Jennifer Locklear's Blog, page 8
March 25, 2015
Command the Tides by Wren Handman – Excerpt & Giveaway!
Command The Tides,
a romantic fantasy novel by Wren Handman
Excerpt:
���David, help Ryan cover the trail. I���ll help Sarah take Darren. Taya, take my sword and cover us.���
���The girl? She���s like to cut off her own feet as an enemy!��� Liam hissed.
Taya felt her face grow hot. As always when she felt embarrassment closing in, she covered it with anger. She grabbed Jeremy���s sword by the hilt, drawing it out with one smooth motion and swinging it down so the point touched the ground just an inch in front of Liam���s foot. She felt Jeremy take a staggering step backward, startled.
���I will not only cut our enemy, I will cut the feet off of our enemy and leave them to bleed in the dirt. I haven���t let us down yet, and I certainly don���t intend to start now. And if you ever call me ���the girl��� again, I will show you exactly what I am expert at cutting off,��� she snarled, and then she hoisted the sword and spun on her heel, storming away before he could react.
She stood at the edge of their sad, sodden company, the hilt of the sword resting snugly in the palm of her hand, her back straight and her head held high, and the only thing going through her mind was the fact she had absolutely, completely, no idea how to use a sword.
Giveaway:
Enter to win a copy of the book and one of 2 $10 Amazon cards!
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Book Title: Command The Tides (The Chronicles of Midvalen, Book One)
Author: Wren Handman
ISBN: 9781623421809
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Available in Paperback and Ebook March 17, 2015
Amazon���� BN.com�� Goodreads�� Simon and Schuster
Author Bio:
Wren Handman is a novelist, fiction writer, and playwright. Her first novel, Last Cut, was published by James Lorimer Publishing Ltd (Sept 2012) and is aimed at teenagers with reading difficulties. She has published short stories both in print and online, including in the anthology Voice From the Planet (Harvard Square Editions) and the online magazine Crow Toes Quarterly, an award-winning Canadian children���s publication. For regular updates check out her short fiction project, Lucid Dreaming (www.wrenhandman.com/lucid-dreaming), which responds to original art pieces with flash fiction stories.
March 21, 2015
Jennifer Reviews: Pros & Cons by Sydney Logan (@SydneyALogan)
Synopsis:
Con artists Jenna York and Ethan Summers always seem to cross paths during their travels around the world. With their partners in tow, the cunning criminals wreak havoc across the globe, stealing from the rich and giving to the richer. While Jenna tries to convince herself that she sees him as nothing more than a professional rival, Ethan finds it a little harder to fight his attraction to the beautiful thief.
When tragedy strikes, Jenna and Ethan join forces, but are the stakes too high? Can they escape this last job with their lives���and their hearts���intact?
My Review:
Over the past couple of years, I’ve read and reviewed several of Sydney Logan’s novels. Her books are always well-written and offer a certain amount of sweetness that I find refreshing. I’ve enjoyed all her stories to date, and was excited when I heard another book was on the way. Right from the moment I first saw the cover of Pros & Cons, I knew there was going to be something a bit different about this story.�� As soon as I began reading this book, I really began smiling…
��As I slip quietly out of the suite and rush toward the elevator, I can���t deny I���m feeling a little better about Vegas.
That is, until the elevator doors open.
Standing there, leaning against the stainless steel wall with a cocky smile on his face, is the one person I really didn���t want to see this weekend.
With a miserable groan, I step inside the elevator and furiously stab the button.
���Are you following me, Summers?���
���I���d follow your dimples anywhere, York.���
Ethan Summers is infuriatingly charming and handsome. Both assets have proven to be beneficial to his career and detrimental to mine.
���Well, these dimples just lifted Bradley Jones��� credit card numbers.���
���Impressive. Although, one might argue that a more superior con artist would be capable of accomplishing such a feat without showing a little skin. Really, Jenna, I���m disappointed.���
He rarely calls me by my first name. Last names have always been our thing.
���Were you watching me?���
���Every heterosexual man in the casino was watching your little performance. Nice legs, by the way.���
Crap.
���Not good,��� I mutter.
���No, but I enjoyed it.���
Ethan grins as the elevator doors open. I don���t protest when he grabs me by the elbow and leads me toward the nearest exit. It���s not brightly lit, but there���s a very nice bouncer that Ethan greets by name who allows us to walk right out the door and into the starry Nevada night. He doesn���t let go of my arm as we hurry toward a black SUV.
���Why are you helping me?���
���You drugged a millionaire and stole his credit card info. I think it���s best we get you out of town.���
That doesn���t really answer my question, but I can���t argue with his logic.
Ethan opens the passenger door and helps me inside.
���Nice stilettos.���
I glare at him, and he shoots me a sexy smile before slamming my door.
It���s really too bad that I hate his guts.
Ethan Summers and I have crossed paths many times throughout the past couple years. It���s unavoidable, considering we���re two of the finest criminal minds in the world.
That���s what the news says, anyway.
���Let me guess,��� Ethan says as he pulls the SUV out onto the highway. ���You used Rohypnol on Jones?���
I roll my eyes. ���I���m a thief, not a sexual predator.���
���Well, you obviously slipped something into his drink.���
���Sleeping pill.���
Ethan hums his disapproval. I can���t argue with him. Slipping Bradley a sedative is so amateur.
���I was desperate. The entire weekend has been a complete waste of time. When did the Viper install dome cams?���
���A few weeks ago. The casino���s hosting the U.S. Poker Championship next month. Ceiling cams are a requirement.���
���Super.���
���I know.���
���So, if you knew about the cameras, what were you doing at the casino?���
���Let���s just say a little birdie told me you were hitting the Viper tonight. I had a feeling you might need my assistance.���
���So you���ve been talking to Abby.���
He remains silent and keeps his eyes trained on the freeway, giving me the chance to study his profile. Ethan has a mop of unruly dark hair and deep blue eyes that make most girls go weak in the knees.
Not this girl. Nope.
���Like what you see?���
My face heats. I hate when he catches me ogling him.
���You���re an ass.���
He laughs. ���Someday, Jenna, you���re going to stop fighting this attraction between us. I���m really looking forward to that.���
Right off the bat, Ethan and Jenna show us their incredible chemistry.�� Their back and forth banter is flirty and fun, and as the story moves along the sexual tension between the two amps up considerably with each encounter. Along with this dose of humor, however, is a darker plot twist that perfectly offsets the sexy comedy. As the story progressed, I found myself wrapped up within the fast paced plot and drawn up in the suspense generated once years of conning others begins to catch up with Ethan and Jenna.
The synopsis for Pros & Cons is shorter than most books I see, and I think there is good reason for this. There are several great twists and turns within the story, and to reveal any one of them could really diminish from the reader’s overall enjoyment. I am always loathe to reveal spoilers in my reviews, so I’m hoping my enthusiasm for Pros & Cons along with the excerpt I’ve included here will be convincing enough for you to give this book a go. If you’re looking for an entertaining read with some great sexual tension and a large dose of humor thrown in, then I highly recommend Pros & Cons.
While I was reading the story, I tweeted Sydney Logan and informed her this was fast becoming my favorite book of hers, and I still stand behind that tweet in this review. Four fabulous and flirty stars from me!
Buy links:
About Author
Amazon bestselling author Sydney Logan holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of three novels – Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, and Soldier On. Sydney has also penned four short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul.
A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
Website�� Facebook�� Twitter�� Goodreads
March 15, 2015
Jennifer Reviews: Fix You by Beck Anderson (@BeckAndersonID)
Adult Contemporary Romance
New release from Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) March 2015
Previously released by Omnific Publishing
Synopsis:
In this modern-day Cinderella story with a charming twist, a young widow with two rambunctious sons falls for a gorgeous movie star. But can she handle life in the limelight?
When Kelly Reynolds���s husband died two years ago, he left her to raise their two young boys. She���s barely pieced herself back together and takes refuge in her routine, running her kids around town and running the trails near their Idaho home.
A chance encounter on a trail run brings famous actor Andy Pettigrew into her life. He���s clearly interested in her, but Kelly hates risk, and a love affair with Andrew is certainly tempting fate. She doesn���t fit into his Hollywood world. She doesn���t own a pair of Louboutins, and she couldn���t walk five steps in them if she did. Andrew oozes cool. She reeks of dork.
Despite this, they click. But Andrew struggles with the pressures of his fame, and Kelly���s hold on a so-called normal life is already tenuous. So as much as she wants to indulge the fantasy, she doesn���t know how either of them is supposed to cope with stalkerazzi and tweet-happy fans with camera phones. Especially when she and Andrew both have secrets that seem impossible to keep���
��My Review:
As an author of a contemporary romance set in the celebrity world of Hollywood, I’m always interested to read someone else’s inside perspective on a movie star’s life.�� Having already read another one of Beck Anderson’s novels, I was confident I would be treated to a good story in Fix You.�� I’m happy to report that was exactly the case.
Both Fix You and The Jeweler feature heroines who are dealing with loss and grief, which can be a difficult emotion to write about.�� It can be easy to over-dramatize the emotions associated with deep loss, just as easily as it can be to underwhelm a reader with a character’s apparent lack of feeling while mourning a loved one.�� Just as when one writes about love, there is a fine balance to be maintained when addressing the delicate subject of death and grief. Beck Anderson has proven to me, not just once but twice, that she can convey these complicated emotions organically with her characters and I greatly admire this skill of hers.
When Kelly Reynolds loses her husband at the beginning of Fix You, the reader is taken along on her journey to mourn and to move on with life so that she can remain an involved and caring mother for their two children.�� In the process of recovery, Kelly finds herself on vacation with her sons and her parents in California.�� One morning she goes out for a jog and ends up running into one of the world’s most sought after movie stars. One brief introduction to Andy Pettigrew, the famous actor, leads to another brief interlude and soon Kelly finds herself easing into a most unlikely new friendship.
“Remember when you were first learning to drive?” I take another deep breath. I’m not sure if I’ve been breathing in any reliable way since we crossed the condo’s threshold.
“Yeah, I do, actually. Everything was a giant ordeal. My dad took me out in our neighborhood. I sneezed and ran the car up on Mr. Hattingfield’s yard. Took out his mailbox.”
“I haven’t been very social lately – except with people I know. Heck, since the boys were born, I haven’t been super social at all. Okay, I wasn’t ever amazingly social to begin with.”
“But your point?” I think he’s kind of grinning. At me. He could be close to laughing.
“I have one. Stop smiling. You’re not helping. The point is, I’m back at the aware-of-every-little-part-of-a-social-interaction stage. Like beginner driving, when you check the mirrors, and you have to think, Turn on the blinker. That’s the stage I’m in. I don’t even know where to look. Do I look right at you the whole time we talk? Do I look you right in the eye?”
I stop to breathe for a second. He turns the mug all the way around by the handle before he responds, his eyes on the tea bag. “You’re fine. You need to breathe, and you need to not tap the spoon on the table. Other than that, I find you pretty socially capable. I might even venture to say charming.”
“Where do I look?” This has devolved into a social etiquette class offered by a movie star to a woman whose mind has completely left her in her moment of need.
“You can always look at me.” He looks up from the mug, right into my eyes.
I agree. I think I could look at him for a nice long while.
Naturally, Andrew (as he prefers to be called) prefers to keep his personal life as private as possible, and given the situation Kelly is currently working through her mindset is in a similar place. The two enjoy a budding but secret friendship, and when Andrew makes an unexpected visit to Kelly’s hometown of Boise, he soon finds that her quiet lifestyle is exactly the kind of life he dreams to call his own.�� The two spend limited time with one another but quickly come to rely on each other for a much needed change of pace from their individual normal routines.
Content in their bubble of distraction, Kelly and Andrew easily find ways to avoid sharing some of their deeper personal struggles with one another, but as their affection for one another begins to grow hiding these issues becomes more and more difficult.�� Both Kelly and Andrew are in mentally fragile places and Fix You soon transforms into a dramatic love story as a result.
I’ve enjoyed reading Beck Anderson’s books recently and it is easy to see why Fix You was picked up by Gallery Books for a re-release. Beck is a skilled storyteller and she navigates her characters quite naturally through some very extraordinary circumstances.�� As a reader, I experienced a wide variety of emotions while immersed in the story and practically read this book through in a single day, after finding it nearly impossible to set down.
For those of you who enjoy a good Hollywood novel or a story about finding love a second time around, I highly recommend Fix You. I happily rate it 4.5 stars!
About the Author
Beck Anderson loves to write about love and its power to heal and grow people past their many imperfections. She is a firm believer in the phrase “mistakes are for learning” and uses it frequently to guide her in writing life and real life.
Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
March 6, 2015
Locklear Library: The Prince by Sylvain Reynard (@sylvainreynard)
Morgan and I recently benefited from good book release timing. As we were finishing up our year-long read of Dragonfly in Amber, we realized we would have the perfect opportunity to read the first novella in The Florentine Series before moving on to the next book in the Outlander saga. We read through The Prince in just a couple of evenings and found it an intriguing introduction to the underworld of Florence, Italy.
In case you haven���t read one of our Locklear Library posts before here is how it works. This will be a written conversation between us about our experiences and impressions of the book. We do our best not to disclose spoilers, but we will be talking about the story, and we have no idea what we���ll be asking each other about until now.
Jennifer will go first���
JENNIFER: We���re both long time readers of Sylvain Reynard���s stories, and I know you���ve been curious to see what SR could do with a supernatural series. After reading The Prince what are your first impressions? What do you think of SR���s vampyres and their world?
MORGAN: Did you spell vampyres with a ���y��� on purpose? SR told me many years ago that he wanted to write a vampire novel and I knew then that he had a dark side just waiting to get out. The Prince was even darker than I had expected. The Prince is savage, and worse yet, unreasonable! I didn���t know if I liked him or loathed him and I tend to enjoy reading complicated characters like that. As you know, I am a fan of creating and re-creating lore. What did you think of how SR used established rules and the new ones we hadn���t heard of before?
JENNIFER: Yes. I did spell the word with a ���y��� on purpose out of respect for the world created in the Florentine Series.
I remember that we both were excited by the idea that the Prince had the ability to keep others of his kind away from his villa by making them feel physically ill whenever they strayed too close to his home. I have to admit that power could really come in handy sometimes.
A lone figure lurked in the shadows outside the Prince’s villa, which overlooked the city of Florence. From the villa’s windows, one could enjoy an incredible view of the skyline – even at night.
Not that the figure was able to enjoy that prospect.
The Prince used strange magic to repel others of his kind, or so the figure averred. Half a block from the villa, which was more like a fortress, he felt nauseated and uneasy, his muscles twitching. No wonder the Prince had ruled the city for so long. No one was able to set foot inside his gates, let alone challenge him physically.
Much of the vampyre lore I observed in The Prince was not unfamiliar, but I did enjoy how SR put a special twist on some of the usual vampyre rules. The moment when the Prince visits Santa Maria Novella and the Spanish Chapel stands out in my memory. I found myself replaying that scene over and over as I read The Raven. To me, it was an outstanding opportunity to study the true character of the Prince.
I heard you chuckling quite a bit whenever the Prince offered his unsolicited opinions about my beloved Professor Gabriel O. Emerson. May I ask what was so funny?
MORGAN: It was clear to me that SR was making the conversation between the Professor and Julia sickeningly sweet and I liked how it annoyed the Prince. I related to his character in those moments by wanting to kill them myself. I���m glad you brought up the ���warding��� of places to keep other vampires away. It was a cool bit of writing that I had never encountered before. I get the feeling that Aoibhe will have a bigger role to play in future books. What do you think about her?
“How does it feel to be dead, my lord?” Aoibhe addressed him in English as she entered his private rooms near the Council chamber.
He was seated in a tall wingbacked chair, perusing a leather-bound volume of Machiavelli and listening to medieval music, which he found soothing.
“A better question would be how does it feel to be dead again?”
Aoibhe laughed.
“There are many kinds of death. The littlest of them is my favorite.” She gave him a heated look.
He lifted his eyebrows but said nothing.
“I see you have yet to go into hiding.” She regarded his lavishly decorated apartment with appreciation.
“I wished to retrieve a few items.” He pointed to some books and a couple of manuscripts that he’d placed on a nearby table.
“When was the last time you fed, my lord?”
“Why?”
“I have procured sustenance for you. Someone lovely.”
“This is irregular.” The Prince’s eyes narrowed. “To what do I owe your generosity?”
“I’m glad you’re still alive.”
The Prince took a moment to examine her features.
She was beautiful and strong and very, very ambitious. He wondered if she resented Niccolo’s elevation. At the moment, it seemed clear she wanted something: he simply wasn’t able to discern what it was.
JENNIFER: This is probably a good time for us to mention that while I went on to read The Raven, you haven���t yet had the time to do so. There are a few things I know about Aoibhe now that you don���t, and yes I would say your instincts about her are correct. A few weeks ago, I mentioned online that I thought Aoibhe was a scene stealer (along with who knows what else). She is a fascinating character and, truthfully speaking, I���d love to see a novella that focuses on her. She is cunning and ambitious and I think she has a deeper hold on the Prince that he���s willing to admit to anyone, even himself.
Having read the Gabriel���s Inferno series, we���ve become more familiar with Florence, Italy over the past few years. What did you think of SR���s decision to expand on the setting by populating it with an underworld of vampyres?
MORGAN: He used his setting well, and didn���t just describe its beauty, but its grit. An historic and art filled city, Florence makes for a great place to tell any story; but this one in particular was aided by its magnificent backdrop. It was the Prince who stole the show, however, with his consuming arrogance and his insurmountable power. He captivated me. He is bloodthirsty, and not just because he’s a vampire. There is a rage inside him, a need for satisfaction even though his logic is unjustified. I���ve been wanting to ask you questions about The Raven and whether or not the Prince gets called out on his mindset, but since this is a post about the novella, I���ll restrain myself.
Do you like this new direction SR is taking as a writer, moving from romance to life and death supernatural drama? Does his exploration of evil up the ante for future books?
JENNIFER: I���ve been a fan of supernatural stories for most of my life, so I���ve been looking forward to The Florentine Series for a while now. Although it was tempting to devour the story, I forced myself to read The Raven slowly. There is so much I���d love to talk to you about, so I hope you get the chance to read it soon. I can say with confidence that if you enjoyed your introduction with The Prince, then you would definitely like The Raven. In the novella, the Prince witnesses a private moment between the Emersons that stays with him and this begins to influence his choices during The Raven. I find the complexity of his character absorbing. The Prince���s vampirism is a trait that cannot be ignored, but I see it as merely one aspect of a very complicated individual. There is still plenty of romance within the story, so fans of the Professor shouldn���t be disappointed in that regard; and yes, I think SR���s exploration on the themes of justice and mercy have made for a compelling read. I���m very much looking forward to the next two books.
If you���ve enjoyed our talk today and would like to look up Sylvain Reynard and his works, here is the Goodreads link for you to check out.
Please also feel free to friend us on Goodreads to see what else we���re reading and to share your recommendations with us.
See you soon and thanks for reading!
February 27, 2015
Jennifer Reviews: The Jeweler by Beck Anderson (@BeckAndersonID)
Adult Contemporary Romance
Published by Omnific Publishing
Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Synopsis:
Fender Barnes profits from an institution he doesn���t believe in: marriage. He���s a talented designer, but a reluctant jewelry store owner, thanks to his pop���s retirement. He���s cynical, he���s jaded, he���s not entirely certain about the concept of love, but he���s happy to sell an eager young guy an engagement ring for his fianc��e to be���until moments after the transaction when that eager guy is hit by a car and killed, and Fender���s conscience pays a rare visit.
He retrieves the ring and decides to find the woman his customer intended to marry. That woman turns out to be Ginger Stevens, twenty-something ski instructor, who���despite being full of guilt and self-doubt after the death of her boyfriend���is someone Fender finds he quite enjoys being around. He���s smitten.
Which is all well and good, except that after he meets her, Fender can���t do it. Though it���s right there in his pocket, he can���t tell her about the ring. Instead, he embarks on a long, ridiculous quest to find a way to tell her the truth he knows she deserves. Aided by advice from Pop and the antics of his best friend Sam, Fender tries desperately to juggle his budding romance with the reality he knows could ruin it.
Will he find love or foul it up? Can Ginger move out of the past to embrace what the future has to offer? Meet this unlikely pair in Beck Anderson���s heartfelt and fabulously funny second novel, The Jeweler.
My Review:
I’ll make one statement right upfront. For me, there was a familiarity with The Jeweler that was particularly endearing. The story is set in Boise, Idaho, which is a place that many of my family and friends call home. We travel there for family events every once in a while and so I recognized many of the settings used in this novel (the scene at the Record Exchange was a particular favorite). There’s even a mention of an Oregon coast town that I know well and it really helped me connect on a deeper level with the book. It was as though I was reading about people I already knew.
The synopsis above does a stellar job of explaining the overall plot,�� so I won’t bother to recap the summary here. I’d rather spend my limited review space highlighting the one big note I made about The Jeweler as I read it.�� There’s a unique spin on this romantic tale that I don’t often come across in such stories. Ready?
While this is a narrative written in third person, and explores the perspectives of Ginger and Fender, I found that much of the romantic story unfolded from the male point of view.
“Fender looked back on his “wasted youth” and didn’t feel regret; he just felt sorry for his dad. Oh, to have a son who excelled in mediocrity, with a side of troublemaking. This was yet another reason to never have children; they might inherit his juvenile delinquency. And another reason not to get married. But Fender was constantly reminded why he despised marriage, regardless. Every time he’d craft a delicate setting with a pale, clear diamond, and it went on the hand of a crass, selfish gold digger, or some cheating, sweaty lout gave a necklace of blood red rubies to his unsuspecting, hard-working wife, Fender remembered how he felt about the sacred institution.”
Not only does the reader become well-accustomed with Fender’s thoughts and feelings about romance in general and Ginger in particular, but many of the story conflicts and solutions are largely driven by the male influences in Fender’s life.�� Fender’s best friend, Sam, is the epitome of the Pacific Northwest bachelor. He lives a quiet, unassuming life and enjoys smoking, Carhartt coveralls and beer. He’s perfectly content and could truly care less if people can’t deal with his choices.�� But he’s also warm and loyal and willing to help Fender figure out his dilemma with Ginger.�� He pushes Fender to stray outside his romantic comfort zones, and stays right by his side through thick and thin.
Another source of male guidance and support is Fender’s father. Not only has he looked after Fender emotionally, he has also provided his only child with an established jewelry business for financial security. Having grown up without a mother and with no other siblings, Fender’s experiences with women are largely limited. Until his life intersects with Ginger’s under a set of tragic circumstances, Fender has kept his interactions with women casual, seemingly as Sam and his father sit on the sidelines waiting for Fender to discover something or someone special.
Pop’s questioning gray eyes were still trained on Fender, and his sparse mustache twitched with curiosity. “Tell me, Sonny. What’d you do today?”
“Nothing.” The day had been humiliating enough. He didn’t want his dad to know on top of it all.
“Jerry, he was in fine form.” Sam sat across the table from them, out of Fender’s striking distance.
Fender tilted his head and shot his most withering look at Sam. “I went skiing.”
“No, no, it’s better than that. We went after this girl, and Fender learned how to ski all over again. He also tried to use two old ladies as bowling pins.” Sam’s shoulders were shaking again.
As per usual, Pop focused on the woman in the conversation. “Fender went after a girl? Really? Does this mean little Sandy didn’t make you swear off women forever?”
Sam brightened. “I’d almost forgotten about Sandy. Isn’t she the one that wrote I HATE YOU with weed killer on your front lawn?” Sam sat back and stretched his arms out on the top of the booth, relaxed and apparently prepared for a stroll down Fender’s memory lane of exes.“
As The Jeweler unfolds, we see that even Ginger tends to rely on the support and advice of these two gents; and as a captivated reader I was glad to see her do so.���� For these reasons, this novel was an enchanting and refreshing read for me. I’ve become a true fan of Beck Anderson as a result, and I’m hoping that she’ll be willing to meet up with me in downtown Boise the next time I happen to pop into town for a visit.�� The author has that special ability to infuse both tragedy and humor into a novel without skewing to extremes with either. Not only is this novel filled with characters I swear I already know, it tells a story that is as realistic and fragile as it is courageous and surreal. Just like life.
An enthusiastic four star read from me!
About the Author:
Beck Anderson loves to write about love and its power to heal and grow people past their many imperfections. She is a firm believer in the phrase “mistakes are for learning” and uses it frequently to guide her in writing life and real life.
Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
February 23, 2015
Colour My Ugly by Ashleigh Giannoccaro (@colourmyugly)
**COLOUR MY UGLY**
~~ BY ASHLEIGH GIANNOCCARO~~
“A dark tale of love, pain and ultimately, sacrifice.
Rowan was born to be a murderer, trained to do nothing but kill. He spends his days hidden in plain sight waiting for the next life he gets to snuff out.
When the name that crosses his desk of death is one that he cannot possibly kill, he makes a decision that will alter the course of both their lives forever.
Lauri has been dying at the hand of her husband for eight long years, his lust for revenge and need for her suffering have finally ended he wants her dead. Her body is broken, scarred and ugly, but it���s her heart and mind that are beyond repair.
When she wakes up dead her whole world changes and she can finally begin living.
Will Rowan colour the ugly out of her life and can she do the same for him? Some people are simply not good but they can be good for
each other.
���Our skin is clothing enough to cover what we hide inside.���
MRS KEBAB’S FIVE STAR REVIEW
I may have mentioned that i like books that stray from the norm ���boy meets girl, gets married has 20 babies lives happy ever after blah blah��� and this book is nothing like that, it is gritty, horrific and bloody brilliant. This book easily deserves five stars. I tagged the author on facebook saying she made me sob and this is true but she replied saying that i’m not the first which is a testament to what a brilliant book this is.
The book starts with Ellia bringing us up to speed on how she got to this point in her life, how her father was a ���Bad man ��� but she is married to a Evil man. Theres MOB themes, violence,super evil vicious acts that thankfully are briefly mentioned.theres not too much graphic description. Just be aware if you don’t like violence in books then dont read.
I won’t give away the story line but twists and turns keep you gripped all the way through.it was a very emotional and tense book and i simply cannot state how much i enjoyed it. I really liked the changes in character views and that you knew you had gone into a different point of view and thats not always done so i appreciate it more when its been made clear.
I loved the character Changes in Ellia/Lauri/Rowan/Callum i certainly felt like i had gone through the mill as the story unfolded. I Hadn’t simply read this book, i had lived it for the couple of evenings. i would love to give more details but might give something away and i would hate to ruin the book for you.
FIVE STAR READ = ONE CLICK NO BRAINER
February 21, 2015
Happy Release Day! Pros & Cons by Sydney Logan (@SydneyALogan)
Blurb:
Con artists Jenna York and Ethan Summers always seem to cross paths during their travels around the world. With their partners in tow, the cunning criminals wreak havoc across the globe, stealing from the rich and giving to the richer. While Jenna tries to convince herself that she sees him as nothing more than a professional rival, Ethan finds it a little harder to fight his attraction to the beautiful thief.
When tragedy strikes, Jenna and Ethan join forces, but are the stakes too high? Can they escape this last job with their lives���and their hearts���intact?
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24445498-pros-cons
Buy links:
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00T8HOVTM
B&N Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pros-cons-sydney-logan/1121182486?ean=9780692378595
Book Trailer:
Giveaway:
Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/85dad8f760/
About Author
Amazon bestselling author Sydney Logan holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of three novels – Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, and Soldier On. Sydney has also penned four short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul.
A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
Website: http://www.sydneylogan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SydneyLoganAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SydneyALogan
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5787300.Sydney_Logan
Excerpt
As I slip quietly out of the suite and rush toward the elevator, I can���t deny I���m feeling a little better about Vegas.
That is, until the elevator doors open.
Standing there, leaning against the stainless steel wall with a cocky smile on his face, is the one person I really didn���t want to see this weekend.
With a miserable groan, I step inside the elevator and furiously stab the button.
���Are you following me, Summers?���
���I���d follow your dimples anywhere, York.���
Ethan Summers is infuriatingly charming and handsome. Both assets have proven to be beneficial to his career and detrimental to mine.
���Well, these dimples just lifted Bradley Jones��� credit card numbers.���
���Impressive. Although, one might argue that a more superior con artist would be capable of accomplishing such a feat without showing a little skin. Really, Jenna, I���m disappointed.���
He rarely calls me by my first name. Last names have always been our thing.
���Were you watching me?���
���Every heterosexual man in the casino was watching your little performance. Nice legs, by the way.���
Crap.
���Not good,��� I mutter.
���No, but I enjoyed it.���
Ethan grins as the elevator doors open. I don���t protest when he grabs me by the elbow and leads me toward the nearest exit. It���s not brightly lit, but there���s a very nice bouncer that Ethan greets by name who allows us to walk right out the door and into the starry Nevada night. He doesn���t let go of my arm as we hurry toward a black SUV.
���Why are you helping me?���
���You drugged a millionaire and stole his credit card info. I think it���s best we get you out of town.���
That doesn���t really answer my question, but I can���t argue with his logic.
Ethan opens the passenger door and helps me inside.
���Nice stilettos.���
I glare at him, and he shoots me a sexy smile before slamming my door.
It���s really too bad that I hate his guts.
Ethan Summers and I have crossed paths many times throughout the past couple years. It���s unavoidable, considering we���re two of the finest criminal minds in the world.
That���s what the news says, anyway.
���Let me guess,��� Ethan says as he pulls the SUV out onto the highway. ���You used Rohypnol on Jones?���
I roll my eyes. ���I���m a thief, not a sexual predator.���
���Well, you obviously slipped something into his drink.���
���Sleeping pill.���
Ethan hums his disapproval. I can���t argue with him. Slipping Bradley a sedative is so amateur.
���I was desperate. The entire weekend has been a complete waste of time. When did the Viper install dome cams?���
���A few weeks ago. The casino���s hosting the U.S. Poker Championship next month. Ceiling cams are a requirement.���
���Super.���
���I know.���
���So, if you knew about the cameras, what were you doing at the casino?���
���Let���s just say a little birdie told me you were hitting the Viper tonight. I had a feeling you might need my assistance.���
���So you���ve been talking to Abby.���
He remains silent and keeps his eyes trained on the freeway, giving me the chance to study his profile. Ethan has a mop of unruly dark hair and deep blue eyes that make most girls go weak in the knees.
Not this girl. Nope.
���Like what you see?���
My face heats. I hate when he catches me ogling him.
���You���re an ass.���
He laughs. ���Someday, Jenna, you���re going to stop fighting this attraction between us. I���m really looking forward to that.���
February 20, 2015
Jennifer Reviews: Love Starts With Z by Tera Shanley (@terashanley)
Synopsis:
Twenty-four years into the Dead outbreak that ended the world, Soren Mitchell sticks out like a sore thumb in the remains of the human race. She’s an anomaly: a hybrid of human and Dead, created by her mother’s genetic immunity. Like her parents, she’s fierce and strong. But despite their hopes for her happiness and safety, and even though she is no real threat to the colony, she has let the humans muzzle her and confine her within the walls of Dead Run River in search of a cure.
When Kaegan Langford stumbles into the colony with an injured friend draped across his shoulders, her world is turned upside down. Intrigued and affected by her, he asks her to come to Empalme, Mexico with him to fight in the war between Deads and humans. It’ll be a long, treacherous journey to the coast, but she’s had all she can take in the colony.
Battles with Deads, betrayal, injury, kidnappings, and a criminal-run train ride stand between them and the war. But in the end, it’s not just the war with the Deads that could be the death of them.
Tera Shanley’s final book in the Dead Rapture series will thrill your heart…and your braaaains.
My Review:
Love Starts With Z is the third and final book in the Dead Rapture series, and I have to confess upfront that I’ve haven’t yet read the first two books.
Tera’s novel was brought to my attention by her publisher, and after hearing a little bit about the plot I decided that I would give it a go.�� Admittedly, this was a bit of a risk but I’m happy to say that the book can easily be read as a stand alone novel. And perhaps the even better news is that I now plan to backtrack and read the others in this series.
The easy description of this novel is to call it a zombie story, but�� it is a zombie story with what I considered to be a unique angle.�� The main character of the book is a young woman named Soren Mitchell.�� Born in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, Soren is a living, breathing, conscious human who happens to possess many of the physical traits of a zombie. While her zombie-like appearance and her tendency to enjoy extremely rare meat make it difficult for other humans to trust her (most humans initially are inclined to kill her at first sight), these traits also make it possible for Soren to come into direct contact with zombies (also referred to as Deads) without danger of being attacked.
At the beginning of Love Starts With Z, we learn that Soren has left the colony of humans she was born into and raised by to live with a different colony. The purpose in doing so is to assist researchers in their quest to develop a cure for the deadly zombie outbreak that constantly threatens to wipe out the dwindling human race. In this new colony, Soren is treated more like a Dead than a human. She is forced to adhere to a strict series of rules developed to protect humans, but at the cost of dehumanizing Soren. Despite the inhumane treatment, Soren endures in ultimate hopes that her personal sacrifice will benefit mankind.
Amidst this chaos, a young man named Kaegan Langford finds himself at Soren’s colony. Once he’s made aware of her existence, Kaegan becomes infatuated by Soren. What begins as intense curiosity in Soren soon develops into something much more substantial. Kaegan finds her treatment by others in her colony cruel and is soon inclined to become a defender of the mysterious young woman.
Anger coursed his veins, red and blinding until all he could think about was wrapping his fingers around Colten���s throat. Closing his eyes, he counted to ten, and then ground out, ���If you call her a zombie again, your nose will match Mark���s.���
���Geez, man. You���re so touchy now.���
���He���s got it bad,��� Ben said.
Bad? Nah. He���d liked girls before. It had been a few years since he���d had any kind of steady relationship with one, but bad? So he thought about her more than was maybe healthy. And he worried about her wellbeing. And when people insulted her, he wanted to kill them slowly. Okay, so maybe he did have it worse than he ever had before, but it was Soren. She was different. Not just the way she looked, which enamored him more every time he saw her, but she was kind. Not polite-kind to trick people into liking her, but she was someone who honestly cared about the feelings of others. And she did what she thought was right no matter what anyone else thought of her. She was respectable, beautiful���this gorgeous warrior who had consumed him, mind and body, without any effort at all. And when she fought? She was an artist.
���Hello,��� Colten said, waving his hand in Kaegan���s face.
Irritated, he swatted it away and ducked a low hanging branch.
Soon, a friendship begins to grow between Kaegan and Soren and the two allies quickly find themselves caught up in circumstances that accelerate both the depth of their connection and their respect for one another.
While I’m pretty open to reading books of all kinds, I do have to admit that I’ve never sought out zombie stories. What I enjoyed about Love Starts With Z was that while the zombie outbreak is an integral part of the overall plot, this novel is really more about how humans can sometimes be more frightening than the numerous Deads wandering aimlessly in search of brains.�� The unusual dynamic that develops between Soren and Kaegan made for a compelling read, and ultimately I found their eventual outcome uncertain due to the unconventionality of their relationship.
The action scenes were well-written, the various characters were numerous and interesting, and the emotional scenes were captivating. There were great moments of suspense and swoon, and I’d happily recommend the Dead Rapture series to anyone looking to read something a bit outside the usual realms of the typical romance novel.
Love Starts With Z is now available from Omnific Publishing:
Book One (only 99 cents for the month of February! Get it now!)
You can also follow Tera Shanley on social media:
February 17, 2015
Happy Release Day! Love Starts With Z by Tera Shanley (@terashanley)
Love Starts With Z
available 2/17/15
Synopsis:
Twenty-four years into the Dead outbreak that ended the world, Soren Mitchell sticks out like a sore thumb in the remains of the human race. She’s an anomaly: a hybrid of human and Dead, created by her mother’s genetic immunity. Like her parents, she’s fierce and strong. But despite their hopes for her happiness and safety, and even though she is no real threat to the colony, she has let the humans muzzle her and confine her within the walls of Dead Run River in search of a cure.
When Kaegan Langford stumbles into the colony with an injured friend draped across his shoulders, her world is turned upside down. Intrigued and affected by her, he asks her to come to Empalme, Mexico with him to fight in the war between Deads and humans. It’ll be a long, treacherous journey to the coast, but she’s had all she can take in the colony.
Battles with Deads, betrayal, injury, kidnappings, and a criminal-run train ride stand between them and the war. But in the end, it’s not just the war with the Deads that could be the death of them.
Tera Shanley’s final book in the Dead Rapture series will thrill your heart…and your braaaains.
Buy Links:
Goodreads Link:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24325289-love-starts-with-z?ac=1
Book One (only 99 cents for the month of February! Get it now!) http://www.amazon.com/Love-Time-Dead-Rapture-Book-ebook/dp/B00NO13982/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Book Two: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Days-Dead-Rapture-Book-ebook/dp/B00OGUXAL6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Author Website: http://terashanley.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @TeraShanley
Author Bio:
Tera Shanley writes in sub-genres that stretch from Paranormal Romance, to Historic
Western Romance, to Apocalyptic (zombie) Romance. The common theme? She loves love.
A self-proclaimed bookworm, she was raised in small town Texas and could often be found
decorating a table at the local library. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two
young children and when she isn���t busy running around after her family, she���s writing a new
story or devouring a good book. Any spare time is dedicated to chocolate licking, rifle slinging,
zombie slaying, friend hugging, and the great outdoors. For more information about Tera and her
work, visit http://www.terashanley.com.
February 14, 2015
Wordslinger: 1st Person vs. 3rd Person
Wordslinger
first began in December 2011 as a monthly series of writers’ essays for the
Bookish Temptations
website. In this column, Morgan explores the many elements of fiction and offers tips on how to get the most out of the proverbial pen. After three years, Morgan wrote his final
Wordslinger
post in 2014, but we’ve decided to take a walk down Memory Lane and re-post the column here. The pop culture references may now appear dated, but the writing advice is timeless. Enjoy!
Originally posted on the Bookish Temptations website,�� January 2012:
This is my second post to Bookish Temptations and my first as a monthly contributor.�� I am very excited to begin and my goal with these continued submissions is to explore the things that matter to us as readers and writers.�� To that end I have chosen as my first topic of the new year:
1st person vs. 3rd person
Some writers like to tell stories from a more personal point of view, while others like to introduce details and insights that a single person might not notice or record in their narrative.
Readers likewise have habits and desires concerning how stories are told to them.�� For some the narrative style is mandatory, for others it is barely noticed.�� I will therefore referee three rounds between the two most commonly used styles.
Before I begin I would like to share my methodology with you; I regularly write in both 1st and 3rd person and although I studied literature at Portland State University, I will mostly be using research and interviews I���ve done for this project alone.�� (I wanted to make sure that current trends were accurately represented and PSU was a looooong time ago).
Round One: Definition
Even if you already know the definition of the three types of literary narrative styles, please indulge me as I frame it up.
1st Person storytelling speaks from the ���I��� point of view, as in, ���I grabbed the monkey bars and wondered if my small hands would hold me, let alone carry me across the imaginary lava pit I had installed just that morning.���
3rd person storytelling speaks from the ���he/she��� point of view, (omniscient if you will) as in, ���She held his face to the gravel with her unlaced boot.�� His smirk was now painted on the rocks in a bloody tribute to her rebellion.���
There is of course a 2nd person storytelling style and that is speaking directly to ���you���, as in, ���If you want to get the best tasting watermelons, choose ones with a yellow bellies; This insures that you have chosen melons that have not been disturbed as they ripened.����� As you can see this
style of writing is seldom useful outside of toy assembly instructions and the hokey pokey.�� Interestingly enough, these ���Wordslingers��� submissions tend to lapse into the 2nd person style from time to time.�� (Reread the first sentence under Round One header, it starts with 2nd person and ends with 1st person yet it is a completely acceptable sentence structure).
By definition alone, 3rd person storytelling allows the writer more avenues to explore and therefore puts the them in the best position creativity.�� This is merely a matter of access to information that can be shared with the reader.�� So, while the fight is not over, round one goes to 3rd person.
Round Two:�� Application
Using a personal method of telling a story like 1st person gives the writer more access to the kind of intimacy that makes characters seem completely real.�� And while the same level of depth can be achieved in a 3rd person narrative, the confined emotions of one person will always jump off the page with greater charge.
1st person has a way of drawing the reader in and putting them at ease because they can usually assume that the storyteller will make it through okay.�� (Ironically, that���s only sometimes true).
Writers want to create a world for the reader to get lost in and telling a story in 1st person is the equivalent of having an arm around the readers shoulder as you share an eye witness account.
It also lends credibility to the story when it is coming from a witness, even though the witness is also fiction.
Therefore, round two goes to 1st person.
Round 3:�� Communication
Writers not only need to convey depth of character but they need to tell a story and that must remain key.�� If you lose your story you lose your story.
Characters in 1st person stories are all to often forced to ���find out��� things the writer needs the reader to know and this can become very transparent and hurt your story more than it helps.�� Sometimes the best thing to do is to find a way around it altogether or turn it into a moment of discovery for reader and character alike.
While 3rd person may not be able to delve into the sorrows of one single character as efficiently, it can communicate story points far easier and readers do not appreciate being confused.�� 3rd person also has the authority to jump in and out of characters and paint a more vivid emotional picture.
3rd person is certainly more difficult to master.�� A writer can get themselves tangled in all the information that is available to share.�� I myself am like a goldfish in that way and find 3rd person writing sometimes overwhelming.�� It also and promotes writer���s block more than the 1st person style does.
Still, round three goes to 3rd person because in the end we need to communicate as effectively as possible.
It���s not a knockout and some of you may still maintain that there was never even a reason to debate the issue but 3rd person is the winner of the match.
More importantly, 3rd person is what is most commonly used in the big leagues.�� 90 percent of all novels are written that way and must be mastered if one is going to write professionally.
Stephenie Meyer is a recent example of how there are always exceptions and it shows that in the end this is all just personal preference.�� Like our taste in music or pie it should remain un-judged and accepted.
I prefer writing in third person but seek out 1st person opportunities because of the challenges they offer.�� As I mentioned in last month���s post, I have even written a story told from the perspective of a cat because I enjoy telling stories from interesting perspectives.�� (I heard that the movie War Horse is told from the horse���s perspective but I���m not certain if it���s true).�� 3rd person appeals to me more often because I like giving the reader information that my characters don���t have.�� It can create a very interesting relationship between the reader and the people they are following through the story.
As long as you choose to celebrate fiction you are making the wise��decision as far as I���m concerned and just because more people do something one way doesn���t make it right for you.�� Read what makes you feel good, write what you makes you feel good and you will be get more out As long as you choose to celebrate fiction you are making the wise of your fiction in the end.
Also, that was not a bunch of crap about choosing good watermelons.�� I know it���s not the season yet but you���ll thank me next summer when you are eating juicy yellow bellied melons.
Your Pal,
Morgan Locklear
