Rebecca Talley's Blog, page 13

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop Winner

Thanks so much to everyone who hopped along with us on this Lunar Love Giveaway Hop. I hope you met some new friends and discovered some new books.

Thank you for entering to win a copy of my book, Aura.

I used www.random.org to pick the winner.

So, without further ado, the winner of the this hop is . . . . Susan Broughton. Susan, I will contact you to see if you prefer an ebook or a print copy.

Thanks again. Be sure to check back for future hops and contests!

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop

2nd Annual
Lunar Love Giveaway HopMarch 8th to 13thHosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Bookworm Lisa
This hop features books with paranormal, supernatural, science fiction or space travel element or books that have something to do with the moon or have a moon on their cover.

Welcome to the Lunar Love Giveaway Blog Hop. I will be giving away a copy of my YA paranormal, Aura. The winner may choose a print copy or the ebook
.
"I half-turned to her and shrugged, still processing what I'd seen, or at least what I thought I'd seen, in Ms. Neal's eyes—like they weren't hers. Obviously, they were her eyes, but it looked like she'd plucked them from someone else's head. A dead someone else's head."

In the fight between good and evil, Light is your only weapon.

Crystal Scott finally feels like a normal teenager. She has a lead in the high school play, a best friend, and a gorgeous boyfriend. With prom only a few days away, Crystal’s ordinary life seems perfect.

Endowed with great Light because of her virtuous choices and her inherent gifts, Crystal’s aura has become visible to those with the ability to see auras. Unfortunately, her power has also attracted the attention of demons intent on destroying all Light.

When Vincent Crandall, the human host for a powerful demon, discovers that Crystal’s Light is strong enough to disrupt the connection between demons and their hosts, he realizes she may be able to sever the connection altogether. Determined to stop her from interfering with his plans to rule the world, he sends operatives to neutralize her.

Crystal is thrust into battle against a demon army she didn’t even know existed. With the help of a mysterious young man and his mother, Crystal must learn to use the power within her before the demons kill her parents and Vincent harnesses her Light for himself.

To enter the giveaway you can:

1. Follow this blog
2. Like my Facebook page
3. Follow me on Twitter: rebeccatalley
4. Join my newsletter
5. Add Aura on Goodreads.

Each one is worth one entry. If you do all five, you have five entries :). I will pick a winner using www.random.org on February 28th.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you've done or email me: rebecca(AT)rebeccatalley(DOT)com.

Good luck and thanks for hopping with us. Please hop on over to the following blogs for a chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Reviews for Aura

Aura is still on a blog tour. You can follow the schedule here: I Am a Reader Not a Writer.

Today a review was posted on Ever and Ever Sight.

Here's a snippet: This story simply blew me away. I loved everything about it. The story had a huge impact on me. Aura is a book that focus on good versus evil, light versus dark. I enjoy stories like that. Then to make it even better, add a paranormal twist to it. Aura was beautifully written and well thought out. You can read the rest here.

 Another review here: Walking on Bookshelves.

A snippet: "I loved the message this book sends. Choosing to do right over wrong will always give you more peace and "Light" in your life."

 Some days, I love being a writer!

Thank you so much for your support.

Tim's Place

Aura Blog Tour

I'm so excited. My blog tour for Aura begins today. Woo hoo!! If you'd like to visit the blogs today here they are:

I Am a Reader Not a Writer (you can see the whole schedule here as well as learn 10 things about me)
Free eBooks Daily (Interview)
A Dream Within A Dream (Excerpt from Aura)
Falling for YA (Spotlight)
Curling Up with a Good Book (Guest Post about my Favorite Character)

You can enter the giveaway for a $25 gift card from Amazon or PayPal cash on any of the blogs. It's easy to enter.

I'll post the stops each day if you'd like to follow along. And if you'd like to leave comments at any of the participating blogs, that'd be awesome!!

Happy Monday and Happy Reading!!

My Name is Frankie

I spent my childhood hiding from my father as much as possible. I learned early on that if I tried to save my mother from a beating, I’d get hit and then my mother would be beaten even more. It was best for both of us if I didn’t get involved. I’d leave the house and go far away, curling up under a tree where I could cry my “alone tears.” Then I’d creep into the house and into bed, grateful to have escaped, but then I’d get beaten in the morning. It was the alcohol. It was always the alcohol. Frankie Maio was never expected to amount to much. The oldest son of an alcoholic, it was no surprise when he turned to alcohol as well. Forty-seven years of heavy drinking and drug abuse should have been the end of him ... but Frankie's mother believed in miracles, and that's what Frankie got. My Name is Frankie is the true story of a hard life, a long road, and the healing hand of a higher power that reached down and changed everything. This book is a memoir co-authored by Frankie Maio and Tristi Pinkston. "My Name Is Frankie vividly portrays the 47-year struggle of a man dragged down to the lowest level by alcoholism, and the strength and fortitude to rise above his addiction. Frankie Maio and Tristi Pinkston have co-authored a true story which will have you experiencing a gamut of emotion. Be prepared to put the rest of your life on hold, because this is one book you will not put down until the last page has been turned." - Lisa Bennett, reviewer, blogger, and ghostwriter If you have struggled with addiction, or know someone who has, this book is for you. There is always hope. Purchase My Name is Frankie here for the Kindle. Purchase here for other ebook formats. Learn more here.

The Key of Kilenya by Andrea Pearson FREE

One Teenage Boy
Two Magical Keys 
Endless Worlds to Save 

Two monstrous wolves drive fourteen-year-old Jacob Clark down a path to a different world near his small-town home. The inhabitants of this new world are peculiar, and he is surprised to learn that they know everything about him.

Even the evil, immortal Lorkon, who stole the Key of Kilenya. They are jealous of Jacob and wish to control powers he doesn't know he possesses.

The Kilenya Series by Andrea Pearson: The Key of Kilenya (June, '11) The Ember Gods (Kilenya, 2. Sep, '11) August Fortress (Kilenya, 3. Jun, '12) Rise of Keitus (Kilenya, 4. Feb, '13) Eyes of the Sun (Kilenya, 5. Summer '13) Book six title coming soon (Winter '13-'14) 

Praise and reviews for The Key of Kilenya:

"The Key of Kilenya is full of adventure and wonderful, mythical-type creatures--totally unique. This book is like Fablehaven meets Harry Potter with a sprinkling of Lord of the Rings. A good, fun, clean read for the whole family." - Jennifer Hurst

"As a mother, it's refreshing to know there are authors writing fantasy, like The Key of Kilenya, that is not dark and depressing." - Kimberly Job

"Andrea balances excitement with thought, external conflict with inner, and adds just the right mix of mystery and realism." - Karen Hoover

"This is the beginning of a middle grade series that is sure to be great. Both youths and adults will enjoy The Key of Kilenya." - Jewel Adams

"To be quite honest, I don't usually read books in this genre. However, I loved Harry Potter so I took a chance and I have to admit, I liked it! A lot!" - Mandi Slack

"The fantastical elements really feel original. In fact, reading this put me in mind of the creatures you would come across in Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, because the creatures really aren't the norm." - Lisa

"I love the Harry Potter references, as a typical teen has most definitely become familiar with those books." Heidi - Goodreads Reviewer

"As in Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, and the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, Harry Potter by JK Rowling, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull and other great books, a teenage boy lives an ordinary life while another world thinks he's something special... It's gripping all the way through." - Patricia

"Get this book. You won't be disappointed unless you have no imagination and don't like books such as the Harry Potter series (JK Rowling), Fablehaven (Brandon Mull), Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus (Rick Riordan) or movies like Stardust, etc." - Karl, Reviewer

"Similar to Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus and the Percy Jackson series, this is just a very fun, creative, exciting adventure!" - Debra Smith

Andrea Pearson, has just had the fourth book in her young adult fantasy series published. In celebration, the first book, The Key of Kilenya , is available for free as an eBook, and the second book, The Ember Gods , is available as a $0.99 Kindle eBook until March 3rd.

YA Paranormal Giveaway Hop Winner!

Thanks to everyone who hopped on over to my blog and entered to win Aura. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed the YA Paranormal Giveaway Hop! Thanks to I am a Reader Not a Writer for sponsoring these awesome hops and allowing us to find new books and enter to win such great prizes! The winner is . . . . drum roll, please . . . . come on, drum roll . . . . I can't hear you . . . . The winner is: Meghan! I will email you, Meghan. Thank you for participating!

Young Adult Paranormal Giveaway Hop

Young Adult Paranormal Giveaway Hop
February 21st - 27th
Co - hosted by [image error]YA Between the Lines
Featuring Young Adult Books with Paranormal elements.


Welcome to the Young Adult Paranormal Giveaway Blog Hop. I will be giving away a copy of my YA paranormal, Aura. The winner may choose a print copy or the ebook
.
"I half-turned to her and shrugged, still processing what I'd seen, or at least what I thought I'd seen, in Ms. Neal's eyes—like they weren't hers. Obviously, they were her eyes, but it looked like she'd plucked them from someone else's head. A dead someone else's head."

In the fight between good and evil, Light is your only weapon.

Crystal Scott finally feels like a normal teenager. She has a lead in the high school play, a best friend, and a gorgeous boyfriend. With prom only a few days away, Crystal’s ordinary life seems perfect.

Endowed with great Light because of her virtuous choices and her inherent gifts, Crystal’s aura has become visible to those with the ability to see auras. Unfortunately, her power has also attracted the attention of demons intent on destroying all Light.

When Vincent Crandall, the human host for a powerful demon, discovers that Crystal’s Light is strong enough to disrupt the connection between demons and their hosts, he realizes she may be able to sever the connection altogether. Determined to stop her from interfering with his plans to rule the world, he sends operatives to neutralize her.

Crystal is thrust into battle against a demon army she didn’t even know existed. With the help of a mysterious young man and his mother, Crystal must learn to use the power within her before the demons kill her parents and Vincent harnesses her Light for himself.

To enter the giveaway you can:

1. Follow this blog
2. Like my Facebook page
3. Follow me on Twitter: rebeccatalley
4. Join my newsletter
5. Add Aura on Goodreads.

Each one is worth one entry. If you do all five, you have five entries :). I will pick a winner using www.random.org on February 28th.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you've done or email me: rebecca(AT)rebeccatalley(DOT)com.

Good luck and thanks for hopping with us. Please hop on over to the following blogs for a chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Happy Birthday Daddy

My dad would've been 70 years old today. That's very hard for me to imagine because he was only 25 when he died. In my mind, he will always be the handsome young man he was when he died back in 1968.


My dad was very handsome. I think he was quiet and a little shy. I think I was a "Daddy's Girl." I have a few memories of him. He used to take me for a walk along the breakwater in Santa Barbara. It's a man-made wall between the harbor and the ocean and during certain times, the sea spray can drench you. I used to laugh when we'd get sprayed.

I also remember him coming to my birthday parties. We had them at a park near where he was an assistant manager at Jordano's grocery store. He'd walk to the park during his lunch break and spend a little time with me. Thankfully, my mom and dad had purchased a Super 8 movie camera and filmed my birthday parties, among other events, so I can now view them and see my dad and that helps with my memories.

He loved my mother. He wanted to make our lives wonderful and he was ambitious and that's why he took another job in a town about an hour away. Unfortunately, I also remember that he used to get speeding tickets. And it was that speeding that got him late one night, just before Christmas.

I used to wish I could go back in time and change things, that I could stop him from speeding or stop him from leaving that morning. I've missed having a dad. I missed out on getting to really know him. I have few memories of him. But it does no good to dwell on what happened or what might have been. All I can do is look forward and to live my life so that someday I can see him again. Someday, I will be able to know him and spend time with him.

Someday, I hope to lose myself in his hug and spend eternity with my daddy.