Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 98
August 26, 2014
Waking Up Dead ~ $.99 Ebook Sale ~ Book Hooks ~ #MFRWhooks
Welcome to the August 27 Book Hooks Blog Hop / Meme, where authors who are part of MFRW share snippets of their work! Today, I’m featuring Waking Up Dead, currently on sale for $.99 in e-book. Take a moment to check it out, then HOP over to see what other authors are featuring!
Waking Up Dead
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?
_____________________________________________
Excerpt
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.
_____________________________________________
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.
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Buy Waking Up Dead:
Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00HKQQRJA/
Nook from B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-up-dead-margo-bond-collins/1117526839?ean=2940149726776
Paperback from these booksellers:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/dp/1493750461/
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
_____________________________________________
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
Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575
Newsletter: http://margobondcollins.com/newsletter/
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/MargoBondCollins/
Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead
Book Trailers:
Join the Hop!
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August 25, 2014
Interview with Ashley Lynn Willis, Author of Summer’s Temptation
Interview
1. Tell us a little about yourself and your latest/upcoming release.
I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I love that town. I’d go back in a heartbeat, but now I’m living in the Midwest with my husband and three kids. I love summer—the ocean, the lake, the warm breeze, the tickle of grass between my toes, and especially catching fireflies at dusk. Hence why my new release, Summer’s Temptation, is set during my favorite season.
The book is about a college girl, gaining her confidence back and finding love after a heartbreak. Before I wrote the book, I read a study that forty-two percent of women between the ages of twenty and thirty have had a “friends with benefits.” Instantly, a light bulb went off, and I thought it’d be fun to write about a sweet southern girl finding love in an unexpected relationship. That’s how Cassie and Tyler were born.
2. What was your inspiration for the book?
I had an amazing college experience. Think frat parties, sorority socials, all-night study groups, midnight runs to Walmart to buy underwear because my roomie and I were too lazy to wash our clothes. When writing Summer’s Temptation, I was basically reliving one of the best times of my life, when my sole responsibilities were getting good grades and dancing without spilling the beer in my hand.
To be honest, I’m happier now with a wonderful husband and three beautiful kids, but there’s always an underlying tension revolving around my many duties—cook, chauffeur, tutor, counselor, housekeeper. (The list goes on and on.) I read to escape the responsibilities of my everyday life, and I write for the same reason.
3. What do you normally like to read when not writing?
I love New Adult, but my first love is Urban Fantasy. My favorite UF of all time is The Fever Series by Karen Moning.
4. Describe your main character in six words.
Snarky, careful, a bit of a pushover, but also loyal, kind and beautiful inside and out.
5. What is your favorite book of all time that you can reread a hundred times, and it still feels like the first time?
The Restorer (Graveyard Queen, #1) I’m a sucker for gothic books set in the south, and this one is a perfect mix of romance, mystery, and Spanish moss.
6. What are you working on now?
Autumn’s Fall (Vandeveer University, #2)
7. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?
Go to the zoo or the pool with my three children.
Young Adult or New Adult? New Adult
Vampires or Werewolves? Vampires
Ghost or Zombies? Zombies
Action movies or Chick flicks? Action Movies
Mountain views or Ocean views? Ocean Views
Thanks for letting me visit!
Title: Summer’s Temptation
Author: Ashley Lynn Willis
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Series: Vandeveer University #1
If there are only three truths in life, they are these. Women will always try to change a man. Men will always say anything to get a girl in bed. Tyler Mason will always have a long line of girls trying to domesticate him, and none will succeed. If one of these ceases to be true, the world will cease to exist.
These are the rules as college student Cassie Faye knows them, so when she gives up on dating in favor of a man who can satisfy her without tempting her heart, her next-door neighbor Tyler tops the list. Tyler isn’t the type of boy Cassie would fall for, but he’s the perfect guy to teach her how to claim her sexual independence without losing her heart in the process. Too late, Cassie finds out that under his womanizing exterior is an attentive, considerate lover who brings out passions in her that she’d barely glimpsed before.
What if she’s wrong about the third truth? What if the world as she knows it is about to cease to exist?
Amazon | B&N | Apple
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
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Ashley lives in the Midwest with her husband of twelve years. For eight years, she worked as an engineer in general aviation but quit her job to be a stay at home mom to three precious children. She began writing in September of 2009 and has been penning her imagination ever since.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
Hosted by Good Choice Reading Blog Tours
Meet My Character Blog Hop: Callie Taylor, Ghost Detective
Welcome to the Meet My Character Blog Hop!
I was invited to join in this hop by the lovely Carol Malone. I met Carol (albeit only virtually) through the From the Heart Romance Writers group–an online chapter of Romance Writers of America.
Carol Malone has found a magical key for successfully combining her three passions – romance, sports, and writing in her highly rated book, “Fight Card Romance: Ladies Night.” http://amzn.to/1kI4dVo With “Ladies Night,” she became the first woman to punch her way into the suspenseful, male-dominated genre of pulp boxing with a tender love story. Since then she has written numerous stories to entice readers to scramble into a front row seat for a power-packed thrill-ride of romance and sports action.
Look for her novella “Hot Corner Magic” to be published in a pulp sports anthology in the next month or two and a Christmas visit to “Ladies Night” at Christmas time.
If not hammering out new tales, Carol is reading, watching sports or the Food Network on TV, or hanging with her sci-fi author husband on the Coast of California. Come visit her website and chat with her about sports and amour.
Website: http://carolmalone.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmaloneauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolAnneMalone
You can see Carol’s post in this hop here.
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Meet Callie Taylor
I chose to introduce my character Callie Taylor because, like Carol’s character Marc DeLuca, she’s a detective. Unlike Marc, though, she’s not a professional detective. In fact, she’s not even alive. And I’m going to deviate a bit from the usual format of this blog hop, because I’m going to let Callie tell you about herself in her own words!
Tell us a little about yourself?
When I was alive, I was a technical writer in Dallas, Texas. But then I died—I was murdered, actually; I’ll spare you the gory details—and I ended up as a ghost haunting someplace I’d never even been. I’m now a ghost in Abramsville, Alabama. It’s the weirdest damn afterlife. . . and I’m apparently destined to spend it fighting crime.
What do you look like?
When I look at myself, I still see just me, wearing the clothes I wore the day I died. Black slacks, gray button-down shirt, black leather jacket, medium-heel black boots. Casual professional. When I manage to cast a reflection in the mirror, I still look like me. Medium-toned skin, green eyes, dark wavy hair to my shoulders. But some people see me as a shadowy figure.
Where do you live? What is it about that area that drew you?
I don’t live. I haunt. And I’m not sure what it is that drew me here. I just woke up dead in Alabama! But I do spend a lot of time with my friend Ashara and her grandmother, Maw-Maw. They’re two of the very few people who can see me!
What’s your favorite music?
Right now? My favorite kind of music is whatever makes Ashara crazy. I like to change her music over when she’s driving. It’s easier to manipulate electronic objects than anything else, so it’s something I can do.
Will we be seeing more of you or are you stepping out of the limelight?
Hardly anyone can see me. But my story isn’t done yet! I know I have things left to do; I just don’t know what, yet.
What do you do to relax?
I drift. It’s kind of like sleeping, but it’s apparently what ghosts do. And when I’m not drifting, I watch a lot of television. Crime shows, mostly. Luckily I found Ashara and Maw-Maw and can interact with them. Until I found them, my afterlife was boring. BORING.
What’s your personal goal?
Now? Watching out for the people I care about. I’m no guardian angel—just the thought of all that responsibility gives me the creeps—but I do what I can to care for the people in my life . . . Um. Afterlife. . . And I need to solve not only my own murder, but another murder that happened here in Alabama while I was watching. I need to make sure the right person goes to prison!
Where can we learn more about you?
In Waking Up Dead, by Margo Bond Collins. Check out the cover and blurb, below!
Callie Taylor expected heaven or hell. She got Alabama. . . .
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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Next week, you can meet more characters from the books of some of my favorite authors! In no particular order, here they are:
Claire C. Riley
Claire is a #1 Best Selling British horror writer. A reader and writer of dark paranormal romances and zombie horror, plus a ton of other things to give you chills! She lives in the United Kingdom with her three young daughters, husband and one scruffy dog! Claire C Riley’s work is best described as the modernization of classic, old-school horror. She fuses multi-genre elements to develop storylines that pay homage to cult-classics while still feeling fresh and cutting-edge. She writes characters that are realistic and kills them without mercy. She is an avid reader of all genres, book collector, general procrastinator and has a great zombie apocalypse plan in place thanks to a questionnaire she asked her readers to fill in for her.
Claire has written several books including ‘Limerence,’ ‘Odium.The Dead Saga,’ ‘Odium Origins. A Dead Saga Novella Part one.’ and ‘Odium II The Dead Saga’. She is also a proud contributor to several anthologies including ‘Fusion,’ ‘One Hellacious Halloween’ and ‘Let’s Scare Cancer to Death’ a charity anthology where all proceeds go directly to the V-Foundation.
Staci Hart
http://www.stacihartnovels.com/
Staci is a graphic designer and the author of the Good God series, including Deer in the Headlights, Snake in the Grass, What the Heart Wants, and Doe Eyes.
Melanie Karsak
http://melaniekarsak.blogspot.com/
Melanie Karsak is the author of the Amazon best-selling steampunk series The Airship Racing Chronicles (Chasing the Star Garden and Chasing the Green Fairy) and the award-wining horror/dark fantasy Harvesting Series. She grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania and earned a Master’s degree in English from Gannon University. A steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and zombie whisperer, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.
Amber Draeger
Amber is a writer from a small town in Texas. She will be publishing her first work, Daughters of Men, with Bathory Gate Press in 2015.
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Waking Up Dead hits Amazon Kindle Top 100!
Yesterday was one of the most exciting days of my writing career. I think the “firsts” are the best–first acceptance from a publisher, first book published, first book signing, and so on and so on. Yesterday was the first time one of my books hit a Top 100 list on Amazon.
Waking Up Dead has been on sale for $.99 (and the equivalent) and I’ve been doing an advertising blitz.
So I spent all day yesterday obsessively checking my rankings and taking screen shots. :)
Here are some of my favorite moments yesterday, more or less in order:
Hitting #1 in a category in the UK:
Hitting #1 in a category in the US:
Hitting #1 in several categories in the US:
Hitting the Top 100 Kindle Books list in the US:
Finding out I had a Top 100 author ranking in several categories:
At some point late last night (I couldn’t sleep!), Waking Up Dead moved into the 60s in overall Kindle ranking, but apparently I was too tired by then to remember to take a screen shot.
As of this morning, it’s still in the Top 100 in the U.S., still holding #1 category spots in the US and UK, and still in the top 5 in some other countries, as well.
So to everyone who shared the graphic, posted about the sale on Facebook and Twitter, helped me promote the sale and the book, read Waking Up Dead, wrote reviews, and/or supported me in all the millions of ways that family and friends and readers and bloggers and social-media contacts have helped, a huge THANK YOU for one of the very best days of my writing career. YOU ROCK!
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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?
_________________________
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.
_____________________________________________
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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Buy Waking Up Dead:
Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00HKQQRJA/
Nook from B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-up-dead-margo-bond-collins/1117526839?ean=2940149726776
Paperback from these booksellers:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/dp/1493750461/
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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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
Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575
Newsletter: http://margobondcollins.com/newsletter/
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/MargoBondCollins/
Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead
Book Trailers:
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August 24, 2014
Spotlight On: In the Rearview, by Maria Ann Green, + giveaway
Check out Maria Ann Green’s In the Rearview promo event hosted by Itching for Books. Continue for an excerpt and enter the giveaway:
Release date: August 19th 2014
Publisher: Astraea Press
Purchase: Amazon | B&N
Synopsis via Goodreads:
When Meagan’s secret is found out, and she realizes there is no way to outrun her habit of cutting, she tries to work through it, and her depression, before she cuts too deep, making a mistake that can never be undone.
Meagan’s problems aren’t like every other adolescent’s no matter how much she wishes they could be. Hers are worse. They’ve pulled her down into the depths of a depression that is anything but normal. She begins her pattern of self-harm as her depression threatens to drown her. She starts with one cut that leads to the next, and the next. After starting, it’s apparent that there’s no stopping, and Meagan spirals into a dark and cruel world she doesn’t understand. Meagan cuts to feel better, but that comfort doesn’t last long enough, and soon life is worse than it ever was before.
While learning to quit cutting Meagan faces life-altering obstacles and grows up in the process. IN THE REARVIEW is a story of pain, loss, confusion, and hope told through Meagan’s poems, journal entries, and a splash of narrative.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maria Green currently lives in Minnesota, despite its bitter winters, with her husband. She graduated with a degree in Psychology and a minor in English. When she isn’t writing, Maria loves to read with a cup of strong coffee or a glass of sweet wine, craft, and spend time with her family. This is her first published novel.
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
EXCERPT
===============
Meagan stared down at her desk. Her focus moved beyond the assignment in front of her without actually seeing what she was looking toward. There were lines, spaces of white, and blobs of writing, but nothing seemed important enough to consider closely. Truthfully she didn’t care.
She didn’t feel the need to focus.
Her gaze slowly moved up to the front of the classroom, and again she fixated on a point past what was before her. She did not concentrate on the teacher. There was a face, a moving mouth, but she didn’t connect it with the sounds struggling slowly, like sticky sludge past her ears. She didn’t hear the instructions being uttered; each word fell on deaf ears as she mindlessly doodled.
Twisting her hair around her finger, she thought about how nice it would be to be at home, in bed, with the curtains closed instead of in this loud and hyper school. It seemed her classmates had recently started caring too much about what was going on around them. There was too much drama, too much noise, too much concern jumping all around her. It was all so taxing.
It was such a bother.
Meagan, in contrast, was usually in a world of her own. Her head felt fuzzy most of the time, and unless she used a lot of energy, most conversations sounded muffled, like there was cotton in her ears. She didn’t feel the need to engage anymore. Her desire to try so hard just to do what had once come easily had dwindled to nothing. At first she’d tried, but not now. Not anymore. It had become too difficult to care.
And that was her biggest problem. Meagan didn’t care much about any of these changes. She was fine walking through school without any effort. Her feet felt a little heavier as each day passed, and her head felt a little more under pressure of a crushing fog that numbed her, but she pushed through it all. She didn’t mind neglecting what used to bring her excitement. In fact, it was just easier not to give a crap.
Everything was distinctly lackluster these days.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Cover Reveal: Forward To Camelot, by S. Sloate and K. Finn
Time-Travel / Thriller
Date Published: October 31, 2013
WHERE WERE YOU THE DAY KENNEDY WAS SAVED?
On the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination comes a new edition of the extraordinary time-travel thriller first published in 2003, now extensively revised and re-edited, and with a new Afterword from the authors.
On November 22, 1963, just hours after President Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President aboard Air Force One using JFK’s own Bible. Immediately afterward, the Bible disappeared. It has never been recovered. Today, its value would be beyond price.
In the year 2000, actress Cady Cuyler is recruited to return to 1963 for this Bible—while also discovering why her father disappeared in the same city, on the same tragic day. Finding frightening links between them will lead Cady to a far more perilous mission: to somehow prevent the President’s murder, with one unlikely ally: an ex-Marine named Lee Harvey Oswald.
Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition brings together an unlikely trio: a gallant president, the young patriot who risks his own life to save him, and the woman who knows their future, who is desperate to save them both.
History CAN be altered …
About the Authors
SUSAN SLOATE is the author of 20 previous books, including the recent bestsellerStealing Fire and Realizing You (with Ron Doades), for which she invented a new genre: the self-help novel. The original 2003 edition of Forward to Camelot became a #6 Amazon bestseller, took honors in three literary competitions and was optioned by a Hollywood company for film production.
Susan has also written young-adult fiction and non-fiction, including the children’s biography Ray Charles: Find Another Way!, which won the silver medal in the 2007 Children’s Moonbeam Awards. Mysteries Unwrapped: The Secrets of Alcatraz led to her 2009 appearance on the TV series MysteryQuest on The History Channel. Amelia Earhart: Challenging the Skies is a perennial young-adult Amazon bestseller. She has also been a sportswriter and a screenwriter, managed two recent political campaigns and founded an author’s festival in her hometown of Mount Pleasant, SC.
For updates and more information about Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition, please visit http://susansloate.com.
Susan Sloate Facebook
Susan Sloate Twitter
Susan Sloate Blog
After beginning his career as a television news and sports writer-producer, KEVIN FINN moved on to screenwriting and has authored more than a dozen screenplays. He is a freelance script analyst and has worked for the prestigious American Film Institute Writer’s Workshop Program. He now produces promotional trailers, independent film projects including the 2012 documentary SETTING THE STAGE: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, and local content for Princeton Community Television.
His next novel, Banners Over Brooklyn, will be released in 2015.
Kevin Finn Website
Kevin Finn Facebook
Kevin Finn Twitter
Buy Links
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 22, 2014
$.99 E-Book Sale: Waking Up Dead by Margo Bond Collins
Waking Up Dead
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?
_____________________________________________
Waking Up Dead is on sale for $.99!
_____________________________________________
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.
_____________________________________________
Excerpt 2
“Hey,” I said, hurrying after the woman. “Wait up.”
“I know you’re not talking to me,” she said. She stared straight ahead and pushed her cart down the middle of the aisle toward housewares.
“I am talking to you. Look. I know this is really weird, but I need your help.”
“Well, I’m not talking to you. I don’t know what your problem is, but you can take it somewhere else.”
I wanted to reach out and grab her cart, to make her stop and talk to me, but of course I couldn’t. Which gave me an idea.
I scurried out in front of her, planting myself in her path.
“Move,” she said.
“Not until you hear me out. Please?”
She moved her cart to the left. I stepped out to intercept her. She moved to the right. So did I.
“You got some kind of death wish or something?” she asked.
I laughed and shook my head. “If only you knew.”
“I’ve got no time for this,” she said. And she slammed into me with her shopping cart.
At least, that’s what she planned to do.
The shopping cart, however, slid right through me. When it stopped, the basket had sliced cleanly through my midsection. The bottom rack merged with my ankles. From my perspective, it looked like two perfectly solid objects–me and the shopping cart–had melted together. I don’t know what she saw.
Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
The woman’s eyes widened, then rolled up into her head as she slumped to the ground in a dead faint.
I bent down to try to wake her up, but no matter how hard I concentrated on making contact, I couldn’t even touch her.
I hate being a ghost.
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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.
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Buy Waking Up Dead:
Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00HKQQRJA/
Nook from B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-up-dead-margo-bond-collins/1117526839?ean=2940149726776
Paperback from these booksellers:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/dp/1493750461/
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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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
Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575
Newsletter: http://margobondcollins.com/newsletter/
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/MargoBondCollins/
Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead
Book Trailers:
Cover Reveal: Broken Souls, by Laurie Olerich
Broken Souls by Laurie Olerich
Series: Primani, #4
Publication Date: September 5, 2014
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Stalked by evil…
Psychic Rori Austin’s life is over. She just doesn’t know it yet. Plagued by recurring nightmares and terrifying fugues, she’s hanging on by a thread. When she blacks out and wakes up in 1969, she knows she’s out of control. Broke and alone in the city that never sleeps, she’s desperate to find someone who can hold back the darkness in her mind. When gorgeous Declan shows up out of nowhere, she’s thrilled until he starts asking questions she has no intention of answering.
Haunted by guilt…
Primani Declan Manning is a ruthless killer and a renowned healer. Demons fear him. Humans love him. Life is good. The last thing he needs is a human woman. After saving Rori’s life, he walks away but can’t forget the fear in her exotic eyes. They haunt him, dredging up memories better left buried deep. Intrigued by her secrets, he uncovers the horrifying truth. She’s been marked for Hell, and her time is up. He’ll risk his own immortality to save her so ul…if they can find the demon in time.
Hi! I’m Laurie Olerich and writing is my passion. I love to create guilty pleasures full of exciting locations, rollercoaster action, strong, quirky heroines, and steaming hot heroes who’ll raise the temperature in any room you’re in! Paranormal romance? Check! Urban fantasy? Check! Romantic suspense? Check! My Primani series combines the best of the three. When I’m not plotting, writing, or fantasizing about my next hero, I’m planning parties, traveling, and spending lazy nights with my son, my Dal pals, and my friends. If you’d like to get to know me better and keep up with my works in progress, look me up on the Internet. I’d love to hear from you!
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August 21, 2014
Spotlight On: Edge of Falling, by Valia Lind
Title: Edge of Falling
Author: Valia Lind
Series: Falling, #2
Genre: Contemporary YA
Publication: August 1, 2014
For Chance, there’s always only been Dakota.
He’s been in love with the girl since the day they met. He’s tried everything to get her to notice him and nothing has worked. So when things suddenly start moving in the right direction, Chance can’t believe his luck.
Until Kyle comes along.
Kyle is like a new shiny toy and Dakota loves new and shiny. She falls for the tall, blonde and gorgeous fast and without looking back. Dating the summer before college wasn’t in the plans, but come on, Kyle is perfect. So why does Chance and his snarky grin keeps popping up in her mind now that Dakota has found her happiness?
When Chance’s world comes crashing down, Dakota proves the strength of their friendship, surprising herself and everyone around her, by helping him pick up the pieces. In return, Chance is finally able to crack her hard shell, discovering that not everything is sunny in Dakota-land. Her world is not what it seems on the outside, and together, they’re able to pull each other to the brink of safety and sanity.
Dakota likes that things are simple with Kyle, so why does she feel more like herself around Chance?
As graduation grows closer, both Chance and Dakota learn that the plans you make for your life don’t always play out the way you expect them and sometimes, everything starts to make sense when you find yourself on the edge of falling.
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Excerpt
It doesn’t take me long to reach the
cabin. Grayson greets me as I run up to the house. The girls are already
inside, getting settled. So is Kyle. I can see them inside the main room, the
one with all the large windows.
“You guys are here early.”
“Well, you know how Brooklynn loves
her early mornings.” I roll my eyes at my friend, because Brooklynn is not
the morning person of the group. Dakota is. And now, apparently so is Kyle
because he comes bouncing down those stairs with a huge smile on his face.
“This place is sweet!” He grabs
one of the bags, and heads back into the house without another word.
“He’s very cheerful in the
mornings.” Grayson comments.
“Grand.”
The girls walk out then, coming down the
porch stairs. Brook heads toward me, but before she can hug me, she crinkles
her nose and frowns. I know Dakota is standing next to her, but I’m keeping my
eyes strictly on Brook.
“Really, Chance? This is how you
greet your guests?” She waves her hand over my sweaty body.
“Yep. Come here, darling.” I
reach for her, but she drags Dakota to block the path, nearly making us
collide. Dakota is wearing her usual annoyed expression and the simplicity of
practiced interactions make me braver. With a gleam in my eyes, I lunge at the
girls, wrapping Dakota in my arms as I reach for Brook hiding behind her. Both
of them squeal, trying to wiggle out of my embrace.
The movement does weird things to my
insides as Dakota’s frame fits so perfectly against mine. Brook manages to
escape, and now it’s just Dakota and me, locked in an embrace. I look down at
her, my eyes crashing into hers and it’s like everything I’ve ever imagined.
Time stands still for one perfect moment, before I’m bending over and gasping
for breath.
“Did you seriously just punch me in
the stomach?” I rasp, glaring at Dakota’s smug smile.
“You’re lucky that’s all I did.”
Oh is this how we’re going to play it? Good thing I know this game. Right then
and there, I decide that I’m going for it. Just for this weekend, I won’t hide
from Dakota and my feelings for her. I’m going to rebuild the awkward
friendship we’ve established last year and see where it takes us. I know she
sees the change as my eyes light up, mischievously.
“You know, Dakota. You stink a bit of
sweat. Maybe you should take a little bath.” I reach for her, my
intentions clear. She smacks at my arms, turning to run back into the house and
away from the hot tub that’s a lot closer than she’d like. I haven’t been
running all my life for nothing. I catch up to her easily, grabbing her from
behind and lifting her clear off the ground.
“Chance! Don’t you dare put me into
that water. I swear I will get you for it.”
“Awe, honey. Promises,
promises.”
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About Valia
Author. Photographer. Artist. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Valia Lind always had a love for the written word. She wrote her first full book on the bathroom floor of her dormitory, while procrastinating to study for her college classes. Upon graduation, she has moved her writing to more respectable places, and have found her voice in Young Adult fiction. Falling by Design is her debut young adult novel. You can visit her online at http://www.valialind.blogspot.com or follow her on twitter, where she spends way too much time, @ValiaLind.
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Giveaway
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August 20, 2014
Spotlight On: Last Hope Alaska by Linda Trout
Last Hope Alaska by Linda Trout
Publication Date: August 20, 2014
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Emily Redfern’s ex-fiancé learned to kill on the back streets of New York. Now, she is his target. Broke, exhausted, and a step ahead of the man she once loved, she clings to one last hope: the wilds of Alaska. The quiet safety of her hide-a-way becomes addictive as she grows to care for the man who offers her refuge.
Released from prison after a wrongful conviction, native Alaskan Sam Tarkington is determined to regain his business, repair his reputation, and rebuild his life. But when he meets a desperate and vulnerable woman, guarding secrets of her own, she tugs at his heart. She’s a distraction he can’t afford. Sam must choose Emily or achieving his dreams.
Like Emily’s life, the peacefulness of the wilderness is an illusion as danger lurks in the distance. Does Sam hold the key to her survival or will her past cost them everything?
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A retired oil & gas accountant, Linda Trout is a true romantic at heart, living with her real life hero and various dogs and cats in northeastern Oklahoma. They own ten acres of semi-wooded land, where the “wild” keeps creeping forward at a pace faster than they can keep up with. Getting lost in a good book is one of her favorite pastimes as well as riding alongside her hubby on their Harley’s.
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