Sandy Goldsworthy's Blog, page 9
May 10, 2016
The Undoer by Melissa J. Cunningham
NEW RELEASE AND SERIES SPECIAL: Clean Teen Publishing presents the new release of the third book in The Ransomed Souls Series by Melissa J. Cunningham. THE UNDOER is now available! Readers can order their copy today at a discounted rate that will last through Friday. If you haven't started this amazing young adult paranormal romance series, now is the time since you can get all 3 books for $4.98!!! RELUCTANT GUARDIAN is FREE today, THE ELEMENTALIST is $.99, and THE UNDOER is $3.99 until Friday! Fans of Cassandra Clare's LADY MIDNIGHT will love this series.READ THE UNDOER TODAY FOR $3.99!AMAZON / NOOK / iBOOKS
They call it The Door to Hell. It’s a blackened crater that never stops spewing up poisonous gas. But gas isn’t the only thing coming from the bowels of the Earth…They slither out, those malevolent souls—demonic filth that wreak havoc and destroy lives. They don’t even pretend to hide…Brecken, an ex-demon trying to find redemption, is given the task of closing The Door. It’s a seemingly impossible task. A group of teens who call themselves Cazadors will be his allies. These extraordinary youth can see the demons when no one else can, but Jag, their leader, wants nothing to do with Brecken.Brecken must earn their confidence and defeat the demon horde infiltrating the Earth.The Cazadors might not be much… but they are all the world has.
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Author Interview with Melissa J. Cunningham
Who is your favorite character in this book. Why? Dang! I can’t decide. Seriously. I love them all so much. They are all so different, with awesome strengths and weaknesses. I love Brecken, because he’s been such a fun character since the beginning of the series. I love Heidi, as she carries my daughter’s name and becomes a badass warrior princess in this book, and I absolutely love Dean because of his heart and fierce loyalty to his friends.
Who is your least favorite character in this book. Why? Lily, because she’s just a mention LOL
How is (title of book) different from other books in its genre? It’s not really. The title says something significant about the main character in the book. And Brecken is absolutely The Undoer.
What would you say to entice a reader who isn’t familiar with the genre to read your book? That this story had EVERYTHING! Adventure, action, battles, romance, heartbreak. And if you like the paranormal, this book’s for you!
What was the most challenging part about writing The Undoer? Going as slow as I had to. I had Lyme Disease, and even though I’m over it now, it left some damage behind, so now I get mentally tired REALLY fast. I was only able to write for short periods at a time.
It is said that writers will always put a bit of themselves into whatever they are writing. Is that true for you? Do you relate to any of your characters? Absolutely. Every character is a piece of me in some form or fashion. I thinks it’s impossible to not do this. Everything we write about comes from our own brain. The things we remember, experience, dream about, imagine. So yeah. Since it comes from inside, they are all bits and pieces of me and the people I know, love, and care about.
Some authors plan ahead, making a plot outline of how they intend for the story to unfold and some will allow their muse to take over, writing the story as it is revealed to them. What writing method did you use for The Undoer? I definitely write by the seat of my pants. I do have a rough idea where I want the story to go though, and I’ll take notes etc… but I don’t have the patience to completely outline.
How long did it take you to write The Undoer? A year! Can you believe that? A freaking year! I would love to right at least two books a year and three would be even better.
What was your inspiration for writing The Undoer? My publisher wanted a third book. LOL But the funny this, this has become my very favorite of all the books I’ve written.
If you could sum up The Undoer in just two sentences, what would you say? I’d use the tag lines on the front cover. “He has a holy weapon. She has a fearless heart. Together they must save the world.”
Excerpt:DeanThe clanking of keys rattles outside my cell door. I’ve been lying here for a while, my throat growing scratchier as the minutes tick by. “Who’s there?” I call, but it only comes out as a croak.The door squeaks open and Brutus—the guy who kidnapped me—steps in. Yeah, I gave him a nickname. It’s my thing after all. A dim light shines on him from behind. He looks bigger than before, if that’s even possible.“Time to get up,” he says with a smile in his deep, resonating voice.When I don’t move quickly enough, he grabs me by the arm, yanking me from the metal cot. I bang my knee on a steel bar and barely find my feet before he starts hauling me out of the room. At the end of the hall, we pass through the storage room with the stairs that lead out to the alley.We don’t go out that door though, but skirt through the storage room that’s lined with shelves of canned goods. Between two of the tall shelves, we stop at what looks like a cement wall. Brutus reaches behind some canned peaches and flicks a switch. The cement wall screeches, sliding open to reveal a long, black corridor.The oppressive darkness in that space stretches its inky fingers and wraps them around my quivering heart. Like suffocating liana vines, squeezing the life out of its host tree, the life leaches out of me just thinking about what lies beyond this door.“I’m not going in there.” I dig in my heels, pulling back.Brutus stares at me, his smile wide and his eyes crinkling in humor. His dark hair is slicked back with gel. He looks more like a Mafioso each time I see him. “You’ll be entertaining. You show such defiance! I almost can’t wait.”As I glare back at him, my fingers curl into fists. Next to him, I look like a pathetic wolf pup rather than something fierce, but I want to hurt this guy. “I’m not your toy.”“No,” he says. “You won’t be. You’ll be the plaything of someone else.”
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Reluctant Guardian (Book 1)
Guarding Brecken Shaefer—a dark and dangerous rebel—is harder than it looks.
Death was nothing like sixteen-year-old Alisa Callahan thought it would be. Resting on pink, fluffy clouds for eternity with her gram and best friend sounded like a dream come true. After all, enduring one torturous experience after another in her short life deserved some kind of reward, right? Unfortunately, eternal rewards aren't given out so freely when you take your own life.
Required to pay the debt for her actions, Alisa must become a guardian. It sounds easy enough, but not when the boy she is forced to protect has a dangerous secret and wants absolutely nothing to do with her.
Brecken Shaefer isn't any normal teenager. He has special gifts that are sure to make Alisa's afterlife miserable. When feelings develop between them, everything spins out of control. Not only must Alisa face her own demons— but to protect Brecken, she must face an evil so heinous that it threatens to destroy their souls completely.
Alisa is tired of hiding from her past. When the easiest thing to do is run, can Brecken give her the strength to stay?
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The Elementalist (Book 2)
Deceased Alisa Callahan thinks nothing could be worse than watching the boy she loves move on in his life without her… until she is ripped from her less-than-peaceful existence in Elysium to be trapped… in someone’s else’s body.
Seventeen-year-old Claire Balister wants only one thing. To master the art of Elementalism. To accomplish this, she must to learn to control a damned soul. Her old classmate and suicide victim, Alisa Callahan, is the perfect candidate. But when the spell goes wrong, Claire finds herself in the worst possible situation… sharing her body with an unwanted guest.Everything swirls out of control when Alisa learns her entrapment is all part of a set-up, an elaborate scheme to keep her out of the way while demons take over the realm of Idir Shaol. Her only hope rests with a boy who can’t remember her, his past, or more importantly, who he really is…
One of the bad guys.
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About the Author
Melissa Cunningham (also known as M.E. Cunningham) was born in Oregon but grew up in Utah, where she was raised on a steady diet of fine literature from Charlotte’s web to the The Trumpeter Swan, and then plenty of romances in her teen years. She now lives with her husband on a little farm in northern Utah where all she can see out of her back door is miles of pasture and stunning sunsets. Not only does she raise horses, dogs, cats, and chickens, but her five kids also. When Melissa is not writing you can find her spending time in the outdoors with her family or dancing wildly to rock music in her living room. She loves running, camping, and all things fiction—scary, mind-numbing stories preferred.
Connect with Melissa:
Melissa's Website
May 9, 2016
New Release... The Neverland Wars
The Neverland Wars
Audrey Greathouse
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: May 9th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult
Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That’s what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.
However, Gwen doesn’t know this. She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn’t know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she’ll discover she’s in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.
She’ll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won’t be the only one. Peter Pan’s constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she’s going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she’s going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.
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EXCERPT:
A flash of lightning electrified the sky, shooting light through the forest with a jarring pang. The boom of thunder followed immediately after. The sky was grey and the clouds shifted like a swarm of dark fish in a pond. Gwen feared she would be caught in a storm, but not a drop of rain had fallen yet.
All at once, Gwen found herself in a meadow. She had never been here before; she knew that. Wildflowers cropped up in sporadic clumps, and the long, green grasses were uncut at her calves. The tree line had suddenly broken. One minute, she was racing through the forest, the next, she was floating here. Pausing to catch her breath, she ironically felt safer in this open area than in the claustrophobic security of the forest. She landed gently, unthinkingly. Turning her head to the sky, she saw the faint grey clouds blowing and rolling away. Darker clouds seemed to be coming to take their place.
On the other side of the meadow, Peter burst into the clearing. Bramble was leading him, guiding the boy to poor, lost Gwen. If Gwen had understood the fairy language, she would have already known that.
“Gwenny!”
“Peter?” Gwen shouted. She ran to him, and between her bounding strides and his quick flight, they met in the middle of the meadow, cornflowers and lilacs growing up around them. Perhaps if he had been on the ground initially, she would have hugged him. Peter lingered in the air for just a moment though, and by the time he landed, the impulse to hug each other had melted away into urgent discussion. “What are you doing out here?” His voice carried the sort of anger that only accompanied concern.
“I got lost in the woods; I was trying to come back. Is something wrong, Peter?”
Bramble flitted back and forth, pacing in the air, objecting to Peter and Gwen having this conversation now, rather than when they were safely underground.
“The opposition, they’ve launched an attack. We’ve got to get to cover.”
“What? No, it’s just a storm.” Gwen didn’t understand what Peter was telling her, but she had already made up her mind that she didn’t believe it.
“Gwen-dollie, we’ve got to go. There’s—”
The sky was suddenly drained of light. The thin, grey clouds that had blocked the sun were eclipsed by darker, brooding storm clouds, and as the daylight faded, small, grey flecks began to rain down. As they drifted softly, Gwen knew it wasn’t rain. Her attention was as captivated as Peter’s was, but she did not understand what it was the way he did. “Snow?” she asked quizzically, looking at the grey and dirty powder as it started to fall around her.
Peter held out his hand and caught a flake of it, crushing it in his hand. It left a smoky residue on his palm. “Ash.”
The winds picked up, and more of the ash furiously fluttered down. It became larger, and Gwen could hardly comprehend the charred flecks of paper that were plummeting down. Peter zipped up into the air, jumping more than flying, to grab a large square of it. He came back down immediately, a look of horror on his face.
“Peter, what is it?” Gwen pled, hoping that her fear was born of her unknowing, that if she only had answers she wouldn’t be afraid, but from the look on his face, she knew that answers would only bring more fear.
The invisible hand of the wind grabbed the paper from out of Peter’s hold. It blew straight to Gwen. Catching it, she realized it was a page from out of a newspaper; the title read—ISIS ATTACK ON ERBIL; HUNDREDS DEAD.
She had seen newspaper headlines before, but this news did not belong here. Not in Neverland. It was too dark, too terrifying of a thing to read amid the lilacs and cornflowers. Again, she begged, “What is this, Peter?”
The page was torn out of her hand by the vindictive wind. Peter answered her, with a word she had never feared so greatly. “Reality.”
Author Bio:
Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com
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April 18, 2016
New Release... Broken Fate by Jennifer Derrick
NEW RELEASE TODAY:Clean Teen Publishing is proud to announce that BROKEN FATE by Jennifer Derrick is finally available! This young adult romance with a Greek mythology twist is not to be missed! Get ready for a new adventure that will have you swooning for the boy next door and screaming at all of the plot twists! To celebrate this release, BROKEN FATE will remain discounted at $3.99 for 48 hours only!
NOW AVAILABLE: AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / iBOOKS
Zeus gave her one simple job: Kill every human. Atropos—daughter of Zeus and the third goddess of Fate from Greek mythology —spends her eternal life snipping human lifelines when their mortal lives are over. As if being a killer doesn't make life miserable enough, she and her Fate-wielding sisters must live amongst the humans on Earth thanks to a long-running feud between their mother and Zeus. Living on Earth means they must mingle with the mortals, attend the local high school, and attempt to fit in—or at least not stand out too much.
Killing and mingling don't mix, which is why Atropos' number-one rule is to avoid all relationships with the humans. Caring for the people she has to kill is a fast track to insanity. However, when Alex Morgan walks into her first-period English class, she knows she's in for trouble. He's the worst kind of human for her to like—one with a rapidly approaching expiration date. And he makes Atropos want to break all the rules.
BROKEN FATE BOGO DEAL & CTP MYSTERY BOX GIVEAWAY:
“Celebrate the release of Broken Fate with a special offer! For a limited time, purchase Broken Fate in either paperback or as an eBook and receive the eBook anthology, Twists in Time, free! Simply email us a copy of your receipt for Broken Fate and you’ll receive a coupon code for your free copy of Twists in Time.
But that’s not all! Everyone who sends in a receipt for Broken Fate will also be entered into a drawing to win a mystery prize pack including three paperback Clean Teen Publishing Books, plus some author swag. Please note that this giveaway is only open to US residents. An alternative prize of three digital Clean Teen Publishing books will be provided if an International winner is chosen.
How to enter: Email a copy of your receipt dated between April 18th and May 8th, 2016 to info@cleanteenpublishing.com. Receipts must be received no later than May 15th. The drawing for the prize pack will be held on or around May 16th, 2016 and the winner will be notified shortly thereafter and asked to provide a shipping address.”
ABOUT JENNIFER DERRICK:Jennifer Derrick became a writ
er at the age of six when her parents bought her a child’s typewriter for Christmas and agreed to pay her a penny per page for any stories she churned out. When she got older, Jennifer realized that she needed to make (much) more money from her writing so she first turned to the corporate world (where she learned that she is spectacularly unsuited to cubicle life) and ultimately to freelancing where she now writes everything from technical manuals to articles on personal finance and European-style board games. Her writing career came full circle when Clean Teen Publishing published Broken Fate, her first novel. By her calculations, her parents owe her about $3.00 for the book.
She lives in North Carolina and, when not writing, can often be found reading anything she can get her hands on, playing board games, watching sports, camping, running marathons, and playing with her dog
Catalyst by Kristin Smith - Cover Reveal
Clean Teen Publishing is proud to present the official cover reveal for CATALYST by Kristin Smith. This is the first book in the thrilling new Deception Games series coming November 21, 2016!
Title: Catalyst (The Deception Game, Book One)Author: Kristin SmithRelease Date: November 21, 2016Publisher: Clean Teen PublishingGenre: YA near-future thriller
Book Synopsis:
Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.
In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in. As a normal girl surrounded by genetically modified teens, all of her imperfections are on display. But after the death of her father, everything she's ever known and loved changes in an instant.
With little skills to help provide for her family, Sienna clings to the two things that come easily—lying and stealing. But not all thief-for-hire assignments go as planned. When a covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, she becomes entangled with a corrupt government official who uses her thieving past as leverage, her mother as collateral, and the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for as bait.
In order to rescue her mother, there may only be one option—joining forces with the Fringe, an extremist group, and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad. Problem is, these revolutionaries aren’t what they seem, and the secrets they’re hiding could be more dangerous than Sienna is prepared for. In the end, she must be willing to risk everything to save the one thing that matters most.
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About the Author:
Kristin Smith writes young adult contemporary and science fiction novels with enough kissing to make her mother blush. She's a beach lover and a Just Dance guru who enjoys belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). As a self-professed chocoholic, Kristin is a firm believer that if a dessert doesn't have chocolate in it, then it's not considered a dessert. (Except for crème brûlée. She can always make an exception for crème brûlée.) Kristin currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and five incredibly loud but extremely cute boys. To read more about her obsession with YA novels or her addiction to scarves, you can connect with her at the links below.
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April 4, 2016
Raging by Holly Kelly
The stunning conclusion to THE RISING SERIES by Holly Kelly is NOW AVAILABLE! Grab your copy of RAGING today! Clean Teen Publishing is offering a release week special at $4.99. The purchase price of RAGING will increase to $5.99 after this time period. Readers who haven't started this series should pick up book one now while it's still free!
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The long-awaited conclusion to The Rising Series.
For two thousand years, a betrayer has occupied the throne on Olympus. Hungry for power, he has wreaked havoc among the gods, as well as the humans on earth. But a spark of hope ignites in the form of four young women—ones who are destined to free the true king and save the human world. Two have been found, and the others must be located before it's too late.
Drakōn would love nothing more than to turn his back on the whole thing. It's not that he doesn't care about humans, but he has his own world to worry about. But then, he is given an impossible task—one he finds himself unable to refuse. He is charged with protecting a woman, but not just any woman—Tana, goddess of wind and fire.
Tana is more than he bargains for. Sentenced to an eternity of imprisonment for burning hundreds to death in a fiery inferno, she has powerful enemies. Drakōn finds himself facing off with those adversaries even as he questions why he doesn't simply destroy her himself. But Tana is one of four destined to save the world. That is, if she doesn't destroy it first. And Drakōn? He may just lose his most guarded possession. His heart.
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ABOUT AUTHOR HOLLY KELLY:
I'm a mom who writes books in her spare time: translation--I hide in the bathroom with my laptop and lock the door while the kids destroy the house and smear peanut butter on the walls. I was born in Utah but lived in Kansas until I was 13, in Texas until I was 18, and attended college in Hawaii—studying marine biology. I'm now back in Utah--"happy valley". I'm married to a wonderful husband, James, and we are currently raising 6 rambunctious children. My interests are reading, writing (of course), martial arts, visual arts, creating Halloween props, and spending time with family.
I signed with Clean Teen Publishing in 2013. My first published book Rising, quickly hit the best-seller lists and has maintained it's status on those lists since it's release in September 2013.
April 3, 2016
New Giveaway from Clean Teen Publishing
Clean Teen Publishing and Crimson Tree Publishing are excited to share our new April giveaway! Do you hate long car rides and traffic? Are you tired of the same old cleaning the house routine? Do you find yourself wishing you had more time to read? If so, then we have the answer for you: LISTEN TO FICTION! Audio books can not only help fight road rage, it can add a little spice to your normal routine. Pop in those earphones or crank up the volume and listen to an exciting story. Having someone read a book to you is an amazing experience that takes us back to childhood. It's a whole different way to take in a novel. This is why we are offering 6 audio books valued at $19.95 each to 6 winners! That's about $120 in prizes this month. Help us celebrate our newest audio book releases and take a moment to enter this awesome giveaway! (PS: For all of those people who say they never win anything, guess what? Your odds are great with 6 prizes being given away this month!)
CHECK OUT THESE NEW AUDIO BOOKS AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST!
NEW AUDIO RELEASE: KINDLING FLAMES: GATHERING TINDER by Julie Wetzel
Fresh from college and with no real work experience, Victoria Westernly considers herself lucky to land the coveted position of personal assistant to Darien Ritter, the CEO and owner of a multibillion-dollar company. His busy schedule and eccentric ways are enough to keep her on her toes. But, all is not what it seems when she discovers the handsome man employing her just happens to be the most powerful vampire in the area.
RIVER OF BONES by Angela J. Townsend
When 17-year-old Dharma Moore moves to Bayou country so her scam-artist mother can work as a Paranormal Investigator, she discovers that more than ghosts haunt the abandoned plantation they now call home. Centuries ago, a voodoo curse was placed on the swamp waters surrounding the old plantation by a murdered slave. This terrible curse ensnares Dharma with its deadly effects. To save herself, she must face the terror of the haunted waters, find the dead woman's skull, and convince the slave's soul to release her from its torments. When Dharma discovers an ancient secret that links her to the property - a secret kept from her by her own family - she realizes that the curse is more personal to her than she ever imagined. To survive, Dharma must accept the help of the locals, and put her trust in the handsome gardener, Wolf Bodine - who is the only one crazy enough to come near the plantation. With his help, Dharma must learn to embrace the truth and accept that magic is not only real...but that it can be very, very deadly!
THE KEY by Jennifer Anne Davis
His father's kingdom is on the brink of upheaval and at the center of it all is an ordinary girl who could be the key to its undoing. When faced with the ultimate choice, will he choose the girl he's falling in love with or the kingdom he has sworn to protect?
An ordinary girl with an extraordinary past. All she wants is to be free. What she doesn't realize is that freedom comes with a price she can't afford to pay. She's forced to accept the proposal of a prince she despises, even though her heart belongs to someone else... his brother.
Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king's son and Commander of the King's Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father's bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.
When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik's brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik's interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.
SWEET CONTRADICTION by Peggy Martinez
When Beth Michaels hightailed it out of the hole-in-the-road town she grew up in, she only had two goals. One - get as far away as quickly as possible, and two -never set foot in her parent's home again. But when she receives a heart breaking call from her childhood best friend, Jen, she has no choice but to turn her '56 Ford pickup back in the direction of Salem, Missouri to attend a funeral.
There's a new local in town when Beth arrives, and suddenly, it ain't all that easy for her to remember her rules for dating.
#1. Cookie-cutter-perfect guys ain't her type.
#2. Tie wearin' and church frequentin' is an automatic dismissal.
#3. Most importantly, never date anyone from small minded, conservative, Bible-thumping towns like Salem.
Unfortunately, Matthew Wright breaks all her rules and then some.
Matt might be from a small town and have small town values, but that doesn't mean he fits into a little slot of Beth's preconceived notions. After all, ever so often good guys are good. Now if he could just convince Beth to let go of her past and give him a chance, he's pretty sure there's a whole lotta sweet under that prickly exterior. His own… Sweet Contradiction.
THE WOODLANDS by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Rosa never thought she'd make it to 16....
When being unique puts you in danger and speaking your mind can be punishable by death, you might find yourself fighting to survive. Sixteen-year-old Rosa lives in one of the eight enclosed cities of The Woodlands. Where the lone survivors of a devastating race war have settled in the Russian wilderness because it's the only scrap of land left habitable on the planet. In these circular cities, everyone must abide by the law or face harsh punishment. Rosa's inability to conform and obey the rules brands her a leper and no one wants to be within two feet of her, until she meets Joseph. He's blonde, fair-skinned, green-eyed, and the laid-back complete opposite of Rosa. She's never met anyone quite like him, and she knows that spells danger.
But differences weren't always a bad thing. People used to think being unique was one of the most treasured of traits to have. Now, the Superiors, who ruthlessly control the concrete cities with an iron fist, are obsessed with creating a "raceless" race. They are convinced this is the only way to avoid another war. Any anomalies must be destroyed.
The Superiors are unstoppable and can do anything they want. After all, they are considered superheroes by the general public. But not everyone sees them this way. When they continue to abuse their power by collecting young girls for use in their secret, high-tech breeding program, they have no idea that one of those girls has somehow managed to make friends even she didn't know she had. And one man will stop at nothing to save her.
QUEEN OF SOMEDAY by Sherry D. Ficklin
Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophia will have to survive her social-climbing mother's quest to put her on the throne of Russia - at any cost.
Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophia has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family - and herself - Sophia vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.
Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophia will need to decide how much she's willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.
In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!GOOD LUCK!
April 2, 2016
March Mania - Author Spotlight: June Stevens Westerfield
The Paranorm WorldTwo hundred years ago the world was very different. It was an age of technology and prosperity. There were more than 7 billion people on earth. Magic and paranormal beings were relegated to fiction and myth. In the Technological Age Year 2012 the Earth experienced a natural phenomena which we now call the Cataclysm. There was a polar shift in which the earths natural magnetic poles shifted. The polar shift caused a series of natural disasters that changed the landscape of the world. Earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, and tsunamis pounded the world leaving devastation and death. Whole cities and even states were leveled by earthquakes and swallowed by the sea. The melting of the polar ice caps caused flooding.
Society collapsed. Major cities were leveled by disasters, power plants and refineries were destroyed. The basic infrastructure of the country disintegrated. There was no longer any electricity, public water systems no longer worked. Food supplies dwindled as there was no longer enough gasoline for shipping. At first the government tried to keep order with police and military. But as more and more disasters destroyed major cities and even the capital of the United States, the government crumbled. With no government to pay or command them there was no longer an army or even police forces. Riots abounded, destroying as much property as the disasters.
Disasters killed more than half the population in just a few years. Over the next five decades famine, disease, and war killed millions more. Humanities only chance for survival was reliant on those who had long ago become outcasts and myths. Humans who through natural evolution, genetics, or viruses had preternatural abilities.
In the ruins of the old civilization, a new one rose up. One that blends technology and magic. One where paranormal beings like mages, vampires and shifters live side by side with normal humans.
Changing Moon: A Moon Sisters Novel Paranorm World Book Three
A brutal attack has left Anya’s body and life forever changed. The man she loved is gone, her relationship with her family is in tatters, and her future is dead. With the woman who attacked her still at large, her growing friendship with Luca is the one comfort keeping her sane. Determined to take control of her life and her body, she finds her purpose to move forward, getting revenge
Voodoo Moon: A Moon Sisters Novel
Paranorm World Book One
A sinister magic is sweeping across Nash City...
To Fiona Moon, it’s just another day at work. And some days, well, they’re a helluva lot worse than others. As a member of the elite Black Blade Guard, Fiona is tasked with hunting down the most-dangerous Paranorm criminals. To find out who is kidnapping mages and sucking the life energy from their bodies, she has to work with the one man that embodies everything she despises.March 31, 2016
March Mania - Author Spotlight: Holly Kelly
In a war between the humans and the inhabitants of the sea--humans will lose. Xanthus Dimitriou--the most lethal Dagonian to rise from the ocean--is on a mission to save mankind from annihilation. But first there's one small thing he needs to do... kill a beautiful young woman in a wheelchair.Killing her doesn't start out as part of his plan. He entrenches himself deep in the human world. Aligning with his enemies, he prepares to send them to Triton to face their punishment. Then Sara Taylor rolls onto the scene. Xanthus knows at once she's a criminal. And her crime? Being born. She's a human/Dagonian half-breed, an abomination. Killing her should be an easy job. All he has to do is break into her apartment, slit her throat, and feed her body to the sharks. Simple, right? Wrong. If only she weren't so beautiful, so innocent, so sweet...
Saving the world may have to wait. It appears Xanthus has a woman to save. But protecting her may cost him his own life.
Visit Holly Kelly's Website
About The Author:
Holly Kelly is a mom who writes books in her spare time: translation--she hides in the bathroom with her laptop and locks the door while the kids destroy the house and smear peanut butter on the walls. She was born in Utah but moved around a bit, living in Kansas, Texas, and Hawaii where she studied marine biology. She's now back in Utah--"happy valley". She's married to a wonderful husband, James, and they are currently raising 6 rambunctious children. Her interests are reading, writing (or course), martial arts, visual arts, creating Halloween props, and spending time with family.Author Interview:
Where are you from?
I was born in Utah but moved around a bitâliving in Utah, Kansas, Texas, and Hawaii. Hawaii was my favorite place to live. I absolutely adore the ocean and would love nothing better than to live close to the shore again, but alas Iâm back in landlocked Utahâbut my husband and I have aspirations of someday buying a winter home in Fiji.
When and why did you begin writing?
Itâs funny, but Iâd never considered writing fiction until nine years agoâwhen I started writing my first âpractice novelââI actually wrote three of those. And no, they will never see the light of day. That ship has sailed.
Why did I begin writing? Well, Iâd always been an avid reader, but it never crossed my mind that I could write a book myself. Then eight years ago, I read something Stephenie Meyer wrote. It was rough, it was uneditedâit was a scene her publisher cut from Twilight. When I read it, I thought it was horrible. And then the thought struck me. I bet I can write better than that. That moment, I opened up Microsoft word and started writing. I didnât think it over. I didnât plan it out. It was an impulsive thing. But then, once I started writing, I couldnât stop. And when I wasnât writing, I was imagining scenes in my head, thinking out characters, and basically spending my time in the world I was creating. And this is how I live even nowâalways with one foot in the real world, and one foot in the world of my imagination.
What inspired you to write your first book?
My first book was a mishmash of everything Iâd been reading. But my first published book, Rising, was something special. I actually got the inspiration for Rising from a picture. It was a picture of a mermaid, but this mermaidâs tail was unlike any Iâd seen beforeâit was flesh colored. And it got me thinking, what if a mermaid was born on land, but she didnât know she was a mermaid? She simply thought she was horribly deformed. That day, I started writing.
What books have most influenced your life most?
This is a really hard question! I simply love booksâparanormal, fantasy, contemporary, romance⦠there are just so many. Itâs easier to say what authors have influenced me. My favorite author is Amy Harmon. She writes mostly contemporary and a few paranormal. Her books are powerful! Iâve never read an author who has more heart than Amy Harmon! With her books, you laugh, you ball your eyes out, and you become so involved with the characters, that you literally feel you are inside the story. Some of my other favorites are J.K.Rowling, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Julie Garwood, Janet Evanovich, Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Mull, and Rick Riordan.
What are your current projects?
Iâve got two projects right now. Iâm currently working on a new book called Cursed by the Fountain of Youth. Itâs a paranormal romance with a crazed, murdering lunatic; ghosts; forbidden love; and the curse of eternal youth. And then next book introduces a twisted version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This one comes from my love of all things Halloween. Itâs a spooky story with witches, headless horsemen, severed heads, and a Beauty and the Beast-style romance.
What would you like your readers to know?
For those who are aspiring authors, donât let anyone tell you that you canât do it. I heard it all myselfâeven from close family members. I heard I would never get published, and that I would never write anything people would want to read. I didnât believe it, and you shouldnât either. Use criticisms as a springboard. Prove those naysayers wrong! Itâs not an easy journey, it will take time and a heck of a lot of writing under your belt to get there, but you can. If you just move forward and never give up, you too can become a published author!
March 27, 2016
March Mania - Author Spotlight: Susan Harris
On this Easter Sunday, I'm happy to introduce Susan Harris, author of Shattered Memories.Do you read for pleasure from the same genre you write in?
Yes! I love YA dystopian, paranormal, fantasy novels. It takes a very special book or author to drag me from that genre!
What would you be doing right now if you were not an author?
That’s easy! Either a criminal profiler or a personal assistant for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto!
How long does it typically take you to write a book?
It differs depending on life and pesky work, but most of the time it takes me three to six months to write the first draft.
Do you have any interesting writing quirks? Rituals?
When I’m getting ready to start writing, the first thing I have to do is compile a playlist with all the songs I think suit the book I’m writing. All my playlists are available on my website! www.susanharrisauthor.com. Another must have for me is pens in every colour and a refill pad to make notes. I also write up character profiles in case I forget a character’s eye colour or something like that.
What would you be doing right now if you were not an author?
That’s easy! Either a criminal profiler or a personal assistant for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto! Do you listen to music while you write?
Oh hell yes! I can’t even type a word without it. Music helps me concentrate and dull out then background noise. Music is such a major part of my writing ritual that I used song lyrics for the chapter breaks for Shattered Memories.
Why do you write?
I’ll leave Joss Whedon explain why I write. “I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of.”
Do you have tattoos? Piercings?
Yes, I do! I currently have thirteen ranging from Chinese, music, memorial, skulls and a quote on my arm about writing. My next tattoo will be the series logo for The Ever Chace Chronicles, my new series coming out in June that our fabulous cover designer Marya came up with for me J
Do you have a favourite television series? OMG! That’s such a long list! I know I’m going to forget some but here goes: The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Supernatural, Criminal Minds, Agents of Shield, Arrow and The Flash, The 100, Madam Secretary, Quantico, Shadowhunters, all of the Chicago’s, SVU and Blue Bloods.
What are your current writing projects? At the moment I am about halfway through writing Collateral Damage, the sequel to Skin and Bones, which is my new fantasy adult series called The Ever Chace Chronicles.
Blurb: Shattered Memories
A terrible tragedy forced Alana McCarthy to forget a year of her life and now she is to be executed for a crime she does not remember committing, the murder of her entire family. Lost and alone, Alana is terrified of unlocking secrets buried so deep inside her mind that she's willing to forget the one person who could set her free.
Daniel Costello hasn't forgotten about Alana and will do anything and everything to protect the girl he loves But first Alana needs to unlock her memories and find out the truth about what happened the night her family were killed.
The day of her execution is set. Together, will Alana and Daniel be able to uncover the truth behind her family's deaths before it's too late?
Excerpts from Shattered Memories:
Daniel:
“Daniel?” she asked without opening her eyes.
“Yes, Alana.”
“Would you read something to me? I’m not being weird or anything, but it’s been such a long time since someone read to me and I can’t remem—” Her words caught in her throat, and I had the strange feeling she might cry. I rose and stepped away from the desk and stood in front of my bookcase, suddenly at a loss as what to read.
“Would you like anything in particular?”
She shook her head. “No. Surprise me. I like to listen to you. Your voice, it’s as if it were made to tell stories. I just want to listen to you speak.” A blush reddened her cheeks again, and I took another few minutes to select the perfect choice. Truly, it seemed like the only choice.
I pulled the armchair over so we were only inches apart. Clearing my throat, I became nervous as if I were that same awkward boy who attracted the attention of the bright, bubbly girl. I was a smitten teen again.
Alana:
Suddenly I was angry… angry at my parents for dying and leaving me alone… angry at Sophia for being too small to defend herself… angry at Daniel for giving me false hope… angry at myself for letting pathetic fantasies take over my mind.
I jumped off the bed and screamed. The next thing I knew I had used what little strength left to overturn the bed, scattering all the bedding to the floor. I took one of the pillows and beat it across the wall. Then I kicked the bin with such force it smashed into the door with a
sickening thud.
While continuing on my furious rampage, the door slid open and strong arms captured me from behind, holding my own in place. I struggled to break free and kicked out, but those arms would not let me go. I cried in frustration and tasted the saltiness of the tears on my lips.
“Shush, Alana, please… come on… calm down for me or else they are going to shock you. Hurts like a bitch. Come on, girl… shush. I got you.”
Connors’ voice sounded in my ear, and he kept shushing me until I stilled in his arms. My legs gave out, and we both went to the floor. Connors loosened his grip on me but still held me tight. My sobs became louder, and the pain in my chest was so bad that I thought I was dying. Through my sobs, I heard Connors say that I was okay and to please just give him a minute. I heard someone argue with him, and he snarled and told them to piss off. The tears soaked my top, and I felt nothing but tiredness as I shoved against Connors, needing to breathe. He did not let go.
My god, I felt so lost. I closed my eyes and screamed out the last of my frustration and anger before tiredness won out. I gave in and let the darkness pull me under.
Shattered Memories is available on Amazon US, Amazon UK, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble.
About Susan:Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland.
An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy and Dystopian genre. She writes books for young adults and adults alike.
When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, creepy snow globes, DC shoes, stationary, anything Disney, Marvel movies, psychology and far too many TV shows. If she wasn't a writer, she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.
For more information, visit her website here. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. To sign up for Susan's newsletter, click here.
March 26, 2016
March Mania - Author Spotlight: Tamara Grantham
Visiting Faythander is a nasty business. Forget the fairies and unicorns, most people come back with lost memories and mental problems. Olive Kennedy knows. She's the therapist who treats patients suffering from Faythander's side effects. Despite her empty bank account, she takes pride in her job as Houston's only Fairy World medical doctor. She's never failed to cure a client--until now. Traveling back to Faythander wasn't on Olive's to-do list. But she has no choice. The fate of both Earth and Fairy depends on her ability to stop an ancient being called the Dreamthief. To complicate matters, she may be losing her heart to someone who can't love her in return. Saving the world, she can handle. Falling in love--not so much.As if battling the forces of evil wasn't difficult enough... Dreamthief Excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
I don’t believe in karma. Once, I gave twenty bucks to earthquake victims, thinking hey, maybe tomorrow my luck will change, maybe I can pay the utilities this month without sacrificing my grocery money. The next morning, my car broke down. Transmission. Nine hundred bucks. Don’t get me wrong, I still think we ought to help others, but not because we expect the universe to pay us back.
I do believe in magic. Not magyk. Not Magick. Not the stuff that Wiccans or warlocks practice. I believe in the old stuff—the real, honest-to-goodness, straight-from-fairy-world kind of magic. Am I crazy? Maybe, but not because I believe in magic.
#
I knocked on apartment 31C off Champion Forest Drive. Standing on the porch with my hands in my pockets and my breath coming out like puffs of cumulus clouds, I wished the guy inside wouldn’t have taken five minutes to open up. Houston was a damp place in November.
The door cracked open.
Elmore stood a little taller than me, with a paunch belly and pale skin. He was in his mid-twenties, but if he were young enough to attend high school, he would have been labeled a nerd. He ran his hands through his greasy, uncombed hair as he stared at me through thick-rimmed glasses. His T-shirt read 100% Pure Middle Earth.
“You the shrink?”
“Yes.” I’d stopped correcting people a long time ago. If they wanted to call me a shrink, let them. I’d been called worse. “My name is Olive Kennedy. Dr. Hill sent me.”
He looked at my purple Doc Martens, my dark, reddish hair cropped in a bob, and then stared at my slightly pointed ears. His brow creased. “He said you were a shrink, not a Ren fair geek.”
Ren fair geek? Look who’s talking.
Elmore took a step back. “I’m sorry you came all this way, but I’m feeling awful today. Maybe you ought to come back next week.” The door started to close, but I held it open.
“If you’re not feeling well, don’t you think I should see you now before you get worse?”
“I’m getting better.”
“You just said that you’re feeling awful.”
“I am.”
“Then may I please come inside?” I asked.
“I’m not sure you can help me.”
“We won’t know until I try, right?”
“Are you sure you won’t mess me up even more?”
“Elmore,” I said, “Dr. Hill trusts me. There’s a reason he sends me to all the patients he can’t cure. Because I can.”
Elmore gave me one last glare and then opened the door. I adjusted my backpack and stepped inside. It smelled of sour laundry, and it looked how I’d expected. An Advanced Dungeons and Dragons poster hung over the couch, collectible AT-ATs and homemade lightsaber hilts cluttered the end tables, and overstuffed shelves stood along the walls. I spotted a few Star Trek collections, Dr. Who DVDs, and the typical Robert Jordan books. His décor looked promising, although I wasn’t sure he qualified as my patient. If I didn’t find what I needed, I would prove to be a liar. Worse, I wouldn’t be able to help him.
“Mind if I have a seat?” I asked.
He nodded at the couch.
I placed my backpack on the floor and sat across from him.
“I hope Dr. Hill told you I’m a hopeless case,” Elmore said.
“He didn’t use those words exactly.”
He barked a cheerless laugh. “Did he tell you that I’ve suffered with depression since I was twelve? He’s prescribed every drug in the book. I’ve attended therapy sessions, I’ve been in and out of the mental hospital more times than I can count, and the panic attacks won’t go away. I really don’t know why you’re here.”
He clasped his hands, and that’s when I saw the scars. Elmore’s file said he’d attempted suicide twice. Raised keloids crisscrossed his wrists.
“My methods aren’t like the other doctors,” I said.
“I’ve heard that before. You’re all the same.”
“Are we?” I brushed back clumps of hair to draw attention to my freakish ears. This worked half the time. “I’m not much different from you.”
He shrugged. “Not bad. But my friend Whitmore’s prosthetics look better.”
Score zero for me. “I’m sure they are. Mine were incredibly cheap.” As in completely free—a donation from my elven daddy’s DNA.
About Tamara:Tamara Grantham was born and raised in Southeast Texas. She earned a Bachelor's degree in English from Lamar University. After marrying her husband David, she followed him through his training to become a burn surgeon, which consisted of moving from Vidor, Texas to Galveston, Texas, then to Tulsa, Oklahoma, back to Galveston, and they finally settled in Wichita, Kansas. Tamara and David have five active, sweet, and almost always well-mannered children, ages zero to ten years. Their two pets, June--the Jack Russell Terrier, and Chester--a black cat, help to keep the house lively (in addition to the children.)
When Tamara isn't writing or tending her children, she enjoys taking walks through the woods, eating chocolate, and very infrequently, she enjoys a good night's sleep. Dreamthief is currently FREE.
Check out Tamara's books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, and iTunes, or, click here to sign up for her newsletter. You can also connect with Tamara on Facebook, Twitter, or her website.
