I Just Wanna Sit Here And Read!

The Mers by Ami Blackwelder: Guest Post & Giveaway {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting Ami Blackwelder for a guest post and giveaway. Enjoy!

Stewart Middle near Tampa, Fl

I attended a book event that was so much fun! I loved meeting all the kids in middle school interested in SCiFi Romance and wanting to read my books. They had a good time as well!

For other authors wanting a tip: Simply call your local schools and ask who would be interested in hosting a local author. Some even pay. You’d be surprised at how many would love to have you!

Stewart Middle May 3rd, 2011 Book Event

This was so much funny and thank you for everyone who participated. I hope you had fun and will take a look at some of the fun reading material I have to offer!

At Stewart Middle on May 12th from 6-8PM I was at the Book Fair to Sign Books

Also I gave out free pdf's, posters, bookmarks, flyers, and other fun stuff! I got to tell the kids about my book series: Shifter Evolutions. For those that missed but, here is a synopsis of The Shifters of 2040:

Alaska 2040. Three Species. Divided Lovers. The Race is on for Planet Earth.

Summary: Set in Alaska in 2040, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder must work under the iron fist of the SCM, while still trying to maintain humanity. Discovering a world of shifters and hybrids, the scientists must struggle with human prejudice and betrayal.

With the original ancestors, dubbed shifters, still living on earth, humans are in the midst of a fifteen year old war. As the eldest hybrids, Unseen and Diamond, learn about humans the hard way, with the loss of loved ones and sacrifices, love on planet earth proves challenging.

With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages.

At the Book Fair one raffle winner won the grand prize!

I was in the local paper of Zephyrhills because of my book event! How cool!

Thanks for stopping by Ami!

What lies beneath the surface?

One hundred years from now, the world has changed and brought with it, new forms of life.

Who are the Mers? Who is Mira?

Mira always knew she was different. Growing up with Mers, she never quite fit in. When Mira breaks the rules and takes Niren across the border that divides Ellis Island and New Jersey, a border that divides two vastly different worlds, she thought the journey to find out who she really is would be an easy one.

But as the world in Jersey proves to be a convoluted mix of Aristocrats who hate the Mers, Pirates who want to sell them, and Magi who want to use them...finding her true identity will be a challenge, especially when her best friend Niren is a Mer willing to fight to the death.

EXCERPT:

Liberty Shore

On the abandoned shores of Ellis Island, New York, Mira watched the pink horizon blend with subtle tones of grey and muted purples until the broken sky became an endless abyss of blackness and countless stars. Even the Statue of Liberty was barely visible anymore. Only a faint tip of Liberty’s torch stuck out of the brazen waters that had risen steadily each year for the last one hundred years.

Most of the land masses on Earth were now covered in water, with exception to mountains, and a few regions that had been prepared before the Great Deluge. Because scientists warned of the events that would transpire, the wealthiest of the world built upward upon some of the existing land to create higher ground level. Manhattan, along with Ellis island, being some of these coveted regions that the wealthiest did not want to give up to flooding.

Mira only knew of a few places still in existence, such as New York, New Jersey, and Washington state. She heard rumors there were bits of land on Africa, Europe, and Asia, but she never traveled outside of her home to know for sure. Besides, she would miss Nerin too much if she ever left, and she had everything she would ever need right here, right now. Hadn’t she?

Sliding his webbed fingers over Mira’s left shoulder, Nerin plopped next to her and took a deep breath. Handing her one of his many paper origami designs, he placed a dove into her open palm.

“For you. For peace....and overcoming fear.” Taking in a deep breath, he took pleasure in the smell of the salty sea. The ocean had captivated him, maybe as much as any young lady in Liberty Shore might captivate him. But his fixed gaze fell to Mira time and time again, more than anyone else. Something about her innocence and frankness drew him to her.

“Thanks,” Mira blushed. He always gave her things.

“I knew I’d find you here,” Nerin glanced in her direction, his eyes lit up like fire crackers.
“You know me well, I guess,” Mira blushed, her freckled cheeks reddening as she tilted her head towards him. Curling her legs underneath her chest, she shivered in the cool breeze and hugged her legs with arms covered in a maroon sweater. Nerin, enchanted with her beautiful, cherry-red hair, softly combed his webbed fingers through it.

“What is it about this spot?” Nerin raised a dark brow above his yellow eyes, untangling his hand from her hair.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I feel on the brink of discovery here....like there is something more beyond the horizon.”

“Yes, more ocean,” he chuckled, the crooked corner of his lip rose when he laughed.
“Don’t poke fun,” Mira nudged him with a hard elbow, “Besides, this place is important to your...you too.” She almost said, “your kind, too,” but remembered she didn’t want to make that distinction yet. Others noticed her differences. She saw her differences. But no one said anything out loud.

*******

About The Author: Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal, scifi, and historical genres. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand. She also wrote three nonfiction spiritual books at this time. Website

Acheivements:

In university, having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand’s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea’s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.

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Incarnate by Jodi Meadows: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Publisher: Harper Collins (January 31, 2012)
ARC: 384 Pages
Series: Newsoul # 1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Jody Meadows's Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy on Amazon!

From Goodreads.

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Review by Jess
INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows is a wonderfully written, beautiful tale of a young girl who is a new soul among a million people who have lived thousands of lives. Offering a new world for readers and a romance to die for.

I was so drawn to this book, the cover is beautiful, and upon reading the description, I had to read it. Jodi Meadow's writing is flawless and she creates a very unique story. I can honestly say I have not read anything like this. Her characters are well developed and have good personalities to go with what is going on in the story. I am easily amazed by this story. I was left dumbstruck and begging for more.

The world-building is astounding. It is pure genius the world that Meadows built so flawlessly, the creatures that plague this civilization are cool, dragons and slyph, reincarnation and characters that question the rebirth cycle. Balls revolving around soul mates. This is purely amazing.

Ana is a lost young girl, but she is also strong. I really found myself admiring her. She knows that people frown upon her. Her life erased someone else's who'd been around for thousands of years but she still pursues an education and has a passion for music. She is dynamic and complicated but I found myself loving her.

Sam, oh how I loved Sam. He was perfect but kept himself distant romantically from Ana for what seemed like forever. He seems like a far away dream. His character was so well planned out and his true identity was such a pleasant surprise and added so much more meaning to his and Ana's relationship both as friends and more.

This novel has been added to my top favorite books, and I am looking forward to more from Jodi Meadows and eagerly await the next installment of this series. I was left awe-struck with a million and one thoughts running through my head about the possibilities of what could happen next. Well done, Jodi Meadows.

In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long: Guest Post {Blog Tour}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:39:00 +0000

Pages: 368
Format: Paperback, Kindle
ISBN: 1456310542
Publisher: CreateSpace/Inspired Quill Press
Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle | Amazon Paperback | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

***Newly edited by Sara-Jayne Slack, Inspired Quill Press***

The Tylers have a perfect life—beautiful home, established careers, two sweet and talented daughters. Their eldest daughter, Leah, an exceptional soccer player, is on track for a prestigious scholarship. Their youngest, Justine—more responsible than seems possible for her 12 years—just wants her sister’s approval. With Leah nearing the end of high school and Justine a seemingly “together” kid, the parents are set to enjoy a peaceful life…until everything goes wrong. Can this family survive in Leah’s wake?

Margot Livesey, award-winning author of Banishing Verona, calls In Leah's Wake "a beautifully written and absorbing novel."

When happens when love just isn't enough?

An Ode to Bloggers, by Terri Giuliano Long

Last May, a month or so after I began marketing my novel, In Leah’s Wake, a former agent told me that I would never sell 500 books. A rookie, I had no idea what to expect. When I published the novel, I’d dreamed of selling a 3,000 – 5,000 books, hoping healthy sales numbers would attract the attention of an agent or traditional publishing house for my next novel.

The agent had left New York, but she’d been in the business for a long time, and her words stung. I hung up the phone, heartbroken, depressed. Had I not been in the midst of my first blog tour, I might have pulled my novel off the market that day.

Determined to see the tour through, I soldiered on. On the tour, I met wonderful, caring people, book bloggers, whose kindness buoyed and sustained me.

Over the next few months, In Leah’s Wake appeared on hundreds of blogs. Bloggers opened their hearts and spread the word about this quiet literary novel. In August, In Leah’s Wake hit the Barnes & Noble and Amazon charts. Now, seven months after my talk with that agent, the book has been in the Amazon top 200 for over five months, and we’ve sold just shy of 80,000 copies.

Book bloggers rock! I don’t know how to say it any better. Book bloggers are the fairy godmothers and godfathers of the literary world. They invest their talent, their energy, and their time into reviewing and promoting books – and keeping dreams alive.

Even today, traditional media refuse to recognize or review indie books. In this very real sense, book bloggers are the heart and soul of the indie revolution. Their vision, their energy, and their determination have enabled this amazing populist movement to take hold.

Today, we have the great good fortune of hearing the funny, poignant, intelligent voices of new authors from around the world - voices that, just a few years ago, might have been silenced by the gatekeepers of the old guard. These voices reach into hearts and minds, forging connections, uniting us in a community of readers and writers, searching for and finding, through words, the better part of ourselves. Because, truly, at heart, this is what reading and writing is all about.

Here’s to you, book bloggers! You are and always will be my heroes!

AUTHOR BIO: Terri Giuliano Long is the bestselling author of the award-winning novel In Leah’s Wake. Her life outside of books is devoted to her family. In her free time, she enjoys walking, traveling, and listening to music. True to her Italian-American heritage, she’s an enthusiastic cook. In an alternate reality, she might be an international food writer. She lives with her family on the East Coast and teaches at Boston College. In Leah’s Wake is her debut novel.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

This week, Terri and Inspired Quill Press (paperback edition), launch a newly edited edition of In Leah’s Wake. The newly edited novel features a new chapter and several new scenes, adding new connections and insights, and tightens the book, cutting 60 pages – all while maintaining the integrity of the original edition.

Recipient of the CTRR Award for excellence

2011 Book Bundlz Book Pick

Book Bundlz 2011 Favorites, First Place

Praise for In Leah’s Wake

"Sometimes scary, sometimes sad, and always tender."

Susan Straight, National Book Award finalist, author Take One Candle Light A Room

"In Leah's Wake is a beautifully written and absorbing novel."

Margot Livesey, Award-winning author of Banishing Verona

“Pulled me right along as I continued to make comparisons to my own life.”

Jennifer Donovan, 5 Minutes for Books, Top 50 Book Blog

“An incredibly strong debut, this book is fantastic on many fronts.”

Naomi Blackburn, Founder Sisterhood of the Traveling Book

A Kiss for Emily by J.P. Galuska: Promo Spot & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Buy Links: EBook: Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N
Paperback: Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N

A Kiss for Emily is a love story gone awry.

It's difficult to comment about the book, because discovering the paranormal is half the excitement. Not to give too much away, it's safe to say that 17 yr-old Emily Stokes never thought that falling in love would put her smack-dab in the middle of chaos. Or have her question her own sanity! When strange occurrences turn unbelievable, it becomes a race against time to save her from none other than the good-guys.

Recently given 5-Stars from the Paranormal Romance Guild, this story is sure to please YA readers and those young at heart.

A Kiss for Emily is the first in the series; J P Galuska is currently busy writing the second book, A Gift for Emily.

J P would love to hear from you! She can be reached on :

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Website

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If You See Her by Shiloh Walker: Review {Blog Tour}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read If You Hear Her there may be spoilers ahead.

Publisher: Ballantine Books (January 31, 2012)
Mass Market Paperback: 368 Pages
Series: The Ash Trilogy #2 ( My Review of If You Hear Her )
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense

From Goodreads. A FACE IN THE MIRROR

Hope Carson may not look like a survivor, but she has escaped an abusive ex-husband and recovered from a vicious assault. Now she endures the painful memories and suspicious rumors surrounding her involvement in the attack. Her ex is a cop, so the last people she trusts are law enforcement officials—and she certainly doesn’t trust how the local DA makes her feel inside.

Remy Jennings should know better. He has no business falling for a woman who he suspects may have a deeply troubled mind. And even if he did make a move, she’d bolt like a frightened rabbit. But how can he deny a burning desire that threatens to consume him? As Hope’s past catches up with her in the worst way, Remy is determined to break through her defenses, earn her trust, and keep her safe in his arms—before it’s too late.

Review by Kate
IF YOU SEE HER, by Shiloh Walker, is the awesome sequel in the Ash Trilogy. After briefly meeting Hope and Remy in the previous installment, this is the book that we really get to know them.

The one thing that really stands out to me is when authors have series's that focus mainly on a romantic couple and never let me have favorites! I thought Lena and Ezra from If You Hear Her could never be topped but I was wrong. I loved reading about Hope and Remy so much!! Even though Hope and Remy are the main romantic couple this time around, my favorite citizens of Ash still appeared in a smaller capacity, which makes this series unique in that you get a well rounded view of Ash, Kentucky, in the midst of a horrible killer.

As I said, we got a brief look at this characters in the previous book so I knew a little of what to expect. I truly felt bad for Hope throughout the whole book! Walker did not let up on this girl!! This book explored her backstory in an abusive relationship with her ex-husband and the fact she was hiding from him. Insert ex-husband here. It was enough that Hope almost died in the last book, she was the target once again in her personal life. But Remy made some of the angst go away when he swooped in and fell for her…hard. I liked how Walker started this relationship off on a professional level and it slowly turned into something magical. The chemistry was…whew…hot, and each scene they were in together was ripe with sexual tension. Even after reading a few of Walker's books I am still breathless after reading her love scenes.

Watch me as I gush over the romance part and still want to talk about the other half of the genre…the suspense! There was enough suspense in the previous book to keep me on my toes but this one literally gave me chills. The killer still lurked in the pages under the guise of small paragraphs that just made me want to jump into the book and hog-tie him to keep him away from my beloved characters. I can't get over the word "creepy" when I think of him…and I still have no idea who it could be!!

I am anxiously awaiting the final book, If You Know Her, for (1) finding out who the killer is and (2) Law Reilly (yum, yum, yum, loved him since Book 1) to be one of the main characters along with Nia (who storms in Book 2 with a vengeance). So if you have not started on this series you better get a jump on that since it wraps up in February!

*Thanks to Shiloh Walker for donating a review copy for the tour. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops below:

1/23 - The Book Vixen

1/24 - Urban Girl Reader

1/26 - Under the Covers

1/27 - I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow: Guest Post & Giveaway {Blog Tour}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today I have Heather Snow on the blog for a guest post & giveaway. Also be sure to click the banner above for the schedule for the rest of the tour. Enjoy!

I’m so excited to be here today at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! Thanks to Kate for hosting me on this very first stop on my very first blog tour, and to you—her readers—for being kind to a newbie! My name is Heather Snow and Sweet Enemy, my debut Regency historical romance with a touch of mystery, is coming out from NAL Signet Eclipse in less than two weeks now—February 7th, to be exact. After the long wait from sale (October 2010) to publication, I can hardly believe it’s finally almost here.

But unlike many authors, I haven’t been waiting my whole life for this moment. I didn’t set out to be a writer at all. In fact, my degree is in Chemistry. But I have always been an avid reader with wide ranging tastes, and romance has always been a love of mine—at least since the day that I discovered my Nana’s hidden stash, secreted behind her recliner on the very lowest shelf of her bookcase. Okay, I’ll admit, I strayed from romance for a few years where I read almost strictly horror (how could you not after discovering Stephen King’s “It”? Brilliant, twisted man…) and crime/mystery novels, but after a few years, I came back to my first love, historical romance.

So when the writing bug did bite, historical romance was the natural choice for me to try my hand at. As a story formed in my mind, it was no surprise that it included my other loves —chemistry and mystery (I couldn’t find a way to incorporate horror into romance—unless you count the terror my poor hero feels when he realizes he’s trapped for two weeks in a house full of marriage-minded females!). And so, my Regency-era lady chemist was born, and of course, she has a mystery to solve. Liliana goes undercover as a husband-hunter at that same house party to uncover who was responsible for the death of her father.

I had great fun researching the chemistry of the early nineteenth century and using it to shape Liliana Claremont into a character I hope readers adore—and to help her get out of some of the scrapes she gets herself into! But while the story is flavored with chemistry and mystery elements, Sweet Enemy is, at its heart, a romance. Liliana needed the perfect hero for such an independent, brilliant woman, and she finds him in Geoffrey Wentworth, Earl of Stratford. Too bad Geoffrey also happens to be her enemy, the son of the man she suspects of murder.

If you’d like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of Sweet Enemy, you can find it here.

I’d be happy to give away an early signed copy of Sweet Enemy to one random commenter. I’d also love to know, what’s your favorite story where characters start out as enemies but end up in love?

Thanks for stopping by Heather!

Sweet Enemy is available for Pre-Order right now wherever books are sold and will available widely on February 7, 2012.

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs. When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford. But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess. If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

BIO: Heather Snow is a historical romance author with a degree in Chemistry who found she much preferred creating chemistry on the page, rather than in the lab. She is forever trying to wrangle her left and right brain to work together (some days with more success than others!), but if her two sides had to duke it out, left would win every time—which can be a creative challenge. Luckily, she loves challenges…she just goes about solving them analytically.

One of Heather's favorite quotes is from Carl Jung, who said, "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed." Her background in chemistry prepared her for writing romance better than one might think: There are rules to follow, and some you can break when you want to experiment. Historical romance, like science, requires careful research. Most chemical reactions require a catalyst to drive them, just like characters require motivation to drive the story forward. And finally, both chemistry and writing, if done well, involve a precise mixture of elements and careful manipulation to achieve that perfect reaction that makes you want to sigh with satisfaction.

Heather sincerely hopes you find her stories have just the right chemistry…

Please visit her at www.HeatherSnowBooks.com, on Facebook or on Twitter .

Mind Over Matter by S.J. Clarke: Promo {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting a promo spot for MIND OVER MATTER, by S.J. Clarke, with a special excerpt. Enjoy!

Rebecca McKenney grieved the loss of her daughter for three years. Now, a vision showing Sabrina three years older, suggests her baby is still alive, and the FBI agent who gave up the search is the only one who can help find her.

Special Agent Dan Cooper is haunted by a tragic mistake made early in the investigation of Sabrina's disappearance. Now to ease his conscience he agrees to help Rebecca search.

Together they fight inner demons, all to real bad guys, and an attraction neither wants to admit to. Each step closer to finding Sabrina is a step deeper into deception and evil.

Can Rebecca and Dan save Sabrina before it's too late?

Excerpt:

Rebecca swallowed her shame, remembering what happened the last time they were in this room together, the day Dan left. No excuse justified their behavior. Not the two bottles of wine they shared, not the news that the rest of Dan's team were already packed up and gone, and certainly not her grief. Closing her eyes couldn't block the memory of the anger in that first kiss, or the desperation in what followed. Her lack of inhibition in those moments still tormented her, pushing her toward another drink every day since then.

Dan shook his head. He kept his expression neutral, but the clenched jaw gave him away.

“What are you doing here, Rebecca?” He kept his voice low and controlled.

Rebecca squared her shoulders and met his accusing stare. “Whatever it takes to get through each day without my daughter.” She walked over and grabbed the glass from his hand. “This has nothing to do with anything. You're here to help me find Bree, not to judge me.”

He looked at her and the pity on his face pushed her back to the wall.

******

About The Author: S. J. Clarke has published over fifty articles as a columnist and regular contributor for a variety of lifestyle and human interest websites. She is a grateful member of the Writers' Community of Durham Region, and proud to sit on the Board of Directors for The Ontario Writer's Conference.

Sandra also co-authored Touretties, a touching tribute featuring testimonials from patients and and their loved ones living with Tourettes.

Mind Over Matter, released in November, 2011 through MuseItUp Publishing, is her first novel.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | MOM FB Page

Change of Address by Natalie-Nicole Bates: Guest Post {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I have Natalie-Nicole Bates, author of Change of Address, on the blog for a guest post. Enjoy!

From Reader to Writer in three not-so-easy steps!

By Natalie-Nicole Bates

For several years before I even formulated an idea for my first book, I was reviewing books. Being a voracious reader since I was a child, reviewing seemed like the natural choice for me.

When I was still in school, my teacher assigned us students to choose three books each semester and write a few paragraphs about them. This was my first taste of book reviewing! While I was reading and reviewing Harold Robbins and Sidney Sheldon, my teacher came to me and said, You really should be reading the classics.

To me, Sheldon and Robbins were the Masters.

Book reviewing is an art that requires a special skill set. Book reviewing sites are professionally run, and most require interested applicants to audition. Book reviewers know how a book is put together, they understand the elements of plot, setting, scene, and point of view. They look for flow, for consistency, and most of all, they know how to remain neutral.

So if a book reviewer understands the mechanics of how a good book is put together, can they become writers themselves? Maybe.

About a year ago, I decided to make the leap into writing. First and foremost, I stopped reviewing contemporary and paranormal romance (the genres I was interested in). I did this by my own choice. I now review mostly mystery and inspirational romance.

I already had my idea for a contemporary romance, and I signed up for an intensive six month course in the art of novel writing. This past summer, I sold my first novel, Change of Address, which is now available at Secret Cravings Publishing. Within a few weeks of my sale, I was offered a contract for my short paranormal, Antique Charming, which is now available at Books To Go Now. Back To You followed, which is upcoming January 30, from Bradley Publishing.

I have made successful leaps from avid reader, to reviewer, to finally, writer. But everyone’s journey is individual. Not all reviewers will become writers, not all writers review. When people ask me, how did you know you wanted to review? How did you know you wanted to write? I tell them my truth. For me, it was a burn inside of me that would not let up until I started reviewing, until I started writing. Each reader, reviewer, and writer must follow her own path to personal satisfaction.

Thanks for stopping by Natalie!

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 18 2012
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Website | YouTube Page

Saved from a traumatic past and successful in her present as a home care nurse, Josselyn Adler’s dream of home ownership in the idyllic town of Unity are dashed to pieces when Dr Ben Parnell, a cancer specialist, shows up on her doorstep claiming to be the rightful owner of the house—and Ben has a will to prove it! To Josselyn, the house represents a new start in her life. With a stable home, hopefully a much wanted family wouldn’t be far behind.

After a near career-ending allegation is made, Ben has returned home to lick his wounds. But now he must prove Josselyn’s claim to be a fake, that she used her position as a live-in nurse to his sick father to ingratiate herself into his good graces. But as he gets to know her, he can tell by her shy, often standoffish behavior, that Josselyn is a woman who has been deeply hurt in her past. Although he is attracted to the dark haired beauty that has invaded his life, he is still suspicious of her true motives and her past involvement with his father.

Content: The story is sensual, but has NO graphic sex or violence, and only mild coarse language and adult themes

About the Author: Natalie Nicole-Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her short paranormal romance, Antique Charming, was published by Books To Go Now Publishing in October 2011 and her contemporary romance, Change of Address, is scheduled to be published by Secret Cravings in January 2012.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.
She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.

Visit Natalie online at her blog.

Mishap and Chaos by M.M. Shelley: Promo Spot {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone! I’m M.M. Shelley and I would like to give a BIG thanks to Kate & Jessica here at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read, for inviting me onto their blog today so that I can share my latest book with you!

Mishap & Chaos

It’s about twin Latina girls, Grasiella & Tatiana who are hated and feared by the magical race to which they belong.

Here is an excerpt from my book:

Kye could clearly see who they were. “Faeries,” he said with a growl in his voice. “Why are we hiding from faeries?” He gritted his teeth.

She could hear the exasperation in his voice. Grasiella quickly asked, “Those are faeries? They said they know me —which is not true I never met them before.”

They both rose to a standing position, Kye moved to stand at the entrance of the alley way. “They are Kitsune, they are tricksters, Grasiella.”

“What is a Kitsune?” she asked as she joined him for a better look.

“Japanese faeries, meaning those are not real children. They were trying to mess with you for some reason. Maybe they know why you came here. Don’t worry about them,” he told her as he noticed a guarded expression in her brown eyes.

Grasiella followed Kye down the boardwalk; Kye came to a stop in front of a shack. The outside was heavily decorated with woodsy items. Tree bark was woven into an intricate pattern alongside the shack’s walls. Bits of green looked to be growing out; in one section was a patch of the Lily of the Valley flower.

“The witch doctor's in there?” Grasiella asked looking at the shack she noticed that there were no windows.

Kye pushed the door open and did not bother to answer her question. Grasiella followed him inside, it was dark, but for the light that emerged from Kye’s amber eyes. Kye called out a hello it was not met with a response.

Grasiella walked around the small shack. There were herbs that were affixed to the walls and ceiling. They were hanging down to dry out. There were so many different types that Grasiella could not name them.

A door closed, Grasiella turned in the direction of the noise. Behind them a light emerged from an iron stove which seemed to come alive. A door opened again, this time they could see clearly an old man who looked to be about a hundred. The old man walked into the small shack, looking incredibly frail. His limbs were very thin, it looked impossible for him to even stand upon his legs. They looked to have tree bark growing on them and upon closer inspection tree bark appeared to be growing from every part of his body.

“What brings you two here?” he asked. His voice was contradictory to his appearance as it was mellow and clear.

Grasiella spoke up, “Are you the witch doctor? My sister has been cursed and I need something for her.”

He eyed her curiously before asking, “So you have decided to come here?”

“How much will it cost for what we need?” Kye asked.

The witch doctor looked up at Kye who stood much taller then he did, “It is not the price that has me hesitant. It is dealing with someone such as her.” His eyes veered towards Grasiella.
“What does that mean?” Grasiella asked a bit put off by his words.

“You could ask me that, girl?” He asked with a laugh in his voice.

“Yes, you have no right to turn us away.” Grasiella was not to be discouraged by his rudeness.
Kye leaned down to impose his size onto the old man, “You do not want to become an enemy to Pele.”

The witch doctor did not look bothered by it, “I would have an enemy of your grandmother if I were to help this girl and her twin.”

Thanks again to Kate & Jessica for hosting this stop on my Mishap & Chaos tour! You can find me over at my blog; or on twitter.

Thanks for stopping by M.M.!

Twins Grasiella & Tatiana are hated and feared by the magical race to which they belong.

Deep within the Hawaiian Islands is a hidden danger an island witch who wants nothing more then to end the line of Pele, the fire goddess. Her influence has breached Pele’s inner circle.

The twins must face the consequences of a freed Mnemosyne who no longer stands alone and wants nothing more than to destroy them. Others from Mnemosyne’s 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...

About the Author: M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. MISHAP AND MAYHEM, a captivating story of faerie's and magic, is her debut novel. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in everyday life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

The Keeper by Natalie Star: Promo Spot & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting a promo spot for Natalie Star's release, THE KEEPER. Now on sale! Also check out her generous giveaway of YOUR CHOICE eBook from Decadent Publishing. Enjoy!

Buy Links: Decadent Publishing | Amazon

The morning of her sixteenth birthday, Billie feels blessed despite the reoccurring nightmare that wakes her. Loving parents, a caring boyfriend, and great friends surround her until an heirloom necklace throws her into a world she never imagined.

“Gifted” with supernatural powers and an unexpected destiny as the Keeper, Billie and a mysterious boy from her past must work together to find answers. But, as they begin to discover feelings for one another, he disappears leaving her to fight evil alone. Her life spirals out of control. She breaks up with her boyfriend, Tony, and alienates her best friends Arianna and Jocelyn to protect them from the truth.

As dark forces pursue her, Billie longs to run away from it all, yet a need to do what’s right compels her to face the future as the keeper of more than her own fortune.

EXCERPT:

“Do I want to know?” he asked uneasy.

“Probably not, so if you want to call it quits and go on with your life I would totally understand because all of what I have to tell you is unsettling and will be life changing. If you want out, now’s the time.” I waited.

I didn’t know I held my breath until Ty stopped walking. He kept his stare on the ground. “If you don’t tell me now, I will always wonder and probably regret not knowing because it seems important.”

“You need to be absolutely sure you want to know before I tell you. So think about it for a few minutes.” I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach for him.

He nodded, and we followed the overgrown trail for a while through curves and switchbacks. The path led through all kinds of trees and wild growth. Never have I seen such beauty in autumn. I could see yellows, oranges, and reds all around us. It would have been silent if it weren’t for the fluttering leaves and nuts falling from the trees, and our feet crunching over the dead vegetation on the ground. I stomped my feet, and I liked the noise it made. Crunch. Crunch.
Crunch. I put my arms out and spun in a circle while crunching. I felt giddy. I almost forgot where I was and why. Ty regarded me as if I’d lost my mind, which I probably had.

“What?” I asked as I spun past him.

“Just watching you.” He continued to watch with smiling eyes.

“It’s fun. You should try it.” I grabbed his hands because he wouldn’t come willingly, and we spun and spun until we were dizzy. We fell to the ground and lay there for a minute to catch our breath and get our heads straight.

I watched him. He seemed genuinely happy, and I felt genuinely crappy. Could I really take away his happy life and innocence? That’s exactly what I was about to do by unleashing the truth. I sat up.

He too sat up and looked toward me. “You okay?” He twirled a strand of my hair. I knew which bit of hair, too; the one that always curled away on its own.

I shook my head. “Not really. I don’t want to tell you. I thought I did, but now I’m not sure.”
“I don’t want you to tell me…not yet. First let’s have a few more minutes of normal.” He reached for my chin and tilted it toward him and pressed his lips to mine. We lay back in the leaves holding and kissing one another. We were consumed in each other’s sweet perfect kisses.

I pushed away from him and lay my head on his chest. He stroked my hair as we listened to the sounds of Mother Nature. I could hear his heartbeat, and it was calm and soothing. It didn’t match mine.

I jumped to my feet in a split second. I was on total alert. My heart pounded so loud I felt it in my ears.

“What’s going on?” Ty asked. Still on the ground where I was a second ago, he swiveled his head around.

“We’re done with normal.” I reached for my gem. Yep, cold but I didn’t need to feel it, I actually sensed it beforehand. I dropped a hand to help him up. He stared at it. “Ty, come on we don’t have time for this. I am stronger than you, much stronger, so this is why you need to get out of here.”

He took my hand. I pulled him to his feet. He gasped. With a peck on his cheek, I told him, “Go. Run.” But he stood there not moving. I saw and heard nothing. I closed my eyes and went into my mind to see what might come in the near future, and it wasn’t pretty.

“I might need to take my own advice and run.” I took Ty’s arm and dragged him along with me. It was too little, too late. We were surrounded.

“What can I do?” His voice crackled in fear. His head whipped around looking from one monster to the next. The creatures completely surrounded us. There was no way out, and they were hungry, hungry with a desire to kill. I could hear them in my head: kill.

“Try to stay alive,” I said. I felt sick to my stomach because I knew he wouldn’t make it through this.

****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Three years ago if you told me one day I would love to read and I would write a book that would be published, I would have told you you were crazy-out-of-your-mind. Since then I have read 130+ books and written 2 complete novels (one of which is being published) and I have 3 more in the works.

When I'm not reading or writing, I can be found with my husband supporting my two children on the soccer fields. Or maybe running around with my camera taking photos while camping and/or hiking. Or lastly, and most probable - I'm watching movies on Netflix while simultaneously perusing Facebook.

Our family resides in the state of Virginia along with our old-unintelligent-diabetic cat named Lucky.

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Rae of Hope by W.J. May: Guest Post

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I have W.J. May on the blog for a special guest post about the process of publishing. Enjoy!

Publishing – going Indie or with a Publisher … The checklist a writer needs to know and do
If you are reading this, the first I need to do is congratulate on you on reaching the point of publication. Writing is a long, hard process from the dreaming of the story to molding it, editing it, perfecting it, editing it, changing a few things to make it smoother, editing it, adding some foreshadowing and co-relation to things you didn’t initially see, and editing it (did I mention the editing part?) ☺ So… Congratulations on reaching this part of the amazing journey.

However, it isn’t done yet. There is a small checklist of things you need to know and do before you are published. Some of them you are probably already doing, others you might not have a clue about.

My YA Fantasy debut novel just recently was released and I’m still learning the process. There are a few things I know now that I wish I knew before. Here are a few words of advice.

Half a year before your publication date:

Start your social networking (it’s never too early)

– Have a website (if you can’t afford one or don’t want to fork money over for a professional one, go to a “free” site like yolasite.com ) Have one set up so it’s ready to go when you need it!

– Have Facebook and create a “fan” page or a Facebook page for your main character

– Twitter – either your own, or one for one of your main characters (or shoot – do two for your two main characters and have them converse together ☺

– Blog – or start one

– Make a Book Trailer (that’s a whole other blog topic on its own!)

Advertisement

– Once your cover is finalized get little adverts to post or hand out or simply available. My book is YA so I had bookmarks, postcards, flyers, magnets, calendars, pens, t-shirts, mugs, decals made up. Everybody loves free stuff. I use vista.com – they have loads of free items and great deals flying around constantly. I used business cards to make little book marks and adverts with the cover of the book, a link to my website and where the book is available.

Three to one month prior:

Your publisher will be doing this as well, but it is very important you do the leg work as well – start contacting blogs to ask if they are interested in doing a review for your book. Let them know the release date so they can work to get it done in time for the release. Reviews on Amazon, Barnes & noble, Goodreads, etc… are all helpful and it helps spread the word of your book. Once people start to see and hear, they’ll look you up (where your website comes in handy☺ and your blog, and all your other social networking that’s already all in place).

ARCs are important and will get the word out on the street about your book before it’s released.

It is REALLY important.

Set up a blog tour for after the books release. This includes reviews but also author interviews, or guest blogs (you can write a few blog ideas while you are waiting and expand on them when you go to visit a blog. Plan some to coincide with some key dates (for example, this blog I’m writing here today is up the same day I have a large book signing in my hometown, at one of our local bookstores). People who purchase your book, or stop by your table to pick up those hand little post cards or bookmarks have the opportunity to look you up on Google or Yahoo, or your website and see the links.

Plan some giveaways for your blog tours – a paperback, an eBook, a coffee mug, bookmarks or whatever else you can think of. Again, people love free stuff (I know I do!)

Schedule a party or book signing for your books release. Make it relevant to the story.

Talk with your publicist regarding their plans for book signings but make the effort to contact local stores and cities around you. Don’t just email, go in and talk to them – give them a face to the name and you’ll be surprised, most stores are really supportive of their local authors.

Send information about your book (like a little media page that covers the information of your book, a back-flap summary and short author biography) and send to local school librarians. Also include some book reviews that have already been done.

Contact papers, radios and set up a good press release.

Have fun as the day and time draws closer. And if you don’t have huge sales on the release day… keep plugging your book – it can turn out like wild fire and spread like crazy! In a super-fantastic way!!

Alrightie, time for my plugs ☺

Genre: YA Fantasy
W.J. May's Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy Link: Amazon

How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find out the truth about the past?

Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan never questioned her family’s history. That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England. Guilder is an exclusive, gifted school. Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family’s past is going to come back and taunt her.

She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become inked with a unique tattoo (tatu) on their sixteenth birthday. The tatu enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their ink-art. Both of her parents were inked, though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young. Learning about her family's past, her evil father and sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope in her own life.

Thanks for stopping by W.J.!!

The Apocalpyse Gene by Suki Michelle & Carlyle Clark: Author Interview {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting an author interview with the authors of The Apocalypse Gene. Enjoy!

How did you come up with the idea for the book and co-authoring it?

I’m a medical transcriptionist (day job), which is inherently very boring, so I entertain myself by daydreaming. I got to wondering what would happen if the cure to a pandemic was outside the hands of medical science and squarely in the arena of mystics. The core concept is a major spoiler, so I can’t say exactly what it is, but it was quite a challenge. I had no idea how to tell the story, so I asked Carlyle for help. He loved the idea, and we decided to write it together.

How do you balance each other out while writing?

Carlyle is an excellent storyteller with a gift for dialogue. My skill is in writing descriptive prose, exploring emotion, and being with the characters in real time. Those happen to be highly compatible skill sets. We balance each other out by mutual respect and the notion that no idea is too strange to put on the table, and we never EVER argue *cough*.

Are you plotters or pantsers?

I’m a plotter. I like to have a clear idea of the central conflict and story arc, but I often don’t know exactly how to get from point to point. Carlyle is pantser – he’s much freer than I when he writes, more confident. He doesn’t mind throwing stuff out there and seeing what sticks. Again compatible traits for co-writing.

How did you explore the world of The Apocalypse Gene? What key elements did you want to spotlight in that world?

I’m a native Chicagoan. I love my city and know it well. We often went on field trips, walking the routes our characters took, and imagining what it might be like if half the population was sick. We wanted to spotlight two opposing feelings in the book – the dismal hopelessness of global pandemic alongside the bright light of hope.

Why did you make the MC a female? What attributes do you think are important for a strong female MC?

Since it’s my job to write the emotional landscape of the main character’s inner world, it made sense to have our MC, Olivya, be female. I understood her from the beginning. Olivya and I have a lot in common. Though I don’t see psychic auras as she does, I am very sensitive and pick up quickly on people’s vibes. I wasn’t as confident writing the real-time experiences of our male protagonist, Mikah. In fact, if I drafted a Mikah scene, Carlyle often felt he had to “man him up” a bit. By the end of the book, I truly did understand Mikah well, but Olivya was never
distant from me.

If you look at an array of covers of YA novels published in the last few years, almost without exception, they will graced with beautiful Caucasian teenagers. Olivya is half African American and half Japanese with a head of wild, unkempt dreadlocks. There is a lack of strong female protagonists of color in the YA urban fantasy marketplace, and our book fills that niche. Olivya is a headstrong girl with her own way of doing things, but she’s also a warrior, very smart, highly sensitive, and strong. In the YA demographic, girls do most of the reading, and we directed our story toward them. We believe our book provides a strong role model for young women of every race. However, there is a lot of action as well, and boys enjoy the story too.

What are you currently working on?

We are currently hard at work on the sequel to The Apocalypse Gene, which should be released in the summer of 2012.

Thanks for stopping by Suki & Carlyle!!

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Buy Link: Amazon

Global pandemic is raging. Olivya Wright-Ono's once loving home has been converted to a hospice for the dying. Her ability to see auras forces her to witness, with agonizing detail, the vibrant colors of life consumed by malignancy.
The beautiful and troubled, Mikah, is an elite Empath in the ancient Kindred clan, led by the brooding, ever-morphing, monster named Prime. Mikah has learned a terrible truth . . . the plague is linked to Kindred origins. When Olivya sees evidence of disease creeping into her mother's aura, she has no one to turn to but Mikah. Can he unearth the Kindred secrets and find a cure? Can she trust this boy whose power allows him to manipulate her very emotions?

With her mother's life, and that of the world, in the balance, Olivya and Mikah embark on a quest to stop the Pandemic, only to discover it is far, far more than a mere disease . . .

About the Authors: Suki Michelle is a life-long Chicagoan, happily divorced and still good friends with her Ex. She lives and writes with her soul-mate, Carlyle Clark. She has one beautiful daughter, Bree, who is the first reader and critic of The Apocalypse Gene, and without her input, it wouldn't be nearly as cool! Suki's other children are of the four-legged type, Dahlia, the German shepherd; Kilala the lazy calico chub-cat; and Koney, the tortoise-shell demon cat from the Seventh Ring.

Carlyle is a burly dude from San Diego. He can look menacing at a glance, but as soon as he opens his mouth, pure intellectual. They are eternally grateful for the day they met at an on-line writer's workshop. They've been together for four years. On the outside. Suki and Carlyle are totally disparate. On the inside, they are the REAL Neo-Twins. You'll have to read The Apocalypse Gene to find out who the Neo-Twins are, but here's a hint: They are twisted devils with mirror-melded auras.

As writers, Suki and Carlyle have complementary skill sets. Lyle is plot master and edgy dialoguer. He is a huge fan of Japanese anime, and he draws upon this to choreograph fight scenes. Suki enjoys painting a character's emotional landscape and writing vivid descriptions. They both have wild imagination.

Suki and Carlyle treasure every opportunity to share their work.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss: Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting Theodora Goss for an interview. Theodora's book, The Thorn and the Blossom is fabricated with a really cool accordion design that flips over to reveal another POV in the story. Check out my REVIEW. Enjoy!

When you first envisioned the book, did you imagine the accordion - style for it or did that come in later on in the process?

Actually, the accordion format wasn't my idea at all. I was just about to go into the public library in Lexington, Massachusetts, where I live, when I got a call on my cell phone. It was my editor, Stephen Segal. We'd known each other for several years and had worked on projects together before. He told me that he had an idea for a book -- an accordion book. He described the format to me, and asked if I could write a story for it. I was so intrigued! I told him that I would certainly like to try. We did some brainstorming right then and there, and when I got home from the library, I sat down and sent him a proposal. So the story was my idea, but the format was his. I wrote the story specifically for the format -- and I think it's a story that couldn't really be told any other way.

Which POV did you like writing the most? Why did you choose to write a two-POV story?

Honestly, I loved writing both POVs. I wrote Evelyn's story first, and I was a little worried about writing Brendan's. I thought it would be harder to write because he's a male character and responds to events differently than she does. But you know, his POV was actually easier to write, I think because in many ways, Brendan is more like me. I did learn a valuable lesson: we may be male and female, but we are all human, and a good writer should be able to write characters of either gender. I chose to write a two-POV story because I needed both POVs for the format, but it turned out to be a wonderful exercise. In any story, every character has his or her own POV, own story to tell. We just don't usually get to see those POVs. Here, we do.

For this book, did the characters or plot come first to you?

That's a good question, and you know, I'm not sure. I think the plot came to me first, and the characters developed as I was writing the story. But then, certain elements of the plot developed as I was writing the story as well. So I guess the real answer is, both came to me during the process. That was part of the fun of it -- discovering the story as I wrote.

What authors/books inspired your writing?

Oh, so many! But some of my favorite authors are Jane Austen, Isaak Dinesen, Agatha Christie, H.P. Lovecraft, Angela Carter, J.R.R. Tolkien, Sylvia Townsend Warner, and T.H. White. I know that's an incredibly eclectic group, and I could add many more to the list. I love writers who are really themselves, who sound like no one else. I hope that as my career progresses, I become that sort of writer as well . . .

What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on two things. First, I'm working on a poetry collection that will come out from Papaveria Press. And second, I'm working on my first novel, based on a story of mine called "The Mad Scientist's Daughter."

It's about all the daughters of the mad scientists: Justine Frankenstein, Catherine Moreau, Mary Jekyll, Diana Hyde, Beatrice Rappaccini, and how they get together in London and form a club. It's so much fun to work on, and a good excuse to go to London for some research -- I hope!

Thanks for stopping by Theodora!

Available as an ebook
E-Book ISBN: 978-1-59474-557-7
ISBN: 978-1-59474-551-5
Book Dimensions: 5 x 7
Page Count: 82
Release Date: January 17, 2012

One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever.

When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself...

The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.

THEODORA GOSS won the World Fantasy Award in 2008 for her short story “The Singing of Mount Abora” and has been repeatedly showcased in the Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror series. She lives in Boston, where she teaches literature at Boston University. Website

Illustrator SCOTT MCKOWEN lives in Stratford,

Buy links:

The Curse of Gremdon by Ciara Knight: Promo Spot & Giveaway {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

In a world where marriage is forbidden, sex is only granted to male warriors, and the outer realm is full of murderous creatures, Arianna fights to protect the life of her only living relative, her brother.

Tardon, an elite warrior, is granted anything he desires by the Elders, but finds little joy in the voluptuous women presented to him. Born for the bloodlust found only in battle, complicated emotions emerge when he discovers his equal in the alluring warrior, Arianna.

Charged by the Elders with saving the castle from attack, Tardon and Arianna risk the curse when they traverse the vast outer realm to retrieve serum from the Tree of Life. If successful, the Elders have promised Tardon the right to marry and Arianna the cure for her brother's death fever. Will their love carry them through or will the discovery of a great deception be their ultimate demise?

Magic. Lust. Love. Sacrifice. Intensely gripping from the opening scene, this riveting tale of destiny and desire will have the reader hungering for more, page after page, all the way through the ending. ~ Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)

Excerpt:

Arianna inhaled the damp night air and glanced over the castle tower wall to the center courts. All the inhabitants lay asleep in their chambers below, leaving only her opponent and the Elder to stand as witness to her honor or demise.

She slid her palm down her leather skirt to wipe the sweat away and stepped forward, gripping her sword tightly. The Elder’s head, shrouded in a black hood, nodded in consent to begin.

Instinct propelled Arianna to attack.

Blades clanked. Tremors reverberated through Arianna’s shaking biceps. She whipped around to counter-attack. Loose strands from her braid distorted her vision of Tardon, her opponent. She swung high while he ducked.

“Certainly, you can do better.” He enunciated each word through a playful snarl.

With shoulders the size of an ox, Tardon towered over her by a foot, but she held her ground.

His copper eyes bore into her soul and his contemptuous grin ignited a flame at her core. Only her burning desire to win Elite Warrior status drove her forward and allowed her to stay focused on what was important—winning.

In one fluid motion, she swept around with her leg extended and knocked him off balance. His shoulder smacked against stone and he rolled onto the ground. Before she struck again, he arched his back and flipped onto his feet, sword at the ready.

“You would do well to pay attention to your own defense or risk the slice of my blade.” Arianna squeezed her weapon so hard her knuckles ached.

Swatting his thick brown hair away from his cheekbones, he wielded the blade in his right hand and rotated it in small circles.

From high atop the Elder’s tower, she watched the thick mist roll in over the castle walls below. Swirls of gray lingered like fingers ready to grab a leg and pull her into the darkness of the outer land. A shiver shot up her spine. Too many souls have been lost to the Curse of Gremdon. Her heart ached at the memory of the last time she held her sister. She swallowed, forcing down the incessant feeling of doom.

A sharp pain swept from her side and radiated through her abdomen, taking with it the last ounce of air in her lungs. Gasping, she clutched her side and Tardon withdrew the dark hilt of his sword from her ribs.

“Distraction means death.” He pulled back then bounded toward her.

With a well-timed pivot, she diverted another blow. Leaning back on her left leg, bringing her right knee up, she thrust her foot into his gut. He stumbled back, but swiftly regained his footing.

Both stood in a ready stance.

Both gasped for air.

Neither was willing to admit defeat.

A rush of wind filled with sweat finally penetrated the barrier in her lungs.

Dull pain settled low in her stomach, but she lunged forward, blade aimed straight at Tardon’s abdomen to claim her victory.

But he parried.

A fist smashed against her cheek. Her back slammed against the stone wall. Dust and dirt plumed around her face, taunting her to sneeze. She blinked back tears.

The familiar metallic taste of blood invaded her mouth. She swiped her leather gauntlet across her lips, wiping the blood away, never removing her eyes from Tardon.

She pushed up onto shaking legs. The Elder standing on the edge of the cobblestone circle raised his arm. His gnarled hand extended from the black cloak, ashen skin matching the surrounding mist.

The breath caught in her throat while she waited for his life or death signal. A flick of a pasty white finger summoned her to continue. Icy pain raced through her body as though she’d jumped from a great height on a cold day. The Elders only demanded death once in a thousand moons. Certainly, today would not call for true bloodshed.

But things had changed recently, and no one knew what to expect.

Tardon’s pupils widened, leaving only a thin circle of copper.

She shifted and covered her bubbling despair; her emotions threatened to ruin everything.

Arianna adjusted her stance in hopes no one would see her desire to run from the fight to avoid killing him, an unforgiveable sin for a warrior.

You can’t run. Too much is at stake.

She fought the facial muscles betraying her cover and coaxed her face into a blank stare. Tardon shuffled around and she followed, keeping her attention on his best assets and greatest weakness: his muscles. They twitched before he moved.

Arianna circled him, until the Elder crossed his arms with impatience. A match to claim Elite Warrior status required more than a few bruises and flesh wounds. No more time would be allowed.

Tardon’s bicep twitched.

Arianna pulled a dagger from her belt, maneuvered under his blow, and slashed his upper chest.

Blood flowed down his leather vest. She swept his legs out from under him. He fell to his knees and she jumped on his back, knife at his throat, sword aimed at his gut.

His Amulet of Protection glowed orange.

Her stomach twisted in knots at the thought of harming him, but she had no choice. If the Elders demanded such an offering, she’d have to slice deep and end his life. They remained motionless awaiting the life or death decision. The masculine scent of leather and earthy spices wrapped around her, testing her resolve.

The blade shook in her hands, and she steadied it against his skin. The hooded Elder lowered his arms and turned away from the fight. Loud clicks echoed from the doorway then faded with each step as the dark figure descended the Elders’ tower.

Relief flooded her. After seasons of sacrifice and training, she would receive the Elite Warrior Mark.

Arianna released Tardon and the breath she’d been holding. She stumbled down the stairs to the main passageway and collapsed in a nearby alcove. The knife clinked against the gray stone.

Tardon sauntered from the tower. He sheathed his sword and marched down the walkway but stopped briefly. Sweat rolled down his hard, striated triceps.

Warmth curled through her belly, but no, she could not care for him. One day I might have to kill him.

About The Author: Ciara Knight always had a passion for storytelling. At an early age, she wrote several short stories and poems, and in college she started work on her first novel. It wasn’t until late 2008 that she returned to her true passion of writing. Over the past few years she has penned five novels and joined several professional writing organizations to better her craft.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She’s backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

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Vamplayers by Rusty Fischer: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Publisher: Medallion Press (December 13, 2011)
ARC: 384 Pages
Genre: YA Paranormal (Vampires)
Rusty's Blog

From Goodreads. At the Afterlife Academy of Exceptionally Dark Arts, Lily Fielding is a measly trainee who dreams of one day becoming a Savior—those who visit vampire-infested high schools and put down the undead with their deadly crossbows. When Lily and her classmates Alice and Cara begin their latest assignment, it seems like just another run-of-the-mill gig: they’re to simply spot the Vamplayer—part vampire, part player—identify the popular girl he’s set his sights on, and befriend her before the Vamplayer can turn her to do his bidding. Before long, however, the Vamplayer sets his sights on Lily's friends, and she is left to face the threat alone while protecting her friends from the dark forces she has sworn to resist.

Review by Kate
VAMPLAYERS, by Rusty Fischer, is a unique take on vampires in the young adult genre. Lily is an 80s girl (which makes me love her that much more) and is turned into a vampire. She joins the Afterlife Academy and becomes a "Sister" but she really wants to become a "Savior". But she can't pass the test. She vows one more mission as a Sister will be enough for her but boy is it a doozy. With her two other Sisters, she attends Nightshade undercover to find the Vamplayer who is going to infest this secluded school. But soon enough she becomes alone in her endeavor and fights against time and a big baddy in the hopes of saving everyone, including herself.

Can I just say how much I LOVED this book? Okay… LOVED IT! Lately I have been so surprised by the number of male authors that just get into the mind of teen girls and portray it so well on paper. Lily was so dynamic and fun, and if she wasn't a vampire I'd definitely want her to be my bestie in high school. She is not afraid to be herself and work hard, which I just adore when reading female protagonists. Also, each and every other character was defined intricately as well. Each and every character had a palpable past and their own motives, which I found refreshing and not cumbersome at all. And of course I fell hard for Zander, almost as much as Lily did.

The lore of the vampires was quickly revealed in creative situations and I never felt bogged down with too much detail. Initially when I was approached with reading this book I had a different idea of what to expect, but it's legit a Vampire who is a Player. I cracked up when I realized it. It's a genius idea and executed perfectly.

The pacing of the book was fast and furious. I honestly could not get through the book any faster. Fischer has a knack for creating and sustaining suspense until the very end.

Overall, a really fun and fresh book that will give vampire lovers a new perspective. I think paranormal readers of all levels will like this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone! I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Fischer.

Stories to Enjoy by Tom Mach: Guest Post & Giveaway {Goddess Fish Promotions}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Today I have Tom Mach on the blog for a guest post about the differences in writing short stories versus novels. Enjoy!

On Writing a Novel vs. a Short Story

by Tom Mach

Author T.C. Boyle once said that “a short story is like a toothache and you must drill it and fill it. A novel is more like bridgework.” While I somewhat agree with this novelist, I have my own idea of the differences between the two. When I proceed to write a short story I’m essentially focusing on one scene and I want to provide only the background that is absolutely necessary for the reader to understand that scene.

For instance, in my collection of short stories entitle Stories to Enjoy, I have a story called “Breakfast, Over Easy.” The scene: a fictitious restaurant in San Diego called the California Broadway Diner. The characters: Chuck, Larry (his friend), and Norma—Larry’s attractive fiancée. The plot: Chuck had been meeting Larry at this restaurant for fifty consecutive Mondays but today he doesn’t show up. Norma shows up and explains that Larry is dying of cancer. After a conversation at the table, Chuck reveals his Hollywood connections and Norma discusses her vision of becoming an actress—and it is at that point she asks him to meet with her every Monday morning. Will Chuck betray his friend and starting dating her?

I’d like to use the above story as an illustration to make several points. One, this story involves a simple scene—a man in a restaurant waiting for his friend. Two, the plot line is quite simple—will Chuck betray his friend? Three, only enough information is given about the three characters to make them real. Now if I wanted to turn this into a novel, I would have to rethink this story. I’d want to know much more about the backgrounds of these and other characters and I’d have to rethink my entire plot line. Maybe Larry at one time fell in love with Chuck’s wife Loretta and Loretta divorced Chuck to wed Larry. Loretta is found murdered one day, and although the police don’t charge Larry with any wrongdoing, Chuck and Larry became mortal enemies. But somewhere along the way Larry saves Chuck’s life and they become close friends, agreeing to meet each other every Monday morning. But when Larry’s fiancée Norma makes a pass at him in the restaurant, Chuck thinks hitting on her could be sweet revenge, considering how Larry stole his wife and maybe even had her murdered See how this works? A novel expands the story well beyond a simple scene and an uncomplicated plot. It’s not just that the novel is a far longer narrative than the short story but it digs far deeper into the characters, expands the plot and usually involves subplots, or other related events going on in addition to the main plot. For example, in my novel suggestion above, we can have a subplot involving Loretta’s involvement with a crime syndicate mob boss who decides to kill her and then blackmails Larry into not telling the police how and why the murder occurred. For me, the difference between a short story and a novel is like the difference between whistling a simple Beethoven tune vs. having a full orchestra play four movements of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

As far as which process is easier for me—the short story or the novel—they each present their own special challenges. A short story has to get the reader involved immediately. It has to make every word count and be completely relevant to the story at hand. It cannot spend time going into the backgrounds of these characters, and the ending to the story usually ends up with the reader guessing and wanting to know more. A novel is a far greater time commitment and, based on that, can be considered the more difficult to do. But I wouldn’t conclude from this that a short story is easy to write. Far from it.

Thanks for stopping by Tom!

This unique collection of 16 short stories written by prize-winner Tom Mach includes stories such as "Real Characters," which is about a writer who gets his wish--that his characters come alive.... "Breakfast, Over Easy" makes you wonder about loyalty in the face of temptation.... "When Kansas Women Were Not Free" takes you to a time when women were less free than former males slaves.... "Son" make you think differently about compassion. One novelist describes STORIES TO ENJOY as "memorable and intriguing, with O. Henry twists that are sure to surprise and entertain."

Excerpt:

She leaned forward and her eyes searched my face. “How about joining me for breakfast?” she asked.

“Okay,” I said quietly. We talked for the next hour. As I told her about my having been a Hollywood writer for five years, with important contacts such as director Ron Howard or actors like Kate Winslet or Bruce Willis, her face brightened. I wanted to learn more about her, but she never gave me the chance.

Before we parted company at the entrance door, she brushed herself against me and widened her smile. “I can make it here every Monday morning from now on if you’d like. It’d be just you and me. What do you say?”

I looked back at the empty table and stared at it for a long while. Then I returned my gaze to her. Damn, she was pretty.

“What do you say?” she asked again, this time with a hint of desperation in her voice.

*****

Bio: Tom Mach wrote two successful historical novels, Sissy! and All Parts Together, both of which have won rave reviews and were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011.Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. Tom’s other novels include: An Innocent Murdered, Advent, and Homer the Roamer.

His poetry collection, The Uni Verse, won the Nelson Poetry Book Award. In addition to several awards for his poetry, Writer’s Digest awarded him ninth place in a field of 3,000 entrants. His website is: www.TomMach.com He also has a popular blog for writers of both prose and verse at http://tommach.tumblr.com
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Giveaway: Tom will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter. Be sure to visit the rest of the TOUR for more chances to win!

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Publisher: HarperTeen (June 7, 2011)
ARC: 368 Pages
Genre: YA Contemporary
Sarah Mlynowski 's Website | Blog | Twitter

From Goodreads.2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Review by Jess
TEN THINGS WE DID (AND PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE), by Sarah Mlynowski is a very light and fluffy read, nothing too heavy and nothing too complex. It was enjoyable and quick. Not too bad.

I had an open mind starting this book not entirely sure what to expect, I had read other reviews to get an idea for it, but everything was kind of all over the place. I was right in the middle of liking it and not liking it.

I liked the characters enough, though I felt I couldn't really get to know them all that well. It was more the stereotypical teenage girls worrying about sex except overplayed by A LOT. I thought the girls over thought about sex. I felt like there was a lot of potential to touch more on subjects that were kind of there (i.e family problems) but it tended to shift back to just sex and partying.

Though, on the other hand, this was fun to read. It was witty and funny and I was easily able to flow through it and enjoy reading it. The things that the kids did were pretty crazy were fun to read. Though I felt the characters didn't hold too much depth, I did like them and they could be believable given the right situation.

If you want a fun, light, easy read, then give this one a try, it was entertaining. Just beware there is a lot of mention about sex! Definitely give it a try!

The Anti-Social Network by Sadie Hayes: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Publisher: Backlit Fiction (October 22, 2011)
ARC: ebook
Series: The Start Up # 2
Genre: YA Contemporary
Sadie Hayes' Website/Facebook

From Goodreads. The Dory twins grew up with nothing. Now on the verge of having everything, their fledgling company—built on Amelia’s intellect and Adam’s ambition—threatens to be torn apart by new, powerful enemies and old, malicious ones.

The Anti-Social Network is the second episode in The Start-Up series, a fast-paced and exciting serial story.

Review by Jess
THE ANTI-SOCIAL NETWORK by Sadie Hayes is the second installment of Sadie Hayes new novella series, the first one is fast paced and fun, and the second one does not disapoint disappoint I was impressed with the continuation of this new and original story.

I dove right into Sadie Hayes' new novella. It is so easy to fall in to love with the characters and the unique situation the Dory twins are immersed in. I felt in this one I was able to get to know the characters much better and I could enjoy the story so much better without asking questions.

Learning more about the twins' past was exciting and their situation very unique. Hayes crafted the situation beautifully and with the character building from the first and most of this installment, it was incredibly believable.

I can not give enough praise to Sadie Hayes for her characters. As a college student myself, I was able to relate entirely to the characters and relate it to my school environment. I really was amazed. Sadie Hayes' first novella was great, and the second one took it to a entirely new level. I look forward to reading the third. Well done Sadie Hayes!

The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Available as an ebook
E-Book ISBN: 978-1-59474-557-7
ISBN: 978-1-59474-551-5
Book Dimensions: 5 x 7
Page Count: 82
Release Date: January 17, 2012

One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever.

When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself...

The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.

Review by Kate
THE THORN AND THE BLOSSOM, by Theodora Goss, is a unique book with a lovely romance. The book is accordion style in which you can start reading Brendan or Evelyn's side of the story first then when you are finished, flip it over and read the other. Each side is under forty pages so it's a short novella but doesn't lack for much.

I chose to read Brendan's side of the story first but I found myself wishing I did it the other way around. Evelyn's story was much more interesting to me and I felt that I would have been less confused. But that is just me. Evelyn's story was much more intriguing to me with the magical elements of her 'condition'.

The actual book was so creative but it took me a second to figure out how to read it without it falling apart. There is no actual spine but I found myself really digging the layout. Overall, the story is very romantic with some magical elements sprinkled in. The ending is left open for the reader to think about these two and their future together.

Bound by Kira Saito: Promo Spot {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The Arelia LaRue Series, by Kira Saito

First I just want to say thank you to everyone who bought a copy of Bound, I truly appreciate it, even if you ended up hating the book.

Second, I want to let readers who actually liked Bound where the series is going and why I chose to write it the way I have.

I didn't choose the concept of voodoo because I thought, hey it's never been done before, I chose it because I am fascinated by it and really find it so rich and complex, I think it deserves to be explored a bit more especially in books. However, I didn't want it to become a boring history lesson or anything so I decided to make the series a bit humorous, threw in the Dumptys and gave the spirits their own personalities. But, I did spend a lot of time researching the spirits, yes, in voodoo Erzulie, Bade and Brise all do exist, in the book they stay true to their real functions with a bit more personality.

I made the book light but still wanted to touch on real themes that are historically important to New Orleans like slavery , racial/class differences/amazing food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I wrote Bound, I wanted the book to be about Arelia, the Arelia show. I wanted it to be about her struggle to accept her destiny and all the confusion that it brings.

I didn't want her to just walk into Darkwood and say "Cool I'm a voodoo queen! Yay Lucus is so hot, I'm in love with him." Instead, I tried to put myself in her shoes and tried to see what I would have done at 16. Basically, I would have been emotional, irrational and very confused. If someone told me I was destined to be a great voodoo queen today, I would still be irrational, confused and emotional.

The relationship Sabrina and Arelia have is realistic in my opinion because it's the one I have with my best friend. she's not rich or anything, but we fight and argue and bicker, but in the end we still love one another. I don't think I would be best friends with her if it were a fairy tale type relationship.

So in the first book we find out that Lucus is well, you know....cursed.

In Punished the focus will be more on Arelia's powers and the spirits, a lot more about Lucus, Ivan and Louis Beau and their complex history as well as more focus on Arelia/Lucus.

Finally I don't want readers to think I am insulting their intelligence because I chose to make the series a bit light rather than dark and dreary.

Published: October 28, 2011
Series: Arelia LaRue #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Purchase Links: Amazon | Smashwords

Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined.

Excerpt

It had to work. It just had to. After repeating the chant at least six times, it still didn’t work. “Fine you greedy spirits!” I yelled. It was clear that they wanted more blood. In a rage, I drew more blood, this time slashing my palm. I brought my dripping palm up to Ben’s neck and repeated the chant. After a few minutes, I felt a distinct energy. It was a force within me so incredibly strong that I was convinced that I was able to move a mountain if I wanted to or even get Sabrina to stop talking about boys.

“Arelia what are you doing?” Ben’s voice forced me to open my eyes.

“You’re strangling me.”

I realized my hands were gripped a bit too tightly around his neck. I unwrapped them to find that his wound had completely healed, and his fever was gone. “Ben, you’re okay!” I exclaimed. I gave him an enormous hug.

“Of course, I’m okay,” he said. “I’m just sleepy it was a long night. Tell the alligators and ghosts that I’ll see them tomorrow.” He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

In my excitement, I leapt up, and by sheer impulse gave formerly-shirtless guy a hug. As my body touched his, I could smell him and felt my skin tingle.

Delicious chills overtook my body. He wasn’t wearing any cologne, but he smelt lovely. Warm and familiar mingled with a dash of sadness and danger. I caught myself clinging to him and took a step back in embarrassment. My moment of conquest had quickly passed, and I realized that I was standing next to a swamp, in front of a stranger in a corset and petticoat which basically translated to a bra and underwear. I was horrified.

Formerly-shirtless guy looked at me like the existence of Santa Claus had just been proven before taking off his jacket and wrapping it around me. “You must be cold,” he observed. “Your hand is bleeding.” He ripped a sleeve off of his shirt and covered my palm.

In my state of absolute exhilaration, I had failed to acknowledge the fact that the night had gotten a bit chilly. My entire body was covered in goose bumps, and my hand was leaking blood everywhere. “Why did you follow me?” I wrapped his jacket around me realizing that I was standing in the middle of nowhere with someone who could be a psychopathic, serial killer.

His lips broke out in an amused smile. “Do you think I’m stalking you?” He asked hovering over me. It really sucked being short sometimes. Standing at a measly five foot three inches made me feel as if I lived in a world full of giants. At this moment, formerly-shirtless guy looked like a giant even though he wasn’t freakishly tall or anything, maybe slightly over six feet.

“Well, how else can you explain being here?” I stated what I thought was the obvious. I tried to stand on my toes, hoping to make myself appear taller.

******

Author Bio: Kira is a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Tiana, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza.

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Gnome On The Range by Jennifer Zane: Guest Post & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I have Jennifer Zane, author of Gnome On The Range, for a guest post about how she created her characters for the novel. Enjoy!

I get a variety of questions about my book on my blog, such as: Why gnomes? Today, I want to answer a more common one: How do you make your characters so quirky?

When I'm brainstorming ideas for characters, I like to pile on tidbits of personality like adding accessories to an outfit. You'd never go out in just your underwear (or at least I wouldn't!) For example, in my book Gnome On The Range, the heroine, Jane, has two kids and is a widow. That's just putting your clothes on. She runs her mother-in-law's adult store. Add make up. Jane dumped her husband when he cheated on her before he died. Add shoes. Hubby died while in bed with another woman. Add bracelets and earrings. Hubby died in bed with another woman…and another man. Slap on the big necklace, a scarf, a few extra rings.

I didn't want to stop there. I wanted even more unusual details. Jane's young son shares that his dad died in a hamburger. Huh? Yup. A hamburger. Jane clarifies he died in Hamburg, as in Germany. This gives a little bit of realism to the kids, to Jane, and to the story in general. This is the tiara on top of the head.

If I feel one of my characters is complex enough, I try to think of a little more I can throw on to them to make them even more real. Aren't we all layer on top of layer of tidbits of personality? In real life, you need more than underwear.

Thank you Kate and I Just Want To Sit Here and Read for having me!

~Jennifer Zane

Thanks for stopping by Jennifer!

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Once you get the zing you can’t go back.

Jane West has everything a woman could want. A job in a small Montana town’s only adult store, two busy young boys and one dead husband. Everything except a little excitement--a little zing. But that changes one summer morning at a garage sale when her kids buy some garden gnomes.

Now someone wants those gnomes and will let nothing get in their way. Including Jane. This new excitement for Jane spells trouble for a relationship with new neighbor--and hot fireman--Ty Strickland. Can Jane and Ty handle a relationship meddling mother-in-law, crazy kids, and stay alive while trying to solve the mystery of the garden gnomes?

Author Bio: Jennifer Zane has lived all over the country including an exciting five years in Montana. She is the contemporary blog diva for RomCon. She currently lives with her family in Colorado. This is her first novel.

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Yesterday's Daughter by Sallie Lundy-Frommer: Guest Post {Tribute Books Tour}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting Sallie Lundy-Frommer, author of Yesterday's Daughter, for a guest post about world-building. Enjoy!

I wanted to laugh when I saw that I would be writing about “world building” and the fantasy elements for Yesterday’s Daughter because I didn’t consciously apply a technique. Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but it’s true and I’d prefer to be honest.

Anyway, this is what I did. As you may know, Yesterday’s Daughter is a product of my dreams. Once I decided to write the book, I was concerned about how I would describe the vampire world. I wanted to make sure I’d be able to describe and write with the same clarity with which I dreamed. Many parts of the book take place in the human world, but other parts occur in the vampire world. These realms share the same timeframe but not the same spaces or locations.

To describe the fantasy elements of the vampire world, one of the first things I did was draw pictures and lists using easel pads. I covered the walls of my office with the pages. Some were just pictures; they weren’t elaborate, little more than stick figures. These doodles aided me in recounting the story and keeping track of features of structures, like textures and colors.

On some easel pads, I listed characters and relationships. Whereas, on others, I scribbled types of creatures, listed organizations and their hierarchical structures. Also, I jotted down facts about the vampires’ religious order, beliefs and deities. These diagrams and lists acted as visual cues, helped aid me with consistency, and reminded me of things I might have forgotten. And, when writing scenes with lots of activity and many characters, I diagramed their movements. This was a huge help in keeping track of all the characters and their locations in relationship to one another.

At the beginning of this posting, I said it was funny that I’d be writing on the topic of “world building and fantasy elements.” Why? Because before being asked to write this, I wasn’t familiar with the term, “world building.” And yet, in writing Yesterday’s Daughter, that’s exactly what I did, build a world. Who knew...:-)

Thanks for stopping by Sallie!

Official Tour Site | Yesterday's Daughter Website
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Yesterday's Daughter FB Page | Tribute Books FB Page

Pages: 250
Release: January 24, 2011
Buy Links: Amazon | Kindle| Nook | Smashwords

Grace Stone, who later learns her true identity is Sapphira, is a loner who survives abuse in the foster care system after being abandoned as a child. A brilliant student, she escapes from her brutal foster parents as a teenager and creates a life for herself. But, her life is little more than existence; plagued with questions about what she really is, a family that she has never known and the never-ending need to keep her differences hidden.

She is alone and lonely, believing it will always remain so until Malachi appears in her life. Malachi, a Guardian of the vampire communities, has searched for his life mate, Sapphira, for decades. He refuses to cease searching for Sapphira even though she is believed dead by all. Conflict arises over the decades between Malachi and his family because of his refusals to accept another mate. But his very soul drives him on to continue his search, knowing that he could not exist if Sapphira were not in the world, somewhere.

Sallie Lundy-Frommer Bio: I can’t remember a time when vampires have gotten more attention. With shows like True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Being Human and popular books like the Twilight and Dark Series, it’s seems like they’re everywhere. Vampires have always been my favorite supernatural characters. But why? Why am I fascinated with these fantasy beings? Why are you? My interest drove me to write a book, Yesterday’s Daughter. But I could have written about anything, werewolves, cat people or some other paranormal beings, but I chose vampires. Why, I wrote about vampires? I’m not sure I can fully explain why. Maybe I chose vampires because they exude prowess and majesty. But, that would be an all too simple answer. And when I think about it, I know it’s not a complete answer. But it’s a start. What do you think? Why are so many people so interested in these mythical creatures.

As for me, I was born on a farm in the rural South to a family of migrant farm workers. At an early age,my family moved to the urban North-East. Now I live in the suburban North-East with my husband and a large assortment of plants. I hold bachelors and masters degrees in Human Resource Management and currently work in the health care industry.

Blog Tour Schedule:
January 2
Sapphyria's Book Reviews

January 3
Unabridged Bookshelf

January 4
BookChowDown

January 5
The Ink Puddle

January 6
Paranormal Indulgence

January 7
The Writer's Voice

January 9
Addicted to Romance

January 10
The Character Connection

January 10
Mom in Love with Fiction

January 11
The Plot Thickens

January 11
Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

January 12
Books-n-Kisses

January 13
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

January 13
Reader Girls

January 16
City Girl Who Loves to Read

January 17
Xpresso Reads

January 17
The Wormhole

January 18
Lisa's World of Books

January 20
Mrs. Papillion The Book Worm

January 24
vvb32 reads

January 30
From the TBR Pile

Book Trailer: Tempest by Julie Cross

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:07:00 +0000

In celebration of TEMPEST's release date on January 17, I'm happy to share the trailer for the book! Check it out and enjoy!

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

“Julie Cross's thrilling debut is brimming with excitement, romance, and intrigue. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!” —Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

Read the first 4 chapters of TEMPEST by Julie Cross NOW

Dark Lullaby by Mayra Calvari: Book Blitz & Giveaway {Bewitching Book Tours}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting a Book Blitz for Dark Lullaby, by Mayra Calvari. Enjoy!

Buy Link: Amazon

At a trendy Turkish tavern one Friday night, astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious young woman. Captivated by her beauty as well as her views on good and evil, he spends the next several days with her. Soon, however, he begins to notice a strangeness in her–her skin’s abnormally high temperature, her obsession with milk products, her child-like and bizarre behavior as she seems to take pleasure in toying with his conscience.

The young woman, Kamilah, invites him to Rize, Turkey, where she claims her family owns a cottage in the woods. In spite of his heavy workload and the disturbing visions and nightmares about his sister’s baby that is due to be born soon, Gabriel agrees to go with her.

But nothing, not even the stunning splendor of the Black Sea, can disguise the horror of her nature. In a place where death dwells and illusion and reality seem as one, Gabriel must now come to terms with his own demons in order to save his sister’s unborn child, and ultimately, his own soul…

Excerpt

Who’s that woman? ” Gabriel demanded.

“I don’t know.”

“Don‘t tell me you don’t know. I saw the way she looked at you the way you looked at her.”

“She’s just an old woman, a silly superstitious old woman.”

Gabriel was sure Kamilah lied. He grasped her by the shoulders and turned her to him. “Why was she afraid of you? ”

Kamilah laughed, her cheeks flushed. “Listen to what you’re saying. Why would she be afraid of me? ”

“I don’t know. But it’s a fact that she gasped when she saw you, that she was afraid.”

She shrugged. “She must have mistaken me for somebody else.”

“But why did you look at her like that? I saw your face.”

She scowled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Obviously you misread my face.” She wrestled away from his grip. “I want to go home.”

“Home? ”

“Yes, home. To the forest. To the cottage.” She stomped her foot and kept going, leaving him behind.

Craning his neck, Gabriel looked back toward the scarf stand but the old woman was gone. “Damn! ” he muttered.

He trotted after Kamilah.

Kamilah started running, her shrill, childish laugh defying him. Never stopping, she ran all the way to the mountain trail. With the heavy backpack and his sore leg muscles, Gabriel had a hard time keeping up with her. People turned to stare at them. Desperate to catch up with Kamilah, Gabriel crashed into a man as he crossed the street.

Gabriel muttered a curse. He felt like strangling Kamilah. Her erratic behavior was wearing thin.

“Wait! ” he shouted when he saw her going up the trail.

She glanced back over her shoulder and flashed him a feral grin, her flushed cheeks contrasting with her brilliant eyes. “You cannot catch me, you cannot catch me! ” She sang loudly in monotone, between gasps. “You cannot catch me, you cannot catch me! ”

Gabriel ran after her, and the dull pain on the right side of his ribcage came back. He halted, panting. He leaned forward, his hands on his slightly bent knees, and his eyes shut to concentrate on the ache.

Massaging the painful area, he made an effort to regain his breath. When he looked towards the trail, Kamilah had vanished into the woods.

The hell with her. If she thought he would run after her and play her little hunting games, she was mistaken. He would very calmly find his own way back to the cottage. He reached into his backpack for the bottle of water and took a big gulp. After resting for several minutes, the pain lessened and he felt better. In the deep chambers of his brain an alarm went off for the first time the pain in his torso began to seriously worry him. He didn’t think it had anything to do with indigestion or any exotic virus or bacteria. Words like tumor and cancer flashed through his mind, but he tried to shove them away. He couldn’t think about this now. Once back in Baltimore, he would go to a doctor and have a complete examination.

He had been hiking for about an hour when a sound came from deep within the woods.

Gabriel stopped, his head turning to the source.

The sound was familiar the distant shrill murmur of children playing.

As suddenly as the sound had appeared, it vanished.

Goose bumps rose on his arms. Had he imagined it? He massaged the sides of his head while drops of sweat trickled down his back. The burning sun and the humidity didn’t help clear his mind.

After taking a few deep breaths, he continued his way up the trail.

About a quarter of an hour later he heard the sound again. This time it appeared closer.

Gabriel stopped and peered into the woods. He closed his eyes and concentrated on identifying the sound. Yes the shrill murmur of small children playing. Ridiculous, but true.
Gabriel decided to investigate.

Once under the canopy of the trees, moist coolness and shadows enveloped him. He welcomed the feeling and continued deeper into the woods, the ground soft and mushy under his boots.

After a few minutes, it struck him the sound wasn’t getting closer or farther. Even though it was distant, it seemed to be all around him.

Tilting back his head, he stared at the dense canopy of trees. Soft beams of light filtered down. He turned around slowly, light-headed and somewhat dizzy. For an instant he felt himself floating as the distant murmur of children caressed his mind.

“Kamilah! ” he shouted. “Kamilah! ”

He stopped turning and stood immobile, listening to his own heavy breathing and his thudding heart.

“Kamilah, I know you’re here somewhere! Stop playing games! ”

He scanned the surroundings. Something about the tree trunks caught his eye. Their surface wasn’t smooth as normal tree trunks. Lines marred the surface, natural lines, which appeared to come from within the bark itself.

The lines, as if carved by a human hand, appeared to be forming something.

Realization dawned on Gabriel. He gasped and stumbled back, almost falling on the ground.
Terrified, he forced himself to look closer. Every tree trunk portrayed a different baby’s face, each one crying, its mouth wide open in anguished misery.

The shrill murmur of children grew louder than ever.

Gabriel understood it then, heard the message clearly. This wasn’t the murmur of children playing. This was the sorrowful crying of infants.

He ran back toward the trail as fast as his legs would allow him.

****

Author bio: Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. A reviewer for over a decade, she now offers online reviewing workshops. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Visit her website at www.MayraCalvani.com. Join her mailing list and receive the first two lessons of her book reviewing workshop, as well as her free ebook, Reviewers Talk About Their Craft.

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Notes From the author...

"Dark Lullaby is about a young astrophysicist who is lured into the Turkish countryside by a mysterious young woman, of course, she ends up being something totally unexpected. In the end, he has to face his own demons in order to save his twin sister’s unborn child.

I’ve always been very interested in moral dilemmas and in the concept of a higher good. For instance, is it okay for a man to steal in order to have money to save his little girl, who is dying? In the case of Dark Lullaby, I went a step further: is it okay for a man to kill for the higher good? More than horror, it is a bizarre, suspenseful tale. It is based on Turkish lore. I lived in Turkey for five years and the culture, the people, the stories I heard there had a big influence on my writing."

*****

Why I decided to use Turkey as my setting…

"The first part of Dark Lullaby takes place in Baltimore, but it was inevitable for the setting to move to Turkey. This has to do with the nature of the anti-heroine which I will not reveal here, of course. J I also wanted to add a primitive, exotic flavor to the story, and what could be more primitive and exotic than a small village in the Black Sea coast, a place surrounded by woods and influenced by strange lore? I don’t think there are many scary stories out there connected to Turkish lore, so I thought: hey, this is something different, something readers may find unusual and original. So for this novel, I felt the setting was very important for the plot."

*****

What appeals to me about the supernatural...

"I detest gore. What appeals to me are the unknown, the unexplainable, and a good story with good characterization and a lot of dark atmosphere. Paranormal is probably my favorite of all genres, but I hesitate to say I like horror because horror has turned to trash these days. I like the classic, traditional ‘horror’ ala Edgar Allan Poe, very different from the average horror being written these days. I can think of a novel I read a couple of years ago, a ghost story with stunning writing: The Ghost Writer, by John Hartwood. I guess what I like falls more under paranormal or supernatural suspense, but the lines are so thin between genres and subgenres these days, sometimes it’s hard to categorize a book."

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Blood Veins by Brian Young: Guest Post & Giveaway {Goddess Fish Promotions}

noreply@blogger.com (Kate) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting Brian Young, author of Blood Veins, for a guest post and giveaway. Enjoy!

What are a few authors that have inspired your writing and which works in particular? Explain how and why they've done so.

This is a tough question to answer because I have read so many books. I have always been a huge Star Wars fan and learning there were numerous Star Wars novels is what got me started. One of the first novels I read was Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire. One of the things I remember about the novel is how big it was. As an author you can choose any kind of scale you would like while in tv or film that can be limited by budgets and various other aspects. Blood Veins is only a small taste of the world that I have imagined. There are a lot of ideas that didn’t make it into Blood Veins that I hope to incorporate into future novels.

Another particular author that influenced me is S.M. Stirling. I love his series that starts with Dies the Fire. It’s an ongoing series that I am currently reading and has influenced me greatly because of its unique setting and characters. When I first had the idea for Blood Veins I wanted to tell a story where the survivors of an apocalypse rebuilt there society instead of just showing a broken down world. I wanted to write about knights in armor but not in the middle ages.

I also really enjoy reading history books. One that stood out was The Road to Armageddon by W.B. Bartlett. This is an amazing book about the last years of the kingdom of Jerusalem. The political intrigue and tactical follies by the people in power in the 12th century are fascinating. A lot of times stories will focus on a few main characters but in reality situations dealing with the rise and fall of kingdoms and other entities are much more complex.

Thanks for stopping by Brian!!

A black wave has passed over the thriving kingdom of Larista. Mysterious invaders calling themselves the Dolus have swept over the land laying waste to everything in their paths and leaving ghost towns in their wake. No one knows where they came from and no one knows what their purpose is. Tasting nothing but defeat after defeat the light of hope is fading in the kingdom; but the guerrilla forces resisting the Dolus invasion have received new information. This news has provided a small glimmer that could possibly spark into something more. Captain Maximus Rex leads a daring rescue mission deep in the Laristan forests to save the lone surviving member of the royal family.

Once freed Prince Alexander Novelle along with his friends and comrades face a perilous journey deep behind enemy lines. Their destination is Castle Varanasi. The once proud Laristan capital, gateway to heaven and salvation, lies in ruins under Dolus occupation. Mysterious assassins, underworld savages and renegade Dolus survivors stand between them the answers they seek. What they find there will shatter their perceptions and lead to unknown perils none of them are ready to face.

Excerpt:

Percival shook his head. "It's our duty to kill that murdering, traitorous scum, Novell, and free everyone. Not just these people here today. We can't do that on our own though. We need him or no one will follow us."

Maximus cocked his head and looked quizzically at Percy. "You know both their names are Novell, right? Not to mention there's no proof Prodis is responsible for this. I doubt Alexander would appreciate you calling his brother a murdering, traitorous scum."

It was clear Percival was convinced Prodis was responsible and all he gave in response was a short grunt.

"Anyway," Maximus continued, "If Alexander is down there and we don't go in, we will have missed our best and possibly our only chance at freeing him. We go."

Percival's face went blank as he barked out, "Yes Sir."

The captain sighed, his breath showing in the crisp cold air. The rain had started to let up and it seemed the temperature had dropped another ten degrees as the chill renewed its assault against his rain soaked cold weather gear. "I hate it when you call me Sir. It means you disagree with me, or you're mad at me"

Percy gave his Captain a half grin. "First, if I can't call you Maxi and I can't call you Sir, what am I suppose to call you? Second, I do agree with you. I just know when you need someone else to voice your inner thoughts and help you sort things out. Lastly, I'll make sure everyone is ready." Percival finished with his customary grin.

"I hate you sometimes, Lieutenant."

Percival shrugged and turned to pass the plans along to the rest of the squad.

****

Author Bio: Brian is a graduate of the University of Oregon. He works as a banker and an editor for Rogue Phoenix Press. He currently resides in Oregon with his wife and daughter.
Find Brian on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY: Brian will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly selected commenter during the tour. Check out the rest of the TOUR and comment on each stop for more chances to win.