The YA Cafe

#CBLSPromos Presents: "Southern Attraction" by Tracy Kauffman #promoblast #YA #romance

2013-05-20T09:05:00.001-04:00

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Southern Attraction
by Tracy Kauffman
Young Adult Romance
Categories: Action/Adventure
Publisher: KG Books
Heat Level: Sweet
Length: 174 pages

Available at:
KG Books | Amazon

Description:
Heather has everything she ever wanted; money, clothes, friends, popularity and parents that adored her. One terrible day, she is uprooted to a small town in Alabama with an uncle she doesn’t know.

The small town of Huckleburg was nothing like Manhattan. Country rednecks owned the town and no one accepted Yankees from New York. Heather didn’t think things could get worse until a tornado comes and blasts through the small town. Heather has to lose herself to rediscover what life is all about. She meets two guys that she can’t decide between who she really wants.

Join Heather as she discovers that there is more to life than money and fame. Will Heather ever fit in and find true love or will she stay an outsider living in the south?

Heather was awakened by the sound of her alarm. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, she thought as she stretched and yawned. She jumped up out of her bed, hit the silence button on the alarm, and went to her closet to pick out her clothes for the day. After looking through all her clothes, she sighed deeply.

What can I wear to this illiterate, rustic school. If I dress up, then people will think I’m a snob and snub me. If I dress down, then I will blend into the crowd, and I will not be able to accomplish anything. I guess I have my answer. I need to be seen in order to make a difference, whether good or bad.

Heather picked out her black leather skirt, a white dress shirt, a black fringed soft leather jacket and her black leather boots. At least I’m wearing boots, that way I’ll blend in somewhat, she thought. She styled her hair the way she always did and put on her makeup with a little more emphasis than usual.

Heather heard a knock on the door, “Yes, what do you want?” she asked. “I’m going to be outside. My cotton pickin’ cow, Molly, got out of the fence, and I have to round her up. Be back after a while,” Mick said through the door. “All right, but I’m leaving in a few minutes, so I’ll see you after school,” Heather replied.

“Okey dokey, see ya later,” Mick responded.

“Okey dokey! I can’t believe I’m living with a redneck, dirt farmer,” she said as she rolled her eyes. Heather glanced at the alarm, “Crap, I’m going to be late”, she said as she grabbed her purse and ran out the door. The door slammed behind her as she ran to the car. She looked around for Mick, but didn’t see him anywhere. I guess he’ll realize I’m gone when he doesn’t hear from me, she thought.

As Heather drove down the narrow gravel road she looked for the right road to take to get her to the school. She saw Mick with a belt whipping his cow. “Now I’m seen everything,” she said as she laughed.

As Heather approached the school, a green ford truck ran right in front of her. She paused for a second after giving him the finger. I can’t believe these idiots, she thought. She pulled into the parking space closer to the front of the school, and she looked over to the green pickup truck.

A scruffy looking guy with long hair climbed out of the truck. “You need to watch where your going. This ain’t New York, this is my town,” he said very hatefully with a smirk on his face. “No, you need to watch where you are going, you hick. You’re the one who ran in front of me,” Heather replied as she pointed her finger at him. Heather was a little tougher than she looked. She wasn’t going to let some corn fed hillbilly talk to her like that.

“How do you know I’m from New York anyway?” she asked.

“That is for me to know and you to find out,” he replied as he turned away from her.

Heather wasn’t used to people treating her this way, especially boys. She was the most popular girl in the whole school at Manhattan High School. Now she was in a place that was oblivious to the fact that she wore an eighteen hundred dollar Armani jacket and Louboutin boots. How can anyone not care about fashion, she thought. Fashion is what made her so popular. Everyone in Manhattan wanted what she had. She was the envy of all the girls at her school. Now she felt like she was an outsider looking in through a dark stained glass and no one could see her.

Tracy Kauffman is a Christian fiction author of Young Adult and Children Stories. She grew up in North Alabama, where she still resides with her husband and daughter. She loves taking cruises and traveling with her family. Her favorite place that she has been to is the Grand Canyon.

Tracy has an Associates Degree in Nursing. She is a registered nurse and works part time in a local nursing home. The rest of the time she spends her time writing books and marketing them. Her titles include: Gwendolyn’s Wish, Southern Adventures, Richard the Lionheart, My Boyfriend the Squire, Southern Attraction, and Captain Honey Bear Saves Goldie Locks.

Tracy started writing poetry at a small age and won the title of editor in her school newspaper, when she was in second grade. She had her first poem published in an online writing contest called, The Cosmetology Student. She decided to write her first book, Southern Adventures, when her son left home for the Air Force.

She loves writing and hopes to be able to inspire her readers into living a happy healthier life. She feels like her own life experiences have made her a better writer. Learn more about her by visiting her website or blog.

Connect with Tracy Kauffman
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads

Enter the contest at each participating stop for a chance to win one (1) of (2) eBook copies of Southern Attraction from Tracy Kauffman. Ends May 25. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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#CBLSPromos Presents: "The Claiming Words (The Claiming Words #1)" by Tricia Drammeh @triciadrammeh

2013-04-16T09:24:00.002-04:00

The Claiming Words (The Claiming Words #1)
by Tricia Drammeh
YA Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Category: Interracial/Multicultural
Publisher: Iconic Publishing
Heat Level: Sweet
Word Count: 82,000

Available at:
Amazon | B&N

Description:
The Alexanders have always kept their secrets hidden…

When sixteen-year-old Jace Alexander moves to the small town of Oaktree, Georgia, he attracts the attention of every girl in school. Shy, introverted Alisa Cole immediately casts Jace in the leading role of her latest fantasy, but she assumes he’ll never return her interest. After she saves Jace from a Hunter, everything changes. Her accidental discovery of Jace’s secret propels her into a world of magic and danger. Alisa’s newfound courage is put to the test when Jace introduces her to his intimidating older brother, Bryce, and she decides she would rather battle a Hunter than endure another moment under Bryce’s intense scrutiny.

Jace and Bryce aren’t the only ones with secrets…

Rachel Stevens is the girl who has it all. She’s beautiful, popular, and in possession of an ancient power which endangers not only her, but those sent to protect her. Jace is drawn to Rachel—and he isn’t the only one. The Demon Re’Vel will do anything to claim her—even if it means waging a war with the entire Alexander family. As layers of secrets are peeled away, revealing the truth of her heritage and her family’s betrayal, Rachel struggles to resist an immortal suitor who stalks her in her dreams. With the Alexanders fighting to protect her, can Rachel escape the power of the Demon and his Claiming Words?

EXCERPT
The temperatures during the second week of school reached record highs, and the walk home was beyond miserable. I’d been too apathetic to take my driver’s test; consequently, I was practically the only junior in my high-school forced to either take the bus or hoof it. I cut through a field behind the school to get home faster. The hot sun beat down on my short, dark hair, and I felt a line of sweat slither down my back.

I noticed two figures just ahead of me, and nearly turned back. Most of my fellow classmates despised me, and since the feeling was mutual, I tried to avoid contact with them whenever possible. When I recognized Jace, I cursed the fact that I had no social skills to speak of. He seemed different from the people I’d grown up with, and might have stopped to speak to me. He’d managed to resist Becky, after all.

Jace wasn’t the only person who’d resisted my cousin; I could only hope he would be able to hold out longer than the last guy. Back in middle school, Becky and I both liked the same boy, but when he expressed interest in me instead of her, my popular cousin retaliated by spreading vicious rumors about me. Too shy to fight back, I remained silent while the whole school turned against me. Long after the boy moved away, long after Becky fell in love with someone else, the repercussions of that ill-fated crush continued to haunt me.

I thought about Jace and how I might be willing to go through the whole love-triangle drama all over again on the off-chance that he might return my interest. Walking slowly through the field, a vague fantasy began to form inside my head: Jace asking me out, our whirlwind courtship, eventual proposal, and elopement to Vegas.

I squinted and peered into the distance, but couldn’t identify the person who stood just a few feet away from Jace. Oaktree, Georgia was a small town and I knew almost everyone, but I didn’t recognize this guy. They circled each other, and at first, I thought the two guys were messing around. Cautiously, I drew closer and realized I’d misinterpreted the situation. Jace leapt to the side as the large man lunged at him. I let out a startled shriek.

Jace looked over his shoulder and shouted, “Don’t come any closer!” I staggered back a step and almost tripped over my own feet.

The attacker took advantage of Jace’s brief distraction. He flew toward my classmate and pinned him to the ground, clenching one hand around Jace’s throat. Jace struggled for about a minute, and then stopped. I found it odd the attacker paid absolutely no attention to me. Generally, psychos went for defenseless females, or so I’d thought.

I briefly considered calling 911; the attacker didn’t seem to care what I did. Jace, however, seemed to need more immediate help. Without considering the consequences of my actions, I sprinted forward and swung my heavy book bag at the man’s face. I hit him dead on, and he turned his attention to me for a second or two. His blood-red eyes bore into mine, and I recoiled in horror.

Apparently, I’d distracted the red-eyed man enough to cause him to release his death grip on my classmate. Jace scrambled away from his attacker, and leapt to his feet. They faced off once again. Jace, face screwed up in concentration, crouched low and sprang toward his enemy in a crouching roll. The attacker bared his teeth and leapt out of the way effortlessly. Red-eyes certainly seemed to have the advantage in the battle. In fear and disbelief, I watched as he formed a ball of fire in the palm of his hand and hurled it at Jace. My classmate put his hands up, palms facing outward, and the fireball sizzled into nothing.

Jace disappeared and abruptly reappeared in a spot behind the attacker. With supernatural speed, he jumped at the man and hooked his arm around his neck. He wrenched the man’s head to the side, and Red-eyes slumped to the ground. Jace wiped at the sweat on his face with the back of his hand, and then kicked the man viciously in the ribs. He reared back to kick again, but stopped when he saw me.

We stared at each other for a moment. Jace walked over to me and asked, “Are you okay?” I nodded. “We need to get out of here in case there are more of them,” he said, gesturing toward the lifeless body on the ground a few feet away from us. I flinched. Jace walked back and forth through the tall grass, scrutinizing the area closely. He bent down and picked up a textbook.

I contemplated running back toward the school and screaming for help, but I couldn’t seem to propel myself forward. I stood rooted to the spot, my legs trembling, as I fought back a bout of nausea.

“Let’s go,” Jace said in my direction. When I didn’t move, he walked over to me and took my hand. I pulled it away. “Come on, Alisa. You’re safe with me. I promise. Let’s go back to my house, and I’ll explain everything to you when we get there.” Through my haze of shock, I felt a brief sense of elation that he even knew my name. He lifted my book bag from the ground and began walking away.

Staring at my book bag dangling from his shoulder, I irrationally wondered whether or not it was a crime weapon and if my limited participation made me an accomplice to a murder. I questioned the wisdom of not having called the police.

“Should I call 911?” I asked stupidly. “I’m sure you won’t be in trouble. He attacked you first. I’m a witness.”

He turned back to look at me. “Alisa, that thing back there isn’t dead. You can’t kill a Hunter that easily. He’s just stunned. There could be more of them, so we should really get out of here.” My choice was follow Jace, this guy I didn’t really know, or stay in the field with the dangerous red-eyed man. I followed Jace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tricia Drammeh is a wife and a mother of four children. Although she currently lives in Missouri, she has called many places home, including Georgia, Ohio, and California. She’s worked in retail, customer service, sales, and accounting, but writing has always been her dream career. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, drinking vast amounts of coffee, and spending time with her family and the multitude of animals who have taken over her home. Tricia is currently working on her sixth novel.

Connect with Tricia Drammeh
The Book’s Site | Author’s Website | Author’s Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Enter below for a chance to win an eBook copy of "The Claiming Words". Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Apr 22.
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TOUR SCHEDULE

April 16, 2013
Fae Books
The Broke Book Bank
The YA Café

April 17, 2013
abookandalattee (Review)
Aspired Writer (Review)
Books, Authors, Blogs
Dawn's Reading Nook
Hywela Lyn - Romance That's 'Out Of This World'
Immortal Books
Le'BookSquirrel (Review)

#BookFeature & #Giveaway: "Colonization (Paradise Reclaimed #1)" by Aubrie Dionne (#VBT Presented by #CBLS Promos) @authoraubrie

2013-01-28T03:00:00.001-05:00

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Colonization (Paradise Reclaimed #1)
by Aubrie Dionne
YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance (Action/Adventure)
Published by InkSpell Publishing
Released on November 7, 2012
Heat Level: Sweet
Word Count: 60,000

Available at:
Amazon | ARe | B&N

Blurb:
Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned life-mate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to keep her protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?

EXCERPT
We were the only people in the corridor, and the air thickened with static friction. He dropped his head next to mine, our foreheads almost touching. “What a great adventure, Annie.”

He glanced down at my quivering lips. Was he going to kiss me?

We hung suspended for a small eternity. So many emotions swirled through me at once, I couldn’t process all of them: excitement, elation, fear. My conscience murmured one word. Forbidden.

I pulled my head back before it was too late, feeling my heart tear. “You could have gotten us into trouble.”

He took a deep breath, as if he tried to repress his own feelings as well. “Just wait until we reach Paradise 21.”

Our destiny slapped me in the face. The truth was a wall between us. Our assignments loomed in our future and soon there’d be no more adventures. Not for the two of us, anyway. A hundred teens made up our graduating class and the possibility we’d be matched together was slim, especially after they computed my miserable test results.

GIVEAWAY

Enter below for a chance to win one (1) of two (2) custom "Colonization" key chains. Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Feb 14.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation--favorite character was Data by far--and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be “a concert flutist” when she grew up. She majored in flute performance at the University of New Hampshire on a full scholarship, then secured two teaching jobs at a University and a local community music school. While playing in orchestras and teaching, stories popped into her head, and she used them to make the music come alive for her flute students. Her students said they were so good, she had to write them down! Maybe they were right, who knows? Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

She is represented by Dawn Dowdle and writes sweet and adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary romance.

Connect with Aubrie Dionne:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway: "Chrysalis (Chrysalis Series #1)" and "The Beam (Chrysalis Series #2)" by Michel Prince (VBT Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2013-01-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

Chrysalis (Chrysalis Series #1)
by Michel Prince
YA Paranormal Multicultural Romance
Published by Rebel Ink Press
Released on April 17, 2012
Heat Level: Sweet
Length: 437 pages

Available at:
Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Print) | B&N | ARe | BookStrand.com

Blurb:
In the annals of dysfunctional families, the Chisholm’s are working their way to the top. Drug abuse, an unwed mother with multiple fathers, and the questionable cash flow for the 'pretty one'. All this from a seemingly normal, two parent middle class family. But were the choices truly made of their free will?

Bad choices are a Chisholm family trait, one that confounds the youngest child, Ellie, who's trying to separate herself by making smart decisions. And falling for Oscar Jeffreys, the hottest guy at school, would be number one on the list of Chisholm family disasters. Yet the crazy part is it’s not a one sided attraction. Somehow Ellie has caught Oscar Jeffreys’ eye. Sure she could see the barriers between them. Race, age, popularity. They were at opposite ends of the spectrum. But a demon set to destroy her family? She can't see that.

Oscar provides security and acceptance Ellie never imagined she deserved. As the passion of first love grows, Ellie honestly believes she has a chance to beat the odds and live a happy, normal life. Then her world collapses around her. With the help of a guardian angel, Ellie learns of a world that has unknowingly surrounded her for years. And she'll have to find strength buried deep inside to save not only her future, but flush out and stop the demon in her midst.

And Ellie will have to learn that sometimes the hardest lesson about growing up is accepting that you're worth more.

REVIEWS
“I am very happy that this book does have a sequel out, and I would more than happily recommend this book to anyone.”--Tiffany K

“It was so good that I read it from start to finish in almost one sitting.”--YA Book Addict

The Beam (Chrysalis Series #2)
by Michel Prince
YA Paranormal Multicultural Romance
Published by Rebel Ink Press
Released on October 3, 2012
Heat Level: Steamy
Length: 460 pages

Available at:
Amazon | B&N | ARe | BookStrand.com

Blurb:
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.--Corinthians 13:11

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must put aside their childish ways. In the past year, Ellie Chisholm has fallen into the security of her relationship with Oscar Jeffreys, emerging with a stronger sense of herself. But now Ellie's mother has started inserting herself into Ellie’s life, treating her as if she were a child even though Ellie has begun to make very adult decisions for her future. Having finally consummated her relationship with Oscar, Ellie learns the powers inside of her stretch further than vaporizing demons.

Maria, the demon bent on revenge, has been reigned in by God but that doesn’t stop her from disrupting and threatening those around Ellie and Oscar. Ellie becomes off balance as Maria switches strategy and attempts to destroy Ellie from the outside. Now the gauntlet has been thrown down. Ellie must help her family achieve positive change and finally break the tie between her mother and Gaap or risk losing everyone she loves.

Can Ellie maintain her sanity while walking the last steps as a child?

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a grand prize of a signed paperback copy of “Chrysalis (Chrysalis Series #1)” and/or a second prize of one (1) of twenty (20) sets of two (2) custom bookmarks. Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Feb 7. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Her novel Chrysalis is the first in a "cross-over" series following the demon plagued Ellie Chisholm. Michel writes young adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.

With characters yelling "It's my turn damn it!!!" She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.

When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.

Michel is a member of RWA Pro and lives in the Midwest with her husband, son, and cat.

Connect with Michel Prince:
Facebook | Twitter | Website | Manic Readers Page

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Book Feature: "Purgatory Reign (Purgatory Reign, Book 1)" by LM Preston (VBT Presented by Sizzling PR)

2012-12-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Purgatory Reign (Purgatory Reign, Book 1)
by LM Preston
Published by Phenomenal One Press
YA Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance

Pre-Order at:
Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Print) | B&N (Print)

Blurb:
Something evil this way comes, unfortunately for it, Peter Saints is waiting.

Seventeen-year-old Peter Saints' life stinks. But things are about to get much worse. First, his parents are murdered in front of him. Then another victim dies in his arms.

Visions plague Peter with warnings that something wants him for a sinister cause. It desires the one thing that Peter refuses to give - his blood.

On the run with Angel, a scruffy kid, Peter starts to unravel the mystery. It's the one secret the heavens sought to hide from the world. Unfortunately, when Peter finds the answer he hopes that will save the girl he loves, he opens the door to a great evil that happens to be salivating to meet him.

EXCERPT
Peter took a moment to catch his breath. “I left. I left the grounds. But something’s bad has happened. Sh-she…Hanna died!” He coughed and his eyes watered. “Because of me! My fault. It was my fault. You gotta help her! I always screw up. Always. Please…”

Pastor Finn put his hands on Peter’s shoulders and shook him. “Why’d you leave? I told you never to leave here. You’ll put us all in danger. Yourself in danger. I didn’t save your butt for you to screw this up, boy.” He yanked Peter by the shirt and down the stairs. Then dragged him, practically running, all the way to the cellar stairs where he pointed at the small door where Peter had escaped. “Sixteen years old and you think you are man enough to make it out there?” he grumbled. “This is where you got out?” He sighed. “You don’t understand.”

“It’s my fault! Did you hear me? I killed someone! You gotta help her.” Peter jerked out of his grasp and grabbed Pastor Finn’s shirt, facing off with him. For once in a long while, he stared down the man eye to eye. He straightened up to his full height. The older man’s gray crew cut and piercing blue eyes were filled with fear. Peter’s hand loosened in shock that it was the first time he remembered that Pastor Finn looked afraid.

“I can’t help the dead.” He pushed Peter’s hands away from him. “But I have to help you. Come with me.”

Peter watched him, confused. His teeth clenched at Pastor Finn’s betrayal. “I thought you were different. I have to go back. Bury her, like she deserves.” Peter stumbled backwards.

BOOK TRAILER

REVIEW OPPORTUNITY

Now that you've read an excerpt, if you think you would be interested in reviewing this book, click HERE to read a sample. Then, if you like what you read, request a review copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LM. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, EXPLORER X - ALPHA was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

Visit LM Preston Online at:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+

Other Books by LM Preston:

Scavender Hunt/Giveaway/Character Interview: 'House Millar' Series by Paranormal YA/NA Author, Aine P. Massie

2012-12-18T10:23:00.003-05:00

Geas Publishing is proud to present the House Millar series Scavenger Hunt & Book Tour. Some of my favourite blogs have come together to hunt to all the items on the scavenger hunt list. At the end of the hunt you will have 25 items to enter into the Rafflecopter.

How to Play:
This is how it works… all the blogs below will post a bit about one of the books along with a guest post, interview, character interview, spotlight, etc. along with their token on their scheduled date. You are looking for the special image included somewhere within the post that you will need to then enter into the Rafflecopter at the end. Make sure to enter your answer into the right slot on the Rafflecopter ;)

We are giving away a nice set of prizes – including free eBooks from the series; gift cards to Amazon, B&N, or ARe; swag; and more…

So, enjoy, hunt along with the various posts, and have fun. Best wishes to all!

Blood’s Voice (House Millar #1)
by Áine P Massie
New Adult Paranormal Romance
Published by Geas Publishing

Available at:
Geas Publishing | Amazon | ARe | B&N | iStore

Blurb:
Anya Millar had no memory of her life or an instruction manual on how to navigate the insane world of humans, biting, and reality. Instead, Anya has had to learn to navigate the world of love, life, and sanity while avoiding those that would see her dead or enslaved.

Anya must come to terms with who she is and her missing past, Nicholas must win back the object of his eternal love while dealing with new cravings in his silent heart, and Declán must learn to destroy the very creatures that he has unequivocally given his heart and blood.

This is the ongoing journey of Anya and Nicholas, human loving vampires and the human they love, Declán. What makes it all more complicated is that they are abominations in their own world and Declán is a natural born vampire hunter called a Guardian.

Praise for Blood’s Voice:
“Aine’s love for her characters shines in Blood’s Voice. She gives you a reason to become invested in their well-being. The definition of love triangle takes on a whole new meaning in the House of Millar. I was surprised in a most pleasant sort of way. This book does not contain the constant bickering and whining that are found in a lot of YA literature…a refreshing change. And, before I forget…a big thanks to Aine for her inclusion of alternate lifestyles in a very compelling manner.”--Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead

“I like the issues of LGBT that are brought up in the story and felt they were just enough of a sample of that lifestyle to not offend close minded individuals. It was very realistic and I enjoyed reading more about it. There is a ménage de trois alluded to in the book so some people may be a bit uncomfortable with that part of the story. From my point of view, it was very well written and only enhanced the book. I give this a 4 fair review as it was a very romantic story with paranormal elements that drew you in with the intricate plot.”-–Heather @ Earth’s Book Nook

Blood Bound (House Millar #2)
by Áine P Massie
Published by Geas Publishing
New Adult Paranormal Romance

Available at:
Geas Publishing | Amazon | ARe | B&N | iStore

Blurb:
How many ways can a hearts true love be shared? After poisoning, near death attacks, consummated passions, and possible insanity visit Anya, Nicholas, and Declán they embark on their future. Or at least they try to. Jealousy can be a pain, in more ways than one.

Can Anya protect her lovers, find peace within herself, and lead the House Millar? With her loves and guards, Nicholas and Declán, she sets out to do just that. If only life, eternal life, were that easy.

Come take a walk with our loving family and witness the strange turns and twists as life, love, and passions collide with greed, politics, and evil..

Praise for Blood Bound:
“Áine gave me even more reasons than ever to love her strong and charismatic cast of characters. Each stepped up their game in the newest book. I will be looking forward to the next installment of House Millar, which I understand will not be from Anya’s point of view. Sounds interesting. If you love a good vampire story…Blood’s Voice and Blood Bound are great choices.”--Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead

“I love the way she made all of the characters work together in one way or the other. Anya shows lots of important vampires that she is NOT one to mess with. She claims her position as Mistress in more ways than one and she does so very well. I especially liked the “letter” at the end! Definitely got me ready for book three!”--Christina @ Intoxicated by Books
Q: Hello. First I want to thank you both for coming, I know you have a really tight schedule, specially with the Blog Tour : )

Anya: Thank you for having us Liz.

Q: Anya, Can you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I don’t mind speaking to others as long and they remember the rules. *wink* Though, you have to by default, being human and all. *smile* I am, as you know, a vampire, though I’m a bit different than most others you might find. Being an aberration in my world – I refuse to kill humans just to live – can be complicated. I am not fluffy though – so do not underestimate me or those with me. We are lethal when we need to be but humans are off the diet.

*Declán chuckles under his breath*

Fine, most humans are off diet. He just loves trying to be an exception to that rule. But, back to your question. I am the leader of the House Millar, the only House dedicated to aberrations and protecting humans. I am also hunted by a few . . . um, determined creatures that wish to use my voice ability as a weapon. Why they keep hunting me is beyond stupid as they keep dying, but. *shrug*

Q: How do you feel being a Vampire? Do you think you're missing something important about life? A human life? Or do you feel you have much more?

Hum, well . . . it’s hard to miss a life you don’t remember. I now have a few memories from before *shudders* but even those are only of my earlier vampire life. All I know of human life you have, or soon will, read. There are things that I regret not having though. I wish I could have a family like human women can. We can’t have children. Otherwise I have no regrets about being a vamp.

Q: Were you scared when you started at High School? Full of humans?

Terrified! I wanted to learn and couldn’t think of an easier way. Unlike others of my kind, I had a lot of trouble blending in with humans, a very frustrating issue when I found them to be so interesting and fun. I didn’t worry that I would lose it and hurt them, just that I would be too weird.

Q: What was your first impression of Declán?

*Looking over and running her fingers down his cheek she paused* The first time I saw him he just seemed a simple human. Boy was I wrong! This slightly taller than me, sweet smiled, blue-eyed boy sat next to me in our ASL class. It wasn’t that he wasn’t cute; he was and is, I was just too worried to really look at him. Well, until the pull overrode my senses, but that’s another story.

Q: And you, Declán, what did you think of her?

I didn’t know what to think of her. She was so beautiful. I was scared to talk to her, a really bad thing since we sat together along with my sister and were expected to be practice partners. There was something otherworldly about her but not in the ew, scary, kill it kind of way. I wanted to be around her, know her, yet couldn’t manage to even make eye contact. I’m not usually shy like that but well, you can see her . . . she’s . . . well, her.

Q: Describe your perfect date? Where, doing what… ? Who? Movies, beach…? : D

Hum… Until Geoff and Peony interrupted I thought we had a great date on my birthday. I took Anya to the lake for a late night picnic. Soft grass, gentle lapping of water, clear night gazing at the stars and my Anya. For me, that is perfect. Nic has taken me out too but as you invited Anya and me I figure I’ll stick to our dates. ;)

Q: Declán, can you talk a little about yourself, and what exactly is a Guardian?

I don’t think I’m that interesting *shrug* so I’m not really sure what to tell you. I’m eighteen, an architecture student at Cornell, and I’m the bonded husband to a couple of crazy, human loving vamps. I’m also, as you said, a Guardian though my take on what to do with my skills and drive is a bit different than the ones way back when. I protect our family and any like me I can.

As to what a Guardian is. . . Guardians were once a group of natural born vampire hunters that traveled the world alone or in small groups. They brought down any and all vampires they could find, or at least did until they were defeated. Being defeated was kind of a permanent thing. No vampire would leave one of us alive. *He paused, seeming to think for a moment* Well, no tradition vampire, as Anya refers to them, would. Some of the aberrations might, depending on the situation. I don’t know what makes us what we are though. My twin sister isn’t a Guardian. Pyotr says there were girl Guardians but I’m kinda glad she’s not. I’d go crazy worrying about her.

Q: I know this is a tough question, Anya when you found out that Declán was a Guardian, how did that affect you and your relationship? Did you felt betrayed, or scared, or if that changed something in the way you saw Declán?

Anya: Honestly? I was terrified but not of him, for him. The way they proved to me he was more than just human didn’t help the situation either. I wanted to kill Jonathan, not a normal attitude for me, I promise.
The fact it meant he was more endurent and would be better able to protect himself was a boon as far as I was concerned but the thought of him going out to fight others like me, still worries me… even now that he’s proven he can survive combat with a vampire.

In same ways it has affected our relationship. Eh, before you but in Declán, let me explain. The thought that he is supposed to kill me and yet loves me instead makes me worried for him mental health at times. Will there come a day that the conflict within him causes him true pain? Will others of my kind use his ‘perceived’ weakness of loving us against him? Such things are a real concern, though he refuses to agree with me.

Declán: I disagree with her on this point. I only stop or destroy those that seek to harm and kill humans. There is no conflict to me. Bad vampire – dead. Good vampire – not dead.

Anya: See what I mean? He’s very stubborn on his view of vampirism. J

Q: If you could change something in your life, what would it be?

Declán: I like my life the way it is. I get to be with those I love, study for a career I feel passionate about, and use my skills and abilities to protect others. What’s not to like?

Q: Have you ever wondered what your future may be?

Declán: I try not to focus on the future too much really. I want to be a great designer, creating buildings that are memorable, not just boxes like so many are now. But my future is a bit longer than most. Being the bonded mate to vampires on top of being a Guardian messes with your life span. . . if you manage to survive that long anyway.

Q: The last one, the lovely Áine has been in charge of writing your story and she has done a great job. Something you want to say to her?

Anya: Thank you for allowing others to peak inside our world.

Declán adds quietly: Stop listening to Nic on what to edit, lol.

Q: Well, thank you so much, guys, I really appreciate your visit and your time, and please, say hi to Nicholas! : )

Declán: Any time. And yes, we’ll be sure to tell Nic you said ‘hi’.

Anya: Glad you thought to call us. It is interesting getting to tell our story and even more so when humans enjoy reading about us.

Áine P Massie is originally from Florida, she now lives in Wisconsin where she works on her House Millar series full time while raising four children (the term herding cats comes to mind). Her major in College was Childhood Education (specialization in ages zero to five) with a minor study in Deaf Culture/ASL. She is also a Wiccan priestess dedicated to the gods, family, and love.

A lifelong reader, Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys . . . oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones.

Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. But, she’s been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction. Blood’s Voice has been a long time in coming and with its publication (June 2011) Áine embarked on a new chapter in her life.

Connect with Áine P Massie:
Website – http://apmassie.com
Blog – http://apmassie.com/blog/
Facebook (Author) – https://www.facebook.com/apmassie.author
Facebook (Series) – https://www.facebook.com/BloodsVoice
Twitter – http://twitter.com/AnyaMillar
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/anyamillar
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/115857487824411469639/
eMail – anya.millar@gmail.com

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"Gem Stone (A Gemma Stone Mystery, Book 1)" by Dale Mayer (Blog Barrage Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-12-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

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Gem Stone
(A Gemma Stone Mystery, Book 1)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing (Indie)
Contemporary YA (Action/Adventure Mystery/Thriller)
Length: 200 pages

Available at:
Amazon | Smashwords

Blurb:
A juvie kid trying to stay on the right path stumbles into trouble...

Gemma takes her camera everywhere. From juvie hall to a halfway home, the new hobby gives her a focus she'd never had before and... hope in a future. Until she takes pictures of something that could get her killed.

And not just her...after she and another juvie girl are chased by a stranger to the halfway home that same night, the other girl goes missing and Gemma knows she needs help. But who can she trust?

Not the authorities that's for sure. Trusting them is impossible for a girl with her damaged history, and besides, who cares about a troubled kid...especially when trouble just naturally seems to find her.

Excerpt:
Without warning, a bright light flashed on, then its beam circled through the woods around them, shining light where there shouldn't have been any.

"Come on. Let's make a run for it." Gem stood up and at a dead run, bolted for the opening in the stone wall behind the center.

They were almost there, with Misty crashing behind Gem, when the searchlight swung toward them from the right.

Pouring power into her muscles, Gem ran faster. Realizing the light was going to catch them, she snagged Misty and pulled her to the ground.

"Shit. Shit. Shit," Gem whispered softly, turning to stare at Misty sprawled in wide-eyed panic while the light panned above their heads.

"What do we do now?" hissed Misty.

"We keep our heads down, wait a few seconds longer for the light to move off, then we run. It's not far. Let's bail through the wall into the backyard and run around to your bedroom. One, two three… Go!"

The one good thing about Misty was she understood and took orders well. Jumping to her feet, she sprinted the short distance, her legs pumping as hard as they could. Gem's longer legs easily caught up and passed her. At the wall, Gem dove through, grunting at the hard landing on rocks and gravel on the other side. She'd be covered in bruises tomorrow.

"Hurry up," she whispered to her friend. "Come on!"

After Misty clambered through, Gem quickly replaced two of the rocks in the wall. She needed it to look like nobody had gone through.

At her side, Misty gasped for breath and held her side. "Damn, that was close."

"I don't think we're out of trouble yet," Gem warned. They both hunkered down at the edge of the wall and watched the brilliant beam of light bounce toward them through the cracks and holes in the wall.

"Are they chasing us?" Misty's horrified voice had risen to a high-pitched squeak.

"Shhh!" Gem pulled Misty back down to the ground when she tried to stand for a better look.

"We didn't do anything wrong." Misty said it in a normal voice, as if she didn't understand what this was all about.

"Doesn't matter. Shhhh." Gem's heart stopped at the crunch of footsteps coming toward them from beyond the fence. Her heart slammed against her chest.

Reflexively, Gem slapped a hand over Misty's mouth as Misty tried to speak again.

Neither moved. They stared at each other in frozen horror.

"I thought they went over here?" shouted a deep male voice. "Could they have jumped the wall?"

"Don't think so. There's no sign of them anywhere."

"Damn it."

Gem closed her eyes and shuddered with relief as the footsteps retreated, the voice fading slightly as it called out, "Let's check the woods on the left."

She waited another long minute. Then removed her hand from Misty's mouth. "Come on. Let's get back inside."

Moving quietly, they headed around to Misty's bedroom window. Giving Misty her knee as a step up, they both almost fell back in shock as Mark's shadowed face appeared in Misty's window. He grabbed Misty's arms and hauled her up.

"Get in here before you're seen," he hissed. Gem jumped up to where she could pull herself in and found Mark's strong arms reaching around her and dragging her inside…just ahead of the searchlight's cycling beam. The two stood locked in place behind the curtain as the light bounced off the window and onto the wall beyond.

Gem shuddered when it passed by. Thank you.

BARRAGE-WIDE GIVEAWAY

Enter below for a chance to win one of fifteen eBook copies of "GEM STONE" from Dale Mayer. Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Dec 10. Good Luck!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Freelance writer Dale Mayer lives in the beautiful Okanagan valley in British Columbia, Canada. She’s multi-pubbed in nonfiction but her true love is the stories that weave through her mind. For the past nine years, she’s written around the daily responsibilities of being a single mother of four and still squeezes in time to produce new fiction manuscripts each year.

In fiction, she writes taut psychological suspense with romance and paranormal elements. She has recently branched out into both mystery and urban fantasy books for young adult with the occasional vampire book thrown in just for fun.

Visit Dale online at:
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway & Excerpt: "Mything You (Heroes of Greece)" by Greta Buckle (VBT Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-12-05T08:56:00.000-05:00

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Mything You (Heroes of Greece)
by Greta Buckle
YA Fantasy Romance (Action/Adventure)
Published by CreateSpace (Indie)
Heat Level: Steamy
Length: 258 pages

Available at:
Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Print) | B&N (Print)

Blurb:
He wasn't looking for love. He only wanted to prove he was worthy of being a king's son.

Adventurer Theseus had dreamed of meeting his father, King Aegeus. As Theseus journeys to Athens, he meets his match in strength along the way. But is it the will of a beautiful young princess that puts this strong young man finally at his mercy? Or will he be able to conquer the princess’s heart?

She had settled for a life of unhappiness and believed a man who would love her for herself was only in her dreams.

Princess Ari has followed her father’s dictates all her life. On her way to meet her bridegroom, she is attacked. Saved by a handsome adventurer, Theseus, she tempts fate and follows him on his journey to Athens. Being with Theseus opens up a whole new world of opportunity for her. But will she allow her heart or loyal duty choose her life for her?

Excerpt:
Theseus’ entire body must have been made in the nectar of desire because she wished to bury herself in his arms. And he didn’t stop her from running to him. She jumped when a crash cracked through the air. Blinking, unsure of what happened, her body became rigid. Theseus pulled her into his arms and onto the ground seconds before the giant flew over the pair of them.

He took his hand off her head. He had protected her. Again.

Staring up at him stirred something unique inside her that she never believed could happen to her. She’d seen the plays and the tragedy that love caused, but never understood temptation. The fire in her belly burned into every part of her body from his smoldering eyes. He looked down at her as he cradled her in his arms. “That was Sinus. I don’t think he’ll kill anyone else ever again.”

“He won’t. How do you know his name?”

“He’s the reason I chose this path when I was fifteen. I had planned to prove my courage to my father, and take out the biggest villain on the road.”

“Check that off the list of goals then.” she said. “Good job.”

She continued to embrace Theseus, making her body tingle from crazy stirrings. What would he taste like? She’d die a happy death if he put his lips on hers. My, what was she thinking?

“I never believed you’d be here, or that my goal in that moment would turn to protecting you.” he said, pulling her closer.

She shook off her desires. She needed to let him go. She focused on logic instead of the male body in front of her. “I don’t know what to say. Today has been the craziest day.”

“It’s the middle of the night, little one.”

“You’re right. I don’t know what’s happening to me anymore. Theseus, this never happens to me.”

“What doesn’t happen to you?” he asked, smiling.

“I don’t know.”

He played with her hair, and straightened her clothes. “Your innocence and desire are a siren’s call to me, Ari, and you don’t have a clue, do you?”

“Who’s Ari?” She half expected to be disappointed with whatever he would say.

“You are. It fits you much better than Ariadne. Ari trembles for me.”

She licked her lips, wanting to kiss him. But she couldn’t. Theseus embodied a man out of her dreams.

She looked away thinking of what waited for her when her father’s men found her. “I don’t know my bridegroom. I’ve only ever known my duty.”

Theseus’ body tensed. “You’re betrothed?”

“I never agreed. The bride price, I’m told, paid for my father’s upgrade to the artillery. In the morning or someday soon, I’ll be found. But…can you do me one last favor?”

“What, little one?” His arms grew warm again, tightening around her. She dared for a different life, where she lived with a chance of walking next to him in life. Letting him go and going back to the life her father chose sounded cold and dreary. She couldn’t, not yet.

“Kiss me, Theseus, just once.”

Taking a step closer to him, she looked into his mesmerizing eyes. His strong hands framed her face, his fingers circled her mouth and his eyes darkened with tenderness. When he leaned into her, her eyelids fluttered shut. His light pressure sweetly opened her mouth.

Her secret wish had come true. The prison walls in Ariadne’s heart disappeared in her soul, and today Ari’s lips ached.

He bent his head close. Then, she felt his strong lips on hers, and she lost control.

TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY

Enter below for a chance to win one of fifteen eBook copies of "MYTHING YOU" from Greta Buckle. Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Dec 21.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Greta Buckle grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, then became a lawyer. After realizing she hates clients, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is fun, but writing is a passion. She wrote one hundred and one fan fiction stories online before deciding to transition into writing her own stories. Never ask her to republish her fan stories from age eleven- horribly written stories of princesses. Greta dreams of writing professionally, where her barista can make her coffee and a walk on the beach, can motivate her tales. Theseus story came to her when she was a freshman in high school as her English teacher, the nun, told her how life was hard and tragedy teaches lessons. Greta’s love of writing has kept her centered and focused. How is she crazy? The voices in her head are characters in novels and she’s not insane.

Visit Greta online at:
Website | Facebook

Giveaway & Excerpt: "Dangerous Designs (Designs #1)" and "Deadly Designs (Designs #2)" by Dale Mayer (Blog Barrage Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-12-03T09:25:00.000-05:00

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Freelance writer Dale Mayer lives in the beautiful Okanagan valley in British Columbia, Canada. She’s multi-pubbed in nonfiction but her true love is the stories that weave through her mind. For the past nine years, she’s written around the daily responsibilities of being a single mother of four and still squeezes in time to produce new fiction manuscripts each year.

In fiction, she writes taut psychological suspense with romance and paranormal elements. She has recently branched out into both mystery and urban fantasy books for young adult with the occasional vampire book thrown in just for fun.

Visit Dale online at:
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Dangerous Designs (Designs #1)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing (Indie)
YA Fantasy Romance
Contains elements of action and adventure
Heat Level: Sweet
Length: 200 pages

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
Drawing is her world...but when her new pencil comes alive, it's his world too.

Her... Storey Dalton is seventeen and now boyfriendless after being dumped via Facebook. Drawing is her escape. It's like as soon as she gets down one image, a dozen more are pressing in on her. Then she realizes her pictures are almost drawing themselves...or is it that her new pencil is alive?

Him... Eric Jordan is a new Ranger and the only son of the Councilman to his world. He's crossed the veil between dimensions to retrieve a lost stylus. But Storey is already experimenting with her new pencil and what her drawings can do - like open portals.

It... The stylus is a soul-bound intelligence from Eric's dimension on Earth and uses Storey's unsuspecting mind to seek its way home, giving her an unbelievable power. She unwittingly opens a third dimension, one that held a dangerous predatory species banished from Eric's world centuries ago, releasing these animals into both dimensions.

Them... Once in Eric's homeland, Storey is blamed for the calamity sentenced to death. When she escapes, Eric is ordered to bring her back or face that same death penalty. With nothing to lose, can they work together across dimensions to save both their worlds?

Excerpt:
"Storey, is that you, honey?"

Her mother knocked on the door and pushed it open, the light from the hallway lighting the few silver strands in her otherwise brown hair. "Can't you sleep?"

"Sorry if I woke you." Storey sat up, brushing her own jet black hair back off her face. "Just a bad dream."

"That's because you didn't have any dinner. I checked up on you after the meeting finished. You'd fallen asleep." Her mother's fingers twisted around a dangling lock of hair as she stepped into the room. She bit her lip. "Storey, you have to eat. You're already skinny enough."

Bone rack is what a jock had called her last month. Looking down, Storey realized they could be right. Her hip bones stuck out to match her big elbows. And her body had developed to the point where she barely missed the skinny scarecrow look. Too bad. She might have been able to make that work.

"I'm eating, Mom. They had pizza in class today, so I didn't need my lunch. Ate that on the way home." That was a lie. Still, she had more important things to worry about than food.

Relief washed over her mom's pretty face. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. Sometimes I worry about you."

Sometimes? Didn't she mean all the time? Was that normal for moms? Then again, there was a world of difference between normal and her mother.

"What time is it?" Storey looked out the window. Blackness stared back.

"It's just a little after midnight. Please get into your pajamas. You don't want to be sleeping in those jeans." She backed up to the open door. "If you're all right, I'll say good night. It is witching hour, after all." With a carefree grin, her mom closed the door.

Witching hour. Right. Only in her house. Sighing at her mother's antics, Storey collapsed down on her covers and fell into a light, troubled sleep.

"Storey."

She sighed. "What now, Mom?"

No answer. She sat up and glanced at the closed door. Weird. She could've sworn she'd heard someone calling her. Lying down again, she pulled her blankets over top, not bothering to get changed into her nightclothes.

"Storey."

She bolted upright. That's it. Who the hell was playing games with her?

"Storey."

Throwing back the blankets, Storey knelt on her bed. "Who said that?" she hissed into the early morning air. Not trusting the gloomy light, she flicked her bedside lamp on, quickly scanning the room. Empty. "I am so losing it. This is nuts."

Her gaze landed on the backpack on her floor. Her eyes widened. Oh no.

"No, no. Hell, no." She shook her head, slowly at first then more wildly. "This can't be happening. It's a picture. Nothing more. Nothing less. I created you. I can destroy you."

That's exactly what she was going to do. She dragged the backpack onto her bed and opened it. The knot defied her first and second attempts, before she managed to pull the laces apart and yank out her sketchpad. "I don't know what's going on here, but enough is enough."

She flipped to the last page she'd been working on and grabbed it at the top left and pulled. It wouldn't tear off. She tightened her grip and tried again. It refused to budge. Scared now, she threw it on the floor and in a fit of defiance, she jumped on it.

And fell through the picture, through the floor even.

She went right through the doorway in her picture.

Review:
5.0 out of 5 stars – “A Wonderful Read!”
“From beginning to end, Dale Mayer drags the reader on a journey that ends on a cliff! From the beginning, the reader is immediately engaged in the life of Storey Dalton, a teen aged girl who finds herself boyfriend-less and back on the fringes of the social ladder after her boyfriend moves away. Storey's passion is drawing and when she stumbles up a strange pencil in the woods, Storey's life is transformed as she comes to realize the pencil is not ordinary and is leading her to draw things she has never drawn or seen before.

Eric Jordan is sent from another dimension to retrieve the stylus (the pencil), left behind by a scientist. After discovering Storey has the stylus and is quickly bonding with it, Eric has to figure out a way to retrieve the object with hurting her. They soon find themselves in the middle of a dimensional war and a struggle to save both of their worlds.

The novel is a reflection of our modern society and it's treatment of those who are different without being a moral brick to the head. Storey's compassion and tenacity are wonderful to see and I loved the way she influenced others to open their eyes and see their world. The cliffhanger the author placed at the end left me stunned! My understanding is the next novel picks up where this one leaves off. I'm ready to pick up the next one (Book 2) to see what happens next!”--Kmoaton

Deadly Designs (Designs #2)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing (Indie)
YA Fantasy Romance
Contains elements of action and adventure
Heat Level: Sweet
Length: 200 pages

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
Drawing is her world...but when she's banished to a deadly new world and needs help, it's his world too.

Her... Storey Dalton wants to go home - but something goes terrifyingly wrong and she ends up in her worst nightmare. There's no escape...not without Eric or her stylus. Then she finds someone who needs rescuing even more than she does...

Him... Eric Jordan races to save Storey, only to realize a close family member has betrayed them both. Now the enemy is closing in on him. When he meets up with Storey, he knows her plans are a bad idea, but she won't be dissuaded...and it could be their only way of staying alive.

It... The stylus, now bonded to Storey's artistic soul, is determined to survive this new chaos - against all odds. But damaged from a prolonged separation, he can't help Story or Eric - without making things worse.

Them... Storey is determined to make things right. Eric is determined to help her. Neither counts the personal cost, until their very lives are in danger.

Excerpt:
Panic sat on the edge of her consciousness, waiting for a moment of weakness to pounce. She'd come to rely on the stylus and sketchbook so much that she found herself at a loss as to what to do now. Her simple codex, not like the high-tech one that Eric wore, didn't appear to be functioning either. She'd tried pushing the buttons, hoping to recreate the same musical combination Eric had used, but the instrument made no sounds.

Had the Councilman managed to switch codexes so Paxton gave her a broken one, too? Or was it the prison walls preventing the codex from functioning? Or her being in an altogether different dimension?
She wished she'd taken the time to learn more about how to use these travel machines. She'd figured she had time to study it at her leisure once she got home. Have Eric give her some one-on-one training time this coming weekend, maybe.

Now she was imprisoned with only the codex, which she had no idea how to use, to help her escape. Damn it.

She could excuse her lack of foresight. It had been a hellish couple of days. Her emotions had been all over the place.

Yeah. Hindsight gave her a different perspective. If she couldn't draw her way out of here, or portal her way back through the codex's abilities, she was literally stuck here with only old fashioned methods of escape. Now if only she knew what they were.

She had yet to see her captors. She also had no weapons or anything to make a weapon from. For all intents and purposes, she'd been dumped into a hole in the ground and forgotten.

A horrible thought and one she really didn't want to dwell on.

She couldn't believe how much she missed her stylus. She could only hope whoever had it was taking care of it. There were souls in there. Souls that needed care.

Wait.

She had been able to communicate verbally with her stylus, at least while she'd been holding it. She'd still had to write the answers down, but…what if she scratched a message in the dirt? Would the stylus be able to talk to her? They were still bonded and according to it, would eventually be able to communicate both ways telepathically. Only she had to develop her skills for that to happen.

It was worth a try. But what did she have to scratch in the dirt with? She studied the tab on her jacket zipper. Made from hard metal, it had ripped half off already.

With a hard tug, she pulled the tab off and took several steps forward, looking for where the ground might be softest. Everything that she'd seen so far had been damn near rock. Back where she'd first regained consciousness, she squatted down and scratched, Stylus, can you hear me?

Silence.

She scratched again. Stylus, I'm in trouble. Can you help?

More silence.

Damn it. She didn't want to admit it, but fear was starting an insidious slide inside her mind. She tried again, harder, almost making her fingers bleed from trying to scratch an impression into the ground with such a small tool. Stylus. I need help. Contact Paxton. I need Eric to escape.

Silence.

She bowed her head. What had she expected?

She'd been tossed into a hell hole and no one knew. Except…maybe, the Councilman. The man was a power hungry toad. Remembering the look of satisfaction in his beady eyes as she disappeared to God knew where sent more shivers down her spine. It also had another effect.

Anger and pride rose to battle the loneliness and fear. She would not let him win.

She refused.

Review:
5.0 out of 5 stars – “Wow!”
“Dale has done it again with this adventure. I really liked that she inserted the last chapter of the previous book 'Dangerous Designs' to bring you back into the story. The world she built, the characters, the motives, all ring true. She has a fantastic imagination. I can't wait for the next book to come out.”--Donna Caubarreaux

BARRAGE-WIDE GIVEAWAY

Enter below for a chance to win 1 of 15 eBook copies of DANGEROUS DESIGNS (BOOK #1) and DEADLY DESIGNS (BOOK #2) from Dale Mayer. Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Dec 9. Good Luck!
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Book Feature/Promo: "The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest (Grimmlyn Series #1)" by Fumi Hancock

2012-11-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fumi Hancock is a walking example of how an ordinary person from a shackled life of broken promises and shattered dreams can live a fulfilled destiny. After twenty years of dropping her pen, she picks it right back up again by releasing the first in the 'Grimmlyn' series, The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest.

Though graduated with a postgraduate degree in communication arts, and undergraduate degrees in English studies and nursing, she ascribes her writing to her life experiences, which were many times challenging. According to her, the protagonists and antagonists in her novels often come from the darkest moments of her life—a tribute to the fact that something good can come out of mysterious and difficult circumstances, if we choose to turn our challenges around. Age is merely a number where success is concerned. She also pulls some of her characters from her travels around the world—in particular, exotic Africa—uniquely weaving her tales.

Fumi loves to write for young adults, particularly urban fantasy, and paranormal fiction with a touch of romance. She aspires to one day write a mystery/detective novel for the adult audience. But for now, she is content with her young adult audience. With her background in nursing, she gently nurses her unusual characters to life for her readers to enjoy.

She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Dr. David Hancock, and her two grown sons, Bola and Demola Thompson. She cherishes her two stepdaughters, who reside in Michigan.

BOOK TRAILER: Trailer
INTERVIEW: "Tea at Home" with Fumi
Q&A: Video Reel
Behind-the Scenes: Scenes from the Story
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFromscratchtv
Websites: http://fumihancock.blogspot.com and http://www.worldoffumihancock.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fumihancock
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fumihancockgrimmlyn
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/fumihancock

The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest
'Grimmlyn' Series: Book 1
by Fumi Hancock
YA Fantasy Romance
ISBN-13: 978-1475945379
ASIN: B009E0M3RK
Word Count: 96,567
Cover Artist: PhatPuppy Art

Available at:
Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Blurb:
What would you do if you found out you inherited an ancient familial curse?

When free-spirited and more than a little rebellious, seventeen-year-old Jewel Cardwell gained admission to Grayton Preparatory School, a prestigious, girls-only, top-notch private institution nestled in the South African farmlands of Limpopo, little did she know it would begin a trail of mysterious and unfamiliar events, changing her life forever! At Grayton prep, a battle line is drawn between ‘good and evil’ especially when there’s a full moon and dark forces swirl and turn up in the form of hideous monsters and frightening demons. With her school fre-nemies, rivalry and treachery become the order of the day and Jewel is forced to question everything she thought she knew as she struggles to stay alive in a dubious place riddled with demonic activity!

Armed with a magical secret from her dying grandmother, a golden locket, she sets a new course in motion. In the middle of this whirlwind of events, she is caught between two boys: Darwin Morton, a lad she's known growing up, and Eric Broder, a soccer team leader with a silver spoon in his mouth. Why her love life has to get interesting now is a question she can't answer!

“I welcomed death with open arms, closed my eyes and listened as the aircraft made rattling and shaking sounds through the dreary weather. If this was my time to go, I would embrace darkness, as I had nothing else to lose.” -- JEWEL CARDWELL

Will Jewel be able to solve the mystery before evil is unleashed against those she loves?

Giveaway: Books 1-5 of the "Highland Home Series" by Shari Richardson (VBT Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-09-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

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About the Author:
Shari Richardson holds a master's degree in English Education and has spent much of her life teaching students the joy of reading and writing. Her love of writing began when she was in elementary school and has carried through her entire adult life. Shari lives in Pennsylvania with her two Chihuahuas.

Contact Shari at:
Website: http://www.astralplanepublishing.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shari-Richardson/344353211751
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/shari-richardson.html
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4737174.Shari_Richardson
Author’s Den: http://www.authorsden.com/sharirichardson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Shari-Richardson/e/B004TGUKV0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Astral Plane Publishing: http://www.astralplanepublishing.com

Mourning Sun
(Book 1, Highland Home Series)
by Shari Richardson
Published by Astral Plane Publishing
Paranormal YA

Buy Link:
http://bitly.com/bundles/shareinpa/9#

Blurb:
I should have known when he walked into my life that things would never be the same. Hadn't I dreamed of him and the things he'd done before I was born? If only he weren't so fascinating, so beautiful, so much more than any other guy. Maybe then I could walk away.

Mairin Cote is a magnet for weird. Her dreams come true, she can see auras and her mother is in love with an angel. Now the monsters are finding her too. Vampires, demigods and werepanthers have flocked to this small town girl who must find a way to keep her family safe, love the man of her dreams, and navigate the shark-infested waters of Highland Home High School.

Excerpt:
The young woman sat beside the bed, holding the boy's hand. Her lips moved in silent prayer, pausing only when he moved restlessly and moaned.

"Mathias?" Her voice was soft but rich.

He moaned again, but didn't wake. The young woman began to pray once again.

"Kathryn!" Mathias sat upright, searching the room with blind eyes. "Kathryn, run. Don't look back, just go!"

"Mathias, my love, I'm right here." She helped him lay back, smoothing her hand over his fevered brow. "Rest, my darling. You'll be well soon."

Mathias lay down, tossing restlessly. From time to time, he would whisper "Kathryn," before slipping farther into unconsciousness. Each time he spoke her name, Kathryn kissed Mathias and resumed her prayers.

Hours passed, but Kathryn, consumed by the life that drained from the man she loved, didn't notice the light draining from the day. She prayed. She held Mathias' hand. She soothed him when he was restless. Outside the window, the sun sank into the horizon. The sound of waves crashing against the shore slipped into the silence that now filled the room.

As the last of the light left the room, Kathryn rose to light a candle. When she returned to her place by his bedside, she set the candle on the table and leaned down to see Mathias better in the flickering light. She put her hand upon his chest and then sat by his side and lay her ear against his still chest.

"No," she whispered, curling her hand into a fist on his chest. "Oh Mathias, I can't live without you." Tears slipped down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and let the grief take her.

Mathias' eyes snapped open. Had she been watching, Kathryn would have seen that warm, dark eyes of his life were gone, replaced by pools of deepest, coldest black. He reached for Kathryn's hand where it lay on his chest, pulling it up to his lips.

"Mathias?" Kathryn blinked away her tears. Her eyes opened wide in disbelief, but there was no fear in her gaze, only the love she had for this beautiful boy.

Mathias licked his lips and ran his nose along the length of Kathryn's arm. She stayed frozen by his side, mesmerized by his gaze, which never flickered from her own. Even after his teeth sank easily into the warm flesh at the bend of her elbow, Kathryn never flinched. The room filled with a wet sucking, disrupted only by Kathryn's one brief gasp. Mathias lovingly cradled her arm against his lips as he drank, insensitive to the monstrosity of his act.

When Kathryn lay pale and still, Mathias blinked slowly. He looked down at the beautiful, pale and cold woman whose glassy eyes were riveted on his face. He brushed his hand along her cheek, lovingly caressing her face as he had done so often in life. It was only when she didn't smile and ask for his kiss that understanding slowly dawned in his gaze and he screamed.

"Kathryn, my love, my heart, my sun. What have I done?" His hands pulled at his face, drawing it into a gruesome mask of pain and anguish.

Lifting her body with infinite care, Mathias lay Kathryn on the bed from which he had so recently risen to this new and monstrous life. He closed her eyes and kissed her pale lips lovingly. "I will mourn you for eternity," he whispered before he threw himself out the window.

Captured Sun
(Book 2, Highland Home Series)
by Shari Richardson
Published by Astral Plane Publishing
Paranormal YA

Buy Link:
http://bitly.com/bundles/shareinpa/9#

Blurb:
My first kiss was going to be my last, but it was worth it. His cool lips, his sweet taste, they were my salvation. I would never regret it, no matter what happened.

Mairin Cote thought loving a vampire was hard, but losing him to others of his kind was worse. When the death toll in East Hampton points to a rampaging vampire, the vampires and werepanthers must form an uneasy alliance to stop the destruction. To save the love of her life, Mairin must decide if living life without Mathias is worth risking an eternity with him.

Excerpt:
My eyes snapped open. "Dammit," I whispered.

"What was it, Mairin?" Mathias' voice slipped out of the darkness like a silken caress. I felt his arms tighten around me, but I shrugged him off.

"In a minute," I hissed. I could already hear Mom padding down the hall from her room. When the hall light flooded my room, Mathias was gone.

"Mairin?" Mom called.

"Nothing mom. Just a remnant of that movie we watched last night."

"I told you not to watch that horror crap before bed," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. "You know it gives you nightmares."

"I know, Mom. I should know better," I laughed. "I'm OK, though. I'm going right back to sleep."

She kissed my cheek. "OK, baby. I'll see you in the morning."

Mom might always know when I dreamed, but in the last several months she had stopped pushing me so hard to tell her about every one of them. I had to remember to thank Elise when I saw her next. She'd told Mom that forcing me to share every dream was making it harder for me to deal with my premonitions. Since then, Mom asked quick questions and let me share what I wanted to without fighting me. The trouble was I had stopped sharing my dreams with her at all.

How could I tell my mom that when Mathias, the man I loved, had come into my life, I'd begun to dream of his memories? I guess that wouldn't really be so hard to explain except that Mathias' memories were of the death and destruction he'd wrought as a vampire. That wasn't something I was willing to share with Mom.

Now that I knew the monsters were real and could see them every day, I struggled with deciding how much to share with my family and how much to keep to myself. Was I saving them from the terror or putting them in danger? I didn't know and Elise wouldn't tell me what I should do. "Free will," was her favorite epithet.

Seven Days
(Book 3, Highland Home Series)
by Shari Richardson
Published by Astral Plane Publishing
Paranormal YA

Buy Link:
http://bitly.com/bundles/shareinpa/9#

Blurb:
The pain was sharp and deep, but it was nothing compared to the anguish in Xavier's eyes. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but the words wouldn't come. The pain kept them at bay and even if I could have spoken, I knew the words would be a lie.

Kerry Cote has a pretty normal life for a teenager. Of course normal is a relative term. Her sister dates a vampire and her boyfriend turns furry once a month, but that's not the problem. It isn't until she meets the father of the man she loves that her whole existence narrows to a mere seven days.

Excerpt:
Lane leaned against the door frame and watched Dorothy wring her hands. He supposed he should feel bad about making Dorothy uncomfortable, but after years of isolation from her and their son, Lane was beyond caring how Dorothy felt.

“I can’t let you, Lane. I won’t let you do that to Xavier,” Dorothy said.

“Why not, Dot? I’m his father. It’s about damned time he knew it.”

Lane could feel Dorothy’s eyes on him as he began to pace the small confines of her living room. Sounds of chainsaws and axes biting into wood filtered through the open window on the heavy muggy air of the Florida summer day. Lane knew Dorothy’s husband, Tyler, was out in the heat helping a neighbor clear some trees the last storm had brought down around the house. Tyler would be livid if he knew Lane Cordero was in the house, but Dorothy had never had the strength to keep Lane completely out of her life.

Lane had lived in a small house at the end of the street where Dorothy grew up. They’d been thrown together as children because they were the only kids in the area and they’d remained close through elementary school and middle school. When they’d gotten older, the comfort of being with someone familiar had kept them together, but Lane had always known he’d loved Dorothy more than she’d loved him. It wasn’t until Dorothy had chosen the University of Florida and Lane had gone to work after high school that they started to drift apart. The separation became permanent when Dorothy met Tyler at a freshman mixer and stopped returning Lane’s calls and began denying him entry when he tried to visit her at school.

“Tyler is Xavier’s father, Lane,” she said softly. “Xavier has never questioned who his father is and I won’t let you change their relationship. Tyler loves Xavier and Xavier loves his father. I can’t let you come between them. I won’t.”

Lane felt the fury he kept buried deep in his soul bubble slowly to the surface. For seventeen years, he’d been forced to watch another man raise his son. That same man had stood between Lane and Dorothy at the single most crucial moment of Lane’s life and Lane had never forgiven either Tyler or Dorothy for that day. After so many years of watching from the fringes, Lane was determined to be a part of Xavier’s life and he didn’t care what Tyler and Dorothy thought. Xavier was Lane’s son and it was long past time he knew it. Lane’s anger and frustration must have shown in his face because Dorothy recoiled from him. She was always backing away from him.

“It has always been Tyler between us,” he said. His deep voice had a doubled timbre reminiscent of the panthers who roared in the swamps. Lane could see that the sound raised gooseflesh on her arms and he felt a deep, twisted satisfaction. Dorothy had good reason to fear him. Lane was finished being civilized. “First it was Tyler who stood between us when I begged you to accept what I am and now he stands between me and my son.”

“There was never an ‘us’ for Tyler to come between, Lane. One night, a lot of tequila and seventeen years of regret for hurting the man I love does not create a relationship.” Dorothy’s voice shook with emotion, but Lane was unmoved.

Lane paused at the window. When he turned back to Dorothy, he knew the feral grin he sometimes saw in his own mirror stretched his lips. He enjoyed the scent of fear in the air as he watched Dorothy shudder. “He doesn’t know, does he,” Lane said.

“Yes, Tyler knows I betrayed him‘” Dorothy said. “He knows Xavier isn’t his biological son and he doesn’t care. Tyler has never cared.” Dorothy stood uncertainly in the living room. Lane could see her debating calling for Tyler and the scent of her skin, soaked in terror, flooded his senses.

“I care,” Lane said, turning away from Dorothy. This was the woman whom he’d loved for so much of his life and yet she would not give to him even the tiniest scrap of herself. He could feel his beast rising. He didn’t want to hurt Dorothy but his pain was quickly reaching the place where what he wanted wouldn’t matter. He wanted only a little bit of her, a tiny piece of the love he felt returned, but not only did she not love him, she wouldn’t even allow him to see their son. Xavier might have been born of a night of tequila a regret, but he was still Lane’s son and Dorothy had no right to keep him from Lane.

Lane heard Dorothy step behind him and shuddered when she laid her hand on his shoulder. “We decided it would be better for Xavier if he had no reason to doubt Tyler was his father. You know how close Xavier and his grandmother are. It would destroy her if something came between them. You’ve stayed away until now, Lane. I’m begging you to keep your silence.”

“We,” Lane said, bitterness sharpened his tone and made Dorothy tremble. “You mean you and Tyler decided. No one spoke to me about anything. No one considered how I might feel about letting another man raise my son.”

“Lane, please,” Dorothy begged.

Lane looked at Dorothy’s hand on his arm and then at her face. He could see the same weakness in her now that had been in her from the first time he’d seen her crying by the side of the road, a broken toy lying in the dirt beside her. She’d never been strong enough to make Lane stay away, nor had she been strong enough to stand up for herself against anyone when she felt pressured. Lane knew if he pushed hard enough and long enough, Dorothy would give in and let him see Xavier.

“Dot, is everything okay?” Tyler asked from the kitchen doorway. When Lane turned toward the voice, cursing under his breath, he saw that Tyler hadn’t left his ax in the yard with the other tools the men were using. Instead, it lay casually against his shoulder.

“Lane was just going, Tyler,” Dorothy said. She pushed lightly against Lane’s arm, and Lane knew she was hoping he’d take the hint. He debated staying and fighting this out with Dorothy. If he stayed; if he pushed, he could get what he wanted, but he knew that once Tyler was on the scene, Dorothy would hide behind her husband. Hadn’t she always hidden behind Tyler? Lane sighed. There was no point in staying now that Tyler had come to Dorothy’s rescue yet again.

“Yeah,” Lane said. “I was just going...” He stalked toward the front door. “I just had to tell Dot something.”

Tyler stepped behind Dorothy and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sure the phone would be easier than our driveway next time, Lane,” he said.

Lane tipped his chin up just once, a quick, almost violent motion. “Yeah, but easier isn’t always the way to go,” he said before he stepped into the heavy air outside the house. He slammed the door to his truck, cranked the engine to life and spun the tires in the yard until he saw the curtains twitch in the living room window. Was it Dorothy or Tyler who wanted to see the damage Lane was doing? It didn’t matter, of course. It was almost Xavier’s birthday. The boy came to Florida every year for his birthday so Dorothy and Tyler could throw a huge party with all the family in attendance. Dorothy and Tyler wouldn’t want a confrontation that would shout the secret of Xavier’s parentage to the entire family at that party. He’d be there to see his son turn seventeen and then he’d give Xavier the gift of the truth. Lane stomped on the accelerator and headed up the long and twisting driveway. Lane wasn’t always the most patient of men, but this was something he knew he could wait for.

Banished Sun
(Book 4, Highland Home Series)
by Shari Richardson
Published by Astral Plane Publishing
Paranormal YA

Buy Link:
http://bitly.com/bundles/shareinpa/9#

Blurb:
Eternity. How many times since Mathias came into my life had I considered it? Had I not taken risks that would have left us together for eternity? What I hadn't expected was to have the choice taken from us. Vampires are independent creatures and the old ones definitely don't like being bound to a human. When an ancient vampire comes to Highland Home bent on Mairin's destruction so he can free himself from his bond to her, Mathias is forced to choose between what he is and who he wishes to be.

Excerpt:
"Will you let me take you away for the new year, Mairin?" Mathias asked as we made our way out to the parking. The bell had just rung, putting an end to the last day of school before Christmas break began. I wanted to rush out of the building to escape the inevitable, "Have a nice break," and "Merry Christmas" conversations, but Mathias was moving disturbingly slow. His question brought our progress to a standstill as I stared at him, stunned. This was the first time he'd ever suggested we go anywhere together outside of Highland Home or East Hampton. I certainly wasn't going to count that ill-fated trip to England as a vacation, so what was he up to?

"Just the two of us, or are you planning on dragging my entire family along as chaperones?" I asked. For over a year, I had felt as though I'd slipped back in time to the 19th century. Mathias was annoyingly old fashioned when it came to private time for the two of us. He saw it as an affront to his status as a gentleman if there weren't others in the room with us at all times. The fact that my friends and the family members who knew Mathias was a vampire insisted on watching our every move made Mathias' preferences for chaperones easy to maintain. I, on the other hand, hated the lack of alone time or intimacy forced upon me by my boyfriend's antiquated ideas on dating and the over-protective nature of my family.

"If your mother and Tawnya will permit it, I would like it to be just the two of us," he said. The tiny, shy smile I loved best lifted the corners of his lips and I felt myself twirling down into a beautiful fantasy of alone time and no chaperones and maybe a little less refined behavior on his part. As the fantasy got into full swing, I shook myself. No matter if we could go away together or not, what I wanted from Mathias he would never give me.

"You really want us to go away...together...alone?" We were stopped beside the monster SUV Mathias had borrowed from Alfred. Mathias was perfectly capable of driving his sports car in any weather, but Tawnya's disapproving stare the last time he'd brought me home in a snow storm had been enough. He put the sports car in the garage and drove the beast of an SUV to please my family. That was Mathias in a nutshell actually. He'd do anything to please my family, even if it meant I was the one frustrated by his actions. The thought that he might be willing to push the envelope suddenly was a pleasant surprise. "What about my reputation and all that?"

"If you are concerned, I will withdraw the invitation," a teasing smile lifted his lips and he laughed as I frowned at him. He still hadn't learned not to laugh at me when I was trying to be serious. Something told me he never would break that habit.

"You know that's not what I meant, jerko." I sighed. "I meant what's changed since the last time I suggested we do anything without at least six vampires and three humans as chaperones?"

"I find I wish to have some time with you that does not include a minimum of six vampires and three humans," he said, lifting me into the cab of the SUV before rounding the vehicle and settling into the driver's seat. "With the constant stream of visitors and Alfred's incessant whining, I feel as though I have not had a moment of time with you since the summer."

Nine Lives
(Book 5, Highland Home Series)
by Shari Richardson
Published by Astral Plane Publishing
Paranormal YA

Buy Link:
http://bitly.com/bundles/shareinpa/9#

Blurb:
I felt a familiar ripple and knew it was too late for me. I saw her, so tiny, so perfect and I knew that I could die content. When Xavier admitted his love for me, I was complete.

Kerry Cote's story may sound familiar, but it's not. Sure there are a lot of unmarried, pregnant teenagers in the world, but how many of them know the child they carry is a miracle? How many have a vampire body guard? How many are alone because the mother of us all and the father of all vampires has a jealous daughter who covets the baby's father? Kerry must survive to bring her child into the world, for if she fails, humanity may not survive.

Excerpt:
"Oh my God," Mairin exclaimed. "I look like a frosted cupcake."

I poked my head around the doorway of my sister's bedroom and burst out laughing. My normally tom-boyish sister looked like someone had airbrushed a Vogue model over her. I could still see Mairin under the makeup, hair and the far-too-flouncy sparkling white gown, but I had to squint.

"Don't laugh at me, brat," she said. "How did you let me let Mom talk me into this?"

I held up my hands. "Hey, don't blame me for this one, sis. This is all you. You let Mom go to the bridal shop with you and Mathias' credit card. You knew she was going to pick something like this."

Truthfully, the gown was gorgeous. It had an empire waist and a very short train, but it also had so much lace and so many sparkles, I was surprised my sister wasn't currently shredding the gown in an effort to get it off.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit. I cannot do this," she said. "Nope. I won't. I should have insisted on the stupid town hall and the stupid civil union, but no, I let Mom and Mathias bully me into this." She waved at herself.

"Mairin," my mother said, slipping past me into my sister's room. "You look so beautiful. I knew that dress would be gorgeous on you once the alterations were finished."

I smiled at my sister over our mother's shoulder and bolted for my room. The glare which followed my retreat nearly burned. Mairin would complain, but I knew she'd never have taken anything away from our mother. Especially not something as important as a big wedding with all the trimmings.

Of course, her willingness to be on display for the town in a gown that was anything but her own choice was really my sister in a nutshell. No matter what it did to her, if it meant one of us was happier, Mairin would do it. Take my bridesmaid dress. The wedding planner Mathias hired to help Mairin keep her sanity had freaked out when Mairin showed her the dress, but my sister had insisted that the pale colors the wedding planner wanted would look awful on me. So instead of joining the frosted cupcake brigade, I was wearing the deep, forest green, knee-length dress my sister had chosen for me. She could have picked some hideous, flowing monstrosity so I wouldn't overshadow her, but had instead picked the dress she knew I'd like.

I was pulling that dress over my head when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Tawnya called from downstairs. I knew she'd been ready for us to leave for the wedding for at least half an hour, but after the tenuous truce she and Mairin had finally formed following their estrangement last winter, Tawnya was keeping her opinions to herself. I, on the other hand, wasn't. If they weren't ready by the time I got my shoes on, I'd shove Mairin down the stairs.

"Hey Tawnya. The other camp is getting anxious and sent me to see what was keeping the bride." Xavier's voice drifted up the stairs to me and I smiled. In spite of some pretty big disagreements they'd had in the past, Mathias had asked Xavier to be his best man. Xavier, always looking for ways to improve the political climate of the supernatural community, and because both Mairin and I had begged him, had accepted. It hadn't been until the tuxedo fitting that he'd truly begun to regret saying yes. The complaints over the fittings had been epic and amusing as hell.

I slipped on my sandals and ran back to Mairin's room. "The natives are getting restless. We have to go."

"I heard him," Mairin said. "Mom, go get in the car with Tawnya. Kerry can help me down the stairs in this monstrosity...um, dress."

Mom kissed us both before heading down to meet up with Tawnya. I could see her eyes were already beginning to shine with tears and knew that before the end of the ceremony, our mother would be a blubbering mess.

"She's going to cry all day, isn't she?" Mairin said.

"Probably. You're her baby and you're getting married."

"Yeah, wait until it's your turn, brat." Mairin clasped a thin gold chain around her neck and sighed. "That's it. No more delays."

"Don't you want to marry Mathias?" I asked.

"Sure I do," she said. "But for all intents and purposes, I'm nineteen. Girls don't get married this young unless they have to. You know most of the town is going to be watching me to see if I'm pregnant."

"That's why you and Mathias are going on a long honeymoon. So you don't have to worry about being watched." I held Mairin's arm as we carefully navigated the stairs. "Besides, admit it. You're dying to see all the snooty jerks jockeying for position to catch your bouquet."

Mairin laughed. "I'll aim for you, if you want me to."

Xavier looked up at me from the foot of the stairs. I knew he'd heard Mairin and my heart thundered in my chest. He'd already asked me to marry him more than once and I'd told him no. Not no forever, but no for right then. Looking at him in his tuxedo, the tiny, shy smile I loved best lifting just the corners of his mouth, I realized while I still might not want to get married tomorrow, I was ready to say yes to him.

"I'll take my chances," I said. "But I'll make sure I'm right up front."

The wedding planning crew had lined the driveway leading to Mathias' house with lights and continued with them along the path leading to the stretch of beach behind the house. I went with Mairin through the front door after sending Xavier around the back to keep Mathias out of the house now that we were there. For a vampire, he was impressively superstitious. I'd always thought being one of the monsters the superstitions protected us from might make him immune to them, but apparently not. He hadn't even stayed at the house with Mairin last night because he believed it was bad luck to spend the night before their wedding together. Personally, I thought that his leaving had more to do with trying to maintain his sense of decorum than with bad luck. Mairin had told me that despite her less fragile state of being, Mathias had refused to engage in physical intimacy with her until after the wedding. If the level of aggression and annoyance displayed by them both was any indication, their sexual frustration had reached a boiling point. Mathias had stayed away so he wouldn't be tempted to break his own rules. It was actually kind of funny that Mairin was certain the town assumed she was pregnant when I knew she was still a virgin. I giggled and Mairin looked at me.

"What's funny, sis?" she asked.

"Just that you're worried those people out there think you're knocked up and I know there's about a million reasons why that isn't even remotely possible."

I ducked when Mairin threw the pillow from the sofa at me.

"Ha ha," she said. "Keep rubbing it in, sis and I'll tell mom that when you stay at Elise's house, you sleep in the same bed with Xavier."

"You wouldn't."

Mairin grinned. "Watch me," she said.

Gino stepped into the room and bowed low. "It is time, little queen," he said.

I carefully kissed Mairin's cheek. "I love you," I said. "Be happy, sis."

"Love you, too, Kerr," she said, taking Gino's arm. He led her to where Mom and Tawnya waited in the kitchen. Xavier stepped up to take my arm.

"You look gorgeous," he said.

"You're looking pretty handsome, yourself." I smiled as he preened.

"You think? I hate the monkey suit, but it doesn't look that bad."

"Mom, if you cry now, you'll ruin your makeup for the photos." Mairin's tone was irritated.

"I can't help it. My baby's getting married."

"And living not five miles from your house. Get a grip, Mom."

Laughing at my family's antics, Xavier laid his hand over mine and led me out onto the deck. The music started and I gasped. There was a silk runner that joined the deck to the area on the beach where the wedding was taking place. Chairs were set up in groups around a central point where Mathias stood, his back to the ocean and his eyes closed against the sinking sun. Only those of us who really knew him knew Mathias wasn't steeling himself to get married, but rather he was enjoying the sun. He must have heard the whisper of the sand under the silk runner because he opened his eyes and smiled at both me and Xavier as we walked toward him. Xavier and I split at the altar and we both turned to watch my sister make her way across the sand. The gown that had looked like too much in her bedroom was perfect as the setting sun caught the sequins and crystals embedded in the fabric, making it appear as though Mairin were glowing as she walked. Mom and Tawnya each held one of Mairin's elbows lightly, escorting her to meet her groom.

At the altar, Mom and Tawnya stopped with Mairin and waited for the minister to speak the first words of the ceremony.

"Who gives this woman in marriage?" he asked.

Tawnya's strong voice rang over the roar of the waves and the gasps of the guests. "Her mother and I do."

I saw Mairin sigh with relief before kissing first Tawyna's and then Mom's cheeks. I knew she'd worried that Tawnya would make some attempt to stop this wedding, but since they'd mended their relationship, Tawnya's acceptance of vampires as a whole had improved significantly. Mairin stepped away from Mom and Tawnya--away from our family--and took the hand Mathias offered her. The look which passed between them was so deeply reflective of their love that I heard many of the audience members gasp yet again. I hoped the photographer had gotten that shot. I knew I wanted it for myself.

The rest of the ceremony progressed as any other wedding I'd ever attended until the minister reached the part in the vows where normally he would have said "until death do us part." I knew Mathias and Mairin had convinced the clergyman to change it to "for all time," but the sound of my sister's voice saying the words was something I hadn't expected would hurt quite as much as it did.

I saw Xavier mouth, "I love you," and realized I must have done something to show my pain. I was so afraid of losing my sister to this new world she'd found herself thrown into and had now married into. She kept promising me she wouldn't disappear, but I knew that someday I'd die and she wouldn't. We'd lose each other one way or another and I wasn't ready for that. She might be mostly invulnerable, but our family's penchant for attracting the biggest and baddest supernatural monsters meant she wasn't invincible. I could still lose her, as I nearly had so many times in the past few years, and I wasn't ready for that.

"I am pleased to present to you all, the newly wedded Mr. and Mrs. Mathias Auer." The applause snapped me out of my thoughts. Mairin flashed me a wink before leading the procession to the reception tent.

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GIVEAWAY: "Flight (The Crescent Chronicles #1)" by Alyssa Rose Ivy (VBT Presented by FMB Blog Tours)

2012-08-17T11:14:00.000-04:00

Flight
(The Crescent Chronicles #1)
by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Self-Published
Mature YA/New Adult Paranormal Romance

Available at:
Amazon (Kindle) | B&N (Nook) | Smashwords

Blurb:
Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Excerpt:
Closing my eyes, I tried to block it all out. Convinced I was about to die, I was only partly aware of his arms around me.

“You said you wanted an adventure,” he said quietly, teasingly, as he tightened his hold.

My stomach dropped out as an intense and complete feeling of weightlessness engulfed me. The wind stung my face as memories flooded my mind. I thought of my parents, of all the things I wanted to tell them but never did, my friends from home, and the experiences I longed for. Quickly my thoughts changed to more recent memories, to Levi.

“Open your eyes,” he whispered, somehow knowing my eyes were clenched shut.

Against my better judgment, I listened. The scream died in my throat as we hurtled toward the water that had seemed so beautiful from the roof above.

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About the Author:
Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write.

Find the Author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Click Banner Below for Full Tour Schedule

GIVEAWAY: "Family Blood Ties Series (Books 1 & 2)" by Dale Mayer (VBT Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-08-15T09:39:00.002-04:00

Vampire in Denial
(Family Blood Ties, Book #1)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing
Paranormal YA (Action, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller)

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
Blood doesn't just make her who she is...it also makes her what she is.

Like being a sixteen-year-old vampire isn't hard enough, Tessa's throwback human genes make her an outcast among her relatives. But try as she might, she can't get a handle on the vampire lifestyle and all the...blood.

Turning her back on the vamp world, she embraces the human teenage lifestyle--high school, peer pressure and finding a boyfriend. Jared manages to stir something in her blood. He's smart and fun and oh, so cute. But Tessa's dream of a having the perfect boyfriend turns into a nightmare when vampires attack the movie theatre and kidnap her date.

Once again, Tessa finds herself torn between the human world and the vampire one. Will blood own out? Can she make peace with who she is as well as what?

Excerpt:
No, Cody had some serious skills, at least according to David. It would take a lot for someone to get the drop on him.

"Psst."

He just didn't have much class. Turning around, Tessa watched Cody land in front of her. His graceful controlled landing made her instantly jealous.

"There's no sign of anything unusual going on."

"No, of course not. Why would there be? It's not like they're going to advertise that they've kidnapped humans." She studied the huge stone mansion. "The captives are most likely to be downstairs."

"Whoa. You're not going into the house. If you're determined to take this further, we go back to our parents and let them go to the council. They will determine the best course of action."

Tessa stared at him in disbelief. Everything about the night had taken on a surreal appearance. She was here, where Jared was being held, with someone who could actually help her and he wanted to go for their parents. No knight riding to the rescue here.

Then he'd been raised by the old belief that vampires don't go against vampires - without just cause. She didn't think she could come up with enough evidence to prove her case.

She snagged his arm, willing him to listen. "We have to at least see if they are here."

"No Tessa." He shook his head, his vampire eyes glowing with terrible heat. "That's enough. This isn't a kid's game. This is vampire business."

"And who's going to believe me? No one. I'm not like you. My word doesn't mean anything to the others. If you don't see that Jared's been taken and kept as a captive yourself, you won't be able to convince them either."

He shook his head.

Fine. She'd go in alone. Turning away, she headed to the back of the house. "Go back home. I don't need you."

"What the..." He raced behind her. "Tessa stop. You can't go inside there. You're not allowed."

"And they're allowed to take humans?" She snorted. "I don't think so." The moon slid out from behind the clouds. Off to the left, a set of stairs cut down to a narrow wooden door. Probably the cellar. Perfect. She picked up her pace, reaching for the knob in seconds. She bolted though the unlocked door before Cody could drag her back out. Down a narrow hallway, she fled through another door that led to a wide open space. Empty space. Damn it. Could the prisoners have been moved already? How? There hadn't enough time for that.

"There, are you satisfied now?"

She spun around at the sound of Cody's voice. "No." She walked the perimeter of the room. At the far end, the room curved down and around. At the far end, her nostrils flared. Her weird knowing sense kicking in. Animal. Death. Fear. Pain.

This area had been used as housing for animals during the cold winter months. Horses, most likely. Ancient farm smells permeated the air. Hay. Manure. Blood.

"What's the matter?" Cody whispered.

She looked at him. "Can't you smell it?"

"Smell what?"

"Pain. Death."

Reviews:
5 stars! Original YA vampire story.
“Vampire in Denial by Dale Mayer is a delightfully different addition to the teen vamp paranormal genre. Can't wait for the sequel.” (Charlotte)

5 stars! Do love.
“This is the first book I've read from Dale Mayer and I'm sure going to be reading more because this is my new favorite vampire romance book since Twilight!” (PrincessZelda)

5 stars! Another exciting series from Dale Mayer
“Oh, book! You were so FUN! I was getting all tense and worried about how poor Tessa was going to prove herself and it was exciting and I desperately wanted her to realize that her tangled up feelings about a certain someone were not all brotherly. But, but...why did you leave me hanging on such a cliffhanger?!?! I MUST KNOW what's going to happen to her!

In most ways, Tessa is an average teenage girl. Her parents don't really understand her, she feels like she's caught between two worlds and she's not sure if the boy she likes likes her back. The fact that she's a vampire who's literally caught between two worlds doesn't change any of that. Her parents really don't have a clue how hard it is for her, a genetic throwback, and no one in her family understands that how the full-blood vampires treat her like a stupid little girl.

All in all, this was a fun, fast read with a girl who definitely came into her own as the story progressed. I thought Cody and his slow revelations about Tessa were adorable. I like how her mother rose up to defend Tessa once things were brought to her attention. I like that Tessa wasn't willing to abandon a friend, even if he was "only human".

I can only guess as to where the next book in this story is heading but I'm DYING to read it now. DYING, Dale Mayer. DYING!” (Kelly Rubidoux)

4 Stars! Exciting first installment in a new YA vampire series!
“This book managed to stand out amongst the plethora of vampire novels out there. I liked how vampires had different abilities and how some of them, like Tessa, seemed more human than vampire (i.e. could be out in the daylight, didn't crave blood). It added a bunch of new dimensions to the world and I'm liking where the series is going.

This really was a great read. I was entirely able to relate with Tessa and enjoyed watching her change throughout the story. Just a warning, the author leaves us with one heck of a cliffhanger, so I can only hope that the next book comes out soon!” (Jamie “Bookerella”)

Vampire in Distress
(Family Blood Ties, Book #1)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing
Paranormal YA (Action, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller)

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
Note: This is Book 2 in the Family Blood Ties series and picks up exactly where Book I left off.

When Tessa rallies friends and family to find her missing date, they uncover a secret...and start a war that causes ripples in all aspects of their lives.

A vampire with throwback human genes. Sixteen-year-old Tessa finds more than just her friend in this journey...she also finds herself in need of rescue ... Imprisoned, she has to find a way to escape and reunite with her family before this war takes out those she loves.

The youngest of his ancient line. Eighteen-year-old Cody descends from flyer vampires wants Tessa back at his side where she belongs – even as he struggles with conflicting emotions about his best friend's kid sister...

A human determined to protect his people. Seventeen year-old Jared thought his life was over then he finds out that his rescuers are vampires...how can he trust them? And then he finds out the truth about Tessa...and that she's been taken, too...

Three brave souls struggle as war breaks out around them...a war that shows them no mercy.

Excerpt:
"Do you not know others in the Council or on committees we can trust? Are all the elders untrustworthy?"

Shocked silence surrounded her.

She closed her eyes and groaned softly. The fragile egos of the elders. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded." She tried again. "I'm trying to understand why you don't trust more people."

"We have elders we trust with many issues. This problem, however...well, it divided the Council when it happened before. It's looking to do the same again, on a much larger scale."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Tessa stared at the two men. "Surely there has to be someone you trust to take control. Or you can bring in many someones. You suggested the Council, then switched to the enforcers. Why?"

"I don't know," Serus muttered, "I started thinking about the members who'd been pro blood farming decades ago."

"It is an ancient problem," she said. "Then bring in young blood. Ones who don't have the same prejudices and beliefs. My generation."

Both men snorted, and Goran said, "We're not bringing in children to do a man's job."

"Why not?" She snapped at him. "I dare you to say that to Cody, Ian, or David."

"That's different. They're men."

Even Serus winced and closed his eyes as if waiting for Tessa to strike Goran a mortal blow.

"I'll ignore that comment, thank you," Tessa said stiffly. Once again, she realized, they'd had a group of vampires together and nothing had gotten done. They'd talked themselves into circles without achieving anything. Pulling out her cell phone, she texted David, repeating her words aloud as she typed. "Who can we contact to help? Dad suggests the Council and the enforcers, and yet has admitted both are problematic."

"Who are you texting?" Serus stared down at the phone in her hand suspiciously.

She smothered a smile. "David."

"David? Why not your mother?"

"Because I figure she's your age and will have the same prejudiced suggestions you do." She shot him a wry glance. "Am I wrong?"

He grimaced. "Probably not."

The wind picked up, chilling them as she waited to hear back.

The longer she waited, the more worried she became. Finally, she looked at her father. "Do we know if our group is still safe? That the people you called in haven't overpowered our people and locked them up?"

"Don't say that. Rhia would have let us know." Serus's face took on a grim look. "I would know if she were in trouble."

The cell phone jingled, relieving Tessa's anxiety, and she hurriedly read David's text.

"He suggests we bring in the media," she said, studying the mixed feelings crossing both men's faces. "Hmm. What do you think of that idea? Or do you consider that another age old prejudice?"

Goran's snort left no doubt about his opinion. "The media can't be trusted at the best of times. This isn't going to be any different."

"Don't you know anyone who's honest? Someone from before? Who, whether you liked them or not, you respected?"

"Hell, no."

Reviews:
5 stars! Amazing read!
“This book picked up where Vampire in Denial ended, and notched it up a dozen steps. In the last book, Tessa started out worrying that she didn't fit in anywhere. In this book, she's worried that she and her friends will stay alive. And even more. They've discovered something evil going on. Something that will shake up the vamp and human worlds. Something that's too big for them. But when Tessa calls in reinforcements, things get even weirder.

I'm almost afraid to say anything that will give away the plot. So I'll just say that the end was really satisfying... and then it left me gasping. This entire story has twists and turns that stopped my breath and kept me clicking to the next page. I didn't want to stop reading. I love it too that we get to see into Cody and Jared's minds. Both of them are great, but I'm in the Cody camp. I'm super eager for the next book!” (E.S. Rose)

5 stars! Wonderful Sequel
“Just when we think Tessa is safe and there will be a resolution to the Tessa/Cody/Jared triangle, we're blindsided by more problems for these characters. Ms. Mayer leaves us with the ultimate cliffhanger so that we are all anxiously awaiting the next book to find out what happens!

I am a high school teacher and originally grabbed the first book in the series to see if it would appeal to some of my students. However, I was quickly hooked! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these books. They have romance, action, mystery...something for everyone.” (BJ35)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:
Freelance writer Dale Mayer lives in the beautiful Okanagan valley in British Columbia, Canada. She’s multi-pubbed in nonfiction but her true love is the stories that weave through her mind. For the past nine years, she’s written around the daily responsibilities of being a single mother of four and still squeezes in time to produce new fiction manuscripts each year.

In fiction, she writes taut psychological suspense with romance and paranormal elements. She has recently branched out into both mystery and urban fantasy books for young adult with the occasional vampire book thrown in just for fun.

Website: http://dalemayer.com/
Twitter: @dalemayer
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DaleMayer.author

VBT Schedule:
Aug 13: Reading With Holly (Interview)
Aug 14: Andi's Young Adult Books (Review)
Aug 15: The YA Café
Aug 16: YA Bood Addict
Aug 17: Black Hippie Chick's Take on Books & The World
Aug 18: Everyone Needs A Little Chocolate In Their Lives
Aug 19: Eternally Books (Interview)
Aug 20: House Millar (Interview/Review)
Aug 20: Shah Wharton's WordsinSync
Aug 21: Eternally Books (Interview/Review)
Aug 22: Crazy Four Books (Review)
Aug 23: Brianna's YA Bookshelf
Aug 25: Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews
Aug 27: whoopeeyoo :D (Review)
Aug 27: Unputdownable Books

GIVEAWAY: "Family Blood Ties Series (Books 1 & 2)" by Dale Mayer (Barrage Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-08-09T10:43:00.002-04:00

Vampire in Denial
(Family Blood Ties, Book 1)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing
Paranormal YA (Action, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller)

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
Blood doesn't just make her who she is...it also makes her what she is.

Like being a sixteen-year-old vampire isn't hard enough, Tessa's throwback human genes make her an outcast among her relatives. But try as she might, she can't get a handle on the vampire lifestyle and all the...blood.

Turning her back on the vamp world, she embraces the human teenage lifestyle--high school, peer pressure and finding a boyfriend. Jared manages to stir something in her blood. He's smart and fun and oh, so cute. But Tessa's dream of a having the perfect boyfriend turns into a nightmare when vampires attack the movie theatre and kidnap her date.

Once again, Tessa finds herself torn between the human world and the vampire one. Will blood own out? Can she make peace with who she is as well as what?

Excerpt:
No, Cody had some serious skills, at least according to David. It would take a lot for someone to get the drop on him.

"Psst."

He just didn't have much class. Turning around, Tessa watched Cody land in front of her. His graceful controlled landing made her instantly jealous.

"There's no sign of anything unusual going on."

"No, of course not. Why would there be? It's not like they're going to advertise that they've kidnapped humans." She studied the huge stone mansion. "The captives are most likely to be downstairs."

"Whoa. You're not going into the house. If you're determined to take this further, we go back to our parents and let them go to the council. They will determine the best course of action."

Tessa stared at him in disbelief. Everything about the night had taken on a surreal appearance. She was here, where Jared was being held, with someone who could actually help her and he wanted to go for their parents. No knight riding to the rescue here.

Then he'd been raised by the old belief that vampires don't go against vampires - without just cause. She didn't think she could come up with enough evidence to prove her case.

She snagged his arm, willing him to listen. "We have to at least see if they are here."

"No Tessa." He shook his head, his vampire eyes glowing with terrible heat. "That's enough. This isn't a kid's game. This is vampire business."

"And who's going to believe me? No one. I'm not like you. My word doesn't mean anything to the others. If you don't see that Jared's been taken and kept as a captive yourself, you won't be able to convince them either."

He shook his head.

Fine. She'd go in alone. Turning away, she headed to the back of the house. "Go back home. I don't need you."

"What the..." He raced behind her. "Tessa stop. You can't go inside there. You're not allowed."

"And they're allowed to take humans?" She snorted. "I don't think so." The moon slid out from behind the clouds. Off to the left, a set of stairs cut down to a narrow wooden door. Probably the cellar. Perfect. She picked up her pace, reaching for the knob in seconds. She bolted though the unlocked door before Cody could drag her back out. Down a narrow hallway, she fled through another door that led to a wide open space. Empty space. Damn it. Could the prisoners have been moved already? How? There hadn't enough time for that.

"There, are you satisfied now?"

She spun around at the sound of Cody's voice. "No." She walked the perimeter of the room. At the far end, the room curved down and around. At the far end, her nostrils flared. Her weird knowing sense kicking in. Animal. Death. Fear. Pain.

This area had been used as housing for animals during the cold winter months. Horses, most likely. Ancient farm smells permeated the air. Hay. Manure. Blood.

"What's the matter?" Cody whispered.

She looked at him. "Can't you smell it?"

"Smell what?"

"Pain. Death."

Reviews:
5 stars! Original YA vampire story.
“Vampire in Denial by Dale Mayer is a delightfully different addition to the teen vamp paranormal genre. Can't wait for the sequel.” (Charlotte)

5 stars! Do love.
“This is the first book I've read from Dale Mayer and I'm sure going to be reading more because this is my new favorite vampire romance book since Twilight!” (PrincessZelda)

5 stars! Another exciting series from Dale Mayer
“Oh, book! You were so FUN! I was getting all tense and worried about how poor Tessa was going to prove herself and it was exciting and I desperately wanted her to realize that her tangled up feelings about a certain someone were not all brotherly. But, but...why did you leave me hanging on such a cliffhanger?!?! I MUST KNOW what's going to happen to her!

In most ways, Tessa is an average teenage girl. Her parents don't really understand her, she feels like she's caught between two worlds and she's not sure if the boy she likes likes her back. The fact that she's a vampire who's literally caught between two worlds doesn't change any of that. Her parents really don't have a clue how hard it is for her, a genetic throwback, and no one in her family understands that how the full-blood vampires treat her like a stupid little girl.

All in all, this was a fun, fast read with a girl who definitely came into her own as the story progressed. I thought Cody and his slow revelations about Tessa were adorable. I like how her mother rose up to defend Tessa once things were brought to her attention. I like that Tessa wasn't willing to abandon a friend, even if he was "only human".

I can only guess as to where the next book in this story is heading but I'm DYING to read it now. DYING, Dale Mayer. DYING!” (Kelly Rubidoux)

4 Stars! Exciting first installment in a new YA vampire series!
“This book managed to stand out amongst the plethora of vampire novels out there. I liked how vampires had different abilities and how some of them, like Tessa, seemed more human than vampire (i.e. could be out in the daylight, didn't crave blood). It added a bunch of new dimensions to the world and I'm liking where the series is going.

This really was a great read. I was entirely able to relate with Tessa and enjoyed watching her change throughout the story. Just a warning, the author leaves us with one heck of a cliffhanger, so I can only hope that the next book comes out soon!” (Jamie “Bookerella”)

Vampire in Distress
(Family Blood Ties, Book 2)
by Dale Mayer
Published by Valley Publishing
Paranormal YA (Action, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller)

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
Note: This is Book 2 in the Family Blood Ties series and picks up exactly where Book I left off.

When Tessa rallies friends and family to find her missing date, they uncover a secret...and start a war that causes ripples in all aspects of their lives.

A vampire with throwback human genes. Sixteen-year-old Tessa finds more than just her friend in this journey...she also finds herself in need of rescue ... Imprisoned, she has to find a way to escape and reunite with her family before this war takes out those she loves.

The youngest of his ancient line. Eighteen-year-old Cody descends from flyer vampires wants Tessa back at his side where she belongs – even as he struggles with conflicting emotions about his best friend's kid sister...

A human determined to protect his people. Seventeen year-old Jared thought his life was over then he finds out that his rescuers are vampires...how can he trust them? And then he finds out the truth about Tessa...and that she's been taken, too...

Three brave souls struggle as war breaks out around them...a war that shows them no mercy.

Excerpt:
"Do you not know others in the Council or on committees we can trust? Are all the elders untrustworthy?"

Shocked silence surrounded her.

She closed her eyes and groaned softly. The fragile egos of the elders. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded." She tried again. "I'm trying to understand why you don't trust more people."

"We have elders we trust with many issues. This problem, however...well, it divided the Council when it happened before. It's looking to do the same again, on a much larger scale."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Tessa stared at the two men. "Surely there has to be someone you trust to take control. Or you can bring in many someones. You suggested the Council, then switched to the enforcers. Why?"

"I don't know," Serus muttered, "I started thinking about the members who'd been pro blood farming decades ago."

"It is an ancient problem," she said. "Then bring in young blood. Ones who don't have the same prejudices and beliefs. My generation."

Both men snorted, and Goran said, "We're not bringing in children to do a man's job."

"Why not?" She snapped at him. "I dare you to say that to Cody, Ian, or David."

"That's different. They're men."

Even Serus winced and closed his eyes as if waiting for Tessa to strike Goran a mortal blow.

"I'll ignore that comment, thank you," Tessa said stiffly. Once again, she realized, they'd had a group of vampires together and nothing had gotten done. They'd talked themselves into circles without achieving anything. Pulling out her cell phone, she texted David, repeating her words aloud as she typed. "Who can we contact to help? Dad suggests the Council and the enforcers, and yet has admitted both are problematic."

"Who are you texting?" Serus stared down at the phone in her hand suspiciously.

She smothered a smile. "David."

"David? Why not your mother?"

"Because I figure she's your age and will have the same prejudiced suggestions you do." She shot him a wry glance. "Am I wrong?"

He grimaced. "Probably not."

The wind picked up, chilling them as she waited to hear back.

The longer she waited, the more worried she became. Finally, she looked at her father. "Do we know if our group is still safe? That the people you called in haven't overpowered our people and locked them up?"

"Don't say that. Rhia would have let us know." Serus's face took on a grim look. "I would know if she were in trouble."

The cell phone jingled, relieving Tessa's anxiety, and she hurriedly read David's text.

"He suggests we bring in the media," she said, studying the mixed feelings crossing both men's faces. "Hmm. What do you think of that idea? Or do you consider that another age old prejudice?"

Goran's snort left no doubt about his opinion. "The media can't be trusted at the best of times. This isn't going to be any different."

"Don't you know anyone who's honest? Someone from before? Who, whether you liked them or not, you respected?"

"Hell, no."

Reviews:
5 stars! Amazing read!
“This book picked up where Vampire in Denial ended, and notched it up a dozen steps. In the last book, Tessa started out worrying that she didn't fit in anywhere. In this book, she's worried that she and her friends will stay alive. And even more. They've discovered something evil going on. Something that will shake up the vamp and human worlds. Something that's too big for them. But when Tessa calls in reinforcements, things get even weirder.

I'm almost afraid to say anything that will give away the plot. So I'll just say that the end was really satisfying... and then it left me gasping. This entire story has twists and turns that stopped my breath and kept me clicking to the next page. I didn't want to stop reading. I love it too that we get to see into Cody and Jared's minds. Both of them are great, but I'm in the Cody camp. I'm super eager for the next book!” (E.S. Rose)

5 stars! Wonderful Sequel
“Just when we think Tessa is safe and there will be a resolution to the Tessa/Cody/Jared triangle, we're blindsided by more problems for these characters. Ms. Mayer leaves us with the ultimate cliffhanger so that we are all anxiously awaiting the next book to find out what happens!

I am a high school teacher and originally grabbed the first book in the series to see if it would appeal to some of my students. However, I was quickly hooked! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these books. They have romance, action, mystery...something for everyone.” (BJ35)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:
Freelance writer Dale Mayer lives in the beautiful Okanagan valley in British Columbia, Canada. She’s multi-pubbed in nonfiction but her true love is the stories that weave through her mind. For the past nine years, she’s written around the daily responsibilities of being a single mother of four and still squeezes in time to produce new fiction manuscripts each year.

In fiction, she writes taut psychological suspense with romance and paranormal elements. She has recently branched out into both mystery and urban fantasy books for young adult with the occasional vampire book thrown in just for fun.

Website: http://dalemayer.com/
Twitter: @dalemayer
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DaleMayer.author

Barrage Schedule:

August 8, 2012
Bound 2 Astound
Hardcover Feedback
Forget the Housework, I'm Reading
Eternally Books (Review)
Brianna's YA Bookshelf
Black Hippie Chick's Take on Books & The World
Night Owl Reads

August 9, 2012
House Millar
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
Andi's Young Adult Books (Review)
Lindsay's Scribblings
The YA Café
Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem
Holly Adair - Erotic Paranormal Romance

Giveaway & Guest Post from Author Kathleen S. Allen (VBT Presented by Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-08-08T10:03:00.002-04:00

Bewitching Book Tours Presents:
YA Fantasy Author, Kathleen S. Allen

In LORE OF FEI, I wanted the faeries to have a language that belonged to them. I set out to find words that might mean the same thing in English or something similar. When I am making up words I tend to use an online etymology dictionary,that gives the origin of words. For example, I use the word magos for magic in the land of Fei. According to http://www.etymonline.com/ it is from Old Greek and means “one of the members of the learned and priestly class[in Persia].” Sometimes I make up words, for example I wanted a name for a type of herb so I used, Laven. I got it from the word, lavender. Whatever word you use, it is important to be consistent throughout your story. If you find yourself making up a word without vowels, tread cautiously. If readers can’t figure it out, it will pull them from the story. When I was making up the language of the faeries, I kept a running account of what words I used and what they meant. It ended up as a glossary when I was done with the book. The glossary was longer in the beginning and I realized that I had too many made up/old words so I cut it down. It helped me to read it aloud and if I couldn’t pronounce the word I made up, out it went.

When world building in a fantasy novel you must have a clear picture of your made-up world in your mind. I drew a map of Fei for myself on a large piece of paper and referred to it as I put things on it. I had a river that led to the ocean, Lairs (instead of cities), woods, Fei, Carmelia, Hege, North Lair, the faerie council chambers, the forge, Ariela’s cottage among others. I labeled all of them on the map so when I had a faerie or a human going from one place to the other, I could picture it better. I wanted to put a map of the various places in the book but since I’m not a graphic artist, I couldn’t figure out how to do this. I also made a family tree of sorts of each faerie and who they were related to. This helped to keep the characters in mind as I wrote about them. I also made a list of each character’s physical and emotional description. For example, a description of one of the faeries named Lia who belongs to the class of the Coryphee is: She was a small slight faerie with white wings. Her hair was also white and she wore it loose about her shoulders. I also kept track of what faerie belonged to what class of faerie and the colour of their wings. Lia’s description looked like this:

LIA-Class of: CORYPHEE
Pale yellow almost white wings
small and petite
long white hair wears it loose
sings and dances
jealous of Ariela

Here’s another description of her: She wore a white gown and her feet were bare. Her hands were delicate and made gestures as she spoke as if she were dancing instead of speaking. She pointed her toes when she walked and took little skips instead of steps.

Every time I write about Lia (more of her will appear in book 2: WAR OF FEI), I keep these descriptions in mind so I know how she’d react in any given situation.

What questions do you have for me about writing fantasy?

Thanks for hosting me!
Kathleen S. Allen

Lore of Fei
(Lore of Fei Series, Book 1)
by Kathleen S. Allen
Published by MuseitUp Publishing
Young Adult Fantasy

Available at:
Amazon | | MuseitUp Publishing

Blurb:
Faeries vs humans, who will win in the battle for the faerie land of Fei?

Ariela is a mutant faerie, born without wings. No wings means she has no magic.The Book of Lore states a silver-winged faerie will be born to save the faerie land of Fei but no silver-winged faerie has been born. There is only Ariela. And she has no magic, or does she?

Excerpt:
“I am not a human girl, Duri. I am a faerie, like you. I was born without wings.” His eyes widened, but he still did not speak. “The Old Ones sent me to find a way to stop the humans. There can be no war on Fei. I need to know what the humans plan and when they will raid Fei again. You can help save Fei from extinction, Duri. Will you help me and be loyal to me and to Fei?”

He nodded. It was a slight nod, but it was a nod.

“Thank you Duri.” I sensed relief from him. “Sunvi, of the Old Ones has been captured and is ensconced in the food area. His wings have been clipped, too. He will help us restore Fei to the land it once was.” I moved away from Duri toward the dragons. Tashie spotted me and flew over. She gave me a look, and I laughed at her. I sensed hunger from her. I reached in my pouch and pulled a sweet out. She took it and gobbled it down. I scratched under her chin, feeling the happiness flowing from her into me. I looked over to where Duri had stood, but he had gone back to the Lair. I hoped I could trust him. Faeries were much harder to read than humans.

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About the Author:
I am an urban faerie born without wings but I fly on the wings of imagination tethered to this mortal coil. Moonlight sustains me and sunlight devours me. Stars swim in my eyes and my soul bleeds on a daily basis. I am a writer.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY: "The Rising Moon" by Nilsa Rodriguez (VBT Presented by FMB Blog Tours)

2012-08-07T09:56:00.000-04:00

The Rising Moon
by Nilsa Rodriguez
Published by Black Dove Publishing
Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Available at:
Amazon (Paperback) | B&N (Paperback) | B&N (Nook) | Smashwords

Blurb:
How many lives must you live to realize that love is stronger than time and death?

Orphaned at the age of five, Angelia (Lia) Lafosse was left with questions about whom and what she truly was. One thing was clear. Lia was different…some might even say cursed.

With the help of her best friend, Ryan Woodruff, she begins to unlock the secrets of her families past and discover answers that prove more startling than she ever imagined. Not only was she a werewolf, but a reincarnation of the immortal werewolf, a werewolf with immense powers beyond any of her kind. A werewolf that if discovered by the Lobison’s to have returned, can jeopardize both Lia and those she love.

Torn between Lyle Ulric, the charming werewolf whose bloodline is as ancient and powerful as her own. And Adam Ambrose, the mysterious and alluring vampire who’s determined not to allow fate or anyone tear their love apart again.

Lia has to make a choice… Destiny or Love…Run or Fight…Live or Die

Excerpt:
THE AIR FELT THICK as a sauna. Clouds clustered overhead, like black mountains violently unleashing a torrent of lightning bolts that lit up the sky, making the night bright as day. I felt in the pit of my stomach that something terrible was brewing outside. The storm was unlike any other I have ever seen before…it seemed supernatural.

“Lia!” hollered John. His voice sounded impatient and thunderous as the storm outside. “Li-a!”

I rushed out of bed and met him in the kitchen.

He was drunk again. The smell of whisky reeked through his pores and clothes and met me at the doorway. He wasn't always an alcoholic. He once was happy and full of life, but it all changed the night his wife Veena died. Her sudden and horrific death were too much for him to bear.

The night she died, John was returning late from a hunting trip and accidentally struck an animal as he drove up the dark and narrow road that led to our house. The animal was quick and John couldn’t make out what it was. All he knew was he struck it hard because the whole front bender on his truck was damaged.
He got out and reached for his shot gun and followed the animal into the woods, but although the animal was injured, it was still fast enough to outrun him so he decided to leave the animal alone.

When he got home, Veena wasn’t there. I was asleep and John awoke me, asking me if I knew where she was. It wasn’t like her to be out so late or to not answer her cell phone---especially after he’s called her four times, one phone call after the other. Worried, John set out to look for her while I asked the other ranch workers if they’ve seen her.

After searching for nearly two and a half hours, John found her lifeless body a hundred yards from the house in a pool of blood. She was badly injured. She had deep wounds across her face, her ribs were crushed and her legs were broken.

The medical examiner declared the cause of the death as being mauled by an animal. John felt that if he‘d killed the animal he injured with his truck earlier that night; Veena would still be alive today. He blamed himself for her death and ever since that night, he hasn’t been the same.

“Listen girl,” he said. “It seems Star has gotten out again and the storm is picking up pretty bad out there. See if you can get that stupid horse to return back to the stables. God only knows why she listens to you and not me.”

Star’s an Appaloosa mare and the latest addition to the ranch. Her temperament was supposed to be gentle, but since her arrival four months ago, John hasn’t been able to tame her. I’m the only person on the ranch she allowed near her. I didn’t mind it at all. There was something about her human-like brown eyes that comforted me as much as I comforted her.

“Well, are you going?” he asked reaching for a chair, but nearly missing it.
I really had no other choice but to go out in the storm. We didn’t own the ranch we lived in, the Ulric’s did. And if they saw John, or smelled him for that matter, in the condition he was in tonight they’d surely run us out in a heartbeat.

“Go on now,” he said as he swooshed me with his hand.

“Yes sir,” I grumbled.

Not caring to change out of my blue cotton night gown, I quickly put on my boots and at the sound of a roaring thunder, I reached for my raincoat and headed out the door. The howling wind and blinding rain was harsh and poured down unsteady. It came at me from all directions, slapping me as I attempted to make my way through. I pulled the strings on the neck of my hood to keep it from falling, but it was no use, my hair was already drenched and now stuck to my stinging face.

“Star!” I shouted over the smacking rain. “Where are you girl?”

Unable to see where I was going, I stepped on a thorny bush beside the stable wall. Blood ran warm and quick down the side of my leg. With a slight limp, I hopped into the stables and examined the wound. I was relieved that it was just a mere scratch, but boy did it sting! I limped over to where the horses were and to my surprise Star was there staring at me with those large brown eyes.

It was obvious by the look of her chestnut coat that she was dry. What John saw outside the stable wasn’t Star or any of the horses because all six of them were dry and cozy in their stall.

Bordering with the Shoshone National Forest it wasn’t rare to come across a wild animal every now and then. We’ve been visited by grizzly bears, coyotes, elks, and wolves on the property many times before. John was drunk and the storm was blinding. There was no way he could’ve known what he saw out there wasn’t Star. I’m sure he must’ve saw something, but whatever it was the bullying storm chased it away. I locked the stable doors and rushed back home.

I limped back to my room closing the door behind me. I wrapped my dripping hair in a towel and wiped the blood off my leg. The wind was becoming fainter, more like a whisper as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. I turned on my side and faced the window as a cool breeze crept in through a crack in the window frame. The sheer ivory curtains swayed gently, twinkling against the dark wood panel walls and floor.

Hugging my pillow tight, I began to think of Veena. On how her brown eyes always sparkled when she smiled and how her short dark hair always smelled like lavender. She was the only person who truly understood me. Her and John treated me like family and I was grateful for that, and just like John, I missed her too. Especially on nights like tonight.

The following morning the sky was blue and promising. I pulled myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I stood there brushing my teeth glancing hard and deep at the person staring back. I wondered if I looked like my father. Was he pale like me? Or maybe I looked like my mother?

I looked closely into my large blue eyes. At the white pigment in the iris of my left eye that resembled a half moon. I was five years old when it first appeared.

Dr. Parker, a medical doctor from River View Hospital, diagnosed it as heterchromia. He told me it was mostly common in animals, but it can also be past down genetically in humans. I always wondered which of my parents had it.

No matter how many times I tried to remember them, I couldn’t. All I knew was what was told to me: that they were killed in a car accident when I was four years old. When I thought back to my early childhood, all I could remember were the countless nurses and doctors from River View Hospital. I was sent to live there after my first foster parents, claimed I would howl at the moon and constantly suffer from night terrors.

Although they tried their best to comfort me, their attempts had reached its limit on the day they found me asleep outside, naked and covered in dirt and leaves. They felt I was too much for them to handle so they decided to return me to the state, which then sent me to River View where I was diagnosed with Lycanthropy, a rare psychotic disorder that causes the person to believe they can transform into an animal.

During my time at the hospital, Dr. Parker helped me overcome the night terrors that he believed triggered the disorder through medication and psychotherapy. I haven’t had any night terrors in a very long time. But ever since the night Veena died, my nightmares have returned and several times, I’ve found myself waking up in the woods.

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About the Author:
Nilsa Rodriguez ‘s love for writing began at an early age. Being an author is quite literally a dream come true for a girl who spent most of her childhood moments escaping to far-away lands and wondering into enchanted forests through the many books she's read growing up and still enjoys to this very day.

Having had studied Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design and Early Childhood Education at Penn Foster College her love for writing has always remained close to heart. Nilsa received her literary diploma from The Institute for Children Literature in 2009.

Born and raised in New Jersey, she now lives in sunny Florida with her husband and son where you can find her writing well into the night on her next novel.

Visit Nilsa at:
Website | Blog

GIVEAWAY: "Witch Way to Turn (Witch Way Series, Book 1)" by Karen Y. Bynum (VBT Presented by Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-08-07T09:32:00.001-04:00

Witch Way to Turn
(Witch Way Series, Book 1)
by Karen Y. Bynum
Published by Lyrical Press, Inc.
Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Available at:
Lyrical Press

Blurb:
Can you give one guy your heart and another your soul?

The last thing eighteen-year-old Breena Cross needs in her life is more complications. It’s all she can do to balance studying, working, trying to keep her foster-sister safe and drooling over the new guy at work. But things go from complicated to crazy when a fit of rage ignites the dark magic inside her and she finds herself fending off the supernatural underworld.

Myles, Breena’s drool-worthy coworker and vampire convict, is carrying a load of secrets--one of which is that he’s fang-over-lip in love with Breena and in danger of violating the terms of his sentence.

Orin is a soul-hungry assassin sent to kill Breena. However, he takes one look into her eyes and sees his own lost humanity. For once thinking of someone other than himself, he chooses not to end her life, even though it means risking his own.

Despite a convict and an assassin fighting over her, all Breena wants is custody of her sister. But to do this, she will need help from both Myles and Orin. And if Breena doesn’t learn to control the darkness within, she could lose her sister…forever.

WARNING: Contains strong language and some graphic content.

Excerpt:
“You Breena Cross?” The white guy closed the distance between them.

“Who’s askin’?” she shot back.

“The witch has attitude.” The black guy moved closer.

“Hey, who you calling a witch, ass?” She gripped her car key tight against her palm, ready to go for the eyes first.
It happened so fast, she didn’t even have a chance to use her makeshift weapon. The white guy pinned her against the car door and her keys fell to the ground.

“We got her,” the white guy said. His breath smelled like rotten hamburger.

She tried to push him off her, but he forced her even harder into the door handle.
“He’s gonna be real happy with us, Jay,” the white guy practically sang.

Breena wondered who “he” was, but only for a second, because the guy’s lips pulled back and she saw his teeth. They were flat but, somehow, they looked sharp.

Sharp? What the hell?

His gaze was a roaring fire of hunger. Predatory. It looked like he wanted to rip her throat out.

He made a low growl and pressed his lips to her neck. A sound like crazed bees buzzed in her ears, nearly deafening her. She didn’t know what to do. Her palms began to sweat and, for a moment, she thought the blue light would be her saving grace, but her hands only shook.

“Back away from her.” The man sounded calm enough, but his voice had an edge to it that meant business.

“You lookin’ to lose a fight?” Jay swiveled around.

“I never lose.”

He appeared out of nowhere, grabbed Breena’s attacker by the back of his shirt and threw him a good two or three parking spaces down the lot. The black guy froze in place.

Her savior’s ears sprang up through his hair into two sharp points.

The two guys got one good look at the pointed ears and hauled tail.

Breena didn’t blame them for running. She would’ve joined them if curiosity hadn’t got the better of her. Besides, it was hard to be too scared of someone who’d just saved your life and looked sexy as all get out. So what if he had weird-looking ears?
“What are you?” She fidgeted with the strap on her backpack, swallowing her nerves.

He smiled, revealing beautiful not-at-all-sharp teeth. “You can’t tell?” He sounded surprised.

“No.” She twisted her hair. “Should I be able to?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve had very little experience with halflings.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Halflings?

“No. I didn’t.”

Annoyance chasing away the last remnants of fear, Breena let out a little huff. Was he trying to push her buttons?

He moved closer, his steps as graceful as flowing water. His eyes caught her attention immediately--a ghostly pale-green with a golden circle around each pupil. Standing by her side, he propped himself against the VW.

“Amazing,” he whispered, staring at her. His gaze was intense, and slightly bewildered, as if he were trying to solve a riddle.

“What is?”

“Your soul. It’s strong.”

Weird much? She shifted on her feet, eyeing the keys on the ground.

“Sorry. You must think I’m a crazy superhero-wannabe.” He shook his head and traced his finger along his open palm. “Your kind is so rare.” His eyes lit up as he smiled. He stooped to pick up the keys and handed them to her.

Breena snatched them and started backing away from the car as nonchalantly as possible.

About to run like hell? Me?

“You asked what I am,” he said.

She hesitated. Nodded.

“I’m a preternatural.”

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About the Author:
Karen Y. Bynum is an author of young adult paranormal fantasy. Her novel Witch Way to Turn is published through Lyrical Press. She grew up in Hickory, North Carolina where mountains and magic surrounded her. Even as a child, she wrote her own faery tales and prattled incessantly to her imaginary friends.

After graduating from UNC Charlotte with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media Communications, she went on to become certified in culinary arts from The Art Institute of Charlotte. But it wasn’t until her aerospace engineer husband accepted a job in Virginia and they relocated that she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

With the support of family and friends, Karen embarked on a journey with the voices in her head. They wouldn’t stop talking (yes, she does answer back) and their stories took shape.

Karen currently lives in coastal Virginia and enjoys reading, tweeting, writing and spending time with her husband and their spoiled rotten Vizsla named Rusty.

Visit Karen at:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | YouTube

Author Podcast & Giveaway from Jim Zoetewey

2012-08-05T15:34:00.001-04:00

The Legion of Nothing: Rebirth
(The Legion of Nothing #1)
by Jim Zoetewey
Published by 1889 Labs
Young Adult, Superhero

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
"You may kill somebody today. We won't think anything less of you for it."

Nick Klein's grandfather was the Rocket.

For three decades, the Rocket and his team were the Heroes League--a team of superheroes who fought criminals in the years after World War II.

But Nick and his friends have inherited more than their grandparents' costumes and underground headquarters... they've inherited the League's enemies and unfinished business.

In the 1960's, Red Lightning betrayed everyone, creating an army of supervillains and years of chaos. The League never found out why.

Now, Nick and the New Heroes League will have no choice but to confront their past.

Excerpt:
“What I’m thinking,” Jaclyn’s grandfather said, “is that stealth would be best. Travis and Haley, you both have Chuck’s abilities, correct?”

Travis said, “Yes, sir,” while Haley said, “Right,” in a chirpy voice that seemed out of place.

“Good. Then I think the two of them should sneak in, knock him out, and leave.”

“Unless the mayor senses them and bores straight into their heads,” Daniel said.

“That’s the hole in the plan,” Jaclyn’s grandfather said, amused.

That you could drive a truck through, Daniel sent to me.

In both of our minds, Daniel’s dad said: Listen.

“Since stealth isn’t an option,” Jaclyn’s grandfather said, straightening in his chair, “we’ll have to take the direct route. Larry, could you take the Rhinomobile straight up to the door?”

Larry laughed. “I could drive it into the living room.”

“That’s not what I want you to do. I want you to drive straight up to the house and distract the police and the Guard. Fight them if you have to. Everyone who can’t fly will be with you.

"Everyone who can fly will be going in through the second floor. Nick, you’ll want to hang back while Daniel and his dad subdue the mayor. Someone will need to be watching for aerial attacks.”

“Is that likely?” I asked.

“Anything’s possible,” he said. “The Hangmen are in town. They’ve already been beaten back from the mayor’s house once today. When the Rhinomobile breaks through, it’ll be a race between you and Vengeance’s Hangmen. Be there first.”

He moved his head to face everyone at the table, regarding us with his near-sightless eyes.

“One more thing: you may kill somebody today. We don’t want you to, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. We won’t think anything less of you for it.”

“No. It can be avoided,” Daniel’s dad said. “Always. And it should be. Whatever we might think, in the public’s opinion you’ll have killed an innocent man.”

“Not in my experience,” Jaclyn’s grandfather said.

Daniel’s dad stood up. “We need to talk through a few things privately. Nick, is the lab unlocked?”

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About the Author:
Jim Zoetewey grew up in Holland, Michigan, near where L Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz and other books in that series. Admittedly, Baum moved away more than sixty years before Jim was even born, but it's still kind of cool. He's a web developer, a religion and sociology major, and the author of the superhero series The Legion of Nothing. He's also not sure why he's writing this in the third person, but he's never seen an author bio written in first person and doesn't want to rock the boat.

Visit Jim Zoetewey at:
1889 Labs | Goodreads | Website | Facebook

BOOK FEATURE: "Soul Mates: Scent" by Elizabeth A. Lance (VBT Presented by Sizzling PR)

2012-07-24T09:23:00.000-04:00

Soul Mates: Scent
(The Soul Mates Series)
YA Paranormal Romance by Elizabeth A. Lance

Available at:
Amazon

Blurb:
When the girl of his dreams walks into his homeroom class one October morning, Max Fergus, a seventeen year old quarterback and star student, has his world turned upside down; everything he has ever thought about himself and his life is changed in that instant and nothing will ever be the same again, because once you know you aren’t human, there’s no going back, no pretending you are less than you are.

Anna Lissa Felidae, a pure blooded shifter has been searching for her soul mate, the one guy that was meant for her, and just when she is sure she is about to run out of time, Diana, goddess of the hunt, appears to her and sends her in the right direction. With another shifter on her trail, one who is determined to have her no matter what the cost, Anna has just three short weeks to convince Max he is a pure blooded shifter, among other things, and teach him to fight so they can be together. With the help of a few Fae friends, a motley crew of shifters and Max’s best friend Tony, they are sure to win.

Excerpt:
It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her. The girl with the shiny black hair and distinctive blue eyes that seemed to see right down to my very soul. No, the first time I’d seen her was as she stood across the street from my house staring at me as I pulled my ’69 classic Vette out of the garage. It had been the cause of my first real fight with Jenny.

Jenny was my girlfriend. I say was because we broke up that day. She didn’t believe me when I said I didn’t know the girl. The next time I saw her was a week later, just standing outside of my school, watching. I only saw her for a second because when I blinked she was gone. For a while I thought I might have been imagining her. Jenny and I tried working things out, we were tentatively dating again, when the girl appeared again. This time though, I knew I wasn’t imagining things when she walked into my homeroom class, her gorgeous black hair hanging loosely down her back, grazing the pockets of her designer jeans. Okay, I didn’t know at the time they were designer, I just figured with a body like hers it would be a sin to put it in anything else.

She was talking with Mr. Jackson when her deep blue gaze connected with mine. It was as if we had both been waiting for this exact moment in time. I couldn’t breath, for fear that she would disappear again. A slow sensuous smile curved her rose colored lips, lips that I was suddenly dying to kiss. I was so enthralled I nearly took my former best friend’s head off when he commented “Dude, check out the hot chick!”

“Shut the hell up Steve,” I growled under my breath as I glanced back at her, but she was back to listening to Mr. Jackson.

“Whoa Dude! I see fireworks coming! Jenny is gonna be pissed!”

I’d forgotten Jenny in those fifteen magical seconds. Steve was right. Jenny wasn’t going to be happy to see the girl we’d fought about weeks ago. But there was something about her that drew me to her. It was cosmic, or fate or something and I knew she felt it too as she walked down the aisle toward me.

“Class this is Anna Lissa Felidae, from Quebec, please make her feel welcome.”

Her name suited her, she moved in a feline kind of way. Her hips swayed just a bit as she got closer to me and I started breathing hard as I realized she was headed straight toward me. I didn’t have the foggiest idea of what to say, me, president of the student council, captain of the debate team and star athlete, was for once at a loss for words.

“Bonjour,” she said as she took the seat directly behind me, her eyes never leaving my face. Her soft French accent sent chills down my back.

I felt like a brain dead geek. I tried concentrating on just breathing, but her scent was all around me, she smelled dangerous and delicious at that same time. I cleared my throat trying to form words that would make sense. “Ummm, er… Hi. I’m Max. Max Fergus.”

“Max,” she smiled this wicked little smile that made my heart beat even faster. “I’m Anna.”

“Anna,” I breathed her name like a prayer. I felt something inside me shift as I gazed at her and I knew I had just met someone that was going to change my life. I heard nothing for the remainder of homeroom. It was all I could do to stay in my seat and face forward when all I really wanted to do was turn around and take in every ounce of her.

So you can imagine my surprise when I felt her hand on my shoulder and her soft words whispering in my ear. “Max, would you show me to my next class?”

“Uh, sure. What, er… what’s your next class?” I asked still feeling like that brain dead geek I mentioned.

She glanced down at her schedule, her impossibly long black lashes grazed her cheeks for a moment and then she met my gaze again with another smile that made me wonder what she was thinking. “I am supposed to go to Madame Lancaster’s class, Anglaise.”

“English?”

“Oui, Anglaise.” She smiled and my heart melted.

“Yeah… yeah, I can… um… yeah,” I said blinking like an idiot and nodding. “I’ve got old Mrs. Lancaster first period too.”

“Magnifique!” she replied, her blue eyes twinkling brightly.

I held my breath as she slipped her arm through mine and we stepped out of homeroom together. I scanned the hall and faltered for a moment. A feeling of guilt washed over me. Jenny stood across the hall, waiting on me to walk her to class. She looked...pissed.

About the Author:
Elizabeth A. Lance lives with her husband, Brandon, their two tweens, three sassy cats that think they own the house and two crazy German Sheppard-Husky mix puppies. She is the author of the Agents for the Crown Regency series as well as the Young Adult series, Soul Mates. She loves to hear from her fans and can be reached on her Facebook page and her Soul Mates: Scent Facebook fan page.

Series Feature: "The Syrenka Series" by Amber Garr (VBT Presented by Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-07-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

Promises
(The Syrenka Series, Book 1)
YA Urban Fantasy by Amber Garr

Available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Blurb:
Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love.

When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids. Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.

A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those who she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life that she had so adamantly tried to escape.

Promises is the first book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends through the perils of growing up in a discrete world that inherently threatens human society.

Excerpt:
I barely heard her parting words as the screen door slammed shut. My head spun in desperation as the anger coursed through my bones. “Get back in here Eviana!” she continued to scream at me. “We are not finished with this conversation!”

I was already racing down the deck stairs toward the sandy beach, kicking off my shoes and unbuttoning my blouse. We are for now, I thought as my blood boiled with rage and resentment. I was going to be trapped! How dare they? This was not the eighteenth century anymore! I had rights!

I stumbled onto the sand, taking just a brief moment to savor the warmth and the feeling of the grains massaging my toes. My shirt came off and I started to unzip my jeans. No one was around. But I wouldn’t care anyway. The water was calling me and it was the only voice that I could hear now. With one pant leg off, I hopped along in my forward progression until the other one was free. My oasis was so close now that I could taste the salt in the air. The sun broke free of a cloud, stopping me for a moment. It was late afternoon with sunset still a few hours away, but the sky had already turning multiple shades of pink and orange. The coloration reminded me of the inside of a brilliant conch shell.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew there would be hell to pay when I returned to the house. Marguerite, my mother, had tolerated my rebellious behavior when I was younger, giving me more freedom and second chances than anyone in our clan. But apparently now, at seventeen, I was an adult. Adult enough to bear children. Adult enough to participate in clan gatherings. Adult enough to navigate our youth through their transition period. But not adult enough to choose who to love.

A slight breeze wafted off the ocean, bringing with it scents that filled my gut with longing. The freedom of the ocean. Why couldn’t I just stay there forever? A gull called overhead, beckoning me to join him. The splashing waves calmed my inner rage as they ebbed and flowed in a hypnotic pattern. A distant moan of a shipping vessel reminded me of our history. I opened my eyes to see that I was standing alone along miles of sandy beach interlaced with large rocks and cliffs emblematic of the northern California coast. So beautiful. I stripped off the rest of my clothes and ran into the ocean.

As soon as I was under the water, I could feel the transition begin. My lower body ached as the bones adjusted from a life on land to one at sea. Both legs began to fuse together and work as one. My foot bones elongated while I prepared for the agony. I was accustomed to the changes now, but it was still a struggle of mind over matter. Breaking through the surface of the water, I grabbed one last breath before the final jolt of pain ravaged through my body. I bit my bottom lip and squeezed my eyes shut, willing the moment to be over. At last I felt an electric tingle move from my hips to my toes as the hardened iridescent, scales appeared on my tail. I opened my eyes to find that the internal transformation was complete as well. My vision cleared. My lungs expanded. I could hear for miles. I was free.

So I swam. I swam away from the shore and the house that I lived in. I swam away from my fears and obligations as though they could disappear with the distance. I would temporarily forget my responsibilities, my duties, and the argument with my mother. In here, I wasn’t trapped. The sea was my true home. I was a mermaid and this was my world.

Betrayal
(The Syrenka Series, Book 2)
YA Urban Fantasy by Amber Garr

Available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Blurb:
Life as a mermaid can be suffocating.

Eviana Dumahl has returned home as a clan leader, an orphan, and a heartbroken teenage girl. Her parents are dead and her boyfriend, Brendan, has decided that he needs some time away. While battling her inner turmoil, Eviana is forced into the war that Lucian Sutherland has incited amongst her own kind. With the help of Kain, her friend and formally betrothed, the two work together to prove that they deserve their birthrights as young merfolk leaders.

When the Council requests a demonstration of Eviana’s mermaid powers, she finds herself with an opportunity to win back Brendan’s heart. But her orders to train with a repulsive merman and the presence of an attractive new suitor challenges Eviana to embrace her leadership and resist temptation. Lucian is after her, and no one seems to understand why. Loyalties are tested as the casualties increase, showing Eviana that sometimes it is impossible to delineate between friends and enemies.

Betrayal is the second book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends as they navigate through the challenges of existing in a secret world.

Excerpt:
I wanted to punch him in the face.

For at least the hundredth time today, I swung my fist towards his infuriating smirk. He easily dodged it, of course, and proceeded to look down at me like a child. “You’re getting closer,” he teased.

Throwing my arms down in frustration, I shook my head. “How am I supposed to learn if you won’t even let me get a hit in?”

He laughed and resumed a fighter’s stance. “How are you supposed to learn if I just stand still and let you pummel me? That’s not ever going to happen in the real world. Now, try with your legs.”

I rolled my eyes and shifted my feet so that my stronger right leg was in front. Ideally, I’d be having this battle underwater where my legs were not an issue.

“Protect your face,” he yelled at me and I lifted my fists up to nose level. I could do this. He’d taught me how to incapacitate my enemies. Just go for the knee.

I faked a few smaller kicks, pretending to hesitate. Then, like a ninja, I struck. The underside of my right foot was directly on target and I expected it to land a perfect hit to the side of his left knee. Only it didn’t happen.

Out of nowhere, he grabbed my ankle and I was suddenly airborne. The world spun around me once before I landed with a thud on my back, effectively knocking the air from my lungs. I even saw some stars floating by. My training sessions were getting harder every day, and after this debacle, I decided that it was time to quit.

A shadow moved above me and I used my hand to block out the rest of the sun. Looking up at his ominous figure I said, “I’m done.”

I heard another laugh rumble through my trainer’s chest as he reached down and grabbed my arm. In one swift motion, he pulled me up off the ground.

“You would have broken my knee with that kick, Eviana. I had to stop you.” I glared at him. “What?” he continued. “I’m not going to let you hurt me. But you did well. I knew that you’d learn eventually.”

I jumped towards him as fast as I could, intending to get him in a choke hold. My arms slipped around his neck, but my body kept rolling over him as he bent forward and used my momentum to toss me towards the ground. In less than two seconds, I was on my back again with a forearm pressing against my throat and my pride seeping away into the dirt.

“Ahh!” I screamed in frustration. The annoying grin on his face told me that I would never beat him in a fair fight. Palmer was my cousin, my trainer, and also one of the numerous protectors now living at my house. We’d been practicing for the past two weeks and although I couldn’t hurt him yet, Palmer reassured me that I was improving.

Arise
(The Syrenka Series, Book 3)
YA Urban Fantasy by Amber Garr

Available at:
Amazon | Smashwords

Blurb:
With power comes the responsibility to accept its consequences.

After the betrayal of those closest to her, Eviana Dumahl struggles to cope with her new reality. Kidnapped, broken, and confused, she is forced to engage in a war that will alter merfolk politics forever. With her estranged father leading the charge, Eviana has no choice but to stand by his side. Her continued existence hinges on the acceptance of the power growing inside her, even when that means embracing the family’s dark lineage.

Kain Matthew will sacrifice the world for Eviana. And he is not alone. As time runs out, her friends fight to save her life and theirs. An unlikely alliance gives them the edge they need to take a stand, although it keeps Eviana’s heart trapped in the past. A new discovery explains some of her previous mistakes, but it may not be enough to stop her father’s plans. Merfolk, selkies, and water sprites work together to save their kind, only in this final battle, not everyone will survive.

In the striking series conclusion, Eviana will learn the true meaning of power, sacrifice, and love.

Excerpt:
**Eviana**
When Graham and I surfaced back inside our coral-walled prison, we noticed that someone had brought us two plates of food. Without speaking to him, I pulled myself out of the water and willed my legs to come back to me. Considering our history, I might have had some concern over Graham seeing me naked, but once again, I couldn’t muster up the energy to care.

“I see they’ve improved the food,” he commented.

“Doesn’t matter, I’m not eating,” I said without even looking at the plates. Now that we had the light from underwater, it made it easier to move about the room and identify what Lucian’s cronies were feeding us.

“No?”

“Nope,” I said as I finished pulling my shirt over my head. When I turned around, I saw Graham chewing on a piece of pineapple and sifting through the rest of the items. Much to my dismay, my stomach growled. It was so loud that Graham chuckled.

“Perhaps your body wants some nourishment.”

“I don’t care.”

“Suit yourself, tart.”

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him. The smell of the food was overwhelming and I couldn’t help but look down at it. “Don’t call me that,” I said but spoke more to the plate. There was some type of fish wrapped in a banana leaf and it smelled delicious.

“You’re drooling,” he teased.

“It’s probably poisoned.”

He bit into another piece of fruit. “Well, I haven’t eaten anything solid in days, so I’ll take my chances.” Grabbing his plate, he sat down cross-legged on the floor and proceeded to stuff his face.

Tempted, I fought the urge to give in. I didn’t really know what the purpose of my hunger strike was and how it would help get me out of here. I guess I just wanted to be difficult.

**Kain**
I finished packing up the duffle bag full of knifes, hand grenades, and a couple of Japanese short swords. It was Julian’s weapon of choice, but I preferred to stick with my natural abilities. I’d been practicing my compulsion and my water control seemed to improve every day. It was like a switch had been turned on and I suddenly knew exactly how to manipulate the element with very little effort. The compulsion I would save for a few choice selkies if needed.

As if listening to my internal thoughts, Brendan appeared on the beachside deck and knocked on the door frame. Neither of us acknowledged his presence, so he walked inside and sat down next to Daniel.

“I need to talk to Marisol,” Daniel said and quickly jumped out of his chair then disappeared around the corner. I would thank him for that later.

“Do you need any help?” Brendan asked.

“Nope.”

After a full minute of silence, he spoke again. “Abhainn will find her, right?”

I stopped filling the snack bag I was working on and took a deep breath. Do I respond or do I stay silent? I decided to listen to my heart. “Do you really care?”

As though I stabbed a sword through him too, Brendan recoiled in shock. “Of course I care! I love her more than anything in this world!”

“If you truly did love her, you would have left a long time ago.” My voice wavered with anger and a thousand other emotions. Apparently we were going to have this discussion and I wasn’t fully prepared to filter my words.

Brendan jumped to his feet and leaned across the table toward me. “You would have loved that, wouldn’t you? Having her to yourself. Going through with a marriage she never wanted. It would have been perfect for you if I would have stayed in Washington, right?”

“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth. “She would have had a chance to choose me.”

“She always had that chance. I never stopped her.” He moved around the edge of the table so that we were looking at each other eye to eye. I could see the lines around his face and the grey tone of his skin. He looked like hell and I smiled. “What’s so funny?” he snapped.

Ignoring his question, I stared into his eyes. “She doesn’t want you now.”

He sucked in air then turned away from me. “But I need to help her.”

“No, you don’t. We have this under control.”

About the Author:
Amber Garr spends her days conducting scientific experiments and wondering if her next door neighbor is secretly a vampire. Born in Pennsylvania, she lives in Florida with her husband and their furry kids. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain that she has a supernatural sense of smell. She writes both adult and young adult urban fantasies and when not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie.

Email Amber or visit her at her Website, Blog, Facebook, and/or Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY: "Mishap & Retribution (Mishap Series, Book 3)" by M.M. Shelley (VBT Presented by Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-07-19T18:19:00.000-04:00

Mishap & Retribution
(Mishap Series, Book 3)
Sci-Fi/Fantasy YA by M.M. Shelley

Available at:
Amazon | Smashwords

Blurb:
At the Dawn of Time a curse against Man was made and only Death will satisfy it.

The year is 2045 and twins Grasiella and Tatiana who are Cinerian, Fae and Human must choose a side and may find themselves on different sides of an ancient war.

With Tatiana trapped in the Fae realm and learning what life has been like, she has found herself bonding with the Fae. Grasiella seeking the whereabouts of her twin has come to a crossroads of her own.

Separated and neither knowing the fate of the other, each make their way to an uncertain future.

Death has swept across the Hawaiian Islands and the cost of peace may be too high.

Excerpt:
Grasiella kept a safe distance between herself and Missy as she followed her through the thick jungle of the Big Island of Hawaii. Missy was keeping something from her; she could feel it and Grasiella had to know what it was. It was not an easy task to locate Missy or to follow her, Missy was fast and she seemed to fly from tree to tree. She suddenly vaulted onto the ground only to run like a gazelle around the trees and brush. Grasiella had never needed to work so hard at trying to stay concealed; she had experienced a close call the first time that Missy had come crashing to the earth from her high perch in the trees.

Earlier in the day Missy had agreed to meet with Grasiella after receiving a gnome who had carried the message. Grasiella had needed to swipe a strand of hair from Missy without her realizing what she was doing; she had used the strand of hair for a tracking charm. It was the only way that Grasiella was able to keep up with Missy; if not for the charm she would have lost her miles back.

Over the course of the last few weeks Grasiella’s skills at charms had improved, it was a skill she had never thought to use for anything other than her own amusement. Now she had no choice but to use her magic as a way of discovering the secrets that everyone on the islands seemed to be carrying around with them. Those secrets were pivotal to her and her twin sister Tatiana’s survival.

Missy came to a stop at the base of the Kohala Mountains her body tensed as she stood unmoving. Grasiella used the trunk of a tree to block herself from view and peeked out to watch carefully. It seemed as if the air had become still and the noises of the jungle had come to a halt as she anxiously waited to see what Missy would do next.

Missy’s head rolled to the right, her right arm rose level with her shoulder until it suddenly shot skyward stretching up, her palm opened filling with the light from the sun. Ever so slowly her head rolled to the left and she repeated the movements on the left side of her body. Very slowly her arms began to drop until they rested at her sides and as they dropped a piece of the mountain shifted ever so slightly to the left. Missy kicked out with her left leg jumped into the air and landed on her hands in a handstand position her back to the Kohala Mountains. Her right leg bent backwards and very slowly she touched the mountain with her foot.

Another piece of the mountain shifted aside this time it revealed an opening in the shape of a trillion. Missy pushed against the ground with her hands, swung back around until she was on her feet and strode into the mountain, sealing it shut behind her.

Mishap & Mayhem
(Mishap Series, Book 1)
Sci-Fi/Fantasy YA by M.M. Shelley

Available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Blurb:
For centuries magical beings have hidden in the darkness, waiting. Some good, some evil. A battle is brewing, and only twins, Grasiella and Tatiana, have the power to stop it.

Mishap & Chaos
(Mishap Series, Book 2)
Sci-Fi/Fantasy YA by M.M. Shelley

Available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Blurb:
Deep within the Hawaiian islands is a hidden danger. An island witch who wants nothing more than to end the line of Pele, the fire goddess. Her influence has breached Pele’s inner circle.

The twins are also faced with the consequences of a freed Mnemosyne who no longer stands alone. As others from her world have traveled to earth with unclear intentions.

Grasiella and Tatiana’s only focus is to find their missing grandmother. Risking everything, not knowing if she is dead or alive.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in every day life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

Website: http://www.mmshelley.com
Blog: http://mmshelley.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MM_Shelley
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MM-Shelley/174012559302730

GIVEAWAY: "Something's Lost and Must be Found" by Lisa Begin-Kruysman (VBT Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-07-02T08:43:00.001-04:00

Something’s Lost and Must be Found
by Lisa Begin-Kruysman
Self-Published
Non-Fiction, Animal Care & Pets, Dogs

Available at:
Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle Edition)

Currently boasting 37 Five Star Reviews on Amazon! Recently nominated as a "give-away" for World Book Night by an avid dog-book reader.

Blurb:
The seven short tales in this collection were written by a dog-lover to be enjoyed by those who cherish or are guardians of man’s best friends. Each story stands alone, connected only by a theme of things “lost and found.” In each instance characters find resolution through the help of some search and rescue dogs of the soul; a mother coping with a tragic loss, a father trying to reconnect with his son, a teen-age girl dealing with some weighty issues, a jobless young man attempting to regain his humanity, a single woman searching for self-worth, and a loyal dog-owner watching over his beloved dog that is searching for his “true and happy home.”

These stories evoke that feeling a human gets when after letting a dog off-leash to run freely, their best furry friend returns for a mini-reunion, requesting to be led back home. At that moment all is right in the world. Even those who aren’t among the legion of dog-loving Americans can make a personal connection with these stories, one that resonates in some area of their life.

Excerpt:
From title story...
I walked down the road calling “Tony, Tony,” like a robotic recording, wandering down to the shoreline where happy beachgoers and their dogs scurried and skidded in the sand, darting in and out of the foamy residue of receding waves. Scanning the horizon I hoped for a glimpse of Antonio, trying not to think of his fate if he’d been pulled out to sea by the tide.

Not ready to return home, I left the beach, traveling on a path that led away from the condo. Above me, twisted branches of Live Oak dripping with feathery grey Spanish moss arched and met forming a canopy. In the dark tunnel of trees I cursed this place, a place I had trusted to help me heal, no longer a last resort for hope; but a tourist trap of lost souls.

What had happened to my heart? I wondered bitterly. It had become so hardened that I’d been unable to offer love to a poor little dog when he’d needed it most. Now I would probably never get another chance.

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About the Author:
Lisa Begin-Kruysman lives in Ocean County, New Jersey, with her husband, Rich and Portuguese water dog, Hooper. Her short fiction has garnered national recognition in writing competitions sponsored by Calliope Writers and Writer’s Digest Magazine. In 2010, the author launched a blog dedicated to the venerable National Dog Week Movement established in 1928. With over one-hundred posts to-date, she has learned that now, more than ever, there is a need for an intelligent exchange about the state of the dog in the states of the nation. To learn more about National Dog Week and to be part of the next chapter, please go to http://nationaldogweekbook.wordpress.com. In an informed and enlightened world, every dog can have its day and hopefully its week, too.

VBT Schedule:
Jul 2: The YA Cafe
Jul 3: The Bunny's Review (Review)
Jul 4: Hywela Lyn - Romance That's 'Out Of This World'
Jul 5: My Devotional Thoughts (Guest Post/Review)
Jul 6: Sandra's Blog (Guest Post)

GIVEAWAY: "Minder" by Sandra Cox (Blog Barrage Presented by CBLS Promotions)

2012-06-21T10:17:00.002-04:00

Minder
Paranormal YA by Sandra Cox

Available at:
MuseitUp Publishing

Blurb:
Among the northern tribes there is a legend passed down from generation to generation about shape-shifting Minders—guardians of the innocents—and how they came to be.

It is said that nowadays only a handful of Minders exist, hunted to near extinction by a fearsome beast. Of the remaining Minders, only one wears a garnet-studded collar, the symbol of protection and royalty.

Even when my aunt told me the story, and handed me an ancient garnet-studded band, I had no idea the tale applied to me.

After all, it’s only a legend…

Excerpt:
At the cliff’s edge, I stopped and listened to the steady lap of the waves against the rocks. I sucked cold air deep into my lungs. Night sounds surrounded me. A purr of contentment rose in my throat. I’m getting used to the purr. It’s a great way to express pleasure.

I pivoted toward the house and saw my aunt silhouetted in the window, the light at her back. I lifted my hand. She waved back.

The wind shifted. I smelled a rabbit. My butt twitched as the perfume of warm flesh filled my nostrils. His rapid heartbeat pulsed through my ears. I forgot all about Aunt and went bounding into the forest.

The rabbit saw me. With a frightened squeak, he hopped away, his little powder-puff tail white in the dark. I leapt after him and laughed with exuberance from the sheer joy of being alive.

The rabbit ran deep into the woods. I followed. Fear gave the bunny speed and he stayed just out of my grasp.

It happened gradually. My joints began to stiffen. The hair on the nape of my neck rose. A horrific scent filled my nostrils and made my stomach flop. No longer the hunter, at some point, I became the prey.

A heavy body crashed through the underbrush not far behind me.

My legs pumped and my heart pounded. Panicked, I pulled the mace out of my pocket.

Try as I might I couldn’t outrace whatever chased me. I swear I could feel hot breath on my back. As it closed the gap between us, it gave a piggish squeal of pleasure.

Sweat poured out my pores. My legs cramped. My sides on fire, I pushed myself harder.

A growl sounded behind me. It echoed and reechoed off the trees. Goose bumps roughened my skin. I glanced back. My heart moved up to my throat. My joints locked and made it almost impossible to run.

Still looking over my shoulder, I tumbled head first over a log. Rough bark scraped my shins. The can of mace rolled out of my hand. The scent of rotting wood and insects filled my nostrils as I landed on my elbow, my knees cocked at an awkward angle over the log.

I started to pull my legs back and scramble to my feet but I wasn’t fast enough. The beast’s hot breath penetrated my sweats, moments before his fangs pierced my thigh to the bone.

A scream filled the night. It took me a moment to realize it was mine.

Fire swirled through my blood. I swear I felt it bubble. My bones pushed hard against my skin. My vision blurred as muscle and tendons began to shift beneath my skin.

As the beast lumbered over the log after me, a wildcat shrieked nearby, his high-pitched snarl as terrifying as the monster that ripped my flesh.

The beast paused, his massive head swung in the direction of the feral sound. My heart pounded and stretched as if caught in a vise, but my vision cleared. What I saw filled me with abject terror. It was the stuff nightmares are made of. A black bear, no a huge wolf, with glowing crimson eyes, bore down on me.

A leonine scream of challenge echoed through the pines, bounced off rock and echoed in my ears. Fighting the pain coursing through my vibrating body, I forced my aching neck to turn.

The moon shown full on a beautiful puma, his lips drawn back, his tail lashing. He tilted his head and snarled. And the hits keep on a coming. Would I become beast fodder or puma silage? At the moment, I wasn’t in any condition to fight off either.

For one brief moment, the cat looked directly at me. My breath caught in my throat. Those eyes were eerily reminiscent of the stranger in the restaurant. The man called Kylar. Then the puma turned his attention to the beast. His ears back, he roared another challenge.

The beast threw back his head and responded, his mouth open he howled at the moon. The sound sent chills down my spine. A spine that felt like it was breaking and re-forming.

The puma screamed in response.

The beast turned from me and lumbered toward the puma. Even though the cat was large it was still half the size of the beast. They ran toward each other. The earth trembled as they clashed like titans their challenges ringing in the night.

I couldn’t concentrate on them any longer. My bones were stretching like rubber bands. It hurt like hell. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I bit my lips till they bled trying to keep from shrieking. Not wanting to draw the attention of the two wild animals fighting only yards away.

I crawled to the log and somehow got to my feet. Everything swirled around me. As my clothes fell off my pencil thin form, I stopped worrying about drawing attention to myself and began to screech. “What’s happening to me?”

Every inch of my body felt on fire as my joints exploded and my bones reformed. My cries turned to snarls. Sleek black fur sprouted through my skin.

“Oh, my God. Oh, my God,” I tried to say, but a cat’s cry escaped my lips. Warm blood, from the monster’s bite, coated my hind leg, but it was a minor concern compared to what was happening to me. No legend. Aunt Gin knew.

Then the pain disappeared. A dull ache where the monster bit me persisted but other than that I felt glorious. I threw back my head and roared.

About the Author:
Multi-published author Sandra Cox writes Crossover YA, YA Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Time Travel Romance and Metaphysical Nonfiction. She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters and an occasional foster cat.

Email: sandracox1@gmail.com
Website: http://www.sandracox1.com
Blog: http://sandracox.blogspot.com

Giveaway:
Sandra is offering two giveaways during her barrage. Fill in the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win an eBook copy of her paranormal romance, "Vampire Bay". Sandra is also featuring a month-long giveaway on her blog to celebrate of the release of "Minder". Go HERE to enter for a chance to win a set of butterfly pins, a Starbucks gift certificate, a book dedication, and a FREE download of "Minder".

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click banner below for schedule and more chances to win!

BOOK FEATURE: "The Earth Painter (Painter Series)" by Melissa Lee (VBT Presented by Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-06-06T09:10:00.002-04:00

The Earth Painter
(Painter Series)
Paranormal/Fantasy YA by Melissa Lee

Available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Reviews
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13742264-the-earth-painter

Blurb:
When a self-conscious young woman discovers the boy in drama class is actually the immortal who painted the world into being, she becomes the target of another painter who hates humanity.

The Earth Painter is a Young Adult Supernatural Romance set in the small mill town of Chesnee, SC.

It revolves around Holly Scruggs, who's family has just moved back to Chesnee after her dad lost his job along with pretty much everything they owned.

Her image conscious parents correct her to the point of brokenness until she meets Theo. He is the artist responsible for all the beauty of the land and he thinks Holly is beautiful too. Together they will fight against Fritz, the water painter who hates humans and is hiding a secret under the high school.

About the Author:

Melissa Lee is a wife and stay-at-home-mom of 3 young boys. She’s been making up stories in her head for as long as she can remember but only got serious about it in 2007, after reading Twilight and rediscovering her own dreams to write.

Finally, she put her Journalism degree to use and started writing and hasn’t stopped since. She has studied fiction writing at various conferences, and from numerous writing coaches.

She signed her first contract with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing in 2011

Visit Melissa at http://melissaleeweirdfiction.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY: "Hotblood (A House of Slide Novel)" by Juliann Whicker (VBT Presented by Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-05-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hotblood
(A House of Slide Novel)
Paranormal YA by Juliann Whicker

Blurb:
He stole a kiss from the wrong girl…

Left without a soul, 17-year-old Dariana Sanders waited to die. There was nothing left to live for, nothing to feel besides the aching cold that never stopped.

Her parent’s marriage was in shambles, and her brother, the only one who understood, the only one who knew how to make the cold go away, was gone forever.

The only thing Dariana knew with absolute certainty was that nothing could possibly be right again.

Enter Lewis Axel Nialls. Luckily for her, impossible is right up his alley.

He can save her from the forces that wish to destroy her. Of course who’s going to save him, from her?

Excerpt:
This excerpt from House of Slide, Hotblood is a scene after Dariana has stolen the Hotblood soul and is coming to terms with the life she had after her brother took everything from her along with her soul.

That night I dreamed I sat at the piano, my feet swinging unable to touch the pedals as I carefully plunked out notes. Devlin’s laugh distracted me from the complicated chords and I looked up to frown at him but he had his cello. With a flick of his fingers he sent me off on a goose chase, trying to keep up with him. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t play the right notes but it didn’t matter since he followed me when I stumbled and made every mistake beautiful. The dream shifted until I played in the moonlight of the darkened music room, the notes perfect and dead. I watched my fingers move effortlessly across the keys, the sound distant, hollow. I let my fingers stop but the music continued, a piano playing the heartbroken chords of moonlight sonata.

I blinked awake in my bed but the song continued, distant, but definitely Beethoven. I jerked my blankets back and threw open my door. I didn’t think; I moved following the ghost of song, a melody that played out the ache inside of my chest. I ran down the stairs and through the hall and stopped at the door across from the room with jars. When I stepped through the door, I could make out the contours of a piano in the corner. It was beautiful— the black reflecting the light from the moon shining through the window, the white keys punctuated with sharps and flats. I was still for a moment feeling the cold that had wrapped around my heart for so long. Devlin had taken away music.

I stepped forward and knocked the bench over with my knees. The rattle as it hit the floor startled me and I reached for a leg to pick it up. Instead the leg came off in my hand, like pulling the leg off of a spider, I thought as I gripped the carved leg in my hand. Devlin had taken away dancing. My hand seemed to rise on its own volition, the leg above my head. I closed my eyes and for a second felt a flicker of the stillness and control I’d caught the first day of knitting, but the thought of Devlin taking away the beauty of music shattered the calm.

There was a crack as I brought the bench leg down on the keyboard. Devlin had taken away color. There was an anguished screech, a sharp crack as the keyboard buckled in the middle. Devlin had taken away my mother, crash, my father, smash, and myself. I kept hitting the piano, the splintered wood flying all around me. I felt the sting as slivers found my skin, my cheek, arm, but I kept smashing, until the leg I’d used was a splintered mess. I grabbed what I could of the former beauty and shoved it with all my strength. The crunch and tinkling as it struck the wall wasn’t enough.

I stood panting needing something else to destroy, grabbing fistfuls of my hair, wanting something to hurt, but I already hurt. The pain inside of me was more than any pain I could ever inflict on anyone or anything. I crumpled to the floor feeling like I’d been beaten up. In the end Devlin hadn’t just taken apart my life, he’d taken himself too. He’d taken the brother I loved and turned him into a monster. Thinking of Devlin as a monster was more than I could bear. I buried my head in my arms and cried until I thought my body was going to shake apart.

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About the Author:
Juliann C. Whicker was raised with chickens, goats, and a cow named Mrs. Mooley who everyone (neighbors included) chased down the street in a small college town. She now lives in Southeastern Ohio with her four children, husband, and all the ticks and poison ivy a soul could crave.

Website/Blog: http:www.juliacrow.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JuliannWhicker

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