The LUV'NV

Book Blitz {Interview & Giveaway}—Inspire by Heather Buchine

2013-05-25T00:30:00.001-04:00

Inspire

by Heather Buchine

Publication: March 31st 2013 by Heather Buchine
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Amazon B & N Smashwords Goodreads

18-year old Paige Rice, an exquisite beauty from East Hampton, NY, has just celebrated her high school graduation and is expecting to spend her summer living it up with all her socialite friends. But her parents have a different idea – she is being hauled away—literally—to the mountains of Vermont for the entire summer—in an RV!

Assuming she will be an outcast amongst the other teens at the campground still does not prepare her for the treatment she receives, which is far worse than she imagined. She also isn’t prepared for Travis, the campground owner’s son and the “Sexiest” guy she has ever laid eyes on. Travis is the only one who shows any interest in getting to know Paige. The only problem is that they have to explore what lies between them in secret. But once all the secrets are stripped away, the truth may be crushing.

Intended for mature audiences due to language and sexual content.

♥ Where did the idea for Inspire come from?

I was actually camping with my family when the idea for the story came to me. We had just hiked through the woods down to a lake, and I was staring out at the boats when it hit me. I spent the rest of the afternoon “daydreaming” away.

♥ How did you come up with the name of the title?

My protagonist, Paige, has a tattoo that inspired the title “Inspire.” It’s also a key part of her character.

♥ What was the hardest part of writing Inspire? The easiest?

The hardest part of writing the book was writing the ending. It took a couple of drafts before I was happy with the way I was leaving off. (I’m trying not to give too much away, so I’ll leave it at that.) The easiest part was writing the dialogue between Paige and Travis, and the “LOVE” scenes. They were fun to write!!

♥ Are you working on any other projects?

Yes. At least two of the other characters from this book are getting their own stories, and then there are a couple other projects in the works.

♥ Do you have a specific writing process?

I really consider myself a mix between a panster and a plotter. The first part of my process is visualizing the characters and the main scenes of the book. My mind starts playing them out like a movie, and so I write it down exactly how I see it. Then, I go back and fill in the story around those scenes until I have a book that I would like to jump into. Although I outline my book ahead of time, things always change along the way as I get to know my characters better.

♥ Do you have a certain time of day where you feel most creative?

Honestly, not really. I usually always have a notebook nearby so that I can scribble down things as they come to me. I could be in the shower, in the car, running through the check-out line, or making dinner and something may hit me.

♥ Do you have any favorite authors?

Yes, I have LOTS of favorite authors, but the two that stick out the most are: S.C. Stephens and Abbi Glines. Their stories come to life for me, and I have a thing for their leading men!

♥ What tips or advice do you have for other aspiring writers?

My first tip would be to write what you love! Second, edit, edit and edit some more. And third, if you’re a self-published author, let someone else do your formatting. (Your time saved is so worth the money!)

Heather Buchine

Her Website | Facebook | Goodreads

By no surprise my favorite hobbies are reading and writing. But beyond escaping into the written fantasy world, I love experiencing new things. Surfing, motorcycle riding, snow blading, glass blowing, parasailing, SUP boarding are just a few that I have checked off my bucket list, but there is still so much more to explore. Right now, being a mom is my biggest adventure and the best by far!! In the quiet calm hours of the night though, I can usually be found typing away creating a world of romance where drama still exists but love (hopefully!!) always prevails.

Terms & Conditions:

♥ By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 17 years old.
♥ One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to an eBook copy of Inspire by Heather Buchine. Winner's choice of mobi, epub, or PDF format.
♥ Winner will be contacted via email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST June 4th.
♥ Winner has 24 hours to reply before a different winner will be chosen.
♥ Prize will be sent the week of June 9th.

Note: You do not need to own an eReader device to enjoy Kindle or Nook books. Download free Kindle apps here and
Nook apps here to start reading ebooks on all your devices: major smartphones, tablets, and computer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event organized by:

Spotlight {Excerpt, Trailer & Giveaway}—The Do Over by A.L. Zaun

2013-05-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

The Do Over
A.L. Zaun
Publication: May 20th 2013 by A. L. Zaun
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Amazon B & N Goodreads

Life doesn’t look like it’s supposed to for Dani Ruiz, a hopeless romantic. After a painful and sudden break-up with Rick Marin, Dani hides away from reality, retreating to a world of fiction where she prefers book boyfriends over the hassles of a relationship.

Almost two years later, Dani’s friends are tired of watching her in a holding pattern, so they stage an intervention, forcing her back into the real world of dating.

Unexpectedly, Dani meets Liam Lucas, a down-to-earth firefighter. He might be the person to show her she’s still worth something. Dani’s hesitant to trust her heart with another man, but their instant and electric chemistry is something she can’t deny.

As Dani starts to believe that she’s found her real-life book boyfriend, Rick decides that he’ll go to any lengths to get her back. Seeing Rick as a changed man makes Dani question everything.

Can Dani trust her patched-up heart with Liam?
Or has Rick transformed into the man she’s always wanted?

Told from various points of views, The Do Over is a story of second chances and new beginnings.

From the corner of my eye, I could tell the instructor was tall and lean. He didn’t look too bad for an old dude. I was still glued to my Kindle, struggling to deal with the angst in the book, as I kept my composure in class. I have to finish this chapter. I could not believe what the heroine was about to do. I had a strong desire to scream and throw my Kindle against the wall. Feeling an urgent need to pace, I instead bounced my leg nervously as I chewed on my thumb. I knew this wasn’t good. I was having a book meltdown, sitting in a training class, as the instructor started talking.

The instructor introduced himself. Wait. Did I hear him say Lucas? Am I in the right class?

The instructor was supposed to be Captain Rafael Santos. Feeling a surge of panic rise inside of me, my face flushed as I painfully tore myself away from my novel.

Slowly, I looked up through my lashes to see that he was walking in my direction. He stopped right in front of me. He was wearing black cargo pants that fit rather nicely on what could only be a tall body. My eyes kept going up until I hit his gray standard county-issued polo, which just so happened to show that he worked out. I shyly smiled as heat rose to my cheeks. I wanted to die of pure embarrassment.

As a bright blush warmed my face, he looked straight into my eyes. He had the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. With eyes just like Miami’s sky and his dirty blond hair cropped short, he was breathtaking. My peripheral vision was correct. He was tall, lean, and yes, muscular. He was so not the old dude. I was a paralyzed mute. It took all my willpower to keep my mouth from hanging open.

Bending over, he leaned in close to my ear. As his unshaven face brushed against my neck, he whispered, “I’m a jealous fool, and I don’t share. Do you mind putting it away?” His tone told me he wasn’t asking but telling me what to do. He paused briefly as he leaned even closer. “Name?”

My heart skipped a beat. “Daniela Ruiz,” I stammered.

As he slowly stood back up, he winked. He moved to close the door and then walked back down to the front of the class.

At that moment, I realized that I’d been holding my breath with my legs pressed tightly together. Someone call a code blue. I wouldn’t mind at all if he had to administer CPR on me. Hmm, maybe I was a little premature on my stance involving men. For the first time in a very long time, I felt hopeful and a little turned on. Okay, I was a lot turned on.

A.L. Zaun

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A.L. Zaun graduated from Florida International University with a degree in English Literature a long time ago. A degree she didn’t use at all in her professional endeavors. She loves to read, write and take pictures. She walks around with her camera, and most importantly she has her e-reader available at all times. Healthcare Management by day, Mommy in the evening, and most nights, you can find her sitting in front of her laptop with a bottle of Diet Pepsi, bringing the voices in her head to life on the pages of her debut novel, The Do Over.

Terms & Conditions:

♥ By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
♥ One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive an eBook copy of The Do Over by A.L. Zaun, gifted via Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords.
♥ Winner will be contacted via email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST May 28th and has 48 hours to reply before a different winner will be chosen.
♥ Prize will be sent within two weeks of June 1st, 2013.

Note: You do not need to own an eReader device to enjoy Kindle or Nook books. Download free Kindle apps here and
Nook apps here to start reading eBooks on major smartphones, tablets, and computers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event organized by

Blog Tour {ARC Review, Excerpt & Giveaway}—Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

2013-05-23T12:30:00.000-04:00

Any Duchess Will Do

by Tessa Dare

Book #4 of the Spindle Cove series

Publication: May 28th 2013 by Avon
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

What’s a duke to do, when the girl who’s perfectly wrong becomes the woman he can’t live without?

Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season—or any season—but his diabolical mother abducts him to “Spinster Cove” and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl.

Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn’t dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week’s employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother’s “duchess training”… and fail miserably.

But in London, Pauline isn’t a miserable failure. She’s a brave, quick-witted, beguiling failure—a woman who ignites Griff’s desire and soothes the darkness in his soul. Keeping Pauline by his side won’t be easy. Even if Society could accept a serving girl duchess—can a roguish duke convince a serving girl to trust him with her heart?

With refreshing romance, thoroughly charming characters, and rapier wit, Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series is one of my favorite Historical Romances by far. I've been following the series since the beginning. Each book only gets better, and Any Duchess Will Do is now one of my all-time favorites. Surprising, since when I first learned this installment would center on Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, I balked.

Griffin York made an appearance in A Week to Be Wicked, book two of the Spindle Cove series. Deplorable, he turned his country home into a young gentlemen's house of debauchery while flaunting and relishing in senseless, extravagant living. Gambling, imbibing on substances, public indecency, reckless races, ménage à trois, quatre—you name it, he's probably done it. He was a man who, I believed, was irredeemable.

Boy, was I wrong.

Tessa Dare captured him at his worst and best, transforming him into one incredible and very believable hero, but in a way that I really appreciated because the delivery was unlike many Historical Romances. This is not about a scoundrel falling in love and shedding his rakish tendencies or who might end up alone because he can't get over his pride. By the beginning of Any Duchess Will Do, Griff is already a reformed libertine. He has ditched all of his immoral proclivities and avoids them with calm dedication. Only, no one knows what changed him.

Although I figured out the cause of his abrupt one-eighty early in the novel, the reveal was still emotionally poignant and outstanding. For once, it isn't a woman or the love interest. It's one of the very few things that could truly change a man, and it hurt. I cried and wanted to hug Griffin while he did.

But I also laughed, blushed, and got flutterings, more than I can remember ever doing so or having in a long time. Even though Griffin is now embracing his ducal responsibilities, he will not marry for the same reason he changed in the first place. So when his mother kidnaps him and takes him bride shopping in the illustrious Spindle Cove community of supposed spinsters-in-the-making, he chooses the woman who could never pass as a duchess: Pauline Simms, the poor barmaid literally covered head to toe in sugar and spice.

From there is an adventure of duchess-training and planned-to-botch high society introductions, marriage mama-thwarting and late-night rendezvous, as well as lovely sharing of secrets, future dreams, and passion. Pauline has a smart mouth and a backbone of steel, but she's also deeply moving with her vulnerabilities and hopes to do more with her life as she takes care of her sister. Her interactions with Griff's mother, whom I couldn't have loved more, were hilarious. I loved their repartee and the bond that formed between them just as much their own individual relationships with Griffin.

The romance and development pacing was perfect, and the sex tastefully done while still setting the sheets, Griffin's desk, and your skin aflame. I adored the slow-burn ending, too. It's an HEA to remember.

Emotional highs and lows are abound in Any Duchess Will Do. I was a happy mess by the time I finished it and cannot recommend it nor the series strongly enough. Although you can read each book as stand-alone novels, I urge you to read the entire series, preferably in order since previous characters do make exciting appearances. With the most memorable, life-like characters, relationships, and plots, Tessa Dare's invigorating Spindle Cove series is one of the best in the HR genre.

eARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
Thank you!

Favorite lines (out of many):

"A duchess might contemplate all manner of cutting remarks and frustrated oaths. But even in the face of extreme annoyance, she stifles any such ejaculations."

"My," Miss Simms said, wide-eyed. "I do hope dukes aren't held to the same standard. Can't be healthy for a man, always stifling his ejaculations."

Chapter One of Any Duchess Will Do

Visit the Tessa Dare's Book Tour Schedule for more reviews and various excerpts for
Beauty and the Blacksmith and Any Duchess Will Do.

Spindle Cove series

Novels

Novellas

Review of Beauty and the Blacksmith

Tessa Dare

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Tessa Dare is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nine historical romance novels and three novellas. A librarian by training and a booklover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a big brown dog.

Five (5) print copies of each:
A Night to Remember (Spindle Cove #1)
A Week to Be Wicked (Spindle Cove #2)
A Lady by Midnight (Spindle Cove #3)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vouched Novella—Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare

2013-05-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

Beauty and the Blacksmith

by Tessa Dare

Book #3.5 of the Spindle Cove series

Publication: April 30th 2013 by Avon Impulse
Genre: Historical Romance

Amazon B & N Goodreads

At last, Diana gets a romance of her own! But with the last man anyone in Spindle Cove expects...

Beautiful and elegant, Miss Diana Highwood is destined to marry a wealthy, well-placed nobleman. At least, that's what her mother has loudly declared to everyone in Spindle Cove.

But Diana's not excited by dukes and lords. The only man who makes her heart pound is the village blacksmith, Aaron Dawes. By birth and fortune, they couldn't be more wrong for each other...but during stolen, steamy moments in his forge, his strong hands feel so right.

Is their love forged strong enough to last, or are they just playing with fire?

I'm a huge fan of Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series. With amazing writing, deep characters, believable relationships, and fluid, well-rounded story lines, it's one of my top three favorite series in the Historical Romance genre, and Diana Highwood finally gets her own story! While I wish this Highwood sister got her own full-length novel, Beauty and the Blacksmith was satisfyingly sweet, tender, and fun.

I loved how Diana, Spindle Cove's great beauty who's treated like spun glass because of a life-threatening illness, gets down and dirty for—and with!—a blacksmith. Aaron may look like he's made of grit, sweat, and steel, but he's gentle with his hands, charmingly upfront, and the perfect mix of content with ambition. Since Diana is a lady of high society, their relationship is incredibly romantic. She wants to prove she's more than her looks, that she can clean, cook, and be a working-class wife, while he aims to give her everything that he can within his means and with his talent.

Although Beauty and the Blacksmith is a novella, there is a little plot that was both mysterious and hilarious, very fitting for Spindle Cove because of the gossip, intrigue, and women-driven little town feel. While the ending was a little outrageous, it was cute and I still adored it. I squealed, laughed, and became light-headed with characters in the scene. As always, Tessa Dare delivers sensual and sigh-provoking romance with very real characters in exquisitely told settings and plausible situations. Definitely a must-read for fans of light forbidden romances between two characters who have secretly loved each other from afar.

Spindle Cove series

Novels

** Book 4, Any Duchess Will Do, to be released May 28th 2013 **

Novellas

Tessa Dare

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Cover Reveal—Stripped by H.M. Ward

2013-05-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

The cover of H.M. Ward's Stripped is here!
Stripped, due out at the end of the summer, features the third Ferro brother, Jonathan, and
intertwines with The Arrangement and Damaged series.

Stripped
by H.M. Ward
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Expected Publication: August 31 2013

Pre-order your copy on
Amazon

H.M. Ward

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author H.M. Ward is a native New Yorker living in Texas. Ward was featured in the Washington Post for her debut novel Demon Kissed. Romance series by H.M. Ward include Damaged, Secrets, Scandalous, The Arrangement, andThe Secret Life of Trystan Scott.

V Wicked Tease – 05/23

2013-05-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

— Regular Teasers —
Teasers for an upcoming chapter.
♥ Chapter 2 of "Crash Into Me" by PetersSugarTits **Peter & Charlotte**
♥ Chapter 6 of "Ribbons and Bows" by 2Shaes **Leah & Edward**

— V Wicked Teasers —
A different kind of pimpage. Give the fandom a taste of your fic in 125 words or less.

♥ Regular Teasers ♥

"Crash Into Me" by PetersSugarTits
Peter & Charlotte, Romance, Drama, MA/NC-17

Summary: There are some things that you just know...whether you're a smoking hot magic 8 ball, or just mated to one. ***This story is M for a reason. There will be foul language and gratuitous sex because we're those kind of people. Probably gonna be some violence too. You don't mess with a Whitlock.***

*** Chapter 2 Teaser ***

This was wrong on so many levels, but it felt so right that I just had to do it. My eyes flickered down to the curvy blond in my arms as I heard Jasper approaching and I eased her body to the ground and stood over her to wait on him to hand me my ass again.

“What the fuck Peter?” his quickly darkening eyes took in the woman at my feet and he just shook his head. “How in the ever lovin’…I swear you are worse than a newborn half the time.”

I wasn’t really but the fucker was annoyed with me and I really had fucked up this time so I didn’t goad him. We both turned in the direction of the farmhouse when we heard a man’s voice calling a name. I looked down at the woman once again, taking in her appearance once more. She looked like a Charlotte.

“I,” I started, running my hand along the back of my neck as I looked into Jasper’s eyes, but they were drawn back to the woman, “I had to.”

Major Jasper Whitlock, king of the glare, didn’t disappoint me. I could feel his eyes boring into me, could see him in the corner of my eye. This time was no different than any other time; there was something in my head telling me that I had to do this. The man’s voice at the farmhouse called for her again and I heard Jasper’s frustrated growl.

“Had to, my ass,” he said. “I GAVE YOU AN ORDER. Get her back now. It’s too late for anything else. I’ll deal with you when I get back.”

With that final bit of cheer, the Major was gone. And as much as I hated to admit it, he was technically right. I was supposed to be grabbing snacks for the newborns not making more. But I’d come this way and I had to stop.

I leaned down and gently picked up Charlotte, holding her close to me as I ran away from her home. I could feel the curves of her body and slowed down because as soon as I got back I would have to put her down and I wanted to savor the way she felt pressed against me. I hadn’t meant for this to happen.

"Ribbons & Bows" by 2Shaes
Leah & Edward, Romance, MA/NC-17

Summary: Edward has always had a crush on Leah Clearwater and makes a birthday wish that only she can grant. Who knew his wish would open the door to a different set of complications? Inspired by Emmy's Pervy Picspiration over on the PPSS blog.

*** Chapter 6 Teaser ***

His green eyes hit me, causing the air to rush out of my lungs. It was so good to see him again. I wanted to run into his arms. I wanted to listen to his heart thrumming in his chest, while his fingers played in my hair. I wanted his lips crushing mine. Seeing him again made me realize how much I had missed him, and I wondered if I had the strength to walk away.

“Hi, Edward.” As much as I wanted to pull my eyes away, I couldn’t. It had been too long since I’d been near him.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “How have you been?” He lowered his head slightly, looking at me through his lashes.

Miserable. “I’ve been okay.” I smiled weakly.

“So, you got my text.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here.” I stood up and twisted my fingers together. “We need to talk.”

“Yeah.” He ran his hand through his hair. “We do. Come with me.”

Blog Tour {Reviews & Excerpts}—Penton Legacy series by Susannah Sandlin

2013-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Penton Legacy series blog tour, organized by Bewitching Tours.
Looking for a fantastic Paranormal Romance vampire series? Check out Penton Legacy! You can read the series review or click on the individual bookcovers to get the respective book's info and mini-review.

Penton Legacy series

by Susannah Sandlin

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

I've had an undying love for vampire novels for years and cannot believe I've only just read the Penton Legacy series now. Susannah Sandlin created an intriguing world in which vampires are starving due to a global pandemic vaccine that has rendered human blood deadly to them, and with one little town and a wide cast of rich characters, she captured the undead living.

In Penton, Alabama, Aidan Murphy, a lonely, Irish, four-centuries-old vampire with a tragic human past, starts a community with other sensible vampires and unvaccinated humans who serve as their familiars. These humans willingly give blood to the vampires of the town, partly because of comfort and security—they're targeted by vampires for their untainted blood but are now protected in Penton; partly because of gratitude and loyalty—Aidan and his vampire friends have helped them start a new life from the own sketchy pasts; but mostly because of love. The vampires and humans have bonds that are thicker than blood and go deeper than the vein. They're neighbors, co-workers, best friends, soul mates. They are more than the superficial sum of mutual benefits and will fight for each other as well as their town.

And they do. As Penton thrives, it also becomes a target in the eyes of all vampires. Some want to mimic the idea of such a community to survive. A few want to destroy it out of spite. Many want to take it over, and the vampire government fears it's becoming too big, too influential, too powerful, especially since the town's leaders are the most well-known and gifted.

Each book focuses on each of these leaders' pasts and personal growth while the survival of Penton and its citizens, as well as that of the vampire race, becomes increasingly dire, combining fun, sexy romance and a gripping plot. Susannah Sandlin did a great job intertwining both aspects into the story and series. While there was definite emphasis on the romance, it didn't overshadow or drive the plot.

I thought the first book, Redemption, was a little predictable plot-wise and typical relationship-wise, but each book got better and better. The action amps up, and twists are abound throughout. The characters are deeper in complexity and more unique, the emotions more poignant, and the sex hotter. With book two, I actually murmured a "Hot damn" during one particular sex scene. In book three, it was "Holy shit." I really appreciated how all the characters and relationships still had significant parts in each novel, that I got to see where everyone was and how they continued to be in each other's lives, too.

I fell in love with this series and every part of it more and more. Even though there is satisfying ending, there's room for possibility for another book, and I'm anxiously waiting for news if there will be. I'll definitely be reading more of Susannah Sandlin's works, especially (what I think is) the Penton Legacy spin-off series, Omega Force. I'd recommend the Penton Legacy series to any Paranormal Romance lover. Mixing sweet, everyday life with the profound longing for love, acceptance, and peace.

Redemption

Book #1 of the Penton Legacy series

Publication: June 12th 2012 by Montlake Romance

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

For vampire Aidan Murphy, life has never been so desperate. The vaccine used to treat a global pandemic has rendered human blood deadly to his kind, leaving them on the brink of starvation and civil war.

In tiny Penton, Alabama, Aidan establishes a peaceful community of vampires and unvaccinated human donors. He dares to hope they can survive—until his estranged brother descends upon Penton and begins killing the humans. Determined to save his town, Aidan kidnaps an unsuspecting human doctor—and finds himself falling in love for the first time in nearly four centuries.

Dr. Krystal Harris thought she was coming to Penton for a job interview, but Aidan Murphy has other plans. Infuriated by his high-handed scheme to imprison her in the small town, Krys can't ignore the attraction between them. But is it love? Or does her dangerous, charismatic captor want only to bend her to his will?

Krystal Harris pulled to the shoulder of the two-lane road—highway was too grand a word—and punched the button to turn on the old green Corolla’s dome light. She counted to five before thwacking it with the heel of her palm, and a dim light blinked as if considering her demand. It stayed on—this time.

The car was a dinosaur, but it was a paid-for dinosaur.

She dug a folded Alabama road map from beneath her briefcase on the passenger seat, smoothing the creases to make sure she hadn’t driven past Penton, which she suspected was no more than a wide spot on a narrow road. She didn’t want to get lost out here in the boonies.

Yep, County Road 70. The highway to Penton just looked like the express lane to nowhere.

A gust of wind rocked the car, sending icy air around the loose door seals. Maybe the chill of this night was an omen that she should take this job if they offered it, just so she could buy a more respectable form of transportation. Still, doubts nagged at her. What kind of clinic conducted a job interview at nine p.m.? She should never have agreed to it, but the Penton Clinic administrator had waved big bucks in front of her huge college and med school debts, and she’d trotted after them like a donkey after a carrot.

“You had the goody-two-shoes idea of practicing rural medicine, plus you’re already here,” she chided herself, clicking off the overhead and pulling back onto the road. “And you’ve gotta admit, this is rural.”

Another omen, and not a good one: she was talking to herself. Out loud.

A couple of miles later, her headlights illuminated a battered wooden sign covered in peeling paint: Welcome to Penton, Alabama. Founded 1890. Population 3,275.

Twenty years ago, maybe. Krys had done her Penton homework, and that was the boomtown population, when the mammoth East Alabama Mill still churned out threads and batting. It had wheezed its final belch a decade ago, and the town had suffered a slow death by attrition even before the pandemic. The most recent listing Krys found online estimated a population of three hundred. She was surprised they could afford to hire a doctor, much less pay a more-than-competitive wage.

But this was what she wanted, right? A place to practice medicine and be her own boss, to find a community where she could belong? After growing up in Birmingham—the wrong side of Birmingham—she hated the grime and crowds and noise of the city.

Lost in thought as she approached the outskirts of town, she thought she saw an animal in the road—a deer or a bear, maybe—God only knew what wildlife lived out here. But it was a man. He wore a long coat that flapped in the wind and was backlit by a lone streetlight in front of an abandoned convenience store. She’d have blown past him if he hadn’t moved into the middle of the road when the glare of her headlights hit
him like a spotlight.

He stood with his hands in his pockets, feet planted apart, watching calmly as she floored the brakes. The Corolla’s old tires squealed, stinking up the air with the smell of hot rubber and stressed brakes.

Good Lord. Was he nuts?

She got the car stopped and took a deep breath, hands frozen to the wheel, her muscles jittery from the aftershock. The man walked around and tapped on her driver’s side window, motioning for her to lower it.

Krys’s foot hovered over the accelerator, indecisive. Should she drive on and get the hell out of here?

No, by God, she should not. She’d at least lower the window enough to tell the jerk how close he’d come to ending his life as a hood ornament on a green Toyota Dinosaur.

He held up his empty hands in a gesture of peace. Right. Like he was going to hold up a sign that said Beware of Murderous Backwoods Whack Job.

She snaked her right hand to her purse in the passenger seat, wrapped cold fingers around the handle of a small pistol, and slipped it into the pocket of her suede jacket—after she was sure the man had seen it. The .38 Smith & Wesson snub-nose was her security blanket, and she knew how to use it.

His only reaction to the gun was a raised eyebrow. “I have a man injured here.” His voice was deep and melodic, and he had a trace of an accent, as if he’d grown up not speaking English but had been around a few too many Southerners. “You the doctor coming to Penton for the interview?”

She lowered her window an inch and stared as he knelt next to the driver’s side door, putting his face at eye level. And damned if it wasn’t one of the most beautiful faces she’d seen since…maybe ever.

He’d pulled his dark hair into a short ponytail except for one wavy strand that had pulled loose and blew against his cheek. The streetlight cast enough illumination for her to see the dark lashes fringing blue eyes that reminded her not so much of summer skies or robin’s eggs but of the richness of an arctic sea flowing
over darker depths. They appeared to lighten as he studied her with an intensity that almost robbed her lungs of air. He had a strong jaw, full lips, and a slight cleft in his chin.

If he was a serial killer, he was at least a pretty one.

He cleared his throat. “Are you Dr. Harris?”

Krys caught her breath. Good Lord, what was wrong with her? She’d been practically drooling through a half-open window as though he were Adonis personified. He could be Charles Manson’s separated-at-birth, unidentical twin.

Except he knew her name.

Redemption immediately pulled me in. The idea of vampires starving because of global pandemic vaccine that renders human blood deadly to them was too intriguing and refreshing. A group of vampires creating a quaint town with non-inoculated humans and treasuring them not simply because of their blood but more because they were people was too fascinating.

Aidan Murphy, a lonely, Irish vampire with a tragic human past, created such a community, and when he goes against his own morals to save his familiar by holding Dr. Krys Harris in the town of Penton against her will, he falls in love for the first time after nearly four years and might lose all he's worked hard to build. Although he's somewhat of the brooding vampire cutout, I really liked him. He has the quiet intensity that goes with being an unwavering leader, as well as a very humane and compassionate countenance that you fear will be the end of him. When he's faced with his brother who is killing off the people of Penton one by one, I wasn't sure what he would do. Add the mystery behind their twisted past and I was flying through the pages.

Then enter Krys Harris. With her troubled past of an abusive father, she has issues with taking orders. Her struggle between helping others and Aidan's manipulation to keep her in Penton was not easy. Although the attraction between her and Aidan was immediate, they did fight it for some time, and I could feel the chemistry between them growing into something more genuine. I think my main issue with Redemption was the predictable ending, but overall, for a Paranormal Romance, it was well worth the read, an entertaining and good start to a series.

Absolution

Book #2 of the Penton Legacy series

Publication: October 9th 2012 by Montlake Romance

Goodreads B & N Amazon Book Depository

With the vampire world on the brink of civil war over the scarcity of untainted human blood, battle lines are being drawn between the once peaceful vampire and human enclave of Penton, Alabama, and the powerful Vampire Tribunal. Mirren Kincaid once served the tribunal as their most creative and ruthless executioner—a time when he was known as the Slayer. But when assigned a killing he found questionable, Mirren abandoned the tribunal’s political machinations and disappeared—only to resurface two centuries later as the protector and second-in-command of Penton. Now the tribunal wants him back on their side.

To break their rogue agent, they capture Glory Cummings, the descendant of a shaman, and send her to restore Mirren’s bloodthirsty nature. But instead of a monster, Glory sees a man burdened by the weight of his past. Could her magic touch—meant by the tribunal to bring out a violent killer—actually help Mirren break his bonds and discover the love he doesn’t believe he deserves?

What was Matthias thinking, throwing a human woman in the cell with a vampire who’d been locked up and starved for over a month?

Mirren waited on the bench, his back against the wall, his head down. Waited until Matthias climbed the steps, slammed the door, clicked the dead bolt home. Waited until he could get control of the hunger that had begun raging the second the woman stumbled down the stairway. She was unvaccinated, and he wanted nothing more than to take her, blood and body, until there was nothing left.

If he did that, he’d be no better than the version of Mirren Kincaid he’d tried so hard to leave behind. He’d be the Slayer again. His hands could too easily remember the mindless sweep of the sword, the heavy fall of the battle-ax, the controlled back-thrust of a heavy firearm. If the cold darkness ever fell over him again, he feared he’d embrace it.

“Mister, you awake?”

Shit. She would have to be a talker. Mirren hated a talky woman. They always expected you to talk back.

He raised his head slowly and caught his breath. She was young, maybe mid-twenties, and pretty in a rode-hard kind of way.

“Your eyes are silver—I’ve seen enough vampires since I was kidnapped to know when your eyes get lighter, it means you’re hungry. But I’ve never seen any like yours. How long has it been since you ate? Umm … Make that how long since you drank?”

If the stupid woman kept walking toward him, he wouldn’t be held responsible. “Stay where you are.” He narrowed his eyes at her, thinking. How could she help him without sending his need so far over the edge he lost control of it?

She eeked when he shifted on the bench and turned his back toward her. “Untie me.”

She stumbled a little when she reached the bench and sat hard. The woman was stoned out of her gourd. He could smell the drugs on her.

“Your wrists are all torn up. That has to hurt.” She sat on the bench behind him, and Mirren breathed in her scent with his eyes closed. Damn, but he wanted to feed so badly his muscles ached.

She muttered as she worked, her drug-addled fingers slipping off the rope. “You’re so big that I’m surprised this rope could hold you. I should be able to … Let’s see here, it’s too dark. Man, this is funky rope.”

“Stop yapping, start untying.” She had that broad, soft Southern accent he found sexy, but she used it way too much.

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” She tugged harder on the ropes, burning his sensitive wrists with each pull. “Sorry, sorry. Why is it burning your skin like that?”

Mirren growled and spoke through gritted teeth. “It’s laced with silver, and I’m a freaking vampire. Just untie me.” Damn, he had to get himself under control, or he’d scare the woman to death and she wouldn’t finish freeing his arms or feed him either one.

“Well, you’ve got the funny eyes, but I don’t see any fangs.”

God help him, he’d show her some fangs. “I said I was a vampire. Now finish untying me.”

Mirren twisted his wrists and felt the rope give way—the woman had gotten it loose enough that he didn’t need her help.

“But wait, how do I know you—”

She gasped as Mirren pulled his wrists apart, popped the rope onto the cell floor, and shifted around to face her.

“Can you …?” She paused and swallowed hard, edging away from him on the bench. Mirren’s gaze dropped to her mouth. “Can you feed without killing me?”

Mirren nodded slowly. Maybe. Maybe not.

I'm just going to say it—I loved Absolution! This book had me laughing, melting, and turning the pages so fast. Once the most ruthless executioner, Mirren Kincaid is one tortured soul—a big one. Seven-feet tall and three-hundred pounds of all muscle, he intimidates, but behind his towering and glowering, he has a soft spot: Glory, the woman who was tortured by a forced drug addiction and thrown into Mirren's cell to be killed because she was thought to be no longer useful.

But unlike Mirren, she doesn't let her past define her. She's generous, loyal, and caring, and with a motor-mouth, she's hilarious and drives Mirren up the wall. I loved their interaction, the brute male honesty of Mirren's thoughts, Glory's faith in him and how she wants to take care of him. Their development was incredibly romantic and tender.

The action in Absolution was non-stop, taking place in several locations, not just Penton, with the plot becoming even wider. There were a great many tension-filled scenes and a couple surprises that had me gasping. I absolutely loved this book. It went beyond all my expectations.

Omega

Book #3 of the Penton Legacy series

Publication: February 5th 2013 by Montlake Romance

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

The bloody war between the Vampire Tribunal and the defiant scathe of Penton, Alabama, rages on, forcing its residents and their bonded humans to retreat into the underground fortress of last resort: Omega.

There, Will Ludlam is charged with the care of Penton’s humans, though he longs to fight alongside his vampire brethren. He knows the risks: as the renegade son of the Tribunal’s vicious leader, Will’s capture could doom the resistance. Yet he is determined to prove his worth to his adopted scathe, to his vengeful father—and to former US Army officer Randa Thomas, his beautiful, reluctant partner.

Randa has little faith that a former member of the vampire elite has what it takes to fight a war. But as their enemies descend upon Omega, Will’s polished charm—and Randa’s guarded heart—finally give way to the warrior within.

Will stopped and scented the air again. There were two vampires nearby; one belonged to the Penton scathe, and one didn’t.

He ignored both vampires and skirted to the back of the street where the burned shell of his house still smelled of smoke and ash after three days. Aligning his position with the oak tree twenty feet behind what was left of his chimney, he paced forty steps into the woods.

A thorny bramble that had been draped over a small, scrubby bush pricked his fingers when he pulled it back. Grasping the trunk of the bush, he eased it from its loose grasp in the soil, exposing the top of a metal box.

The loud click of a cocked pistol preceded the cold press of steel against the back of his head by less than a second.

He inhaled, annoyed. A rookie mistake. He’d gotten so engrossed in his task he’d let someone slip up on him.

Vampire.

Penton scathe.

Female.

Freaking Randa.

* * *

Randa grinned, enjoying the disgusted look on Will’s face. “If I were your father, I’d already have the silver spoon back in your mouth, Willy. He’d have you trussed up like a rodeo calf by now, hauling you back to wherever it is he lives when he’s not terrorizing innocent people.”

Will Ludlam was the kind of guy Randa Thomas had hated as a human, and she didn’t like him a bit more as a vampire. Less, in fact. Not only was he a spoiled rich boy, he was now a virtually immortal spoiled rich boy. He had probably been a blue-chip jock in school with a 4.0 GPA and a string of girls trailing his every step.

Plus, he annoyed the hell out of her. The consummate smartass.

“No, if you were my father, you’d have slit my throat—not enough to kill me, but enough to make sure I couldn’t fight back.” His voice was soft, calm. “Then you’d hand me over to your sadistic, freakshow of a second-in-command Shelton, who would play with me until I couldn’t take it anymore. Only when I was good and broken would you return the silver spoon to my mouth.”

Good God, would any father really do that? Will didn’t sound as if he were joking. Randa relaxed her stance for only a split second before the world tilted and she hit the ground, landing on her back with Will stretched out on top of her in a full body press. And he had her gun.

“Damn it.” She pushed against him but it was like pressing on bedrock.

He propped on his elbows and grinned down at her. His hat had fallen off in the scuffle and the moonlight glinted off his hair, making it look silver instead of a naturally streaked blond. And he had dimples, as if God hadn’t already rewarded him with enough in the looks department.

“And if I were my father, you would be dead. Or worse. Believe me, with Matthias, there’s always much worse. Give up?”

She squirmed again, but froze when she realized he was getting turned on by her movements. There was definitely more of him pressing on her than there had been a few seconds earlier.

He laughed, a white glint of teeth in the moonlight. “Oh, don’t stop moving, sweetheart. This is getting more and more interesting.”

Yeah, she could feel exactly how interested he was getting. She felt a very un-vampirelike flush of heat as he wedged a knee between her legs. Damn it. She clenched her teeth at her body’s betrayal—which he’d be able to sense. She hated being a vampire; there was no sense of privacy. “Get. Off. Me. Now.”

Will lowered his head and, damn him, inhaled deeply, with his face pressed against the side of her neck. Her carotid artery also thumped in a very unvampire-like cadence. She waited for the smartass comments to start.

Instead, he lifted his head and looked her in the eye. She could swear his heartbeat sped up, although it was hard to tell over the pounding of her own. Well, this was awkward.

He blinked and opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

Well, that was one good thing. Will had been stricken dumb, at least for a moment. It wouldn’t last.

Omega blew me away! A little more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance, it revolves around the fate of Penton in the vampire and human world, between the people who have stayed behind to defend it, the newcomers would come in to rescue it, the other countries that want to mimic it, the vampire Tribunal, and

Since the first book, I wanted to know more about Will Ludlam, the son of the man on the vampire Tribunal who do anything to get him back. Where Aidan is the heart of Penton and Mirren is the soul, Will is the brain. Behind the bad boy persona, he's smart, the creator of all the vampires' living quarters, its technological security, the layout, and ultimately the Omega—the last resort if Penton is ever overtaken or destroyed. I loved how he wasn't dominate or an alpha male while still being unequivocally masculine, and his past ... oh, I ached for him.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt when I learned his love interest would be Randa, a military vet who was turned and is tough as nails. In book two, they seemed to clash. More than just bumping heads and constantly arguing, they seemed like complete opposites that could offer nothing to one another. But Susannah Sandlin surprised me. She did a wonderful job with their character development, proving that pasts do define people but can make them stronger for it too. I loved how both Randa's and Will's stories come together to resolve the series's plot, like two puzzle pieces that fit together but were cemented all the more because of where it leads—a great foundation for vampires and humans. It was quite well done.

Then there was Cage. I can't go into his story too much because it would give a lot away, but I loved how Susannah Sandlin weaved his story into this book. It was heart-breaking yet also gave so much hope. I don't know if Susannah Sandlin plans on ending the series here, but I hope not. Though I'm satisfied with the ending, I need more, lots more.

eARC provided by the author via Bewitching Book Tours.
Thank you!

Susannah Sandlin

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night! A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch, and always fancied herself living in Cornwall (although she’s never actually been there). Details, details. She also is a fan of Stephen King. The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana. Her novel Redemption won the paranormal romance category in the 2011 Chicago North RWA Fire and Ice contest.

Visit the Penton Legacy Tour Schedulefor excerpts, interviews, guest post, and more reviews.

Spotlight Promo & Excerpt—Super Dark by Tanith Morse

2013-05-21T01:00:00.000-04:00

Super Dark

by Tanith Morse

Book #1 of Super Dark series

Publication: January 14th 2013 by Little Willow
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Amazon B & N Smashwords Goodreads

For fans of Stephenie Meyer comes a chilling love story that will have you hooked from the very first page.

Darkness stalks seventeen-year-old Sam Harper. Ten years ago on Halloween night, grotesque creatures snatched her best friend Elliot and Sam narrowly escaped with her life. Now a decade on, the police investigation has ground to a halt and Elliot’s whereabouts remains a mystery.

Traumatized by her ordeal, Sam finds it hard to make friends. She is mistrustful of authority and changed schools more times than she cares to remember. To her, the world is cruel and unforgiving.

Then she meets the enigmatic Lee Weaver. With his gorgeous face and magnetic presence, he turns heads wherever he goes. Sam has never wanted anyone as much as she wants Lee, but there are things about the alluring stranger that don’t add up, leading Sam to ask unsettling questions about her past. Soon she discovers the boy of her dreams is keeping a terrible secret: one that threatens to destroy everything Sam holds dear . . .

Super Dark is a seductive love story that will keep you guessing right until the final page ...

Super Dark is FREE* on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo
Get your copy today!

A peek inside Super Dark

ONE
Snatched

“What are you reading?”

I glanced up from my book. The girl standing over me had a pleasant, open face, but I didn’t return her smile. She was the willowy blonde from my English class who sat two seats back. She wore way too much make-up and her roots needed doing, but somehow she made it look right.

She’d tried to catch my eye a couple of times already, but I’d ignored her. If I’d wanted to make friends, I’d have spent lunch in the cafeteria with the others, instead of finding this nice, quiet spot on the benches behind the Science department.

I was hoping not to be disturbed. Fat chance.

“It’s George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four,” I answered.

“Any good?”

“Yes, it’s one of the classics.”

“What’s it about?”

I rolled my eyes. Who the hell didn’t know about the Thought Police, Big Brother, and Room 101? Had she been living on another planet?

Undeterred, the blonde sat next to me. She smelled of soap and chewing gum.

“I’m Becky,” she said. “We’ve got English together.”

“I know.”

“You’re Samantha Harper, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You know, it’s funny. When we first met last week, I could have sworn I’d seen you somewhere before. Your face looked so familiar. And then Mr. Maine introduced us and the penny dropped.”

My stomach tightened. I knew exactly where this conversation was heading. It wasn’t fair. I’d only been at St. Mary’s High School a short time and already someone had recognized me.

“You’re her, aren’t you?” Becky whispered. “You’re that girl who was kidnapped.”

For a moment, I let the question hang there. Then I nodded.

“Wow, I knew it!” she said. “Obviously, you’re a lot older now. But I could still tell.” Her face lit up with excitement.

I squinted at my book, trying again to immerse myself in the world of Winston Smith, but it was no use. I clenched my jaws, trying to contain my emotion. “If you don’t mind, Becky, I’d rather not talk about this.”

Her smile dropped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Hope I haven’t offended you.”

“Not at all,” I said. “It’s just ... well, it’s not something I like to think about.”

“I understand. Bad memories and all that.”

“Exactly.”

In the awkward silence that followed, Becky began making little pleats in the hem of her skirt, then smoothed them out and tried a different tack. “Did the police ever find Elliot?” she asked. “You know, the little boy who was abducted with you?”

My mouth became a thin, tight line. I said nothing.

Becky kicked a pebble with the toe of her tennis shoe. “I remember seeing your picture in the newspaper. Must be weird being so famous.”

My mind raced back ten years to a time when the world had seemed a safer place—a time before my innocence was cruelly shattered. I could see it all as if it were yesterday.

Elliot Marsh had lived next door to me since we were toddlers. We’d attended the same nursery and primary schools, and our parents were the best of friends. He was the type of kid who’d take a punch for you, lie for you, or share his last Snickers bar with you. He seemed tough, but he had a big heart. If anyone picked a fight with me at school, I always knew Elliot had my back. I knew I could depend on him, no matter what.

Elliot and I spent most summers together, climbing trees, having water fights, playing video games, watching cartoons, and teasing the neighbor’s dog. We even went to Disneyland together once. We had the kind of friendship that only comes around once in a lifetime.

Neither of us could have imagined what was about to happen.

The snow had come early to London that dark Halloween night, as Elliot and I started trick-or-treating on our street. We were both seven, but he was six months older. The two of us had felt so grown up dressed as Batman and Batgirl, trudging from house to house in search of candy. By the time we’d finished the rounds, our buckets were nearly filled to the brim. People had been generous—but I wanted more.

“Let’s start heading back,” Elliot said.

“But I still have a little room in my bucket,” I whined. “And I hardly got any chocolate.”

“You know what our parents said.”

“They’ll never know. Let’s try one more street.”

“Do you reckon we should? Didn’t my mum say we should stay where she can see us?”

“What are you, a scaredy cat?” I teased.

“No, I’m not scared of anything,” Elliot retorted.

“Then let’s go!”

“But dinner’s gonna be ready soon. I’m hungry.”

“All right. If you’re too chicken, then I’ll hit the next street on my own.”

He hesitated, then relented. “Okay, okay, I’ll come.”

We took a left turn at the roundabout and started trudging up an unfamiliar street. Our boots, now ankle-deep in snow, made eerie, hollow sounds as they crunched on the pavement. We could see our breath in icy clouds.

Suddenly, I felt an odd sensation, as if something had thrown a handful of wet leaves at my back. It made me freeze in my tracks.

We heard the sputter of an engine—an old, tired sound, like the last chokes of a dying witch. We spun around and saw a battered, white van speeding in our direction, its headlights blinding us. When the vehicle pulled up alongside us, it screeched to a stop and an enormous man jumped out.

He was the most hideous creature I’d ever seen: seven feet tall, with bloodshot eyes, dirty brown overalls, and a matted beard that hung down to his waist. His bushy brows met in the middle, and his neck and hands were covered in thick, black hair. His lips scared me the most: they were purple and punctured with teeth marks.

What happened next was a kind of blur. One minute we were standing by the curb, clutching our trick-or-treat candy—and the next minute, this monstrous creature had scooped us up under his arms and shoved us into the back of his van. Candy spilled from our abandoned, overturned buckets, making a colorful stream in the snow.

Inside, the van was dark and damp. The floor was covered with large clumps of hay, as though it had been used to haul livestock. The putrid smell of rotten meat was overwhelming.

As the van rattled up the road, Elliot and I huddled together like a pair of scared rabbits, holding each other tight for comfort. I’ll never forget the warmth from his tiny fingers as they interlocked with mine, or the way he tried not to tremble for my sake. Elliot was putting on a brave face, but I knew he was just as frightened as I was.

As my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, I noticed we were not alone. Sitting a couple of feet away was a silhouette; when we passed a streetlamp, I could see it was a woman with swarthy skin and long, dark hair that was gathered back in two big bunches. She was dressed in strange layers of embroidered cloth that reminded me of a Russian Matryoshka doll. Chunky, gold bracelets weighed down her spindly wrists, and her calloused fingers sported an array of antique medallion rings.

I gasped when I saw her eyes: black, unflinching, and potently evil.

I burst into tears, and once I’d started, I couldn’t stop. I was terrified. Elliot cradled me in his arms, stroking my hair to make me feel warm and protected, but I could tell he wanted to cry, too.

“What are you going to do with us?” he asked, trying to make his voice sound serious and brave.

The woman didn’t answer.

“I want my mum,” I whimpered.

Elliot continued trying to calm me. After a moment, he looked the woman dead in the eye, an expression of defiance on his face. When he spoke, his voice sounded much older. “Let my friend go,” he said. “I don’t care what you do to me. Just let her go. She doesn’t want to be here.”

The woman folded her arms across her chest and glared in reply, her face as grim and impenetrable as ever.

My sobs intensified. I believed now that we were going to die. This was it. We were Hansel and Gretel, about to be eaten by the witch.

“Let my friend go,” Elliot repeated. “I promise I’ll be good. I won’t scream or anything. I’ll do whatever you say. Just please ... let her go.”

Abruptly, the woman made a violent stabbing gesture with her hand, and then she turned toward the driver. “Muzas gost!” she rasped. Her voice sounded unearthly.

The man hit the brakes and the van skidded to a halt. The woman continued muttering in a strange, foreign language as she wrenched me from Elliot, unbolted the back doors, and shoved me out onto the street.

The last image I had of my best friend was his sweet, tear-stained face, his tiny hand waving goodbye to me as the van doors closed.

I never saw Elliot Marsh again.

Visit the Super Dark Tour Schedule for reviews, interviews, and guest posts

Tanith Morse

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Tanith Morse grew up in Wandsworth, south London. From a young age she developed a great love of horror films and gothic romances. Her favorite director is Tim Burton and her favorite authors include Charlotte Bronte, Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins. When she isn’t writing, Tanith enjoys directing short films for the festival circuit and looking after her cat, Mambo. An avid tea drinker, Tanith can be found hanging out in cozy London cafes in search of new brews to tease her taste buds. Super Dark is her first YA novel.

Event organized by Bewitching Book Tours

* Price subject to change without notice

Resource Spotlight & Giveaway—Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy by Michael Knost

2013-05-21T00:30:00.000-04:00

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy

by Michael Knost

Publication: April 18th 2013 by Seventh Star Press
Genre: Speculative Fiction

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction and Fantasy is a collection of essays and interviews by and with many of the movers-and-shakers in the industry. Each contributor covers the specific element of craft he or she excels in. Expect to find varying perspectives and viewpoints, which is why you many find differing opinions on any particular subject.

This is, after all, a collection of advice from professional storytellers. And no two writers have made it to the stage via the same journey-each has made his or her own path to success. And that's one of the strengths of this book. The reader is afforded the luxury of discovering various approaches and then is allowed to choose what works best for him or her.

Featuring essays and interviews with:

Neil Gaiman
Orson Scott Card
Ursula K. Le Guin
Alan Dean Foster
James Gunn
Tim Powers
Harry Turtledove
Larry Niven
Joe Haldeman
Kevin J. Anderson
Elizabeth Bear
Jay Lake
Nancy Kress
George Zebrowski
Pamela Sargent
Mike Resnick
Ellen Datlow
James Patrick Kelly
Jo Fletcher
Stanley Schmidt
Gordon Van Gelder
Lou Anders
Peter Crowther
Ann VanderMeer
John Joseph Adams
Nick Mamatas
Lucy A. Snyder
Alethea Kontis
Nisi Shawl
Jude-Marie Green
Nayad A. Monroe
G. Cameron Fuller
Jackie Gamber
Amanda DeBord
Max Miller
Jason Sizemore

This edition also includes several full page illustrations from award-winning artists Matthew Perry and Bonnie Wasson

Michael Knost

His Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Michael Knost is an award-winning author, editor, and columnist in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Supernatural Thriller genres. He has written several books and dozens of short stories, edited a number of anthologies, including the Legends of the Mountain State series, and he currently writes a column for Shroud Magazine.

He recently won the Bram Stoker Award in the United Kingdom for his book Writers Workshop of Horror, a collection of articles and interviews on the craft of writing. He is currently working on a Mothman novel due to hit bookshelves later this year.

Michael has worked in the radio, television, and newspaper industries, and currently lives in Chapmanville, West Virginia with his beautiful wife and daughter.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Seventh Star Soundoff

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher located in Lexington, KY. SSP specializes in speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror). The company was established in October of 2008.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event organized by Full Moon Bites Promotions

Blog Tour {Guest Post & Giveaway}—The Last Hour by Charles Sheehan-Miles

2013-05-20T00:30:00.001-04:00

Stopping by The LUV'NV today is The Last Hour blog tour, organized by AToMR Tours.
We have Charles Sheehan-Miles here to tell us some interesting facts about The Last Hour,
and you can enter to win a signed paperback copy of the book, one of five copies of Just Remember to Breathe
(the first standalone novel in the Thompson Sisters series), and a $100 Amazon gift card!

The Last Hour

by Charles Sheehan-Miles

A Thompson Sisters novel

Publication: April 19th 2013 by Cincinnatus Press
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

Twenty-seven year old Carrie Thompson-Sherman has the life she always wanted: her PhD, a prestigious fellowship, and an amazing husband.

Her life begins to unravel as a jealous colleague puts her fellowship in jeopardy and a haunting secret Ray Sherman carried home from Afghanistan comes to light.

Hounded by a federal investigation and the ensuing media feeding frenzy, Carrie and Ray desperately lean on each other, until a disastrous accident puts both Ray and her sister's lives at risk.

In the last hour, Carrie and Ray will each find themselves faced with a choice.

A choice that will change everything.

Interesting facts about The Last Hour

by Charles Sheehan-Miles

1. The condo in Bethesda, MD where Ray and Carrie lived through much of the book is actually at the location of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office in real life.

2. When I went to do a walk-through at George Washington University Hospital so I could get an idea of the layout for the story, I was escorted out by security. So the interior is completely made up as fiction.

3. Much of the story is driven by an event which took place in the village of Dega Payan in Badakshan Province following an avalanche in the winter of 2012. Dega Payan is a real village, and the avalanche happened, but it happened to a different village.

4. In the first book in the series, I said there were six Thompson sisters, but only actually introduced five. A particularly attentive reader pointed it out in a very funny review suggesting that Andrea possibly forgot to breathe. I had to think up a backstory, which is hinted at in The Last Hour but won’t be revealed until I get to Andrea’s book.

To read reviews, excerpts, and more guest post, visit The Last Hour Tour Schedule

The Last Hour is book three of The Thompson Sister series,
though is said by readers that it can be read as a standalone.

Just Remember to Breathe
Book #1 of the Thompson Sisters series
Publication: November 12th 2012 by Cincinnatus Press

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

Alex Thompson’s life is following the script. A pre-law student at Columbia University, she’s focused on her grades, her life and her future. The last thing she needs is to reconnect with the boy who broke her heart.

Dylan Paris comes home from Afghanistan severely injured and knows that the one thing he cannot do is drag Alex into the mess he’s made of his life.

When Dylan and Alex are assigned to the same work study program and are forced to work side by side, they have to make new ground rules to keep from killing each other.

Only problem is, they keep breaking the rules.

The first rule is to never, ever talk about how they fell in love.

A Song for Juila
Book #2 of the Thompson Sisters series
Publication: December 5th 2012 by Cincinnatus Press

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. Six years later, he’s still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job. The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.

Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy.

When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.

Read an excerpt of book two, A Song for Julia, featured here on The LUV'NV!

Charles Sheehan-Miles

His Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive. He is the author of several books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America's Future.

$100 Amazon gift card
Signed paperback copy of The Last Hour (USA/CAN only)
Five (5) eBook copies of Just Remember to Breathe

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Verve & Stacking the Shelves (10)

2013-05-19T01:02:00.000-04:00

The Verve is our Sunday edition of the weekly memes "The Sunday Post," hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer,
and "Stacking the Shelves," hosted by Tynga's Reviews. We feature the books we bought, borrowed, were gifted and given for review.
We also share blog news from the past couple weeks and what you might see in the next two.

REVIEWS:

EXCERPTS:
Werewolves Be Damned by Stacey Kennedy (Adult Urban Fantasy Romance)
Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe (NA Dark Fantasy)
Escaping Darkness by Theresa McClinton (YA Paranormal Romance | Novella)
King's Crusade by A.D. Starrling (Adult Supernatural Thriller)
Tempted by Alexandra Anthony (Paranormal Romance | Erotica)
Ruby by Jeffe Kennedy (Contemporary Romance | Erotica | BDSM)
A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones by Claire Robyns (Adult Steampunk | Paranormal Romance)
Renhala by Amy Joy Lutchen (Adult Fantasy)

INTERVIEWS:
Allison Rushby, author of NA Historical novel The Heiresses
Chris Hays, male MC from Wanted, an NA Contemporary Romance by Amanda Lance

GUEST POSTS:
About Our Souls to Keep by Gary Caruso
Five favorite scenes in Project Five Fifteen by Samantha Summers
Playlist and scene sneak peeks of King's Crusade by A.D. Starrling

COVER REVEALS:
Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss (NA Contemporary Romance)
Overexposed by Adrianne James (YA Contemporary)
One More Day by L.S. Murphy, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson and more (YA Anthology)
Addicted to You by Colina Brennan (NA Contemporary Romance)

SPOTLIGHTS:
New Adult Sleepover Weekend Blog Tour
The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette (YA Fantasy)
Soul Catcher by G.P. Ching (YA Fantasy | Mild M/M Romance)
Broken Promises by Dawn Pendleton (NA Contemporary Romance)
The Enemy by Larry Brograd (Political Thriller | Mystery)

EBOOKS BOUGHT

FREEBIES*

* Price subject to change without notice. Always check and confirm the price before purchasing *

WON

I won my first Goodreads giveaway! Thanks to Britney King for signing and sending me her book Bedrock.
Much love to Jean from Jean Book Nerd blog and to Elana Arnold for signing and sending me a copy of her book Sacred. I flove the message Elana wrote in it.

GIFTED

Abbi Glines is so awesome. She sent me a signed copy of Twisted Perfection for participating in her book tour. Thanks, babe!
Watch out, LUVs. There will be a giveaway for this delicious book.

And tons of smooches for my sister, who gave this to me for Mother's Day. The blurb on the front and the summary on the back are so awesome they made me smile, laugh, then get the tingles. I have to share them.

Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge

A dangerous book about a scandalous savior. Experiencing the playful, disruptive, extravagant personality of Jesus.

He was accused of nearly everything—breaking the law, keeping bad company, heavy drinking, and being the devil himself. He was so compelling they had to kill him.

But those who knew him best loved him passionately. He had a sense of humor. His generosity was scandalous. His anger made enemies tremble. He would say the most outrageous things. And this Jesus has not changed one bit; he is still himself, available to all who would know him.

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW

Much love and gratitude to S.K. Falls, Katie French, and Patchwork Press for these pretties!

An enormous "Thank you!" to Flux Books and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for these lovelies!

Thanks to the authors, YA Bound, AToMR Tours, GCR Promotions, and Xpresso Tours for these.
Boys of Summer #2 ... woo-hoo!!!

UPCOMING REVIEWS

EXCERPTS, GUEST POSTS & GIVEAWAYS

Whew! What did you haul in this week?

Link us to your recent Stacking the Shelves or Sunday Post, or share in a comment what you've added to your pile (book or fic).
Is there anything you'd like to see reviewed soon from our pile? Let us know. It's always wonderful hearing from you.
Until next time ...

Blog Tour {Excerpt & Giveaway}—Renhala by Amy Joy Lutchen

2013-05-18T00:30:00.000-04:00

Stopping by The LUV'NV today is the Renhala blog tour, organized by Xpresso Book Tours.
We have an excerpt from this Adult Fantasy novel, and you can enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card,
two Renhala magnets, and Amy Joy Lutchen's current favorite teas!

Renhala

by Amy Joy Lutchen

Book #1 of the Renhala series

Publication: September 27th 2012 by Amy Joy Lutchen
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Amazon B & N Smashwords Goodreads

Kailey Rooke, timid accountant, dedicated to philanthropic work, finds herself spiraling into a deep depression after she suffers a horrifyingly odd and humiliating assault, to only discover more of these freakish assaults occurring across the globe.

A chance discovery leads Kailey to a meeting with elderly Gunthreon, actual master of persuasion. Gunthreon, who seems to know too much of Kailey's history for her liking, opens Kailey's eyes to a coexisting realm she never knew existed: Renhala, while entrusting her with the knowledge of her newfound power as karmelean, serving as a beacon to the Higher Ones. Kailey slowly starts revealing new talents, and Gunthreon is fascinated with what she starts achieving.

She soon discovers that Renhala is in danger, and this danger has been leaking into her own realm. As she uncovers secrets within herself, and attempts to toughen up, she fuses with an unlikely band of fellow travelers (including a dragon, woodsprite, six-hundred-pound greble, her faithful female canine companion, and a "giver"), falls into an unexpected love triangle, deals with her sexy and flirtatious best friend’s “issues,” and finds the courage to master a new deadly weapon.

On her mission to save Renhala, Kailey will find herself running from life-threatening disasters, such as greble Tartarin, who likes to remind Kailey that when he catches her, he plans on eating her brains with ice cream; she'll run from the deadly meeples: small cute bunnies with talons and an undeniable thirst for imposing self-destruction on others. Kailey will also run into the possibility that a centuries-old Renhalan rumor is true, that advanced technology existing in Kailey's realm shortens all life spans.

As blood is shed and puzzles near completion, Kailey pulls from deep within herself, conjuring up mystical qualities that enable her to astonish as once predicted at her birth, but despite the newfound strength, Kailey will discover that monsters not only come in ugly packages, but can be easily disguised as those she has come to love and trust.

A peek inside Renhala

Six o’clock means she’ll be here at seven, and that gives me plenty of time to get ready. I can hardly believe I’m the one who initiated a night out, but I’m riding the minute possibility that a few really strong, dirty martinis will crumble a few emotional walls of mine tonight. I’m willing to give it a try, but damn well know the probable outcome: me sitting, totally sober, while already-drunk Amber downs the countless drinks bought for her from overly-anxious meatheads.

I switch on the radio and get dressed while lightly shuffling to “Good Vibrations,” by Marky Mark. As I check myself out in the bathroom mirror, I stare, unhappy with the somewhat low-cut shirt I chose—too revealing. While taking the shirt off, I bend over to plug the iron back in, and then the power suddenly goes out, engulfing me in total darkness.

I freeze for a brief two seconds. Then whirl about, using my hands as eyes in the darkness, searching for any weapons in my bathroom. Realizing that two previous nights ago I walked away with a pocket knife usually stored in the medicine cabinet, I grab my cuticle scissors in one hand and my hairspray in the other. Kioto had only been moaning in her sleep that night I moved the knife, but it sounded so alien. Alien. Alien-like grunting.

The guttural sound of grunting from my assaulter’s throat echoes through my mind as I stand motionless, frozen from fear, remembering the noise as he tore off my cotton panties the day of the assault. I lay there, on my stomach, on top of my newly made bed, staring at Bear—a feeling of despair so great and overpowering pulsing through me. I also remember, too painfully, the blood-curdling scream that escaped my throat as I pleaded to anyone listening, a higher being even, to please save me. Don’t let this happen to me. This shouldn’t be happening to me. I wouldn’t survive feeling that hopeless again.

After my eyes adjust, and as I wait for the sound of footsteps or breathing, I hear neither, so I peek around the door and see Kioto lying on the ground, head turned toward me—possibly perturbed by the roaring sounds emanating from my chest. I walk, shakily, with weapons still in hand, toward the window and I see the whole block is out. A quick check toward the sky reveals the approaching storm. I collapse on my couch and cry like a baby, doubting my ability to function like a normal human being ever again. Kioto walks toward me, and slowly licks my blackened tears from my face. “Thanks, baby,” I say as I snuggle into her and regain my normal breathing.

I wipe my running mascara from my face and gather my composure. A glance at the clock tells me that Amber should be here soon. Sooner than I can fix my makeup, the power goes back on, giving me another heart attack when “Kung Fu Fighting” starts blaring throughout the apartment. What a wonderful start to the evening.

Amber arrives at 7:15 and lets herself in with the key I gave her last week, which was supposed to be for emergencies only. She is absolutely stunning. Her long, straight blond hair complements the lime-green baby-doll dress and her black stilettos. She’s only five foot three, so the extra four and a half inches brings her closer to eye level, but not for long. I decide to wear my knee length, heeled, black boots with my new taupe silk tank top and black pants. I grab my father’s ring off my dresser and slip it into my pocket.

She stares at me and says, “Girl, I need some of that leg length. If you die, can you donate your legs to me?” I laugh and tell her only if she shares some of the endowment on her chest. She’s about a thirty-two E, compared to my thirty-four B.

“You sure you’re ready to do this?” She emanates sincerity.

I shake my head no as the tears fill my eyes and I grab my purse.

Amy Joy Lutchen

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Born in Chicago, Illinois, a few days prior to watching her first movie, at a drive-in theater. Yes, drive-in theater. And yes, her mother believed she was possessed by the devil after said first movie.

Grew up in the Chicagoland area and graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, where she simply became a number, but decided it was a good number.

Loves cooking (mostly candy-cooking), gardening (putting holes in the ground for perennials, DONE!), designing and constructing jewelry (everything from silversmithing to lampworking), and living with her wonderful husband, two children, black Labrador, and frog—and maybe even the chipmunk family that likes to destroy her aforementioned perennials.

Also hopes that you enjoy her writings, and won’t criticize her for her aversion of eating things in multiples of three.

$100 Amazon gift card
Two Renhala magnets
Goodies: Blackberry Sage tea by Republic of Tea and Mighty Leaf's Organic African Nectar tea
Open internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Renhala Tour Schedule

Blog Tour {Review & Giveaway}—Stripped by Brooklyn Skye

2013-05-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Stopping by The LUV'NV today is the Stripped blog tour, organized by YA Bound.
We have a review of this fabulous New Adult novel for you,
and you can enter to win an autographed paperback or e-copy of the book!

Stripped

by Brooklyn Skye

Publication: May 14th 2013 by Brooklyn Skye
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Amazon B & N Goodreads

“I like you.” His voice is low and soft, which I don’t deserve. I look away, down the rutted parking lot.
“Don’t ... waste those words on me.”
He touches my cheek. “You just need someone to show you.”
“No.” I ease back again. “I don’t. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and save me. I don’t need saving.”

College freshman Quinn Montgomery will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister made—killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack, just enough to let Torrin, the university’s top varsity oarsman, see that the real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think. But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is connected to Quinn’s family in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Stripped is the New Adult novel I've been looking for since I've heard of the new genre, capturing the life of a college student passing the threshold between youth and adulthood, between dependence and independence, while encompassing the many struggles of what that means—all with a fresh voice, humor, angst, and different kinds of love.

It isn't simply about discovering and growing into oneself but more about parting from all one knows, separating memory from reality, discerning truth from rumor and perception. It's about love—and fear—making one blind, but not in the way you think or expect and is normally written. It's about being stripped of comfort, financial and emotional security, and all you thought you knew. And it was wonderful.

The author, Brooklyn Skye, has a fabulous writing style. The narrative smacked of Quinn's attitude. The characters' actions always spoke louder than words could ever convey. With the right amount of description, the scenes felt real, like I was there and could see through Quinn's eyes, feel her and her surroundings while being in her head. With great pacing, I flew through the book, and every event and character reaction was natural; nothing felt contrived or as if they were added for mere filler or shock value.

The relationships were believable, developing slowly with heart-warming interaction, or if already developed, the dynamics and reasons behind such a relationship were clear. I loved all the characters, even when Quinn was being a bitch, because I felt for her. She was blunt, but she made me laugh and there was an vulnerable honesty—a realism—to her and her emotions that I rarely find and adore when a character is self-destructive. Although I wish I got more of the emotional depth behind Torrin, with his patience and kindness, respect for her and himself, he was lovable and swoon-worthy.

They each had their own struggles that complemented and intertwined, and I really appreciated how that was the focus. While there was sex and sensual and playful romance, neither drove the story. It was about growth and overcoming fears and faults, correcting mistakes and moving past them.

Even better, while Stripped is emotionally poignant and revolves around the baggage and repercussions of suicide, the book wasn't depressing. The two families' connection was predictable and I wasn't a big fan of how quickly the issue behind them was resolved, but how the author handled the sensitive subject matter with care, and with a realism behind love and all its painful beauty in respect to such a tragic event, was so darn good and well-exectued that I could easily overlook how one part of the plot fell just a tad bit flat.

If you're looking for a New Adult novel that's a little more Realistic/Contemporary Fiction than Contemporary Romance, with substance and more emphasis on college life, I highly recommend Stripped.

eARC provided by the author via YA Bound. Thank you!

Check out the Stripped Tour Schedule for excerpts, interviews, guest posts, and more reviews!

Brooklyn Skye

Her Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Brooklyn Skye is just your average awkward girl who's obsessed with words. She grew up in a small California town where she quickly realized writing was an easy escape from small town life.

One (1) eBook with autograph or a signed paperback of Stripped
Paperback US only. eBook for international readers/entrees.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal—Addicted to You by Colina Brennan

2013-05-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the cover reveal for:

Addicted to You
by Colina Brennan
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

When twenty-one-year-old Leah Carter's latest one night stand burglarizes her apartment, her roommate forces her to attend therapy for sex addicts. Leah insists she isn't a sex addict; she just doesn't do relationships. After all, sooner or later, everyone lets you down.

At first, the group sessions are little more than an education on how to be promiscuous. Until she meets the newest addict—blue eyes, killer body, and a smile that tempts relapse.

Psychology student Will McLean is posing as a fellow addict while researching a case study on unusual addictions. But the more he learns about Leah, the more certain he is that his desire to break through her walls and unearth her secrets has nothing to do with his assignment.

As the uncertainties spike alongside the sexual tension, the only thing Leah knows for sure is that falling in love would be disastrous. Too bad love might be one addiction she can't kick.

Expected Publication: June 2013 by Colina Brennan

Isn't the cover PRETTY?! I love the soft colors, and even though I'm not a huge fan of "kissing" covers, I really like this one. I'm more drawn to their faces and expressions than their mouths, and the semi-nude sexiness is there but muted. Then there's the summary. A book blatantly embracing the sex addiction we seem to get (and have) with many New Adult novels, using it as part of the plot? *grabby hands* I can't wait for the release! ;)

Colina Brennan

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Cover reveal organized by GCR Promotions

Spotlight Excerpt & Giveaway—A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones by Claire Robyns

2013-05-16T12:30:00.000-04:00

A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones

by Claire Robyns

Book #1 of Dark Matters series

Publication: September 24th 2012 by Claire Robyns
Genre: Adult Steampunk | Paranormal Romance

Amazon B & N Kobo Goodreads

A Victorian Steampunk/Paranormal adventure with strong elements of romance ...

Lady Lily d'Bulier is prim, proper, and prefers to think of herself as pragmatic rather than timid. And avoiding life-threatening situations at all costs is just plain practical. But everything changes when Lord Adair tracks her down in London; searching for answers he seems to think she has.

Greyston Adair is a blackguard and a smuggler, although British Customs will have to catch him red-handed to prove the latter. Fortunately, the dirigibles they float around in have never been able to get near his air dust.

Hell is rising, One Demon at a Time ...

With Lady Ostrich hunting them, and the mystery of how their lives tie back to Cragloden Castle and the powerful McAllister clan, Lily has no option but to throw propriety to the wind and run off with Greyston to Scotland, away from the immediate danger and toward possible answers.

A peek inside A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones

Evelyn was even more intrigued when she entered the drawing room. Not only was Lily’s mysterious gentleman the scrumptious Lord Adair from the previous night, but the two of them looked as if they’d been caught in flagrante. Lord Adair’s neck cloth looked as if it had been tied in unseemly haste—by a blind man. Lily’s skirts were scuffed and wrinkled and her bodice wasn’t sitting quite straight.

Lily left his side to meet Evelyn halfway across the room.

“If I’d known you were being ravished by Lord Dashing down here,” Evelyn declared in a whisper, “I would have stayed up there—” she raised her eyes to the ceiling “—another twenty minutes.”

“Don’t be absurd.” Lily’s hands flew to her hair.

“It’s your skirts that need patting down.” She linked her arm in Lily’s and strolled in the direction of Lord Adair, keeping her voice low. “What did he do? Drag you into the woods and toss you over a log?”

Lily went white in the face.

“By God.” Evelyn surged forward. “I’ll deal with the bloody Scotsman.”

“Evie, no, wait.” Lily dug her heels in. “Nothing happened. Must you always latch onto the most preposterous conclusions?”

Evelyn’s brows drew tight. Something felt wrong, but her friend made a valid point. She was rash and brash, a fact she’d never denied. She kept her sharp tongue on a leash and turned a smile on the man instead as they drew close. “How charming, Lord Adair, I was hoping we’d see more of you.”

“Lady Harchings.” He inclined his head in greeting.

Clearly not trusting her to keep the peace, Lily inserted breathlessly, “I was just telling Lady Harchings that we were riding in the park—”

“And your horses tossed both of you?” Evelyn couldn’t resist.

Lily rewarded her with a glare. “We were in Lord Adair’s carriage, but, um, yes, a rabbit or fox must have run across the path because one of the horses took fright—”

“You really should train them better,” Evelyn told him.

“The rabbits or the horses?” Lord Adair riposted dryly, his eyes never leaving Lily and a grin tugging at his mouth.

Claire Robyns

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Claire Robyns lives in Berkshire, England, with her husband and twin boys. For so long as she has memories, she was either reading, dreaming about reading, or planning what she'd be reading next. Then one day she started dreaming about writing and that was the beginning of an amazing journey.

When Claire isn't thigh-deep in laundry, shopping, cooking and general crowd control, you'll find her head-and-heart-deep in the tangled lives of her characters.

Claire will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to TWO randomly drawn commenters during the tour.

Leave a meaningful comment or question for Claire below. Please be sure to include your email address!
Giveaway ends May 24th

Follow the tour and comment for more chances to win!

Event organized by Goddess Fish Promotions

V Wicked Tease – 05/16

2013-05-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

Hi, fanfictionees! We're so sorry teasers haven't been posted. We weren't getting submission notifications—they must have been reset—but they're set up once more. All missed teasers are below. The teasers from the fics that have been updated are labeled as V Wicked Teasers this time around, even if they're not less than 125 words. Again, we're sorry about missing the teasers! Forgive us?

All the teasers are really good. Hope you enjoy and find a new fic you fall in love with.

— Regular Teasers —
Submit your teasers for an upcoming chapter. Can be E/B or non-canon!
♥ Chapter 13 of "About That Night" by Vampgirl79 **Edward & Bella**
♥ Chapter 4 of "Into the Light" by THE Chick Norris **Edward & Bella**

— V Wicked Teasers —
A different kind of pimpage. Give the fandom a taste of your fic in 125 words or less.
♥ Chapter 24 of "Cocktails at Eclipse" by twilightladies **Edward & Bella**
♥ Chapter 25 of "The End, The Beginning" by starpower31 **Edward & Bella**
♥ Chapter 67 of "Monster" by The.Bloody White.Wolf.xoxo **Emmett & OC**
♥ Chapter 8 of "Told Ya So!" by Lady of Spain **Jacob & Bella**

♥ Regular Teasers ♥

"About That Night" by Vampgirl79
Edward & Bella, AH, Romance, Angst, MA/NC-17

Summary: *Nominated 3 times for Best Lemon & also for Best Kiss in 2012* Bella Swan's life unexpectedly shatters in a matter of hours. That same day, a random encounter with a beautiful stranger leads to an unforgettable evening. What will happen once she faces reality again and has to come clean about the things she's kept hidden? All-human/OOC

*** Chapter 13 Teaser ***

It only takes seconds for our mouths and tongues to tangle fervently, hungrily. We are making out like horny teenagers and have no care in the world as to who may be witnessing our inappropriate PDA.

I just simply cannot get enough of this beautiful, gentle man. I need him, all the time. I need his kisses, his caresses and his body on me as often as possible. God, I am in way over my head!

As Edward’s warm lips kiss mine chastely, I whimper, disappointed that our red-hot lip lock session has ended. Shaking my head to clear the powerful daze I am under, I straighten myself and smooth down my dress. God, my thighs are wobbly like jelly!

With an amused expression and mischievous gleam in his eyes, Edward smirks. Oh, he finds me hilarious, does he?

Casting him a mock-irritated glare, I ask, “What’s so funny?”

Edward laughed. “Nothing, sweetheart. Are you all right? You appear a little, ah… flushed. Should I drive you over to the hospital?”

Glowering at him, I take a step back and fold my arms across my chest. “Ha-ha, hilarious. No, that will not be necessary. Unless… would you care to give me a thorough exam yourself, Mr. Cullen?”

Smiling at him widely, I waggle my eyebrows suggestively and he blushes. Oh, how adorable, I embarrassed him!

Suddenly, his eyes darken with hunger and he exhales sharply. “Mmm, my sweet Bella, that is a very alluring offer. I would love to examine every inch of that delectable body of yours,”

Taking a single step, Edward closes the space between us and places his hands on my hips. Then ever so slowly, his slender fingers travel up, glide across my ribcage and I tremble in pleasure.

Just as he leans in for a kiss, a clearing of the throat captures our attention and unfortunately kills our heated mood.

"Into the Light" by THE Chick Norris
Edward & Bella, Romance, Angst, M

Summary: Phoenix is the catalyst that Bella and Edward both need for the changes that will make everything work.

*** Chapter 4 Teaser ***

His long fingers moved loose strands of hair off my face, and he leaned in to whisper in my ear once again. “I know what you want,” he said. His voice was everything erotic and sensual. “I see it every time you look at me, Isabella.”

I felt my eyes rolling back as my eyelids fluttered closed. I longed for more than just his hot, moist breath ghosting over my ear and cheek; I wanted him touching me, kissing me, pressing me up against the wall and having his way with me.

”Can’t you admit that you like me too?”

♥ Wicked Teasers ♥

"Cocktails at Eclipse" by twilightladies
Edward & Bella, Romance, Drama, MA/NC-17

Summary: What is she still doing here? They shouldn't be together anymore—she should be gone. She's persistent—I'll give her that—digging her claws in so we can't get near them.

*** Chapter 24 Wicked Teaser ***

After a few minutes, she speaks. “Well?”

I look up at her. “Well, what?”

“What do you mean, ‘well, what’? What on earth was that about earlier?”

I shrug. “I told you. I needed to get home. I’m on a tight turnaround on a weekend night. You know that, Bella.”

“I know I do, and you know that’s not what I’m talking about.” She sighs and crosses her arms.

“What?” I turn to face her properly.

“Stop avoiding the question,” she growls. “You never usually have a problem waiting for me, so why was there a problem tonight?”

I sigh. “Bella, I don’t want to get into this before work.”

“Well, I do! I don’t want you storming away again. Talk to me; tell me why you didn’t wait.”

I groan. “Because, Bella. I’m sick of waiting. It feels like it’s all I ever do. Your colleagues get to spend more time with you than I do these days.”

“That’s not true,” she says softly.

I go over and sit on the end of the bed. “It is, and you know it. After last weekend, you said you would work harder at not staying late, and that lasted until Tuesday. You’ve been late every night since.“

She looks as though I’ve just slapped her, but she doesn’t say anything.

Guilt rushes through me briefly, but I continue. After all, she’s the one who wants to have this conversation now. “I understand your job is demanding, but at the moment, it’s controlling your life.” I glance at my watch and realize I have to leave soon. I get up and finish getting ready as I talk. “You live for that place.”

Her eyes are still on me as she walks into the room and sits on the bed. She picks up a corner of the cover and plays with it on her lap. “I need this job, Edward,” she sighs. “I’ve always had a job I hate, or colleagues I can’t stand. Now, I have a job I enjoy and people I like working with.”

“It’s taking over your life, Bella,” I say, watching her reflection in the mirror.

She rolls her eyes at me, which I ignore. I don’t have the time or patience for another argument.

“You don’t get it, Edward.” Her eyes are back on the covers in her hands. “I have to work for my living. If I don’t have this job, then I have to find another one. I need to do whatever I can to keep it.”

“Don’t just stay at a job because you’re worried about finding another one. There are plenty of other places looking for journalists all the time,” I say softly.

“Not all of us have the luxury of rich parents,” she snaps.

"The End, The Beginning" by starpower31
Edward & Bella, AH, Romance, Crime, MA/NC-17

Summary: "Are you guys lunatics? Edward is not some mob boss!" My life was supposed to be perfect. Everything was done - I was going to London. But then... Agent Jacob Black came into my life. And with him, came Edward. Now that they're here, I'm surrounded in a world of crime I can't get out of. Is it wrong that I don't WANT to get out? AH. Might be a little graphic for some. Mafiaward.

*** Chapter 25 Wicked Teaser ***

I don’t even know what to say to that. I mean, love is all about forgiveness and sacrifice right? You forgive those who you love and you don’t hold grudges. That’s how it’s supposed to be.

But does the same rule apply when your best friend for life and after tells you that she doesn’t really want to marry you in the future because marriages suck and they don’t work out?

“Bella, you do love me right?” I ask again, for confirmation purposes, you know.

She looks at me like I’m dense and gives me her “duh” face. “Edward, just because I said I don’t want to consider marriage when I’m ten years old doesn’t mean I don’t love you!”

“Yeah, but…I’m twelve, Bells. I have to sort my future out. I mean, if you won’t accept when I propose when we’re both eighteen, then what’s the point of all this studying? Who am I going to earn the money for anyway?”

She huffs and rolls her eyes, wriggling on the hard bench in the cafeteria. “You’ve seen how my parents fight all the time, Ed. I don’t like to fight, so we can’t marry. You’re my best friend, best friends aren’t supposed to fight. If we marry, we’ll fight—that’s how marriage works.” And then she nods matter-of-factly.

Bullshit, I say.

"Monster" by The.Bloody White.Wolf.xoxo
Emmett & OC, Angst, Romance, MA/NC-17

Summary: I'm nothing but a monster burning in a hell that only exists in my head. There's no hope left until one harmless glance chances logic and binds two eternal enemies together in a twist of fate. Can the escape from this hell be found in an infuriating dimpled grin? Or is this another dark, dirty trick of my own mind? A forbidden passion, heat, and intense anger—this is no fairytale.

*** Chapter 67 Wicked Teaser ***

I'm Jordan Uley. He is Emmett Cullen. I am Jordan. He is Emmett. I am her. He is him. I am. . . He's. . .

He's the scent blazing in my nostrils, cutting through my throat like the sharp silver edges of knives.

The tower of muscle is my target, waiting for me, provoking attack; challenging.

He's my target.

He's the hunter.

No.

I'm the predator.

I'm the killer; I taste the metallic sting of salty red death on my tongue, so familiar it's a friend.

I'm the heat of a billion hells that bring me to the brink of pure rule and power.

I'm the wolf, and he's the demon.

I see it now.

I see it, and I know the bottomless pits of false emotion its hungry eyes.

Touches and kisses; cracks and snaps and hisses. Bleeding burns. The hollowness of my bones as warm golden saps my strength and bends my knees.

I see it in the demon, and the moment we lock eyes, I know.

The moment we lock eyes, I feel it. The jagged punch of hatred in my veins, so hot and real. The slashing and ripping as I'm turned inside out; twisted, remade into something different. Something unreal. What I really am.

There is no such thing as Jordan Uley. That's nothing but weak, spineless, pathetic excuse of a fighter; she's someone a heart that's foreign in wolf skin.

I am the wolf.

And the moment I see those gleaming eyes, clouded as a shining hue of scarlet swims through the yellow like a light of truth seeping through a maze of all of the fucking facades and lies, I know.

Kill him.

"Told Ya So!" by Lady of Spain
Jacob & Bella, Romance, Drama, M

Summary: While in their meadow, Edward finally gives Bella what she's been dying for, and nearly kills her in the process-at least emotionally. She runs to Jacob for comfort, and asks for his help to break up with her "lover". It's up to Jacob to help her recover from the trauma and show her what love is meant to be.

*** Chapter 8 Wicked Teaser ***

“Your father tells us that despite his warning, she had a boyfriend who is in fact a Cold One. Isn’t that true?”

“Yes, but she’s with me now. She saw that it was too dangerous for her to be with him.”

Holding his palm out, Old Quil interjected, “But it’s also true that she had intimate relations with him, and is now carrying his child. Am I wrong?” There was a buzz emanating from the participants surrounding the table at that comment.

The poor wolf boy was cornered. The facts were clear. This was a direct violation of the treaty.

“No, but she came to me. She changed her mind. Bella never thought he could father a child—she’s not happy about any of this.

Spotlight Excerpt—Ruby by Jeffe Kennedy

2013-05-15T01:30:00.000-04:00

Ruby

by Jeffe Kennedy

Book #3 of Facets of Passion series

Publication: May 13th 2013 by Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Erotica | BDSM

Amazon B & N Kobo Goodreads

Danielle Sosna has no problem denying herself in order to achieve her goals—after all, that attitude landed her a dream job at Vogue Paris. But in New Orleans for one last assignment before heading overseas, she's faced with the most decadent of temptations. Seductive Cajun chef Bobby Prejean takes Dani's strength of will as a challenge, and offers her a night of wild indulgence—if she will agree to obey his every command ...

Dani can't resist Prejean's invitation to join him in a world of carnal desire, complete with fetish costumes and masks. Determined to keep her emotional distance, she gives Prejean everything but her name. A night becomes a week, as she spends Mardi Gras suspended ... in the delicious space where pleasure meets pain.

Too late, she realizes the cloak of anonymity has not protected her—and that chasing her dream might come at the expense of her heart.

Ruby is book #3 from the Facets of Passion series:

Sapphire

Book #1 of Facets of Passion series

Publication: October 24th 2011 by Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Erotica | BDSM

Goodreads B & N Amazon

A successful executive, M. Taylor Hamilton is on track with her ten-year plan. Too bad her personal life consists of hitting the gym and grocery shopping. Enter the seductive Adam Kirliss. They may have a working relationship, but everything changes at an office party when he handcuffs her to the rail of a yacht.

Taylor writes off the adventure as too much champagne, but when Adam challenges her to a date, she agrees to meet up with him. And follow his rules. They share a night of exquisite intimacy, brimming with both pain and pleasure. But afterward, fearful of losing her heart, Taylor pulls back emotionally.

Adam is determined to prove that she longs for the loss of control he can give her--and the passionate release it provides. How can he make her see that he wants her, and not just her body?

Platinum

Book #2 of Facets of Passion series

Publication: February 25th 2013 by Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Erotica | BDSM

Amazon B & N Kobo Goodreads

Althea Grant's Charleston gallery might be suffering from the bad economy, and her artistic aspirations have gone nowhere, but she's doing just fine, thank you. When bad-boy sculptor Steel rides up on his motorcycle looking to rent studio space, his infusion of cash is more than welcome. But his art is raw, visceral, sexual—and completely inappropriate for her pastel world of watercolor landscapes.

Steel, fascinated by Althea's rare albino coloring, sees in her the key to his next piece: a metal satyr designed for bondage games. Moving into her gallery basement is the first step; seducing the cool Southern belle into modeling for him is the second.

As Steel peels away her careful manners and tasteful outfits, Althea begins to realize her life isn't just fine at all—it's as pale and washed-out as the watercolor paintings she's failing to sell. Can she transform her life and accept her most secret desires?

A peek inside book three, Ruby

She headed toward the B&B, at first hurrying through the rain. As she splashed through the deepening puddles on the uneven sidewalk, her stockings soaked through. In fact, all of her was as wet as if she stood under a shower. Since her pace didn’t matter, she slowed, rain running down her face, sliding over her skin. A pack of squealing tourists hustled by, sharing one plastic rain poncho like a tarp. Prepared locals gave her smug smiles from under the umbrellas they always carried.

She smiled back. The rain might be cool, but the feel of it sliding on her skin brought the world into focus. A small discomfort, like her hunger, to make getting indoors that much more pleasurable.

She passed the Court des Deux Pendus without glancing at it, no matter how much she might want to. Up ahead, a man leaned against a courtyard wall, legs crossed at the ankles, an enormous black umbrella protecting his upper half, while his stylish leather shoes—likely Italian—were irretrievably drenched. Idiot.

“You look like a drowned rat, chère.”

The familiar voice brought Dani up short before she realized the stranger was speaking to her. Cautiously, she looked over her shoulder to see he’d tipped the umbrella back and was surveying her, an amused twitch behind that neat black beard.

“Are you following me?” She poured ice into the question.

“Now how could that be when you just came walking by? I should accuse you. Perhaps you’re a stalker.”
“Ha!” She barked out the laugh and turned to go, so not in the mood for more shit, all the pleasant sensuality of walking in the rain gone. “I’ll be sure to take a different route in the future.”

“Are you hungry?” he called out, lightly, mocking.

“Fuck you!” she tossed over her shoulder.

“Well, all right,” he said, from close behind her. “Though you’d have to do that my way too. Your place or mine?”

She spun around and nearly slammed into his chest. Backed up a hasty step and snagged her hair on the umbrella.

“Goddammit.” She tugged at her wet, snarled curls.

“You appear to be trapped.”

“Quit harassing me,” she hissed.

“In point of fact, you accosted my umbrella. Now, here. Hold this.” He pushed the handle at her and she took it, not looking at him while he used both hands to untangle her hair from the spokes. In her four-inch stilettos, she was nearly the same height, and his breath blew warm against her cheek, the rain drumming around them.

“Some temper you have there,” he murmured. “I can’t help but think that if you had something in your belly, you’d be a little sweeter.”

She decided declining to respond to that would be the better part of valor. That had sounded like an invitation. A tempting one.

“Nothing to say?” His lips whispered against her cheek.

“Let me go.”

“You’re free. For now.”

She started to pull back, thrusting the handle at him, but he wrapped his hands over hers.

“Let me make it up to you.”

“What?” Oh yes. Definitely tempting.

He returned her gaze, steady, calm. His eyes weren’t truly black, but a deep brown, framed by thick lashes any of her models would have killed to come by naturally. The gold hoop glinted in his ear and she was seized by the random desire to take it in her teeth. “I’ll make you something to eat. Something fabulous.”

“Absolutely not.”

“No?” His gaze fastened on her mouth and the moment felt oddly intimate, with the curtains of rain falling around the umbrella. “Let me feed you.”

“I’m not going to a strange man’s place—for any reason.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “I am stranger than some, it’s true. I’ll take you somewhere then. Buy you a meal. Maybe a drink. All safe and public.”

“You threw me out of your restaurant.”

“You deserved it.”

“You don’t know what I deserve.”

“Oh, but I’d love to find out. You come to my place, you play my way. If you give yourself over to me, I will show you pleasures that will keep you fed for life. A different extreme.”

Something about his tone, the heat from his body, sent arousal rippling through her. An image of the manacles on the courtyard wall slipped through her mind, taunting, compelling.

“Are we still talking about food?” She tried to sound flip, but his eyes glinted and somehow she knew he heard the desire in her voice.

“When it comes to the sensual delights, it’s all the same. Come with me for now. Let me give you a taste.”

She studied him, definitely tempted. Keeping professional distance was important, so she’d stayed in a different B&B than the rest of her colleagues. But it made for lonely evenings at times. In a week, she’d be in Paris, where she knew no one. Who knew when she’d meet another man this alluring?

“What else will you do?” he asked, as if he read her mind. “A rainy night in New Orleans is for sharing good food, a little booze, a lot of nice company.”

“I don’t know why I’m agreeing to this.”

White teeth flashed in a smile, outrageously sexy. “Because you can’t resist me, chère.”

“You wish.”

“Yes, I do. Can you walk a bit in those sexy heels?”

“What’s a little pain, in the face of what you’re promising?”

“Exactly. C’mon, New York.” He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Let me show you my city.”

Jeffe Kennedy

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Jeffe Kennedy took the crooked road to writing, stopping off at neurobiology, religious studies and environmental consulting before her creative writing began appearing in places like Redbook, Puerto del Sol, Wyoming Wildlife, Under the Sun and Aeon. An erotic novella, Petals and Thorns, came out under her pen name of Jennifer Paris in 2010, heralding yet another branch of her path, into erotica and romantic fantasy fiction. Since then, an erotic short, Feeding the Vampire, and another erotic novella, Sapphire, have hit the shelves.

Jeffe lives in Santa Fe, with two Maine coon cats, a border collie, plentiful free- range lizards and frequently serves as a guinea pig for an acupuncturist-in-training.

Ruby Tour Schedule

Vouched Book—Parallel by Lauren Miller

2013-05-15T01:00:00.001-04:00

Parallel

by Lauren Miller

Publication: May 14th 2013 by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction | Contemporary Romance

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

Imaginative and thought-provoking, Parallel is a wonderfully executed story about the complexity of free will and the beauty behind destiny. A two-fold story in alternating POVs, it follows multiple tangents of one girl's lives in two different time and place settings. The Abbi who took a major detour from her life plan and regrets it, then wakes up in a new reality that's still not the life she envisioned but is closer; and the Abbi who is begins to walk the path of her dreams with a few unforeseen turns.

The first Abby, the main one, knows not only is she living in a different reality but she's also conscious of the other Abby, her parallel self living exactly one year and a day behind her, and all the choices she makes because they affect her present—even though they're on completely different paths.

Though complex, the story isn't confusing. It's fascinating and eventually picks up after a somewhat slow beginning. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn't sure where the book was headed, how it would end, whether one life was more real than the other, if at all. As an ever-changing sequence of events that continuously shifted Abbi's lives and those of her friends, it wasn't about one life but multiple. I loved how the results of one person's decisions affected everyone's. Multi-faceted, all the characters stood out and had a significant place in each other's lives and in the story.

But the beauty of Parallel, what made it unique, was the scientific approach and fate combo. All the explanations fed my science-geek and philosophy appetites together, the rational and analytical along with the believer, dreamer, and determined romantic.

Although the shift in theme between science and romance could have been more seamless (the plot fluctuates from a coming-of-age, personal-growth story to intellectual mystery to good, old relationship drama), the ending was fabulous and cinched enough of everything together to make an awesome story that there are no wrong turns in life and you can have more than one soul mate. The book was a conglomeration of foods for thought spread out on a table, each eye-catching and thought-provoking, made only more satisfying and sigh-inducing when taken as a whole. It made me think and stew over it for days.

Parallel proved both journey and destination matter, that knowing and not-knowing both have their pros and cons, and in the end, it probably wouldn't make a difference. In the pursuit of happiness, it's good to pause and just be happy. HEAs are everywhere, and a person will catch up to it and many eventually.

eARC provided by the HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Lauren Miller

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

I was born in NYC and raised in Atlanta. I went to college at Yale and law school at Berkeley, then I got married and moved to Los Angeles to practice law.

I liked it. But after about a year, I got the itch to be doing something more creative. The itch got stronger. I found myself typing out random bits of dialogue on my Blackberry (remember those?) and pitching story ideas to my co-workers. One of those ideas became a script for a TV pilot. When it didn’t sell, I wrote another one and another one. Soon, I was ducking out of work to go to pitch meetings at studios and networks. It felt like I was getting somewhere.

Then I got pregnant. Unexpectedly. This freaked me out. Not because I didn’t want kids (I did), but because I was afraid (ok, convinced) that motherhood would zap my creative potential.

To prove myself wrong, I resolved to write a novel in the first 100 days of my child’s life and blog about it, an experiment I called “embracing the detour” (if you’re looking for an embrace the detour fridge magnet, I’m your girl. If you’re looking for old embrace the detour blog posts, click HERE). At the time, it seemed like a brilliant idea. Looking back, it makes me laugh at the childless version of me.

Then again, she’s the reason the current version of me ended up with a two-book deal at HarperTeen. And my very first script sale (but that’s a whole other story).

Spotlight & Excerpt—Tempted by Alexandra Anthony

2013-05-14T01:00:00.000-04:00

Tempted

by Alexandra Anthony

Book #1 of The Dark Hart Chronicles

Publication: March 31st 2013 by Alexandra Anthony
Genre: Paranormal Romance | Erotica

Amazon B & N Snashwords Goodreads

When personal assistant Savannah Wood lands a dream job with up and coming rock star Nick Hart, it seems too good to be true. He's devastatingly handsome, reserved and charming ... but he has a secret he's determined to keep.

Their attraction to one another is immediate and Savannah is determined to keep a professional relationship between them. She's been burned before and has no desire to reopen old wounds.

The lines between professional and personal begin to blur when Savannah finds out Nick's secret: he's a century old vampire with a painful past. He's also hesitant to open himself up to her, yet they find their temptation to one another is stronger than either can resist.

The paparazzi, a string of murders and cryptic, ominous letters threaten their budding relationship. Will their attraction and love be enough to keep them together ... or will it tear them apart?

A peek inside Tempted
** Rated MA/NC-17 for language and sexual content **

I pushed away from the glass and scurried down the steps, my fingers fumbling over the locks in my haste to open the door. Letting it swing open, I wasn’t surprised to see him standing before me. Rain dripped from his raven black hair to run in rivulets down the sharp planes of his handsome face. His dark eyes were luminous, glowing with passion as he stood before me, both hands bracing the doorframe.

“Nick ...” I whispered. I took a shaky step backwards as he strode across the threshold forcefully and took my face in his hands. Our eyes met for the briefest of moments before he lowered his head to capture my lips in a toe-curling kiss, his tongue searching the contours of my mouth. Much too soon he pulled away, his teeth tugging at my lower lip. His fingers stroked down the length of my neck, cold and wet against my skin. My body trembled in response and when I raised my hands to embrace him, he stopped me and held them in his firm grip.

“I told myself I wouldn’t do this, Savannah. I know I promised to give you your space and that I’d be patient. You can see how well that worked. So here I am, standing here in front of you. I wanted it to be different…I wanted to do this right.” He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He dragged me closer until I was pressed against the solid wall of his chest, soaking my t-shirt with rainwater. “But I can’t do this anymore. I can’t lie to myself and pretend I’m all right with just being friends. I fucking want you.”

His words ignited a fire deep within me, stroking the slow simmer that had been building all week. When he continued, his voice was husky. “I don’t want to talk and I don’t want to think if it’s right or wrong. I’ll deal with the fallout tomorrow, but now ... now I want you more than I can put into words.”

His hands released mine and he cradled my face in his hands. His soft mouth whispered over my lips and the curve of my jaw. Powerless to think clearly, I simply lost myself in him and the emotion he’d unleashed inside of me. He made me feel cherished and desired, as if I was the only woman alive. Keeping myself emotionally unavailable had its drawbacks and I was almost desperate to feel connected to him. Unable to hold back when his lips tentatively covered mine again, I responded shamelessly. I slowly traced the outline of his lips with the tip of my tongue. His body reacted immediately to my unexpected reaction, the front of his rain sodden pants bulging.

"You're soaked," I brushed his wet hair back from his forehead. My eyes followed every line on his face, over his cheekbones and his full lips. As I studied him, I wondered fleetingly if once we made love, the attraction would be gone. Maybe I could fuck him out of my mind.

If only it was that easy, Savannah.

The corner of his mouth twitched. His head tipped back under my touch and the weight of my stare, baring his long neck to me. “Then you should undress me, love.”

Drawing in an unsteady breath, my hands didn’t waver as I swiftly unzipped his pants and flicked open the button of his dress pants. They fell heavily around his feet in a wet heap as my fingers pushed at his suit jacket, easing it over his broad shoulders. All that separated us was his dress shirt and my faded t-shirt.

When he swept me into his arms and carried me up the stairs to my bedroom, I didn’t offer any challenge. He swaggered across the room, laying me across the bed in one fluid motion. My hooded eyes devoured him as stood before me, roughly tugging off his tie and dropping it carelessly on the bed beside of me. His agile fingers slid over his dress shirt, each button slowly falling open to reveal a sliver more of his pale chest until it draped open at each side, his rippled abdomen shadowed in the darkness of the room.

“Savannah. Come here, love.”

My heart was racing as I crawled to the edge of the bed. Reaching out to him, my hands twisted into each side of his shirt and I tugged him against me. Our bodies collided and our mouths met impatiently, the fiery caress of his lips searing through me until I was afraid nothing would be left of me but ash.

His hands tangled in my hair our kiss deepened. He was unrelenting but in control, sexual but sensual. His taste on my tongue was mindless and drugging, leaving me breathless and longing for more.

Nick eased me back onto the bed, hovering lithely above me. As his fingers began a provocative path down my neck and over the curve of my breast, my hands slipped under his shirt and dragged down the flexing planes of his back, cupping his tight ass and dragging his hips to mine.

Visit the Tempted tour schedule for reviews, interviews, guest posts, and more excerpts!

Alexandra Anthony

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Alexandra lives in the Midwest. She enjoys a steamy romance, a happy ending and isn’t afraid of things that go bump in the night. She is the author of two paranormal, erotic series The Dark Hart Chronicles and The Vampire Destiny Series. To find all of her book and to find out more about the author, visit her at www.alexandra-anthony.com.

Event organized by RABT Virtual Tours

$100 Book Blast—The Enemy by Larry Bograd

2013-05-14T00:30:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the The Enemy Book Blast, organized by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.
Learn more about the book, watch the trailer, and enter to win a $100 gift card or PayPal cash!

The Enemy

by Larry Bograd

Publication: January 30th 2013 by Hipso Media
Genre: Political Thriller | Mystery

Amazon B & N Goodreads

A red-hot political thriller from a blue state author.

Buried among the thousands of financial transactions he reviews each day, analyst Randy Duncan finds a secret web of laundered money financing the assassination of the President, which, in turn, will lead the country into war. Can Randy and his law-student daughter Clare follow the money and stop the enemy in time? In a political thriller worthy of Dan Brown, Richard Condon, and Allen Drury, award-winning novelist Larry Bograd charts a political thriller sure to keep you reading and leave you sleepless wondering and worried about who really controls America.

Larry Bograd

His Website | Twitter| Facebook | Goodreads

arry Bograd has published more than two dozen books, primary for children and young adults–and now his first eBook original, “The Enemy.”

He is also a playwright, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He is president of Roundtable Media Group, which produces documentary films, Web shows, and events.

$100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal Cash

Terms & Conditions:

♥ Giveaway ends May 31st, 2013.
♥ Open only to those who can legally enter, receive, and use an Amazon.com gift code or PayPal Cash. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary.
♥ You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
♥ This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter, or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
♥ Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour {Character Interview & Giveaway}—Wanted by Amanda Lance

2013-05-13T04:00:00.000-04:00

Stopping by The LUV'NV today is the Wanted blog tour, organized by YA Bound!
We have Amanda Lance interviewing character Chris Hays from Wanted,
and you can enter to win one of three e-copies of the book!

Wanted

by Amanda Lance

Publication: May 1st 2013 by Limitless Publishing
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Amazon Goodreads

Considering she’s a girl who calculates everything, Addie Battes knew the statistical probability of being abducted in her lifetime—too bad she never analyzed the odds of falling in love with her captor.

While stopping at a crowded rest area one summer night, seventeen-year-old Addie accidentally catches a truck hijacking in progress. Desperate to rid the crime of its only witness, one of the thieves kidnaps Addie. Yet surprisingly, when a renegade thief attempts to silence her for good, Addie is saved by the very man who abducted her. Now, forced on board a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean, Addie finds herself surrounded by international smugglers who want nothing more than to throw her overboard.

All except the artistic and intriguing Charlie Hays, whose strange protectiveness convinces Addie to trust him, even when common sense tells her otherwise. Yet, despite her doubt, and his unrelenting temper, their relationship develops into something much more. But, Charlie’s scorned colleague has stowed away, and as he seeks revenge against his coworker, Addie and Charlie are forced to put their new love—and lives—at risk.

Hi, everybody! We’re lucky enough to have Charlie Hays with us today. With traveling, stealing, and the whole running from the authorities’ thing, Charlie is a busy guy, so let’s try to make him feel welcome!

AL: Hi, Charlie thanks for being here.
CH: Yeah.

AL: Okay, so I’ll start with a softball. Favorite food?
CH: Fried chicken

AL: Really? You’ve been all around the world fried chicken is your favorite?
CH: There was this woman at a house the state stuck me in who made it. I was a real picky eater and wouldn’t eat nothin’ else. I was only there for a couple of weeks but she made it for me all the time—I can’t knock it.

AL: I see you have a tattoo on your neck there. What made you choose that particular design?
CH: I think it’s funny how folks are usually afraid of snakes. Did you know there are ‘bout 3000 different breeds of snakes in the world and only 375 of em’ are poisonous?

AL: No I didn’t. Okay, do you have any real life heroes?
CH: Kid Curry, Tom Horn, and Jessie James I guess.

AL: If you weren’t a thief, what else would you be?
CH: Maybe one of them people who draws cartoons. I’m pretty good at it, but I can never sit still for real long so it probably wouldn’t work out.

AL: What’s your biggest pet peeve?
CH: People who don’t listen. If somebody who knows better than you tells ya something, you should just listen. Ain’t no sense in trying to find your own way when you don’t know anything.

AL: What do you consider your biggest achievement?
CH: *laughs* There was this one time; I made a girl fall in love with me. I didn’t mean to or nothin’ but it’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

AL: *swooning* Um, biggest regret?
CH: Same answer as before…she’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me, but I gotta be the worst thing that ever happened to her.

Well, thanks for sharing your time with us today, Charlie. We hope everything works out for you and that you don’t get sent to prison ... again.

Check out the Wanted Tour Schedule for reviews, excerpts, and more guest posts!

Amanda Lance

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A native of New Jersey and lifelong nerd, Amanda Lance recently completed her Master in Liberal Arts at Thomas Edison State College after her BA in English Literature and AFA in creative writing. As an avid reader of all genres, some of her favorite authors include Hemingway, Marquis de Sade, Stevenson, Bukowski and Radcliffe.

When she isn’t writing or reading, Amanda can found indulging in film noir or hiking with her other half and their extremely spoiled dog. She is obsessively working on her next book and trying to tame her caffeine addiction.

Three (3) eBooks of Wanted
Open Internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review—Matchplay by Dakota Madison

2013-05-13T01:33:00.001-04:00

Matchplay

by Dakota Madison

Publication: March 17th 2013 by Short on Time Books
Genre: New Adult Romance

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

A Girl, a Guy, a Tournament and a Challenge

The Girl: At a time when most girls obsess about homecoming and high school prom, Rainy Dey spent her senior year caring for her dying mother. So when her father drops her off at college to start her freshman year, his words of advice to his bookish daughter are to start acting like a young person and finally have some fun.

The Guy: College senior, Aaron Donavan, aka Mr. Hot-and-Knows-It, is President of the Clubhouse, a social club for the college’s most wealthy and popular guys. Aaron can have any girl on campus except the one who challenges and excites him the most—Rainy Dey.

The Tournament: Every year, the senior members of The Clubhouse engage in a golf-inspired tournament to see who can sleep with the most freshman girls. When Rainy finds out about the tournament, she believes Aaron’s only interest in her is to score points by taking her V-Card.

The Challenge: Can Aaron convince Rainy that his feelings for her are true and that she won’t be just another notch on his tournament scorecard?

Although Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Epic Fantasy are my favorite genres, I get in moods and have to switch up what I read. Historical Romance is one of my go-to breathers. Fun, light contemporary romances with cliché plots and an almost guaranteed HEA are another. Matchplay seemed to fit the bill, and I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't.

The book started off well enough. Rainey Day not only has a funny name that she embraces but also a good head on her shoulders. She's smart, caring, and sensical, has a great relationship with her dad, and can call shots as she sees them without feeling a bit of remorse. So when she confronts Aaron Donavan, during their first study date, about his clubhouse's tournament of sleeping with as many freshman girls as possible, I instantly liked her and thought this book would be a little different than the other "bet" books. Aaron Donavan also seemed more than the pretty, rich boy because of his quiet, playful demeanor with a determined streak.

Then somewhere around the middle of the book, between study date number one and two, Rainey is no longer the upfront, self-assured girl who knows what she wants and kindly brushes off other people's assumptions and the lines of cliques. She becomes needy and doesn't stand up for herself, even after she gives up her v-card—pretty darn quickly, I might add. She questions everything but Aaron's involvement and status in the tournament when he supposedly quit but hasn't. She becomes the girl who bites her tongue when her boyfriend obviously lies and treats her like shit in front of everyone, which is too darn often.

Don't get me started on Aaron. The boy needs to grow a pair, and all of his wonderful character building and tidbits in the beginning lead to nowhere. They had no point. They were included for nothing, and the only word that comes to mind when I think of him now is: WEAK.

That's just it. I love character flaws, but there has to be some growth. In Matchplay, there is none. And I mean none. I swear these characters went backwards, only getting worse and worse, eventually leading to the worst.

The ending certainly didn't help. Nothing is concluded, eluded to, or even delved into. The tournament—what tournament? How does golf play into it, the book, or the characters' lives? Aaron's parents have a lot weight on him and his decisions but never make an appearance. All the relationships Rainey has and made—did they have a reason to be in the story other than mere filler? And this challenge of Aaron trying to get Rainey to believe he likes her ... it's not prominent in the book, and he wasn't trying very hard when he lets his childhood friend, who's a girl and utter bitch, grope and hang on him with everyone watching, Rainey included.

When I think Rainey and Aaron have finally hit rock bottom, and I was glad because I didn't want them together any longer, they do something so jacked up that I was left stunned. There were no words, because when a relationship is only full of mistrust, the best thing to do is get engaged, right? Right ...

Matchplay had potential in the backswing and direction. But with a rushed second half, characters too stupid to live after completing a 180, and an ending that made no sense whatsoever, the book didn't simply fall short of the fun, shallow hole—it missed the green by miles.

Paperback provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you! (And I'm sorry I didn't like it more.)

Dakota Madison

Her Website | Twitter| Facebook | Goodreads

Dakota Madison has been writing since she learned to read and fell in love with books. When she's not at her computer creating spicy new romances, Dakota is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

Cover Reveal! One More Day by L.S. Murphy

2013-05-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

J. Taylor Publishing presents the cover for:

One More Day
by L.S. Murphy
with Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley, Anna Simpson
Genre: Young Adult Anthology
Contemporary Romance | Fantasy | Science Fiction | Urban Fantasy

What if today never ends?

What if everything about life—everything anyone hoped to be, to do, to experience—never happens?

Whether sitting in a chair, driving down the road, in surgery, jumping off a cliff or flying ... that's where you’d be ... forever.

Unless ...

In One More Day, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley and Anna Simpson join L.S. Murphy to give us their twists, surprising us with answers to two big questions, all from the perspective of characters under the age of eighteen.

How do we restart time?

How do we make everything go back to normal?

The answers, in whatever the world—human, alien, medieval, fantasy or fairytale—could, maybe, happen today.

Right now.

What would you do if this happened ... to you?

Expected Publication: December 2, 2013 by J. Taylor Publishing

L.S. Murphy

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for young adults and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to her menagerie of pets as well as her daughter and husband.

She is a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.

Erika Beebe

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Inspired by her first grade teacher's belief in her imagination from the first story she ever wrote, Erika has been a storyteller ever since. A dreamer and an experiencer, she envisions the possibilities in life and writes to bring hope when sometimes the moment doesn’t always feel that way.

Working in the field of public relations and communications for more than ten years, she has always been involved with writing, editing, and engaging others in public speaking.

Her two young children help keep her creativity alive and the feeling of play in the forefront of her mind.

Marissa Halvorson

Her Website | Goodreads

Marissa’s dream of writing came about when she was ten, after reading a particularly inspiring story of dragons and elves. She instantly fell in love with the fantasy genre, and characters soon began to manifest to satisfy her adoration. It started with a forty page handwritten novel, which she dubbed “Dragon Girl” and continued on to more challenging (and better written) works.

Now, Marissa can often be found to be studying literature in English class, curled up at home with one book or another, or with her eyes glued to the computer screen as her newest set of characters manifest.

Kimberly Kay

Her Website | Goodreads

When Kimberly was younger, she was incredibly timid. She didn’t talk much because she was afraid of what others would think of her. Instead, she expressed herself through drawing. Eventually, art alone wasn’t enough. There were some things she couldn’t express with pencils, so she began talking, and when she did, she realized she had something to say. Now no one can get her to shut up! Worse, she's discovered she can put those words into writing to share what she has to say with even more people.

Kimberly writes short stories and novels—usually fantasy fairytale retellings. Scattered within her works are things she loves: horses, fencing, archery, and so much more. With her friends, she writes fun fan-fiction that expands her creativity, (and shows what a nerd she is).

Through writing, she has found confidence and freedom.

J. Keller Ford

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

J. (Jenny) Keller Ford is a quirky mother of four, grand-mother and scribbler of young adult fantasy tales. She has an insatiable appetite for magic, dragons, knights and faeries, and tries to weave at least one into every story she conceives. Her muse follows her everywhere and talks incessantly, feeding her ideas for stories 24/7.

When she’s not torturing her characters mercilessly, J. Keller enjoys living in sunny Florida, listening to smooth jazz, collecting seashells, swimming, bowling, riding roller coasters and reading. Her most loyal fans (beside her family) consist of two Australian Shepherds, a mixed-breed hippy dog, and a precocious orange cat, all of whom believe J. Keller is their slave. She thinks they might be right.

Danielle E. Shipley

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Danielle E. Shipley’s first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. ...Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. She’s also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who homeschooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble. When she’s not living the highs and lows of writing young adult novels, she’s probably blogging about it.

Anna Simpson

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Anna Simpson, mother of Bossman, enjoys living the good life near the US-Canadian border, in beautiful British Columbia. You will have better luck Googling Emaginette than her given name. Anna chose a web persona that would standout; so far it's one of a kind.

Anna is thrilled that you found her.

When you have spare time check out her blog, and leave a comment or two. As she always says, “I know what I think, it’s what everyone else thinks that’s the mystery.”

To Anna, Life is about celebration. Hence the name of her blog, which encourages everyone to Shout With Emaginette.

Book Blitz {Q&A and Giveaway}—The Heiresses by Allison Rushby

2013-05-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

The Heiresses

by Allison Rushby

Publication: May 7th 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: New Adult Historical

Book Depository Amazon B & N Goodreads

In Allison Rushby's Heiresses, three triplets—estranged since birth—are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone—least of all each other.

When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London—a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things—by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother's fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.

♥ Where did you get the inspiration for The Heiresses?

A. This is extremely embarrassing, but I think it was actually from watching a Dr Phil show, years ago. I can't say too much as it will spoil the plot completely, but I saw a segment that involved a family and their genetic makeup and asked my husband (a medical specialist) about it all that evening. This led me to wondering how this family's scenario might have played out if genetic testing was not available to them, which is the case in The Heiresses, set in 1920s London.

♥ What other novels in the New Adult genre would you compare The
Heiresses to?

I think the obvious comparison is Anna Godbersen's The Luxe series, because of the historical setting and the saga-like plot. I love all her books!

♥ What's The Heiresses about?

The Heiresses revolves around triplets Thalia, Erato and Clio. Estranged since birth, they are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance. They quickly learn they can't trust anyone in their new lives—least of all each other.

I had an absolute ball writing The Heiresses with all its dramatic highs and lows. I was even lucky enough to be living in Cambridge at the time, so had the advantage of being able to research in London whenever I needed to.

♥ Who are your favorite authors?

My very favourite author is P.G. Wodehouse. So much so that for Christmas I received the five book The Jeeves Omnibus set because I'd worn my old five book set out! Some other favourites are Stella Gibbons and anything at all Mitford.

♥ How long did it take to you to complete The Heiresses?

The Heiresses was a little different for me because it was contracted from only a short writing sample and a series guide. I wrote it very quickly, in under nine months (altogether, it's roughly 120,000 words). Usually I wouldn't be anywhere near this fast!

♥ What was the hardest part about writing The Heiresses?

The most difficult part was the historical research. Although I love to read historical books and watch documentaries and historical dramas on TV, I hadn't actually written anything historical before. When I started writing, I found myself stopping after every second sentence or so to research this point and that point. After a while, I realised I had to write on and put little 'x' signs where I needed to research and go back later to do all my research in one session, or I'd never get anywhere!

Luckily, I wrote The Heiresses while living in Cambridgeshire in the UK (I usually live in Australia), so could pop on a fast train and be in London in under an hour to research anything I liked. Being so close to London was an enormous bonus—from the London Transport Museum, to simply walking around Belgrave Square, it really brought the story to life for me. I even managed to crash the village set of Downton Abbey, which was a hugely exciting day, despite the fact that it snowed (Australians don't do snow well ...)!

♥ Why New Adult?

I think it's just a fascinating time in life—a time that's difficult to bridge and often scarier than any other change you've been through. You don't necessarily feel like an adult, but you have sudden adult responsibilities (working, studying in the kind of way where no-one cares if you go to classes or not, maybe being a parent if you have children early ...). Everyone has a different experience and everyone deals with that experience differently. There are endless story-telling opportunities!

♥ What do you feel the major differences are between New Adult and Young Adult?

For me, it's all about bridging that gap between childhood and adulthood and the more I see people discuss New Adult, the more this is firmed up in my mind. I do think people focus too much on the sexual content of books when talking about the New Adult genre. For me, The Heiresses is New Adult because of how the girls deal with the sex they are having in the book (and, to be honest, there isn't a whole lot of sex) and how it changes them from girls into women, along with all the other happenings in their new lives.

♥ So much New Adult work is self-published. Is there a reason you chose the traditional publishing route?

The Heiresses was a bit of a different publishing experience for me as my agent approached me and mentioned St Martin's Press was actively looking for New Adult ideas that could work in serial form. I had the basis of an historical idea that I'd been thinking about for years and the timing was great as Downton Abbey (set in a similar time period) was really taking off. Thus, The Heiresses began to take shape very, very quickly. I'd love to say all my ideas pull off so easily, but unfortunately that's not quite true (I sold my first chick-lit novel out of the slush pile and agent-less in 2000 and have many a manuscript in my bottom drawer)!

♥ Most New Adult books seem to be set in college. Can you tell us more about writing historical New Adult?

As it happens, when I first had the idea for what would become The Heiresses (years ago), there was no such term as New Adult. The idea itself meant that the story required three 18-ish year-old heroines (they needed to be able to inherit money, be of marriageable age, live away from home and be generally young and fabulous in 1920s London etc.), so it simply happened to fall into the New Adult genre naturally. As for the world, I've always adored reading about London in the 1920s and it's a perfect fit for the New Adult genre—the years between WWI and WWII were a very heady, unstable time to be young in England, with death looming and a 'live for the moment' motto.

♥ What are you reading at the moment?

I'm actually on a short New Adult/Young Adult reading break (might have gorged myself a little there) and am reading Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which is absolutely fascinating and horrifying all at the same time.

♥ What are you writing now?

I've just finished a contemporary New Adult novel. While it's set in the present day, it's not college-based, but is about a charismatic modern artist and a young woman who becomes his muse. It's set in Paris, London and New York. My next New Adult novel will most likely be historical, though.

♥ Do you have any advice for aspiring New Adult writers?

Read widely and write what you'd love to read. I think it always shows if you're writing something you're excited about, rather than trying to write to a trend.

Allison Rushby

Her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Having failed at becoming a ballerina with pierced ears (her childhood dream), Allison Rushby instead began a writing career as a journalism student at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Within a few months she had slunk sideways into studying Russian. By the end of her degree she had learned two very important things: that she wasn't going to be a journalist; and that there are hundreds of types of vodka and they're all pretty good. After several years spent whining about how hard it would be to write a novel, she finally tried writing one and found it was quite an enjoyable experience. Since then, she has had nine novels published. She keeps up her education by sampling new kinds of vodka on a regular basis.

Twenty (20) Paperback copies of The Heiresses
US/CAN ONLY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event organized by:

#NASW13 Spotlight & Giveaway—Broken Promises by Dawn Pendleton

2013-05-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

The LUV'NV is thrilled to join NASW in spotlighting Broken Promises, a New Adult Contemporary Romance by Dawn Pendelton. Check out the book's playlist, enter the giveaway for a signed copy of Broken Promises and a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the blog tour that starts tomorrow!

Broken Promises

by Dawn Pendleton

Publication: May 7th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Amazon B & N Smashwords Goodreads

After three years in Boston attending college, Mallory Wells has come home to Casper, Maine to care for her father, who is dying from cancer. She left Casper without looking back, leaving her small-town life and everyone in it, behind. Including her sexy high school sweetheart.

Luke Bates was devastated when Mallory left him for the city life. He managed to pull himself together and move on, even if only just barely. When Mallory shows up in town, Luke vows to stay away from her at all costs. So why does he keep checking in on her and her father, showing up when he's clearly uninvited? Maybe Luke isn't as 'over her' as he thought.

Broken Promises is only 99 cents* on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.
Get your copy today!

Be sure to check out the blog tour kicking off Monday, May 13th, HERE!

Dawn Pendleton

Her Website | Twitter| Facebook | Goodreads

Dawn Pendleton is a New Adult & Young Adult author living in Maine with her husband and pup.
Right now, she's working on two manuscripts simultaneously. It's a difficult task for her, but one she's certain will pay off in the end.

Want to meet Dawn?

She will be at the Stamford Author Event this summer!

She is also one of the featured authors of the New Adult Sleepover Weekend. You can find all the details here.

Signed paperback copy of Broken Promises (US Only)
$25 Amazon or B&N gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Price subject to change without notice.