author-margo-bond-collins.html
Reviews by Crystal: http://reviewsbycacb.blogspot.com/2013/09/waking-up-dead-by-margo-bond-collins.html
September 29
Michelle’s Paranormal Vault of Books: http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com/
September 30
Lost to Books: http://losttobooks.blogspot.com/2013/09/teaser-tour-waking-up-dead-by-margo.html
Out of the Lockbox: http://outofthelockbox.blogspot.com/
October 1
Paulette’s Papers: http://paulettespapers.com/
October 2
A. L. Davroe: http://www.aldavroe.com/
Mary H. Collins: http://www.authormaryhcollins.com/blog.html
October 3
KC Sprayberry: http://www.kcsprayberry.com
October 4
KateMarie Collins: http://katemariecollins.wordpress.com/
October 5
Deborah Melanie: http://deborahmelanie.blogspot.co.uk/
Touch the Night: http://touchthenight.blogspot.com/
Words, Words, Words: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
October 6
Reading Until I Fall Asleep: http://www.readinguntilifallasleep.com/
October 7
Book Bliss: http://www.book-bliss.com/
October 8: Release Day!
Facebook Release Party, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Waking Up Dead FB Release Party! (https://www.facebook.com/events/347803788688779/)
October 9
KH LeMoyne: http://khlemoyne.com/
Tashara Talks: http://tasharatalks.com/
October 15
Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews: http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com
Blog Tour Stops, 9/23
The first is at the Rapid Reviewer: http://tinyurl.com/mjglxcu
And the second is at Fabulosity Reads: http://tinyurl.com/mng58om
Don't forget to sign up for the e-book and Amazon gift card giveaway!
Waking Up Dead
September 22, 2013
Spotlight On: The Second Shadow, by Elizabeth Arroyo
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Date Published: 9/5/2013
Jake thought being demon meant a shredded humanity, stripped of all human emotion. Chaos and self-preservation dominates a demon’s instincts. But Jake feels every ounce of pain and despair around him.
And it’s driving him deeper into Hell.
Gabby’s choice to save him last summer left a fissure in Hell’s gate that released a malevolent evil. When Jake’s given a mission by the demons to shadow a human girl who may know the whereabouts of an ethereal weapon, he doesn’t expect to see Gabby. But Fate has her own agenda.
When Jake and Gabby are thrown together on a camping trip with a group of delinquent teens, Jake begins to grapple with the haunting choices he made in the past. When the evil finds them, the group begins to battle for their lives, alliances are made, and truths revealed.
As the evil begins to influence Jake, he questions his link to the demons, his purpose, and his love for Gabby.
But the answers to those questions are only found in Hell. And it may cost him his soul.
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Prologue
Old, dead things
Gabriela Vega was going to pay. It was all Tasha could think about after the little freak soaked her in mop water—as if. No one in the cafeteria had lifted a finger as Tasha pounded on the new girl. They wouldn’t dare. Suspended after she tackled the little swine, Tasha knew she’d be in deep shit when she got home. Grams was going to have a fit.
Wiping her dripping nose as she stepped onto the bus, she took a seat near the window in the rear. Tasha hated riding on the bus, but Robin refused to take her wet ass home. He didn’t want to ruin the polyester upholstery in his car. Asshole.
But Tasha hadn’t left the fight empty-handed.
She lifted the chain in front of her eyes and scrutinized the small silver angel pendant. The pendant made the fight worthwhile, even the suspension. Wait until Gabby saw Tasha wearing it. Let the little shit try to take it back. Rubbing the warm pendant with her thumb, she felt tiny vibrations under her skin. It felt good.
A strong odor caught in her throat from the guy sitting next to her. The smell of old, dead things. Scooting away from him without jumping out the window didn’t help. His shoulder nudged hers, forcing her to turn and face the dark, hollow pit that replaced his face. She tried to move, to pull back, to scream, but her body and her voice wouldn’t comply. The fabric of his dark trench coat fluttered, as if caught by an unfelt wind.
And then he began to lean toward her. The air grew thick, pressing against her as if she’d fallen into a deep ocean trench and the pressure threatened to crush her. Implode.
She couldn’t breathe.
No one noticed her dying on the bus. No one noticed the thing beside her, with its hollow face inches from hers, and stench of death. It whispered words in her ear and a cold wetness draped her in fear. Tears leaked from her eyes and pain exploded inside her skull. Then she did move. She pulled away from him, closed her eyes to keep them in her head, and rubbed her forehead with her palm.
“Are you okay?”
Tasha looked at the woman sitting beside her.
“Huh?” Tasha rubbed her head again. A splitting headache tightened its nasty clamp around her head. “No, I feel like crap.” Tasha stood up as the bus reached her stop, and she got off.
She arrived home with no memory of the bus ride or the walk. She needed to crash. Cold sweat forced shivers throughout her body. The buzzing in her head wouldn’t stop. Sick. She was getting sick. The flu maybe. She rubbed her ear and felt a wet sticky substance. Black goop on her fingertips made her stomach roll. She stepped inside the apartment she shared with her grandma and sister and a foul smell forced her eyes to water. Her stomach lurched, and she ran to the bathroom.
“Are you sick?” Grandma’s voice tore into her brain as she stumbled back to the couch. Moaning, Tasha threw herself on it, her limbs heavy, her breathing hard. She needed sleep. Rest. Peace.
“I asked you a question!” Grandma hollered.
There is no peace for the wicked.
Tasha sat up, eyes closed. Grandma’s in one of her moods again. “Please, Grams, can I sleep for a little bit?” Pain exploded on her left cheek, then, in quick succession, her right. She’d been slapped. Twice. Opening her eyes to her grandmother, Tasha restrained the urge to crawl away and die.
“You demon spawn, what did you do?” Spittle fell from Grams thin lips, the only feature on her face that looked…human. “The school called! What did you do this time?”
Tasha stood up on shaky legs. Grandma’s face, a writhing mass of bugs, stood a foot away from her own. Her heart did a double-take, and she felt the blood drain from her body. Tasha felt the scream at her throat and opened her mouth to release it into the space between her and the monster. But nothing came out. As if she’d been dropped into cold water, her limbs felt heavy, slow, uncoordinated. Sidestepping the sofa in an attempt to get as far away from the bugs on her grandma’s face, Tasha’s feet got tangled on the rug, and she crashed to the floor. Pain brought her flittering to the surface of reality and the instinct to survive grew into panic. Crawling on all fours, she reached her bedroom door, but strong arms lifted her by the hair, pulling, tearing her scalp. A scream escaped her, cut short by more pain.
Grandma had never beaten her. Grandma wasn’t strong enough to do much but holler at her and her sister. But it dawned on Tasha that the thing in front of her wasn’t her grandma anymore. “Grandma, please.”
“You did this to her. And now you will pay,” an inhuman voice said between the colonies of bugs slithering along Grandma’s flesh.
Tasha stumbled into the kitchen. Fear drove her to reach for the block of knives, pulling one out. The buzzing in her head grew louder. She turned to her grandma with the knife in her hand. “Please, don’t do this.”
But Tasha couldn’t see anymore. Her vision darkened.
The Pain. The buzzing in her head. It wouldn’t stop.
Her muscles liquid fire, her body not her own.
Someone let out a painful scream. And Tasha felt warm liquid seep between her fingers curled around the knife. Then silence.
And she was floating. Sleep. She needed sleep.
Not sure how long she’d been in darkness, she found herself sitting on the sofa, staring at the front door. She reached for the angel medallion around her neck. She didn’t remember putting it on. But it wasn’t hers. She had to give it back.
A shadow moved in front of her, its hand extended. She pulled off the chain and dropped it inside its palm.
Make the buzzing stop. Please.
One more.
Tasha had one more job to do.
She sauntered back to the kitchen, stepped over the body on the floor, and pulled out the stove as if it weighed nothing. The connector snapped and gas hissed into the room. Good.
Slowly, she went back to the living room, pulled out her lighter, and waited.
Burn.
Her sister would be home soon.
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About the Author
Elizabeth Arroyo
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Elizabeth spent most of her younger years as an avid reader with a wild imagination which led her to write her first manuscript at the age of fourteen.
But, life got in the way. Elizabeth completed a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice at Northeastern Illinois University and works in the community strengthening families.
But her love of stories held, and in 2008 she found herself back into her storytelling roots and began writing again. In 2012, Elizabeth signed with Sapphire Star Publishing to release her debut novel, THE SECOND SIGN.
Elizabeth still resides in Chicago’s south west side with her family, a household of kids, and the bliss of chaos. The good kind. She continues to work in the community.
September 21, 2013
Waking Up Dead – Pre-Release Blog Tour Kickoff and Giveaway!
Hello, and welcome to the first stop on my pre-release teaser tour for the paranormal mystery Waking Up Dead, due out from Solstice Publishing and available via Amazon on October 8! Be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of four copies of Waking Up Dead or a $10 Amazon card–and follow the tour or come back here once a day for even more chances to win!
When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex. 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 in Alabama?
Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves!
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Excerpt
When I died, I expected to go to heaven.
Okay. Maybe hell. It’s not like I was perfect or anything. But I was sort of hoping for heaven.
Instead, I went to Alabama.
Yeah. I know. It’s weird.
I died in Dallas, my hometown. I was killed, actually. Murdered. I’ll spare you the gruesome details. I don’t like to remember them myself. Some jerk with a knife–and probably a Bad-Mommy complex. Believe me, if I knew where he was, I’d go haunt his ass.
At any rate, by the time death came, I was ready for it–ready to stop hurting, ready to let go. I didn’t even fight it.
And then I woke up dead in Alabama. Talk about pissed off.
You know, even reincarnation would have been fine with me–I could have started over, clean slate and all that. Human, cow, bug. Whatever. But no. I ended up haunting someplace I’d never even been.
That’s not the way it’s supposed to work, right? Ghosts are supposed to be the tortured spirits of those who cannot let go of their earthly existence. If they could be convinced to follow the light, they’d leave behind said earthly existence and quit scaring the bejesus out of the poor folks who run across them. That’s what all those “ghost hunter” shows on television tell us.
Let me tell you something. The living don’t know jack about the dead.
Not this dead chick, anyway.
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About the Author
Margo Bond Collins lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, several spoiled cats, and a ridiculous turtle. 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. Waking Up Dead is her first published novel. Her second novel, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy, forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press.
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Connect with Margo
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website
Twitter: @MargoBondCollin
Google+
Goodreads Author Page
Facebook Author Page
Facebook Novel Page
Tumblr
Pinterest
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Book Trailer
September 20, 2013
Peace in Time – Book Blitz and Giveaway for The Bridge of Deaths
About The Author:
M.C.V. Egan lives in South Florida. she is fluent in four languages; English, Spanish, French and Swedish. From a young age became determined to solve the ‘mystery’ of her grandfather’s death, she has researched this story for almost two decades. the story has taken her to Denmark, England and unconventional world of psychics.
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Peace In Time Book Blitz
Genre: Historical Paranormal
Publisher: AuthorHouse Publishing
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Amazon
On August 15th, 1939 an English passenger plane from British Airways Ltd. Crashed in Danish waters between the towns of Nykobing/Falster and Vordingborg. There were five casualties reported and one survivor. Just two weeks before Hitler invaded Poland with the world at the brink of war the manner in which this incident was investigated left much open to doubt. The jurisdiction battle between the two towns and the newly formed Danish secret police, created an atmosphere of intrigue and distrust.
In the winter of 2009-2010 a young executive, Bill is promoted and transferred to London for a major International firm. He has struggled for the better part of his life with nightmares and phobias, which only seem to worsen in London. As he seeks the help of a therapist he accepts that his issues may well be related to a ‘past-life trauma’.
Through love, curiosity, archives and the information superhighway of the 21st century Bill travels through knowledge and time to uncover the story of the 1939 plane crash.
The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical sources to solve “One of those mysteries that never get solved” is based on true events and real people, it is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through sources in Denmark, England and the United States, it finds a way to help the reader feel that he /she is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions.
The journey takes the reader to well known and little known events leading up to the Second World War, both in Europe and America. The journey also takes the reader to the possibility of finding oneself in this lifetime by exploring past lives.
September 19, 2013
Cassandra Giovanni, Author of Love Exactly
Welcome to Cassandra Giovanni, author of Love Exactly, who joins us today with a great Top Ten list!
10 Things I Wish I Knew About Being an Author Before I Published
1. Writing is more than just sitting down and typing. It’s about writing, editing, letting people in, deleting, editing, writing, marketing, marketing and well, more marketing.
2. Pre-release marketing is the key to great sales.
3. That I would work 70+ hours every week to accomplish everything.
4. I’d known about more than Nook and Kindle.
5. What social media is a waste of time and what social media is worth it.
6. Post-release marketing is just as important as Pre-release marketing.
7. That people always ALWAYS ask for a sequel.
8. If you’re writing a series, have it done completely before you release book 1.
9. That putting myself out there was the hardest thing I could do in my life–but one of the best decisions ever. I would have done it a lot sooner.
10. Amazon’s return policy…enough said.
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Love Exactly
Emma Walker was a writer who’d lost herself to someone else’s anger–who had given up on ever feeling like herself again.
Evan Levesque was a rock-god–the one all the woman wanted, but he’d never gotten used to the loneliness between the stage and real life.
With just one cup of coffee they’ll begin a journey of self-discovery at each others sides, but can Emma handle Evan’s fame while dealing with her own demons? Emma’s checkered personal past, a bad relationship that haunts the edges of her memories, threatens to make everything implode on them when Evan takes matters into his own hands.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words…they’ll destroy my soul–Can Emma handle being put back together and facing who she’s become because of it?
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Excerpt
I traced the outline of the beads on his neck showing through his v-neck t-shirt. “What does this symbolize?”
“Prayer beads.”
I let my fingers follow the line of his vein down his shoulder, over the flowers that dotted his upper arm and down to his forearm. I turned it so I could trace the lion on the inside. “And this?”
“Lions are bad ass.”
“Seriously?”
He shrugged. “Unfortunately, not every tattoo I have has a meaning.”
“The roses?”
“My mom’s favorite flower. I know it’s not original,” he commented as he took my hand and put it over his heart where the roses were. “But after everything my parents went through with me I wanted something to symbolize them.”
“Everything they want through?” I asked as I let my fingers fan out across the shape of his chest muscles before bringing them back up and playing with the tips of his hair that were beginning to curl.
“I left home when I was sixteen to record our first CD, went on tour at seventeen, and started tattooing the crap out of myself at eighteen. I know I’m successful, but I can’t say I think this was what my parents wanted.”
Evan had moved his head so he was staring out at the ocean. I watched as the waves reflected in his eyes and his chest heaved with a deep outlet of breath.
“I’m sure they’re proud of you,” I tried to reassure him, but I could tell from the way his jaw tightened that this was something he had been dealing with for a long time.
His eyes met mine and he reached up to touch my face. “I know…but it doesn’t change the fact I was their only child, and I abandoned them for a life they never approved of.”
“I’m not an excellent poster child for things parents approve of either. There’s so much guilt I deal with day to day. I know that I hurt them,” I explained, my voice diminishing to a cracking whisper that was only just audible against the sound of the waves. I closed my eyes, unable to bear the look on his face as I admitted, “What’s worse is the anger I feel at myself for it.”
I felt Evan get up and kneel in front of me, pulling my face to his own. I concentrated on the touch of his rough finger tips, the smell of his heady Axe cologne and then the feel of his forehead as it pressed against mine while I tried to calm my breathing.
“Tell me something…” his voice drifted with the waves; “tell me why it feels like you’re a part of my soul?”
I opened my eyes to look into his, watching as the yellow around his iris darkened to a burnt orange and the brown faded to a muted green.
“Because you’re a part of mine.”
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E-BOOK only $1.99
Amazon ~ Barnes& Noble ~ Kobo
Paperback $12.99
Amazon
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About the Author
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 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, in the Spring of 2013.
Cassandra is a freelance professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is the owner of Gio Design Studios, a photography and publication marketing company that designs covers and marketing materials for authors utilizing the company’s photography. 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.
