C.J. Burright's Blog, page 18
March 18, 2015
Come, the Dark by Rebecca Hamilton
Swing by Geeks with me today, where there’s lots to see about Come, the Dark by Rebecca Hamilton…not to mention a giveaway.
March 11, 2015
Cover Reveal & Giveaway – Dragons are People, Too
Happy Wednesday! I’m thrilled to be a part of the cover reveal for Dragons are People, Too, a young adult contemporary fantasy by Sarah Nicolas releasing April 28th from Entangled Teen. There’s a Starbucks giveaway at the end, and who doesn’t need extra caffeine to get through the rest of the week, right? PLUS, Sarah’s giving away a signed copy of DAPT on Goodreads. You’re welcome.
Never judge a dragon
by her human cover…
Sixteen-year-old Kitty Lung has everyone convinced she’s a normal teen—not a secret government operative, not the one charged with protecting the president’s son, and certainly not a were-dragon. The only one she trusts with the truth is her best friend—and secret crush—the über-hot Bulisani Mathe.
Then a junior operative breaks Rule Number One by changing into his dragon form in public—on Kitty’s watch—and suddenly, the world knows. About dragons. About the Draconic Intelligence Command (DIC) Kitty works for. About Kitty herself.
Now the government is hunting down and incarcerating dragons to stop a public panic, and a new shape-shifting enemy has kidnapped the president’s son. Kitty and Bulisani are the last free dragons, wanted by both their allies and their enemies. If they can’t rescue the president’s son and liberate their fellow dragons before getting caught themselves, dragons might never live free again.
Add it to Goodreads
About the Author
Sarah is a 30-something YA author who currently lives in Orlando with a 60-lb mutt who thinks he’s a chihuahua. She believes that some boys are worth trusting, all girls have power, and dragons are people too.
She’s a proud member of the Gator Nation and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, but has switched careers entirely. She now works as an Event Coordinator for a County Library and as a freelance book publicist and author’s assistant.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr
Giveaway
Since Sarah couldn’t have written any of this book without coffee, she’s giving away a $10 Starbucks Gift Card! (Open anywhere Starbucks Gift Cards can be used)
Win a free signed paperback copy from the author via Goodreads!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Dragons Are People, Too
by Sarah Nicolas
Giveaway ends April 27, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
March 4, 2015
A Few Mini Reviews
I’m at GIHS with a handful of reviews from my TBR pile–The Accidental Demon Slayer, First Grave on the Right, How to Catch a Wild Viscount, and Consumed. Three out of four ain’t bad…
February 25, 2015
Review – Gathering Frost by Kaitlyn Davis
Happy Hump Day! I hope you drop by and see me at GIHS. I’ve got a review for Gathering Frost by Kaitlyn Davis – my favorite book of 2015 so far!
February 18, 2015
Spotlight – Steam Me Up, Rawley by Angela Quarles
Drop by and see me at GIHS – today’s spotlight is Steam Me Up, Rawley by Angela Quarles, and I’ve got a steamy excerpt to share with you. Happy Wednesday!
February 11, 2015
The Hooker and the Hermit
Hey, y’all – I’m at GIHS today with a spotlight on Hooker and the Hermit by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid, and it’s probably not the type of hooker you’re thinking of. 
Hope you drop by, and there’s a giveaway too!
February 7, 2015
Dragon’s Redemption by Eden Ashe
Did I hear the mention of dragons and romance? Welcome to Eden Ashe’s Dragon Lore world and the cover for Dragon’s Redemption, the second novel in this series. It’s coming on May 15, which gives you time to read Dragon’s Heart if you haven’t yet – or you could enter to win Dragon’s Heart in the giveaway below.
Book Title: Dragon’s Redemption (Dragon Lore, #2)
Author: Eden Ashe
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
When her brother goes missing, everything in Lily Cage’s world turns upside down. Born a Hunter female, the last thing she needs is an attraction to Dallas, the scariest dragon in existence. The one known as The Destroyer. With peace between the Hunters and Dragons hanging by a thread, one wrong move on Lily or Dallas’s part could catapult them all back into war. But with Dallas playing by his own rules and someone on the outside decimating her life, they have a choice–stand and fight, or lose everything they never realized they wanted.
Convinced dragons have gotten a bad rep throughout time, and more than a little addicted to fairy tales and romance novels, Eden Ashe has decided to re-write history. In her version, the dragons are ancient warriors in tarnished armor, who not only deserve the girl in the end, but will fight forever for her.
February 4, 2015
Diamond Rings are Deadly Things
Happy Wednesday! I’m at GIHS today with fun stuff from Rachelle Christensen. Swing on by!
February 2, 2015
Book Blitz – Pairing Off by Elizabeth Harmon
Like a blend of ice skating, romance, and a hunky Russian? Today’s your lucky day! Pairing Off by Elizabeth Harmon is out, plus she’s giving away three copies. The excerpt is cute, cute, cute…any guy who has the kahunas to wear a flowery bird outfit and talk about man-waxing has my attention. Read on, people!
Book Title: Pairing Off
Author: Elizabeth Harmon
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 2, 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
American figure skater Carrie Parker’s Winter Games dreams were dashed when her philandering partner caused one of the greatest scandals in skating history. Blacklisted from competing in the United States, her career is over…until she receives a mysterious invitation and is paired with the most infuriating, talented—and handsome—skater she’s ever met.
Russian champion Anton Belikov knows sacrifice. He gave up a normal life and any hope of a meaningful relationship to pursue his dream. And he’s come close—with a silver medal already under his belt, the next stop is the gold. All he needs is a partner. While he’s never forgotten the young American skater he seduced one long-ago night in Amsterdam, he never expected to be confronted with their past…never mind share the ice with her.
When what starts as a publicity stunt grows into something real, Carrie and Anton’s partnership will test their loyalties to family, country and each other. With only a few months to train for the competition of a lifetime, can they master technique and their emotions, or will they lose their footing and fall victim to the heartaches of their pasts?
96,000 words
“Speaking of Lake Placid…we ought to consider a new costume designer. That yellow thing you wore at Cup of China?” Carrie grimaced.
Anton looked up and grinned. “Is that why you didn’t want anything to do with me that night? Because of my ugly outfit?”
“It’s hard to take a man seriously when he’s dressed like a giant flower.”
He glared in mock offense. “I was not flower. We were birds.”
“Well that makes all the difference, doesn’t it? Anyway, the guy Cody and I did nice classic looks. No feathers. No sequins. I could see you in something dark and simple, maybe open in the front. Definitely short-sleeved to show off your…” Her eyes feasted on his gorgeous upper arms. What the man did to a faded T-shirt ought to be against the law. He grinned as he caught her looking. Again. Her face burned and she gave a guilty smile. “…hard work.”
Anton shook his head. “For competition, no short sleeve, no low cut. I would have to get waxed. I hate wax.” He pouted like a little kid about to get a booster shot. “It hurts.”
“You’re such a baby! I can’t believe you’re afraid of a little manscaping.”
“Do you like it?”
Well. Obviously she wasn’t the only one who’d been checking out their partner that day in the pool. Then again, he’d been involved with a skater for years. It wasn’t like he’d never seen a Brazilian before. Her cheeks flushed again. “Only in pair skating would I have a conversation like this with a straight guy I hardly know.”
“What do you mean, hardly know? You know about my family, where I grew up, what music I like, what sports I like, what I studied at university. And now you know how I feel about man-wax.”
“Fine, you win. No man-wax.”
He leaned back, his arms crossed, regarding her with narrowed eyes. “Seems I’m the one who hardly knows you. Every time I ask something, you turn around and ask me instead. Why do you do that? Why do you want to be so much a mystery?”
She rested her chin on her hand and smiled across the table. “What difference does it make?”
He started to answer, then stopped. Shaking his head, he laughed. “God, you are aggravating!”
I love stories that give a fresh take on classic themes, and feature characters and locations not often seen in romance. Give me a lovable, if less-than-perfect heroine, a gorgeous hero with a heart of gold, take them a little off the beaten path and I’m a happy girl.
I read a variety of genres– romance to horror and just about everything in between. I am a member of Romance Writers of America. I have worked as a freelance journalist for a number of local publications and am a contributing writer to Romance Writers Report.
When I’m not writing, I love to ice skate, bike ride, hang out at the beach or on my front porch. I love vintage homes, adventurous cooking, spending time with my family and traveling.
January 30, 2015
Release Day: Loyalty and Lies by L.A. Cotton
Happy Friday, everyone! And happy release day to Loyalty and Lies, a new adult contemporary romance by L.A. Cotton. There’s lots of goodies below, including a giveaway…what better way to start the weekend, right?
Book Title: Loyalty and Lies (Chastity Falls #1)
Author: LA Cotton
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Eighteen-year-old Savanah Parry just moved three thousand miles across state to escape. The memories…the whispers…the pain.
Chastity Falls Academy is supposed to be her fresh start; her salvation. And when Ana meets mysterious Jackson, she begins to think it is. She hasn’t smiled in almost sixteen months; not since the night her life changed forever, and despite her guilt…her loyalty, Ana can’t deny that Jackson is breathing life back into her. With Jackson by her side, Ana wants to believe she can heal and move on. But she isn’t the only one living a lie, and the small private Academy has secrets of its own. All is not what it seems, and Ana is about to find herself in a tangled web of lies; fighting for survival, again.
Loyalties will be tested, lies will be told. Welcome to Chastity Falls.
Gardner’s class was nothing compared to the torture of sitting so close to Jackson in Shakespeare. After his warning to stay away from him, I thought he might pick an alternative seat, but that didn’t happen. Instead, he brushed straight passed me, dropped into his usual chair and acted as if nothing had happened. I had to fight back the urge to ask him why he had told me to stay away from me. I mean, it wasn’t like we hung out. There had been coffee at the shifty sea front hut…once, and then the embarrassing sprained-ankle-in-the-storm incident.
“Today, class, I want us to look at the character Iago…” Professor Shacks’ voice echoed around the small room. “Iago is the voice whispering in Othello’s ear, playing to Othello’s own paranoia and insecurities around his relationship with Desdemona. Of course, Othello trusts Iago implicitly, why wouldn’t he trust his long serving friend and lieutenant? A fact that Iago uses to his own advantage…”
Jackson shuffled next to me, and then quickly dropped a white note onto my desk. What now? I sighed, feeling frustrated at his mixed signals.
How’s the ankle?
Okay thanks
I balled up the note and tossed it onto his desk, watching him through the corner of my eye. A slight smirk played on his lips, and it was obvious he was aware I was pissed at him. He started scribbling a reply, which landed in front of me seconds later.
I’ve heard coffee (or a banana shake) can work wonders for a sprained ankle… healing properties or something.
I scowled at his slightly scruffy handwriting wondering what game he was trying to play with me.
Thanks. I’ll make sure I have a banana shake before bed
Feeling pleased with myself, I held out the note for him and he plucked it out of my hand, silently laughing when his eyes scanned the words.
How about a shake before bed… with me?
My eyes blinked. And blinked again, feeling the heat of embarrassment wash over my face. Was he flirting with me? I felt thirteen all over again. Mikey Crand used to send me love notes in Biology and me and my friend Lacey would giggle over them. Feeling brave, I handed him my reply.
Are you inviting me for a shake? Or to bed?
Jackson’s eyes widened and he shuffled slightly in his seat. Take that mister confusing, I thought, pleased with myself.
Are you saying yes?
I inwardly groaned. Jackson: one, Ana: zero. I couldn’t keep this up without drifting into territory that terrified me. Jackson was the first guy—the only guy—that made me smile… made my stomach flutter… made me feel anything since Danny. It wasn’t the plan, not what I ran to CFA to find, but somehow I had found it. Found something—someone—that made me feel again. Was that enough to try and get to the bottom of whatever was going on with Jackson? Of why he had warned me to stay away?
To the shake… maybe
Meet me round back five minutes after class
I was heading for a one-way trip into purgatory, because as I discreetly watched Jackson out the corner of my eye I knew. Knew there would be no way I could walk away. Right or wrong, sensible or stupid, he had awoken a part of me that I thought I would never find again…and I couldn’t just give that up. Not for all the warnings in the world.
~
Ninety-minutes later, I was sitting in Black’s suffering some kind of post-Jackson whiplash.
“I’m surprised you asked me for coffee again.” I slurped up the thick banana shake.
Jackson watched me, his eyes were more the color of the bluey-green ocean today, than their usual shade. “Actually, I invited you for a shake.” He quipped back.
I tried broaching the subject during the ride to Black’s, but he just shrugged me off, talking about the weather. The freaking weather. I was done with his evasion techniques. “After you warned me to stay away from you the other night?”
He placed his mug back on its plate and sighed. I watched, captivated, as he ran his hand through his messy dark hair, the longer strands falling back into place, a five ‘o’clock shadow cloaking his jaw. “About that… I may have been a little hasty.”
“Hasty?”
“See the thing is…” His eyes held mine, smoldering at me, pleading with me. “I’m not sure I can stay away from you.”
My lips moved to say something but nothing came out. Jackson watched me intently and I gulped. It felt like he was willing me to agree, to accept that there was a reason we should stay away from each other, but to ignore it. And I got the feeling it was a no questions asked kind of arrangement.
“It’d be better for you… for us, if you stay away from me, Ana. But I don’t want you to. I’m too selfish to walk away.”
“But-”
Jackson cut me off. “No questions. That’s the deal. We spend time together, get to know each other, but you can’t ask any of the questions I know you have swimming round in that pretty little head of yours.”
“Okay, but-”
His hand found mine across the booth, and his fingers grazed my knuckles. “No questions. That’s just the way it has to be for now.”
I nodded. Unsure what I was agreeing to.
“You won’t regret it Ana Parry, I promise.”
Author of NA Contemporary Romance, L. A. Cotton loves writing about those first looks, first kisses, and happily ever afters.
A wearer-of-many-hats, L.A juggles being a full-time mum to two little people with two part-time jobs and college. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find her immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life. LA has two books currently self-published: Fate’s Love and Love’s Spark. Loyalty and Lies, is book one in her NA college series: Chastity Falls.
You can connect with her at:
