Sorcha O'Dowd's Blog, page 40
May 19, 2014
Book Blitz ~ ‘Tryst’ by Cambria Hebert.
Tryst by Cambria Hebert
(Take It Off #8)
Publication date: May 16th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
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SYNOPSIS
Sometimes all a girl needs is a little fling…
Talie Ronson needs a vacation.
From life.
Since she caught her cheating, loser husband in bed with his assistant, her life has been on a steady spiral—right into hell. Her car’s a junker, her job sucks, and her perfect, gorgeous sister likes to brag about her wonderful life every time they “do” lunch.
In an effort to salvage what’s left of her life and her sanity, she takes the advice of her kooky best friend and takes off to Topsail Island. A week at the beach, alone, is exactly what she needs to recharge, regroup, and relax.
Only, her alone time is about to get derailed.
Gavin Palmer’s favorite activity is walking around in his boxers and eating junk food. He and his neighbors have an understanding. They stay out of his business and he stays out of theirs. He lives at the beach, not for vacation, but for isolation. He’s had enough of people to last him a lifetime.
Gavin’s isolation is interrupted when his normally quiet neighbor starts disturbing his peace. He stomps across the sand to give the guy a piece of his mind… only it isn’t a guy.
It’s Talie.
She’d maddening, nosy, and talks too much.
But she’s hot and her bedroom eyes have him thinking maybe he’s had enough solitude. Maybe a week of company is exactly what he needs.
Maybe what they both need is a no-strings-attached tryst.
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He leaned back against the railing and looked at me. “I’m not available emotionally. I live here for solitude, to be alone. I don’t have room in my life for someone. I can’t hang out. I can’t talk about my life. I just… I can’t.”
The veiled pain behind his words caused my heart to constrict. What happened to him?
“But you can have sex?” I said. Gavin might have had a rough time, but he wasn’t the only one. And he wasn’t getting off the hook that easily.
“I’m a guy,” he said, as if that explained everything.
I guess it sort of did. He had urges, needs. Wasn’t it the same with me? Hadn’t I been starving for human contact, for a body-ripping orgasm? I couldn’t judge him for something I was guilty of as well.
“I’m not available either,” I said. “Emotionally.”
He nodded like he already figured that out. “I shouldn’t have been a jerk to you.”
“It’s okay,” I said, meaning it.
He studied me for long moments as a strong gust of wind came up off the sea. I shivered and tucked the blanket just a little bit closer. Gavin moved, crouching down in front of my chair, reaching out to grasp the ends of the blanket.
From this close, I could see the intensity of his eyes. I could see the vulnerability he felt from coming here… I also could see desire.
“I can’t offer you anything,” he whispered. “But I’m asking you for something.”
“What?” His closeness was driving me wild. Want burned through my veins as I studied the way the T-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders. Need eclipsed my thoughts as his hand tightened around the blanket and carefully drew me a little bit closer.
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~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iBooks ~ Smashwords ~
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Prizes Open INTL – Ends May 25th
*A signed paperback of Tryst, a swag pack, and a $20 amazon gift card*
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Cambria Hebert
Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series, the new adult Death Escorts series, and the new adult Take it Off series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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May 17, 2014
Recommendation + Sale ~ ‘My Clarity’ by M. Clarke.
My Clarity by M. Clarke
A Standalone Novel
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary.
Recommendation & $0.99/77p Alert!
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SYNOPSIS
Meet Alex & Elijah!
Still reeling from the death of her father, Alexandria hopes to find both independence and reprieve from her grief by heading off to college. However, life throws her a serious curveball when she discovers that her roommate isn’t quite the person she had imagined.
Smoking, tattoos, and street racing for fast cash are Elijah’s only interests. A harsh life has made him apathetic and indifferent, until Alexandria enters his life. When their paths cross, turmoil abounds.
An inevitable encounter, an undeniable attraction, and an unexpected chance at love-will it be enough?
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~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon AU ~
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*$.99 CENT SONG*
‘To Love A Woman’ by M.Clarke
Elijah sings this song to Alex in Chapter 21
~ Amazon US ~
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May 16, 2014
Book Blitz ~ ‘Whole Latte Love’ by Rachelle Ayala.
Whole Latte Love by Rachelle Ayala
Publication date: April 16th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance
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SYNOPSIS
Investment banking intern Carina Chen doesn’t need any distractions—especially the sexy, guitar-playing barista she rooms with for the summer.
Free spirit Dylan Jewell appreciates the delightful universe of women who vie for his attention. His goal in life is to do good, make happy coffee, and help the homeless.
When Carina moves in, she insists on rules of conduct to quell her instant attraction to Dylan. But when her boss asks her to turn Dylan into a businessman, she can’t think of a reason not to take advantage of his hospitality.
Their chemistry is white hot, but Dylan refuses to play Carina’s game, unable to understand how he can fall in love with a woman who puts profits in front of people. When Carina realizes Dylan isn’t budging, she risks all to gain a single night with him. Will her gambit backfire or will Dylan discover Carina’s true heart before she runs away with his?
Whole Latte Love is an opposites-attract romance mixing bluesy rock music, hot, steamy love scenes, and financial shenanigans.
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Gem-Blue-Eyes and Latte Hearts
Carina Chen had no time for nonsense.
“Show off.” She couldn’t help glaring at the shaggy-haired barista as he demonstrated the art of milk frothing to a gaggle of college girls.
Hair flipping and eyelashes fluttering, they oohed and ahhed nonstop while he spun milk underneath the steam nozzle. When he layered the milk over a cup of espresso, they squealed as if they were in the middle of a group orgasm.
Carina elbowed her way through the crowded coffee shop and ordered her cup from the female barista, whose line was much shorter. Serving lattes didn’t require sleek muscles and gem-blue eyes.
“Yummy.” Her friend Sheila checked her watch. “I come just to watch the show. Wonder which one he’ll take home tonight.”
“Only one?” Carina set her cup on the table. “Enough about him. I still haven’t found a room for the summer. Didn’t you say you had a friend needing a renter?”
Sheila stole her gaze from the demonstration of coffee-making prowess and licked her lips. “Yeah, let’s wait for his break, and I’ll introduce you.”
Carina looked toward the espresso machine. “Him? Never mind. I’m not sure I could stomach the guy. He’s got to be full of himself.”
Sheila’s eyes wandered back to the front counter and lingered. “You have to admit, he’s hotter than the Sahara.”
“That’s exactly my point.” Carina watched him hand a steaming mug to a perky cheerleader. His mischievous smile did funny things to her insides and it wasn’t even directed at her. “I need a quiet place to crash after my eighteen-hour days, not some bachelor pad with nightly orgies. I can imagine the revolving door on his bedroom. No thanks.”
Despite her hasty denial, warm flutters bubbled in her belly when the barista stepped out from behind the counter. He was broad-shouldered, but not bulky, and he moved with the easy grace of a mountain lion as he collected the empties. Heck, the man probably boosted Abercrombie & Fitch’s stock price two full points each time he bent over to wipe a table.
“You could at least meet the guy before you pass judgment.” Sheila folded her arms. “Look, the important thing is, he has a great apartment close to the Berkeley BART station.”
Easy access to rapid transit was a point in his favor, but … “You sure he’s safe?”
“I promise. Dylan’s a boy scout. Besides,” Sheila said with a sly smile, “an orgy or two might do you some good.”
While Carina struggled to close her gaping mouth, Sheila raised a hand to wave him over.
Dylan wiped his palms on his apron and pulled a stool from the next table.
“Hey, what’s up?” He greeted Sheila with a nod and trained his eyes on Carina.
Up close, he was even more swoonworthy. Wavy brown hair hung almost to his neck, and his jaw was stubbly, as if he’d forgotten to shave a day or two. His presence filled all available breathing space between them, and his piercing gaze felt like a tractor beam drawing Carina toward him.
“Dyl, this is Carina Chen. She needs a room to rent,” Sheila said. “She’s working at Mogul this summer.”
“Nice to meet you,” Dylan said. “Investment banking?”
“Intern analyst.” Carina tamped down the pride swelling in her chest as well as a more worrying heat in her lower regions. “I got the offer two days ago, last minute.”
“Cool!” He gave her a thumbs up, and the thick silver cuff on his wrist glinted in the late afternoon sunlight coming through the window. “My roommate moved out two days ago. Must be fate.”
It had to be the sun’s heat that was making her sweat under her suit jacket. Nope, it was definitely not Dylan’s sideways grin nor the way his veins moved over his large hands when he flexed his fingers.
“How much?” Carina’s voice barely squeaked past her tight vocal cords.
“Your share of the rent’s twelve-hundred a month. We split the utilities. You get your own bedroom but we’ll share a bathroom.”
Sharing a bathroom with a guy might get tricky. Where would she hide her feminine products?
“You’ll love it,” Sheila cut in. “It’s close to shopping, restaurants, and the campus.”
“That’s so much more than I paid in Philadelphia,” Carina said. “I don’t know Berkeley very well. Is that what rentals go for around here?”
“It’s much less than San Francisco, especially the Financial District.” Sheila hopped off her barstool. “I gotta hit the loo. Text me when you’re ready to leave.”
“Wait, I’m not sure.” Carina faltered. Why was she acting like this was a blind date? It wasn’t like she hadn’t lived in a coed dorm before. Besides, a guy satisfied to work in a coffee shop was not her type, so there should be no worries whatsoever about wanting him for a boyfriend.
Dylan placed his smartphone on the table. “I have to get back to the job. Call yourself from my cell so I’ll have your number.”
His killer grin hit the mark, right between her thighs. The guy knew what he was doing. Oh no, she wasn’t giving her number to that kind of man. She’d ask Sheila if she knew of any women needing roommates. She still had one more day to hit the streets and go over listings, and she most definitely was not going to be another phone number on his to-call list.
“I still have a few other places to check out.” Carina picked up her coffee cup. “Do you think I could get a takeout cup for this?”
Dylan grasped the handle, his fingers lingering a beat too long against hers. “Even better. I’ll make you a new one. This one’s cold.”
Carina’s cheeks warmed as a tingly shiver worked its way up her arm. Geez, she wasn’t usually this hormonal.
“Wait, your phone …” Carina picked up Dylan’s phone and walked toward the counter where he prepared the coffee. A poster plastered on the wall showed him strutting with his guitar onstage with a band called The Licked Blues. They had a gig at a club later this evening. Typical. Another guy wasting his life away with no prospect of financial success.
“Almost done.” Dylan layered the espresso on the bottom of the cup and dipped the milk pitcher up, then lowered it and cut across.
Carina gasped as a creamy heart floated to the top.
He handed her the takeout cup and rested one elbow on the counter. “Carina, if you room with me, I’ll have one of these for you every morning.”
His voice caressed her name like the languid beckon of a lover calling her back to bed.
Carina swallowed hard, but before she could respond, Dylan swung toward an elderly woman positioning her walker to get out of a booth. The college girls waved and vied for his attention, but he took his time helping the woman to the door before going back for their orders.
I’m a goner now.
Carina typed her number into Dylan’s phone.
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~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~
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Prize: Open INTL – Ends May 25th
*50$ Amazon Gift Card*
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Rachelle Ayala
Rachelle Ayala is the author of dramatic fiction featuring strong but flawed characters. She writes emotionally challenging stories and is not afraid of controversial topics. However, she is an optimist and laces her stories with romance and hope.
Rachelle is an active member of the California Writer’s Club, Fremont Chapter, and a volunteer for the World Literary Cafe. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers.
Visit her blog at http://www.rachelleayala.com or contact her at http://rachelleayala.me/author-bio/contact/
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~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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May 15, 2014
New Release + Book Review ~ ‘Rulers of Deception’ by Katie Jennings.
Rulers of Deception by Katie Jennings
The Vasser Legacy #3
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Mystery
Release Date: 15th May 2014.
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SYNOPSIS
It’s taken a year to rebuild their empire, but with a thriving merger and its welcomed success, the Vasser Hotel family has risen beyond scandal. But things at the top will never be easy.
The unstable son of their business partner threatens to dissolve the relationship, claiming the Vassers are dangerous. With a twist of fate, a ghost from Wyatt’s past brings death threats from a Colombian drug lord who he’s been running from for nearly ten years.
Meanwhile, a well-respected journalist offers to do an extensive, positive piece on the family, but she may prove more foe than friend. As rumors circulate about Marshall being a killer, mysterious letters and photographs trickle in targeted at the heart of the Vassers. It will either destroy them or have them rising above all to seek the ultimate revenge.
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Book Review ~ ‘Rulers of Deception’ by Katie Jennings ~ 5+ Stars!
First off I’d like to thank author Katie Jennings for feeding my Wyatt addiction and sending me a copy of ‘Rulers of Deception’ to read before release day. Second of all, Wyatt Bailey is perfection. Now on to my review.
I am a serious addict of the Vasser Legacy Saga. I always get that thrill when I start one of the books and enter that world of passion, deceit, scandal and mystery, and it was just the same with ‘Rulers of Deception’. It is Katie Jennings’ beautiful and powerful way with words that really make this series what it is. Her descriptions of the characters and their feelings are flawless, and it’s so hard to think of them as fictional when they are just so well rounded and feel and act in such a human way.
The progression and development of the storyline and characters throughout the three books has been phenomenal. Everything has been paced so well and realistically, and I loved seeing further into the characters minds as they are targeted again from an outside source.
I loved seeing Grant and Quinn, and Linc and Lynette’s relationships develop after their marriage, and it was so wonderful to see how their love was tested, but came out victorious despite outside meddling trying to weaken them. It made their marriages seem so very real to me as a reader, as it’s not always sunshine’s and daisies and sometimes as husband and wife you have to overcome disagreements and problems.
The highlight for me in ‘Rulers of Deception’ as with the other books in the series, was seeing Madison and Wyatt together. They are the Vasser Legacy’s Rhett and Scarlett and have such a powerful, passionate, loving and turbulent relationship that I am just enraptured every time I read chapters when they are together. It was also absolutely heartbreaking but groundbreaking to see Madison as a victim, and it was the perfect progression to see how she came from the hard, cold, and power driven woman from ‘When Empires Fall’ to a scared woman who lets finally lets herself show emotion and let out her pain in front of Wyatt. It was brilliant to see Wyatt’s protective nature kick in, and we can again see just how strong their love for one another is that he will do anything to protect her, even if it means breaking her heart.
This chapter of the Vasser Legacy Saga was just stunning to read. Everything from the beautiful prose style of writing, to the amazing characters that I have come to love so deeply, and the shivery thrill I feel when the mystery starts to unravel, makes this another must-read book by Katie Jennings.
5+ Stars!!
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~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
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Book Blitz ~ ‘Chasing Prophecy’ by James Moser.
Chasing Prophecy by James Moser
Publication date: January 2nd 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult
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SYNOPSIS
“Chasing Prophecy” is the story of Mo, a teen boy just trying to survive high school in the mountain town of Boulder Creek, Washington. Boulder Creek is an isolated and mysterious place, proud of its reputation as the “Bigfoot Sighting Capital of the World”. Mo falls in love with a girl named Prophecy who lives with a group that some call a commune and others call a cult. When she disappears, Mo must find the courage to face the monster that her family has become. “Chasing Prophecy” is a heartwarming contemporary coming of age story. This book chronicles the adolescence of one boy who must transform himself to save the girl of his dreams.
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Richard said, “Why are you even talking, Maureen, I mean Maurice? Go sit in your highchair and let the grownups work this out, OK, little guy?”
Even with my new growth spurt, he never missed a chance to let me know I lived every second of my life ten seconds from a surfing lesson.
Max said coldly, “Don’t you clowns talk to him that way.”
Kazzy said, “—or we will kick your cracker asses.”
I looked up at her and realized I’d been looking up to her my whole life. She was calm and still when she was standing up for herself. She didn’t have to stand on her tiptoes or raise her voice. When I tried to stand up for myself, I knew people saw the question marks in my eyes.
Kazzy’s eyes were full of answers, and I loved her. Deep inside me I felt something break, heal, and get stronger all at once.
Richard watched another carful of mourners pass us by. “Your little cult funeral all done?” he said.
Kazzy said, “Why do you say ‘Cult’? Do you see a fence keeping anyone in or out? Do you see us trying to blow anything up? There’s not a weapon on our whole ranch. You crackers have more guns than I’ve seen in my whole life.”
I pulled out my pocketknife, found a smooth spot in the pine railing, and pushed the blade into the sun-bleached log. I worked the blade up and down, back and forth, deeper and deeper.
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~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~
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Prizes Open INTL – Ends May 20th
*3x 50$ Amazon Gift Cards*
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Q: How long have you been writing?
A: All my life, really. I’ve always kept a journal, written short stories, that kind of thing. Growing up, my mom drove us around in a lime green Pontiac station wagon with a broken radio. On long car trips, mom or my siblings would ask me to make up stories, to replace the radio. I’d look at the scenery and just start talking: “The dead body was found in the K-Mart parking lot.” And “The vampire looked for fresh blood in the Denny’s bathroom.” I wrote my first story in about 2nd grade. It was called “The Vampire that Lives in that Room with the Furnace In It.” I’d revise it, week to week, depending on which sibling was annoying me most. One week it might be called “Boy is Kathy Going to be Sorry She Told on Me Once the Vampire that Lives in that Room with the Furnace In It Gets Ahold of Her.”
Q: How did you come up with this story?
A: I always wanted to build a story around someone or something like Boo Radley, my all-time fave character. I love how he dominates that book while remaining largely off-stage. I looked around the Seattle area and the closest thing I could think of was our local legend of Bigfoot. Once I had my own version of Nathan Arthur Radley in place, I started thinking a lot about monsters, especially monsters we make bigger in our imagination. I also thought about Boo living in society without being a part of it, which made me think of different separatist groups turned into cults. My young characters are based on bits and pieces of many former students of mine. The Bigfoot stuff is based on an encounter a couple of them swear they had in Oso (which by the way is the site of the horrific mud-slide that has been in the news). That part of the Mount Baker National Forest has the most Bigfoot sightings in the world.
Q: Where is Boulder Creek, Washington?
A: Like everything else in the book, it’s based on bits and pieces of lots of things. There is no town called that. Boulder Creek is where my wife and I hiked for our first date, in the foothills of the north Cascade Mountains. The mountains in my book look like the ones around Darrington & Oso, in Snohomish County. The main street is like Arlington. The log bridge is something I remember from a family trip to Yellowstone National Park, 1,000 miles away. Twilight readers keep telling me that Boulder Creek feels like Forks, and they’re right, because that’s what every small town in Washington feels like. The Bethlehem compound is the Boy Scout camp I attended in northern Idaho, complete with the same wood carvings on the fireplace.
Q: If you had to explain your book in one sentence, what would that sentence be?
A: Real monsters don’t always hide in the woods. Sometimes they turn out to be people we’ve known all our lives. OK that was two sentences, but not bad, right???
Q: Hobbies?
A: Reading and writing, of course. Hanging with my eight year old son, Zachary, and my lovely wife, Laura. Learning to ski. Thinking hard about getting on the treadmill, followed by not getting on the treadmill, followed by seeing what’s new on Netflix.
Q: What have you been reading, lately?
A: The last couple years have been all about Sherman Alexie’s True Diary and the complete works of John Green. Jay Asher’s 13 Reasons + Future of Us. I’m a male writer with a male voice writing teen dude narrators, so those have been my go-to guys for this particular project. I think True Diary is the most important thing to happen in YA for a looooong time.
Q: So I have to ask: Do you believe in Bigfoot?
A: Dunno. I’m not a wishy-washy guy but I just do not know. I guess for me the point is that I kind of like not knowing. I like the debates & I love how passionate people are about it one way or the other. It’s a different form of Faith, really, which is whatever you want it to be. Put it this way: I’ll be crushed if he’s ever proven or disproven. I like the uncertainty & what’s the point of living when there are no more monsters to chase?
Q: New projects?
A: Yeah, I’m outlining and researching a teen series set in Seattle with the local legend of Sasquatch as the key paranormal thread. People seem really interested in him + I live in this setting, where we happen to have the most sightings in the world + no one else is doing it, so it seems like a natural fit. I’m handing off drafts to editors and cover designers in December, 2014 and the first release will be in March, 2015.
Q: What’s been most exciting about the book, so far?
A: Just having an audience is so fun. I’ve been getting random fan e-mails from the UK, Australia, one from China, the other day. Chatting about what I’m up to, and learning what readers like & dislike has just been so thrilling!
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James Moser
When he’s not dazzling Goodreads members with his wit and charm, the author is typically reading, writing, or watching way too much TV while snacking on chocolate treats from Trader Joe’s (and who can blame him–those things are GOOD, yo!).
The author wanted to write about teenagers transforming themselves to survive. The result is “Chasing Prophecy,” a story about love, loss, redemption, and monsters. Boo Radley is the author’s all-time favorite book character, which is how the Seattle-area legend of Bigfoot entered this story.
Moser holds a B.A. in bookish matters and a Master’s in the same. He lives in Seattle with his wife and eight year old son.
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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May 14, 2014
Book Blitz ~ ‘Deliver Me’ by Kate Jarvik Birch.
Deliver Me by Kate Jarvik Birch
Published by: Bloomsbury Spark
Publication date: April 15th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
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SYNOPSIS
One People. One Union. One Future.
Wynne’s entire life is dictated by the Union: the clothes she wears, the books she reads, even the genes she inherited. And like every other girl in the Union, Wynne dreams of being chosen as a Carrier on her 16th birthday—one of the elite selected to carry the future generation within her womb. Wynne and her best friend Odessa are certain they will both make the cut, but when Odessa is chosen and whisked off to a life of privilege, Wynne is left behind to work as an assistant, delivering perfectly planned babies for the Union.
As Odessa slips deeper and deeper into the role of Carrier, Wynne begins to see the Union for what it really is: a society that criminalizes the notion of love, and forbids words like mother and family.
For the first time in her life, Wynne is faced with a choice: submit to the will of the Union, or find a way to escape and save Odessa before she is lost forever.
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“And now the time for selection has come,” the Councilman said, opening an ornate leather ledger containing the nine chosen names. “When called, please step forward and take your place behind me.”
Around me, I felt the whisper of a collective breath drawn in by all the girls. We held it deep in our chests, afraid to let it go, afraid to breathe.
The Grand Councilman studied the paper in front of him, “G454-71.”
His voice reverberated through the hall, bouncing off the carefully carved stonework and the dark wooden floors. For a moment we all stood still, letting the number ricochet around inside us.
The girl who stepped forward carried an air of superiority about her that had always bothered me. I didn’t think she was any more beautiful than Odessa or me, and her hair was a strange color, tinged with a bit of orange, but she was taller by at least a couple of inches. I knew she was strong, but I also knew with certainty that she wasn’t any smarter than us. In class her answers always sounded rote and memorized, as if she didn’t really give thought to what she was saying, but had taken great care to repeat things word for word from the text book.
Maybe I was completely off base, assuming I knew what the Union wanted in their Carriers. Maybe it was all about beauty, height and strength, maybe nothing else really mattered. Maybe the rest of the test was simply a formality.
The Grand Councilman watched as the first of the robes was placed over the girl’s shoulders before he turned back to us with an expression of satisfaction on his face. The look sent a chill through me. He looked back down at the ledger in front of him and called out the next number, “G458-89.”
G458-89.
Of course I recognized the number. It was imprinted in my mind, the digits as clear in my memory as they were tattooed into the soft skin of Odessa’s forearm. The breath of air I’d been holding escaped my lips and I turned to my best friend, pushing her forward to the podium.
Odessa, beautiful Odessa.
I knew she would be called. Maybe she hadn’t been first, but she was close. Pride pushed at the inside of my chest and I suppressed a cheer. If only we were allowed to clap at least, but the selection was a sacred moment and I had to keep my emotions contained. Later tonight I could tell Odessa how proud I was of her.
On the podium, one of the elegant Carrier robes was being placed over Odessa’s shoulders. From somewhere deep inside my head a low humming had begun. My fingers and toes felt strange, tingly.. I rubbed my hands together, trying to concentrate on the Grand Councilman’s words.
Six more numbers were called and progressively, as each girl took her place on the stand, I began to see the panic setting in on Odessa’s face. Normally, she would have caught my eye and made a funny face to break the tension, but she hardly looked like herself up there. The color still hadn’t returned to her cheeks and a bit of perspiration had sprouted on her forehead. In her eyes I saw the look of someone desperate, someone hungry. Only one more number left to call. Around me some of the girls were weeping silently, maybe it was because they were overcome with the pressure of it all, or maybe they realized their dreams of being a Carrier were dying out, merely the flicker of a flame remaining.
The last robe hung limply on its form. Beneath the other selection robes the bodies of eight lucky girls fidgeted, waiting to see if one of their friends would be called. I caught Odessa’s eye and tried to smile, but my lips stuck to my teeth, tight and dry. The moments clicked slowly by, an eternity of waiting. What sort of future would I have if it wasn’t as a Carrier?
Finally the Grand Councilman spoke, “The ninth and final Carrier is…D456-06.”
Odessa covered her face with her hands, but I couldn’t move; my body was completely numb.
It wasn’t my number. It wasn’t. My number hadn’t been called.
For a moment things slowed around me. Sixteen years had brought me to this point in time and here I was completely unprepared. The air seemed to vibrate, my mind racing to catch up with the real world. I could almost see the split before me. In one direction was the future I’d imagined, in the other lay the hazy reality I’d stepped into.
I didn’t get to say goodbye to Odessa. One minute she was behind the podium and the next she was gone, swept away from me.
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Are you a Planner or Pantster?
Very much a planner! In fact, one of my favorite parts of writing a novel is the initial plotting stage. Maybe it’s because I’m still totally smitten with my idea (SNIS: shiny new idea syndrome) and everything is chock-full of possibility! At this stage the idea is still perfect. Of course, once I start writing it’s exciting to see the story morph and change into something alive, but it never stays exactly the same as that initial seed of an idea.
How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?
It varies, but I’m usually pretty speedy with the first draft. It can take anywhere from a month and a half to three months. It’s the subsequent drafts that end up taking MUCH longer.
Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?
I’m not the greatest multi tasker because I tend to get pretty obsessed with whatever idea I’m currently working on. Maybe it’s because for the book to really come alive it has to percolate inside my head 24/7. Who knows when a great idea is going to hit. It usually seems to happen in the shower or while I’m driving. But if the story hasn’t been given room to just sit quietly inside my skull, those epiphanies don’t tend to happen.
I’ve had to learn how to divide my energies while working on revisions with editors, but it’s still difficult for me.
Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?
Always! Every time! What if the words don’t come? What if I can’t make this scene work? What if I don’t have any original thoughts? Those first few minutes sitting down to write are always difficult, but I’ve noticed that it’s like warming up a muscle and after a few minutes those cold, hard feelings soften and melt away and the real writing can begin.
How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?
Completed novels… 2. But there were many, many attempts before that. Let’s just say it took about 16 years of real writing to get there.
Have you ever quit on a manuscript, and how did you know it was time?
I’m not sure I’ve ever REALLY quit on one. I’ve put them aside, but always with the promise that I’ll come back and try again some time.
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*Prize Open INTL (as long as Amazon ships there)*
*Kindle eReader*
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Kate Jarvik Birch
Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals including Indiana Review and Saint Ann’s Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. To learn more visit www.katejarvikbirch.com
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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May 13, 2014
Cover Reveal ~ ‘Karma’ by Charity Ferrell.
Karma by Charity Ferrell
Publication date: June 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Cover Design by E.M. Tippetts Book Design.
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SYNOPSIS
I’m cursed. Yes, you read that right and this isn’t some paranormal fantasy. This is my real life. Karma has decided to lash out on me. I’ll never find my true love and I’m learning to accept that. The only problem is: he isn’t. He’s starting a war with karma and everyone knows karma always fights back with a vengeance.
After deciding to take a year off from school, Gabby Taylor’s forced to intern for a Crisis PR firm. On her first day, she runs into the one guy she’s been fighting to avoid. The guy whose family despises her and she’d drunkenly given her virginity away to. How’s she supposed to fix other people’s problems when she can’t even manage her own?
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Charity Ferrell
Charity Ferrell was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and still resides there with her future hubby, two Yorkies (who run the house), and cat. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, spending time with her crazy family or watching too much TV.
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You can interact and find more information at:
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Cover Reveal organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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Book Blitz ~ ‘Compelled’ by V.J. Chambers.
Compelled by V.J. Chambers
Eight complete novels for only $0.99
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SYNOPSIS
Eight complete novels for only $0.99
Dark. Raw. Provocative. Sexy. Tortured.
Are you ready to go to the edge?
In a V. J. Chambers story, love is searing… but it cannot be resisted. Stakes are high. Danger is imminent. Morality is gray. And characters aren’t perfect.
Read the first books in five different series. And get three standalone novels as a bonus!
Collection contains:
Vigil (Standalone): NA Superhero Romance
Out of Heaven’s Grasp (Standalone): NA Contemporary about a polygamous cult
The Killing Moon (Cole and Dana #1): Werewolf Urban Fantasy
Slow Burn (Assassins #1): NA Romantic Thriller
Frenzy (Standalone): NA Romantic Thriller
Breathless (Jason and Azazel #1): YA Paranormal
Dancing Days (The Helicon Muses #1): YA Portal Fantasy
The Toil and Trouble Trilogy, Book One: YA Urban Fantasy
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In this scene from The Killing Moon , Dana Gray interrogates Cole Randall. Well, attempts to. This is the first time she’s seen him since she escaped from him six months ago.
Her hands lurched off her lap, across the table. And then she was touching him. His fingers were warm.
“You ran from me, beautiful,” he said, caressing her knuckles.
“You were trying to kill me.”
“No.” His gaze was intense. “Not anymore. Not after what happened. You and I are connected now, don’t you see?”
She snatched her hands back. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She wasn’t connected to him. She couldn’t be.
“I can’t stop thinking about you, Dana. I think about you when I wake up. I think about you before I go to sleep. I—”
“Stop.” She didn’t need to hear this. She needed to get the topic back to the reason she came. She needed to take control here. That was what Cole always robbed her of. Control. If she could direct the conversation, maybe she could stay on top of her feelings—her very strange, very disturbing feelings. She squared her shoulders, sucking in a deep breath. “So, what did you want to say about the rogues? How could you help?”
“Don’t tell me you aren’t thinking about me too. I know—”
“The rogues.”
He sighed. “They’re connected. I’m surprised you didn’t see it. But maybe you weren’t looking.”
“Connected? They live in different states. They have nothing in common.”
He shook his head. “I know who they are.”
“Say you do. What does it matter? They’re going to be locked up for doing it on purpose no matter what.”
“Are you sure they did it on purpose?”
“They admitted that.”
“According to the news reports I saw, they admitted only that they knew how to control their wolves on a full moon.”
Dana sat back in her chair. “If they could control themselves, and they didn’t control themselves, then it means they did it on purpose.”
Cole raised his eyebrows. “Does it?”
“Don’t play games with me. You either know something, or you don’t.”
Cole’s voice dropped several octaves. “I needed to see you. I thought maybe you needed to see me too.”
She felt the words like lightning, coursing through her, making her feel weak, but also lit up, awake. She wished she was touching him again. She wished the table wasn’t between them. She wished there was nothing between them. Nothing at all.
Yes, I needed to see you. Yes, all I need is to see you. I need you, Cole. I need you. What have you done to me?
She held his gaze, and she was sure he could see her response written on her face. He drew in a long, slow breath, like he was savoring her, tasting her.
She couldn’t let this go on. She was supposed to be in control. Even talking about work, only work, he’d wormed his way inside, taken over. She had to stop it.
She got out of the chair. “So you’ve got nothing, in other words. You’re wasting my time.” Her voice was disdainful. Good.
Don’t notice how tightly you have me wrapped around your finger, Cole. Please, think I hate you. Believe I despise you.
“You did need to see me.” He wasn’t asking.
Oh, God, if she didn’t get out of here, she was going to lose it. That hypnotic voice of his was going to undo her. She didn’t know what she might do. She stalked to the door.
“Do you think about me, Dana?”
She looked at him, her blood starting to thrum just beneath the surface of her skin.
“I think about you constantly. I think about touching you again.” His voice was a purr, sweet, soft, and liquid.
“Shut up.” She choked on the word. She had to get away from him. She had to stop whatever spell he had on her. She tried to turn the knob on the door, but it was locked.
“You have incredible skin.”
She cringed, but something inside her loved that. Something inside her uncurled, stretched out, and preened. There was a part of her that craved his praise. She banged on the door.
“Think about that later tonight, when you’re lying in bed alone. Think about my fingers on your skin. My lips on your skin.”
“Brooks, damn it, open the door!”
The door opened. She threw herself out of the room.
“Dana,” called Cole. “Look for the connection. You’re going to feel so stupid to have missed it.” He was laughing. God, he was laughing, and the sound was echoing into her ears, recording itself.
She slammed the door on his laughter, and it cut off. “Fuck.”
She wanted—more than anything—to open the door again. Closing herself off from him felt like losing a limb.
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~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~
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Meet the Men from the ‘Compelled’ Boxed Set.
Vigil
Secret identity: Callum Rutherford, rich playboy
Occupation: superhero
Turn-ons: danger, tiny t-shirts, being in control
Quote: “You can’t expect me to keep my hands off of you. Not when you’re not wearing anything except this fucking shirt.”
Out of Heaven’s Grasp
Jesse Wallace
Occupation: Has lived on his family’s farm his entire life.
Turn-ons: Being away from the strict cult he’s grown up in. Abby London
Quote: “I don’t want to let go of you.”
The Killing Moon
Cole Randall
Occupation: werewolf serial killer
What’s on his mind: Dana Gray. All the time.
Turn-ons: chains, submission
Quote: “You want me. You know it’s true. I know it’s true. And no matter what happens, that feeling isn’t going to go away.”
Slow Burn
Griffin Fawkes
Occupation: Bodyguard
Former occupation: Assassin for Operation Wraith
Turn-ons: camping, waterfalls, blondes
Quote: “Your body is for my eyes only.”
Frenzy
Levi Reed
Occupation: College student/drug dealer
Quirks: Doesn’t use drugs, super secretive
Turn-ons: Women who follow their convictions
Quote: “I want to do the wrong thing, Molly. I want to do the wrong thing with you over and over and over.”
Breathless
Jason Wodden
Special skills: Fist fighting, quoting Plato, hotwiring cars
Deepest desire: To be a normal teenager
Quote: “If I’m going to have to see you every day, I can’t watch you with him knowing that I feel the way I do, and I never said anything.”
The Toil and Trouble Trilogy
Brice Ventresca
Career aspiration: Acting
Special skills: Getting people over twenty-one to buy him beer
Deepest secret: Turns into a rage-filled monster every night at midnight
Quote: “I think about you a lot. The way it felt to touch you. The way you sighed…. You regret it, don’t you?”
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V.J. Chambers
V. J. Chambers writes about being inexplicably attracted to the dangerously alluring. Her works span mundane settings and fantastic ones. She writes about serial killers, cult leaders, werewolves, witches, for-hire assassins, zombies, space pirates, and regular everyday people.
She lives in Shepherdstown, WV, with her boyfriend Aaron and their cat Isis.
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~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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May 12, 2014
Book Blitz ~ ‘Chasing Luck’ by Brinda Berry.
Chasing Luck by Brinda Berry
(A Serendipity Novel #1)
Publication date: May 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Suspense
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SYNOPSIS
Sometimes surviving doesn’t feel lucky. Especially when you’re a sole survivor…
At the age of seven, Malerie walked away from a bombing that left hundreds dead—including her mother. When a crazed gunman kills her guardian on her eighteenth birthday, Malerie suspects there may be more to her survival than luck. A mysterious code holds the key to her future, and a reluctant white knight holds the key to her heart.
A loner wearing emotional armor…
Ace is a twenty-year-old entrepreneur focusing on two things in life: financial security and a life without ties. A life that doesn’t risk losing the ones who matter. When Ace is hired to secretly act as a bodyguard for Malerie, he faces an unwanted attraction that threatens to sabotage his heart. Can Ace find the courage to love a girl with a death wish?
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~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~
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~ YouTube ~
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“Malerie has been through a lot. JT and I have been the only life she has known. The short story is that JT became her guardian after she lost her mother. You know about the bombing in Chicago eleven years ago?”
“Yeah. I think I know the one. I was a kid, but it sounds familiar.” It’s more than familiar. I don’t mention that I also lived in Chicago during that time. I remember when it happened. My little brother and I were glued to the television, home alone and listening for the scrape of the key in the door lock. Mom had stayed out all night. It was in the days before the boyfriends stayed at our place.
Which was how we liked it.
“She never even knew her father,” Billy says.
I take a sip and lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “She doesn’t have any grandparents?”
“No. And JT was a very wealthy man.”
“Figured that out.” I look around the room at the fireplace mantel lined with black and white photos in silver frames. “That chandelier in the foyer probably cost more than I make in a year.”
“Exactly.”
“Listen. I feel sorry for the girl. I do. But what does this have to do with me?
“Malerie has spent much of her life here and she suffers from anxiety about her life before JT. She is also very naive about the world and will most likely want to go out into it. I’m old and won’t be around much longer to protect her.” Billy sits in the nearest chair. “I trust you for some reason. You took care of Malerie as a stranger because you’re a good man. You also have the exact skills I’m looking for.”
“What kind of skills might those be?”
“You’ve worked in security, right?”
I chuckle at the thought of my last job as a night watchman at a casino. “So, you want me to…?”
“Malerie needs a companion to protect her. Someone to take her places.”
“Like a male escort? I’m not a dating service.” I can’t help but be amused at the thought. My body temperature notches up along with my interest.
“And it’s a good thing. The last thing she needs is a date. Malerie doesn’t date. She’s not comfortable in unfamiliar places. We need better security here and you have a security background. Malerie might need a driver. We would pay you well.”
“Did you say she doesn’t date?” My eyebrows rise and it’s difficult to hold back the disbelief. Not possible. The way she looked at me that night in the restaurant tells a different story. Toombs was probably so strict that lying was the only option. She lied or Toombs kept her locked up 24/7.
Billy waves his hand around to indicate the non-importance of the last question. “Will you take on this job or not? You might be able to buy a chandelier or two.” Billy nods his head in the direction of the foyer.
Yeah, not many chandeliers on my want list.
“Again—why me? I gave Mr. Toombs a bid on a security system. And I’m not too fond of playing the lead role in Driving Miss Malerie.”
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Prizes: Open INTL – Ends May 20th
*A $25 Sephora gift card and two book swag necklaces*
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Brinda Berry
Brinda Berry lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She has a BSE in English and French and a MEd in Learning Systems Technology. She’s terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality. She doesn’t mind being called a geek or “crazy dog lady”. When she’s not working the day job or writing a novel, she’s guilty of surfing the internet for no good reason.
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~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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May 11, 2014
Book Blitz ~ ‘Messenger’ by Laury Falter.
Messenger by Laury Falter
(Guardian Trilogy Prequel)
Publication date: May 8th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
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SYNOPSIS
Maggie does not know she is a Messenger. She has never met her eternal lover. She has never survived a Fallen One. All this changes when a Messenger awakens in the Hall of Records only to die moments later, never to return.
As Maggie sets out to determine why the Messengers are suddenly beginning to die, she crosses paths with the infuriatingly appealing Eran and their story begins.
In this riveting account of Maggie’s first life on earth with Eran, the star-crossed lovers’ romance transpires amidst treacherous enemies, their friends’ resistance, and their own opposing wills. With the odds against her, can Maggie survive long enough to admit the feelings she has so carefully denied?
Messenger is the first prequel to the bestselling Guardian Trilogy – the breathtaking romantic saga about a love that has lasted centuries between a Messenger and her Guardian.
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He strode to me and crouched at my hip. His shirt was already off and the nearness of his well-built chest made it a challenge to stop myself from glancing at it. To my astonishment, he seemed not to notice my internal plight, not even the tremble that shook me when he tenderly took my chin and turned it toward him.
“You’re healing nicely,” he observed, concentrating on my forehead.
“Mm-hmm.” It was all I could muster.
This was the closest we had ever been. His lips were no more than a few inches from me and drew my attention.
“I don’t think you’ll even scar.”
When I didn’t answer, I felt a shift in his presence and my eyes darted up to find him staring back with his striking blue-green eyes.
We froze in place.
Only our chests rose and fell, and they did it more rapidly the longer we stared at each other.
As his eyes lowered to my lips, his fingers tightened gently around my chin.
The flare of his nostrils and the intensity of his stare mesmerized me, made me want him closer. And it told me that he was struggling too and was in profound debate over what we were doing. No ward should be this close to their guardian, even if the ward didn’t recognize them as one. It was taboo, unheard of, an abject insult to the role the guardian had been given. Yet, here he was, looking at me, at my lips, tensing at the sight of them.
And he wasn’t alone in the struggle. For the first time, I forgot my urge to throw him off balance, my need to establish my independence. I was the one quickly losing my poise and forgetting who was dominant. The charm I fought so hard to deny, the very one that drew all others to him, took hold of me. And I gave into it out of my own free will.
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Prizes Open Internationally – Ends May 20th
*The full Guardian Trilogy series in eBook*
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Q. What inspires your writing?
A. It is incredibly fulfilling when readers get excited about any one of my books. To put it simply, I write for them.
Beyond that, I started writing my first book in January 2009, after Joyce Durham lost her battle to colon cancer. I am good friends with her daughter, Erika, who was then faced with the very difficult task of learning how to deal with the loss of her mother. Witnessing her struggle and that of the Durham family, I wished there was someone who could visit with those who had passed over to the other side and bring back messages to the living, reassuring them that all was fine with their loved one. And from it, Magdalene Tanner was born. I went on to write FALLEN in just under two months, releasing it in March 2009.
Q. What is your favorite thing about being an author?
A. Bringing a couple’s love to life on the pages so that they can rouse the reader’s emotions. Along those same lines, knowing I’m taking my readers away from the onslaught of daily life for a brief vacation is incredibly rewarding.
Q. What is the toughest part of being an author?
A. Deadlines! I try to turn around a book every few months and that can be a grueling schedule. Ugh!
Q. If you could not be author, what would you do/be?
A. I was a full-time marketing professional until I lost my job last summer. To pay the bills, I wrote the second book of the Guardian Trilogy. Thankfully, people liked it! If they didn’t, I’d still be putting together marketing plans.
Q. What is your favorite book of all time?
A. The Bridge to Terabithia. It was the first book I read as a child that made me cry, and it still makes me tear up when I think about it now. An absolutely wonderful read!
Q. Which character from ANY book are you most like?
A. Margaret Simon, from Judy Blume’s book “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”. Like her, I have great inner dialogue that is constantly rambling through my head.
Q. What character from all of your book are you most like?
A. Magdalene “Maggie” Tanner. I completely connect with her unwavering dedication to protect others.
Q. What is your favorite season?
A. Fall. I LOVE Halloween. What other day of the year can you dress up like a zombie and no one will think you’re crazy, or run screaming from you?
Q. What inspired your book cover(s)? Or what is your favorite book cover and why?
A. The online versions of the Guardian Trilogy have a lot of white space in the background because I sold Fallen first on my personal website and didn’t want to waste anyone’s printer ink when printing the book. The remaining novels followed suit. This worked out, thankfully, because the colors (or lack of) represent a great contrast between good and evil.
Q. Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?
A. If you enjoy being taken away for a little while by a romantic story set in a paranormal world, check out Laury Falter’s books at www.lauryfalter.com.
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Laury Falter
Laury Falter is a bestselling author of young adult romantic suspense and urban fantasy. She has three series out: the Guardian Trilogy, the Residue Series, and the Apocalypse Chronicles.
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To learn more about Laury and her novels, visit her at:
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Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
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