Laura's Review Bookshelf

The Do Over, A.L. Zaun

2013-05-21T12:01:00.002-04:00

I am so pimping out this book. For $2.99 you can buy this book on B&N and Amazon. I'll post the links below for both. I'll be doing the blog tour for this one and my review will go up then. But I'm going to tell you, I've read this story multiple times; once for me and the next time to proof it. I adored this story.

There is NO cliffhanger.

The writing is fresh and current. The characters are fully realized. This is a 400 page book for $2.99!

Let's get Ana to #1 on Amazon or B&N. I guarantee you will love this summer read!

Barnes & Noble Link

Amazon Link

The Low Notes, Kate Roth

2013-05-16T20:37:00.001-04:00

Is on SALE right now!!!!

So for 99 pennies this book can be yours! Honestly, you want a great story, this is it!!!

I want you to meet Nina and Kevin and James!!!!

CLICK on the RED SALE to get to the amazon page!

Reviews

2013-05-11T08:12:00.003-04:00

I am so behind in posting my reviews and for that I am very sorry. Things have been chaotic in my house and will be even more so in the coming weeks as we gear up for our move across the country. Please know that I'm doing everything I can to post reviews in a timely manner.

Also, I wanted to post that books and sales that I think you'll be interested in:

Debut novel from Laura is $2.99 on Amazon. Go here to purchase.

Another debut novel that I absolutely adored! Kate informed me that from May 17-19th, this ebook will be on sale for $0.99!!!! Go here on those days to purchase it. So worth it!

Allegiant Cover, Veronica Roth

2013-05-09T12:02:00.003-04:00

This morning, Ryan Seacrest and Veronica Roth revealed the cover of the one of the most anticipated books this year. Not since MOCKINGJAY has a book had so much buzz.

I love this series and can't wait to get my hands on a copy (on 10/22)

I'm looking to see how this can possibly end. I want more Tris, Four (Tobias) and the gang. And what does O'Hare have to do with the end??? hmmm....

Just some blatherings

2013-05-06T08:30:00.001-04:00

I'm moving to Arizona.

I can't believe I'm moving to Arizona!

I'm excited to be moving to Arizona.

I'm terrified to be moving to Arizona.

I'm writing a book.

I can't believe I'm writing a book!

Said book sucks

I've very critical of myself.

I hate being very critical of myself.

I love donuts.

I adore Blue October.

I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies.

I can be an idiot at times.

I have two daughters that are amazing.

I turned 45 this year and I hate it.

I still feel 17.

Except when my back hurts then I feel 80.

I have curly hair and blue eyes.

I have a dog that is a cross between a bassett hound and beagle, aka, bagel. She's adorable.

Not a country music fan, but I love Patsy Cline.

I'm still writing a book.

I love the story line and characters in book.

I write the best books in my head.

Of course they are not NY Times or USA Today Bestselling books because they are in my head.

I'm a literary snob.

I'm happy reading erotica or British Literature.

I've met so many different authors in my lifetime, I think my favorite was Nick Hornby. Because I insulted him.

And caught him off guard.

I made the audience laugh.

He invited me out for drinks.

That is as far as I go with this story.

I'm a natural blonde who colors her hair darker.

My hubby travels a lot. I hate it.

and I love it.

Red Wine is my vice.

I can polish a bottle in no time.

I should write drunk sometime. See how that works.

Worked for Hemingway.

I did not compare myself to Hemingway.

I read VC Andrews when she was still alive.

My favorite book as a kid was The Secret Circle (Not the LJ Smith one)

My favorite series as a kid was the Little House books.

I'm moving to Arizona.

I'm scared.

Cover Reveal: Fierce, Ginger Voight

2013-05-03T09:15:00.002-04:00

I read the GROUPIE series as part of a blog tour for MOGUL. I absolutely adored that series and I'm so excited that Ginger is continuing on with Jordi's story. I loved how she incorporated a storyline that she can continue with and we'll still see Vanni. Ginger is a kick-ass writer and her books are amazing. She writes from the heart. Her characters are flawed, they're not perfect. They're not size 0's.

I absolutely ADORE this cover and I love the colors. Please, when this book comes out please put it on your to read list. Also, read the GROUPIE trilogy too. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Book Title: Fierce (Book #1 in a Spinoff of The Groupie Trilogy – can be read as a standalone)

Author: Ginger Voight

Expected Release date: June 4, 2013

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17454333-fierce

____________________________________________________________________________

Book Summary:

In the first book in a spin-off series to her best-selling and highly rated 'GROUPIE' trilogy, author Ginger Voight introduces us to a new character named Jordi Hemphill.

All her life, Jordi Hemphill was told that she needed to change to fit in and be accepted. She talked too much, laughed too loud, and most definitely, indisputably and inexcusably weighed too much. In fact, she wore her size-20+ clothes without so much as an apology. She didn’t care to fit in. She didn’t want to be beautiful. Instead, she wanted to wear her hair in funky colors, she itched for tattoos and piercings, and dreamed of a life much bigger than working at the local Burger Palace for minimum wage. She had been born with the voice of a superstar, and something inside her told her it was OK to dream big, even if she had to do it in secret.

On her eighteenth birthday, she takes every last cent she has and buys a one-way ticket for Los Angeles. She is sure her talent will get her noticed by those more open-minded to see it. Then and only then will she show all the naysayers in her hometown that she was a somebody no matter what they say.

Unfortunately Los Angeles wasn't any more welcoming. Jordi didn't fit into their pop machine no matter how well she sang. Other pop princess had the "full package," whereas Jordi still needed to change if she wanted her dreams to come true. It took a plus-size TV producer to take a chance on her, casting her for a reality talent show called "Fierce," which put attitude and talent far above the traditional pop star image.

Thanks to Giovanni Carnevale, the lead singer of "Dreaming in Blue" and “Fierce’s” rock star judge, Jordi gets a chance to fight for her place on a national stage.

But will America embrace this alternative diva? Or will they too expect her to conform in order to be accepted... to be loved? Despite the acceptance of new friends and supporters, old ghosts continue to haunt Jordi on her new journey. It will take handsome fellow contestant, Jace Riga, to finally help expose and exorcise the demons that drive her self-destruction.

"Fierce" continues the story introduced in the Ginger Voight novel, "Mogul," where Jordi joins a hodge-podge of other contestants to battle for the championship that dares every single hopeful to live large, to be FIERCE.

Ginger Voight, the author of the best-selling "Groupie" series, brings fame once again to the forefront with her new adult series, beginning with the novel, "Fierce." The characters you grew to love in the "Groupie" trilogy and "Love Plus One" are back to help the incomparable Jordi Hemphill carve a place for her as a pop princess despite the odds in this coming-of-age Rubenesque romance.

About Ginger:

Ginger Voight is prolific author, freelance writer and optioned screenwriter. Her fiction is diverse, with novels like the edgy, coming-of-age drama DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS, and the fun family adventure for kids of all ages, COMIC SQUAD.

Having grown up reading different authors like Danielle Steel and Stephen King, Ginger has always been drawn more to story than to genre. This shows up in her various stories. Titles such as MY IMMORTAL and TASTE OF BLOOD are a delicious, heady mix of horror, suspense, and romance.

Genre romance, however, has held a special place in her heart, ever since she read her first Harlequin novel when she was only eleven. As a result, Ginger is making a name for herself writing romances of her own, starring women who look more like the average American woman rather than those traditionally represented in the size-biased American media. Her Rubenesque romances were created especially for those heroines with fuller figures, who can still get the man of their dreams if only they believe they can. Such titles include UNDER TEXAS SKIES, LOVE PLUS ONE, GROUPIE and PICTURE POSTCARDS.

Ginger was included in the best-selling book by Smith Magazine NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING, featuring her six-word memoir.

Website | Blog| Facebook | Amazon | Twitter

__________________________________________________________

Teaser #1

By seven o’clock that following Monday morning, I was back on the studio lot, racing from one building to another in order to make my appointment with Imogene. One did not show up late for an appointment with Imogene. I had already made that mistake once and she bypassed me completely for the next contestant who had “found it important enough to show up on time.” I was five minutes early this particular Monday. Instead of cracking that stony face with a smile, Imogene simply glanced at her watch and glanced over the tops of her glasses to look me over. With a muffled “harrumph,” she told me, “Get on with it. I haven’t got all day.”

My hands were shaking as I lifted the sheet music to the stand in front of me. I had finally decided on the song I wanted to sing, a Celine Dion tune that was sure to show off my range and give me something a little more current than an obscure tune from a musical.

She stood in front of me, arms folded in front of her, glaring over the tops of her glasses as I sang the first couple of bars. Her countenance was as severe as her cropped silver hair, and her pursed lips and narrowed eyes gave nothing away in how she thought I was doing. My voice lost a bit of steam as I made it to the chorus, and actually cracked when I went for my upper register. She held up her hand with an exasperated sigh.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.

“Don’t apologize to me,” she said. “Apologize to the music.” She stalked over to the table which served as her desk. It was overrun with sheet music, which she flipped through to find what she was looking for. She finally found the one she was looking for, came over to me and thrust it into my hands. “Here. Sing this.”

I glanced down. It was another Celine song, but an upbeat number I had never performed before. “Why?” I asked. When I looked up at her, she had an arched eyebrow that indicated she did not like to be questioned about her choices.

She indulged me an answer anyway. “Because your other choice bored me. It’ll bore the audience.”

“But I don’t know this song,” I offered helplessly.

“Then learn it,” she said. She folded her arms, leaned back against the edge of the table, and waited.

I cleared my throat as I read through the music. When I opened my mouth, I had zero self-confidence I could pull it off. The more I struggled, the more awkward it got. Finally, with another exhale of exasperation, she stomped over to me. She took up the next verse with a powerful voice that demanded I look at her as she sang, but the minute my eyes came off the page she was pointing her finger back down to it. She wanted me to follow the notes as she demonstrated how it was supposed to be done.

Even without a backup band, her voice boomed through the empty auditorium that had been constructed on the soundstage. When she finished, I could think of nothing to say.

“This is an entertainment competition, not a high school pageant. You will not win by playing it safe. You need to take risks and step outside your comfort zone. You need to own what you can do on this stage. This song can do that for you. Or it can break you. Your choice.” She walked back over to the table and screamed out, “Next!” to dismiss me and invite the next victim into her little lair.

I passed Shelby as I made my way down the steps. She gave me a sympathetic smile as she squeezed my arm. Rather than watch her time at the gallows, I escaped and made my way to the food truck outside. Pepper and Lavender sat together at one of the tables nearby, and beckoned me to join them. They already knew from the look on my face where I had been and what had happened.

“Imogene strikes again,” Lavender smiled, her full lips painted a pale purple color indicative of her stage name. She wore fabulous wigs in varying shades of purple as well, and today she wore a grape-colored bob to match her 60s mod-style plastic dress.

I nodded as I sat. “Tell me I’m not the only one she hates.”

Pepper laughed. “She doesn’t hate you, baby. She’s a hardass, but it’s to make you better.”

“I suck right now,” I responded as I put the sheet music on the table. “She’s given me this song to sing.”

Lavender smiled wide as she picked up the sheet music. “This is a classic. I used to do this for my drag shows. It’s a lot of fun.”

Pepper nodded. “It’s a cover of an old tune. It’s a big sound. You can definitely pull that off, easy.”

I still wasn’t convinced, so after I ate the two of them dragged me to an empty sound stage to show me how it was done. Like Imogene, their voices were big enough to carry the song. Together they filled the empty space with a huge wall of sound. Once they hit the chorus, I finally joined in. They spent the next hour teaching me the song until I no longer needed the sheet music.

More than that, Lavender used her considerable performance skills to show me how to deliver the song. She tried to teach me some dance moves, but I felt like a clumsy idiot as I tried to imitate what she pulled off so flawlessly. She was patient as a saint, as was Pepper, as we fell into an impromptu group choreography I was glad no one else could see.

At least, I thought no one else could see it. When we finished, we were rewarded to hear applause from one lone spectator hidden in the darkened shadows of the empty sound stage.

It was Jace, who had a big smile plastered on his face as he approached. “Bravo! Encore! Encore!” I blushed at least five shades of red while my two companions bowed for our appreciative audience of one. “If that is a group number, it’s brilliant.”

“That’s all Jordi,” Pepper said. “Imogene picked it for her to perform on the premiere.”

“I haven’t decided yet,” I said as I gathered my stuff.

“She’s feeling a little insecure,” Lavender told him quietly with a wink and a nudge of her elbow. She glanced over at Pepper, nodding toward the door so they could leave us alone.

Apparently Jace had some convincing to do.

“So what’s the problem with the song?” he wanted to know.

I shook my head. “I don’t think I can pull that off. I was definitely a weak link in that trio. They not only know the song, they know how to sing it. I feel like a big fat idiot.”

“Hey,” he said firmly as he looked me in the eye. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.” The tone in his voice left no room for argument, so I said nothing. “Sing it for me,” he instructed softly.

I cleared my throat and glanced down at the sheet music, having completely forgotten every single word of a song I had just sung over and over for the last hour and a half. I started to sing, following the notes on the page, and Jace indulged me for about a verse before he finally took the paper from my hands.

“Sing it to me,” he corrected. He took a couple of steps back and gave me a stage. I looked into those deep, green eyes and took a deep breath before I launched into a song that talked about loving someone deeper than a river and higher than a mountain. I sang this to a virtual stranger, memorizing every line in his handsome face as I went through verse after voice of everlasting devotion. By the time I got to the chorus, my huge voice made it all the way to the rafters and back. I got stuck a little on the second verse, so he joined in.

Butterflies tap-danced in my tummy as he sold the song very convincingly through his body language and the look in his eyes. When we hit the chorus, he linked his hand in mine with a smile that I couldn’t help but mirror. He pulled me through a couple of dance moves as we brought it home, our voices echoing in the empty space. He spun me around and I twirled around him, allowing myself to fall completely in character of the song. We were laughing as we finished and he pulled me into a hug. “You are so not a weak link, Jordi,” he said into my hair.

He pulled back a little, but still held me in his embrace. His arms were linked around my waist, pressing me into his strong chest. Long moments passed between us as we did nothing more than look into each other’s eyes. I honestly didn’t know what to say. Nervously I bit my lip, which drew his gaze in that direction. I felt every single nerve ending go up in flames. What it took Eddie physical intimacy to achieve, Jace had managed with just an absently placed glance.

I cleared my throat as I pulled away. “I guess I should head over to see Jorge,” I said.

He nodded as he stepped back. “Yeah, I have an appointment with Imogene.”

I had to smile. “Good luck.”

He laughed. His eyes were thoughtful as he studied me for a moment, then he turned to leave. Before he got to the door, he turned back. “Wanna grab some lunch later?”

A flood of warmth washed over me as I looked into his hopeful eyes. I didn’t know what I saw there, or what I wanted to see there, but the way it made me feel was head and shoulders above the high I got from anything else, even food. Just being in his company made me feel better about me. I felt accepted… wanted… for the first time ever.

Lunch was the least of my concerns as I nodded with a smile.

LINK TO THE GIVEAWAY for the $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK TOUR: Nobody's Damsel, E.M. Tippets

2013-05-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

Nobody’s Damsel

While on this blog, reading through posts, I saw the “Stay Strong Boston” post, of course, which lifted my spirits. It’s been such a rollercoaster week for the United States. As I watch from overseas, it’s just stunning how many murders, attempted murders, and explosions have occurred. I’m always grateful for the real life, everyday heroes on the front lines of these situations, and that’s why I write books about them. The book I’m on tour for right now is Nobody’s Damsel, which is narrated by Chloe Winters, a forensic scientist who works for the Albuquerque Police Department. She was also the victim of a homicide attempt when she was eleven years old, and survived it very much against the odds. The plot follows a case of a ten year old girl’s abduction.

Chloe, to me, represents reality. What is hard and fast, sure and undeniable, measurable and quantifiable. She’s all about control, diligence, and documentation. It’s her job to discover what happened at a crime scene, and be able to back up her determination with cold, hard facts.

Her husband, incidentally, is a Hollywood A-lister, so famous that he can’t cross the street without attracting a crowd. While it might seem like someone like Chloe would be intimidated by someone like her husband, Jason, that has never been the case. She’s not one to get star struck, and acting, if you really think about it, is a pretty strange job. That’s what she thinks, at least.

Jason is of the same mind, and that’s a constant source of discontent for him. He finds it hard to endure all the screaming fans and media scrutiny for his time on the big screen, running around shirtless with silly props and improbable fight scenarios. He thinks there’s something wrong with a world that will show up in droves to a movie premier, but switch the channel when there’s breaking news of a homicide or kidnapping. Every day he watches a real life hero at work, and wonders what the purpose is of his existence.

To me, Jason represents dreams and imagination. His life is all about what could be and what might be, and for what it’s worth, I don’t agree with his assessment of his profession. People dismiss dreams and imagination too easily, but where would we be without them? Stuck in reality 24/7/365, and don’t get me wrong. I like reality. I’d like to think I have a very healthy relationship with it, but it isn’t somewhere I can live full time. I’d argue that it isn’t somewhere anyone could live full time, which is why we spend the obscene amounts of money that we do as a society on entertainment. It isn’t frivolous or wasteful, it’s essential.

I originally wrote about Chloe and Jason in Someone Else’s Fairytale, which follows their courtship, but once that book was done, I couldn’t let them go. They’ve just got too much else to say, so I wrote Nobody’s Damsel, and will keep writing books about them for as long as people want to read them (and likely longer). In Nobody’s Damsel, we meet the demons from Chloe’s past, and she must decide if she can endure them day in and day out for the rest of her career. “Nobody’s Damsel” might imply a strong woman who needs a rescue, but consider what it would actually be like to be nobody’s damsel, to know that no one can save you if you fall.

EXCERPT from NOBODY'S DAMSEL

My mother paused for dramatic effect, then said, “I’ve read over twenty articles that say Jason’s back together with Vicki Hanson.”

I could just picture my mother on the couch of her run down little apartment in Fargo, North Dakota, with some tabloid or other in her lap. She was probably in her bathrobe with little foam dividers between her freshly manicured toes, her blond hair piled on top of her head in its usual French twist. “What do you mean back?” I said.

“That’s who he was dating when he met you.”

To my knowledge, Jason hadn’t been dating anyone when we met. That was why he’d pursued me. Vicki had been his costar on his hit Disney show back when he was a teenager, so they were probably good friends, but I’d never met her, which just went to show how much I still didn’t know about my husband. She was also his costar in this upcoming film shoot.

“I just saw Jason, Mom. He’s not with anyone else.”

“Saw on Skype?”

“No. He’s here for the evening. Back at Jen’s house.”

“Where are you, then?”

“I’ve got a crime scene to investigate.”

“And he’s okay with that? He flies out to see you-”

“Mom, he’s the one who insisted I go. He’s very supportive of my career.”

“That’s a warning sign.”

“What, being supportive?”

“Wanting you at work, out of the way, busy with other concerns. That gives him more breathing room to do what he wants.”

“Then why would he fly all the way back to Albuquerque for the night?”

“To keep up appearances with his family.”

“Exactly how much thought have you given this, Mom?”

“I can’t help it. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Yeah, well telling me my marriage is falling apart-”

“Would you prefer not to know?”

Author Bio:

E.M. Tippetts grew up in New Mexico and now lives in London, where she raises two boisterous toddlers, designs jewelry, and writes novels. A former attorney, she used to specialize in real estate and estate planning, specifically literary estate planning. She currently has five novels out, Time & Eternity, Paint Me True, Someone Else's Fairytale, Castles on the Sand, and Nobody's Damsel (Fairytale 2).

Connect with E.M.

www.emtippetts.com

twitter.com/emtippetts

www.facebook.com/emtippetts

www.goodreads.com/author/show/1470927.Emily_Mah_Tippetts

www.amazon.com/E.M.-Tippetts/e/B001JP3ZRK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_7?qid=1363303467&sr=8-7

Buy the Book!

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Nobodys-Damsel-Someone-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B00AWYHX22/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1366669814&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nobodys-damsel-em-tippetts/1114069654?ean=9781481147637

Kobo:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Nobodys-Damsel/book-RA97XdXRV0iimGgEI5zQAg/page1.html?s=pb2YYCnRV0aYXHiq7xC6ow&r=1

April 29 – The YA Bookshelf – Review & Excerpt

April 30 – For the Love of Film and Novels – Review & Excerpt

May 1 – Well Shut the Front Door – Guest Post & Q&A

May 2 – Laura’s Review Bookshelf – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt

May 3 – The Book Bag – Review & Excerpt

May 3 – Well Shut the Front Door – Review & Excerpt

May 7 – The Book Fetish Blog – Review

May 8 – A Blue Million Books – Guest Post, Q&A & Excerpt

May 10 – Storm Goddess Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

May 13 – Change the Word – Review & Excerpt

May 14 – Change the Word – Q&A

May 15 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt

May 17 – Michelle’s Book Nook – Review

May 20 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt

**Everyone who leaves a comment on E.M.’s tour page will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Nobody's Damsel before May 20 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**

An Essay

2013-04-26T09:27:00.003-04:00

Okay, I'm not an essayist. In fact, I suck at it. Why I blog always amazes me because I never feel like I have anything to say. But right now, I feel like I have a lot to say. Some good, some not so good.

As everyone here knows, I love to read. Reading is like a lifeline to me. I can dive into a book and be taken away from my life and the world around me for a few hours. I can shut the brain off and concentrate on the story in front of me. With all the news going on lately (Boston, Texas, North Korea, Syria, Bird Flu, etc), who wouldn't want to dive into a world where that is not going on. It's not even touched upon!

I've quietly slipped away from the paranormal/urban fantasy genre and have become enthralled with the mature young adult-new adult market that is out there now. I understand why it's becoming as big as it is. Young Adult books really started taking off during '06-'07, you figure those kids are entering college, in college or graduating and becoming adult citizens in a big bad world.

Because the publishers weren't willing to take a gamble on those types of books a few years ago, a handful of writers decided that self-publishing was the way to go. For the most part, it was a successful endeavor. Books like Beautiful Disaster, Breathe (Abbi Glines), Slammed, Taking Chances. They found a niche and it worked well for them. They became extremely successful and little by little people started hearing about them and they started selling books like crazy. I read an interview with Cora Carmack who said she was amazed how much money she started bringing in for her book Losing It.

If they could do it, well why can't I do it, became the mantra. So from 2011 to 2013, we've been inundated with self-published books. Authors who push their books on unsuspecting bloggers, reviewers and facebookers. All of a sudden, my inbox is flooded with review requests to read this book or that series. At first I was like, "What is going on?", but as I became more ingrained in the self-pubbed market I started seeing trends. Obviously vampires, werewolves, faeries and zombies are trending down while contemporary romance with a lot of sex is trending upwards.

Self-publishing always got a bad rap. Unedited crap, writers who couldn't sell their books to agents and/or publishers, etc. But there are some really, and I mean, really good self-pubbed and Indie-pubbed books out there. There are authors who pay a lot of money to get their books professionally edited, formatted and hire an experienced cover artist. I'm talking thousands of dollars. If you're going to self-publish, attention to detail should be your most important goal.

Another aspect to the self-pubbed/Indie-pubbed world is that the books are priced to sell and sell quickly. You can find some for $0.99, $1.99 up to $9.99. Whereas traditional pubbed books are trending higher in prices. JK Rowling's adult book released by Little, Brown last year was priced (e-book) at $19.99. Quite high for an e-book if you ask me. But it's Rowling, so I'll give this one a pass.

But as we come to the halfway point in 2013, I'm finding the quality of self-pubbed books going downhill. The ones who took the time to write, edit, revise and line-edit, have been picked up by publishing houses. What a better way to query, write a NY Times bestseller, USA Today best seller, make a ton of cash and become quite a name in the publishing world. It's no longer sending out queries to agents and hoping they'll read the first 20 pages of your novel. Hit the publish button on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Kobo, iBooks, etc...

We also have authors pushing books out at such a pace that it makes your head spin. You can't push a baby out every three months, you shouldn't push a book out either. Lots of authors (obviously women) have compared writing to childbirth. A painful experience, but once you've done it, you feel so much better. Some authors are publishing just to get something out there and not taking the time to look over the work they're trying to sell. The buying public is eating it up. They see a new book by a favorite author and they just have to have it. So one-click has become a verb in the publishing world. But when will the consumer realize that spending money on books that aren't well edited or written or formatted shouldn't be the norm? Even if I'm spending $2.99 on a book, it's three dollars I can spend on something else.

It seems to me that some self-pubbed authors are listening to their fans and trying to keep them happy and satisfied, but to what extent? Of course, when I read a book and it's part of a well-thought out series, I can't wait for the next book. But I do wait. I might tease an author to write faster (which is impossible), but it's only my way of letting them know, I'm here, I'm waiting and write the best damn story you can.

Don't become a slave to your public to keep them happy and jeopardize your standing as a serious author. Don't waste your time producing junk. Take your time to put your heart and soul into the story you are creating, molding and eventually giving birth to. I think it's human nature to want to satisfy everyone.

Reviews. Ah, just the word probably causes all authors, writers and the like to break out into a sweat, hives and want to slam back Jack Daniels by the cask! Reviews are for readers. Not for authors. Yes, authors want to see what the general public is saying about their work. Did they like it, hate it, indifferent? Some authors get into verbal sparring matches with people who gave a less than stellar review. Hey if someone was beating up your child, you'd do what you can to fix the problem. You want to protect it. You've worked hard on it. It's your baby. Turn the other cheek, your baby (book) can take care of itself. No everyone is going to like your book for one reason or another. Deal and move on.

So ends my essay. I'm quite long-winded today! Just somethings I've been seeing lately. All of this is my opinion. I haven't checked any facts, figures or researched any numbers. This is all me.

Now onto the books that I DO recommend that are self-pubbed/Indie Pubbed. These are in no particular. Just in order of my remembering them!

The Low Notes, Kate Roth*
Thoughtless Series, S.C. Stephens**
Avoiding Commitment Series, Kyla Linde
The Moreno Brothers Series, Elizabeth Reyes
Give Me Love, Kate McCarthy
Slammed Series, Colleen Hoover**
The Dark Light Series, S.L. Jennings
The Opportunist Series, Tarryn Fisher
Forever My Girl, Heidi McLaughlin
Ten Tiny Breaths, K.A. Tucker**
The Edge of Never, J.A. Redmerski**
Sempre, J.M Darhower
Love Left Behind, S.H. Kolee
Sheet Music, Ann Lister
Unlovable, Sherry Gammon
Captive in the Dark Series, C.J. Roberts
The Might Storm Series, Samantha Towle**
Love to Love Her, Renae Kelleigh
Strings, Kendall Grey
The Fighters Block, Hadley Quinn
Rock and Roll Never Forgets, Barbara S. Stewart
Collide Series, Gail McHugh
Fighting for Flight, Jamie Salisbury
Connected, Kim Karr
Gabriel's Inferno Series, Sylvain Reynaud.**

Enjoy!

* Indie Pubbed
** Publishing Contract

Blog Tour: My Everything, Heidi McLaughlin

2013-04-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

When I read Forever my Girl, I didn't like Nick Ashford. Probably because I wasn't supposed to like him. Reading his story broke my heart. You don't realize how in love with Josie and her son he is until you read My Everything. When Nick takes off for Africa, you think he's being selfish, but he's not. He's heartbroken and just a broken man.

However, when a comely volunteer shows up, Nick is instinctively drawn to her. Aubrey just might be the one to help Nick get over Josie once and for all, but it's not an easy relationship. Nick still needs to head back to Beaumont and fix things with Noah (Josie and Liam's son).

Nick's relationship with Noah was always strong; he was his baseball coach, football coach and his dad for the years that Liam was not around. I found the two of them endearing and sweet.

Heidi does a great job of making me like a character that I had all but written off in the first book. I get more and more impressed with Heidi's writing and know that great things that are in store for her.

Below are the buy links for which version you need to buy and the rafflecopter for a $25 gift card of the winners choice!

My Everything - Amazon

My Everything - Barnes & Noble

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/heidijovt

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/heidimclaughlinauthor

Blog: http://heidimclaughlinauthor.blogspot.com/

Website: http://heidimclaughlin.com

Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm a Boston Girl and My Heart is Heavy This Week.

2013-04-19T15:19:00.003-04:00

Stay Strong

Boston!

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Upside of Letting Go, Nacole Stayton

2013-04-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Upside of Letting Go

Author: Nacole Stayton

Genre: New Adult

Publish Date: April 20, 2013

Event organized by: Literati Literature Lovers

Book Description:

Haley Martin decides the only way to let go of her lingering nightmares is to literally move on. Taking a leap of faith she finds herself enrolling at a campus hundreds of miles away from home.

She leaves any thoughts of dating again in Jersey, that is until fate crosses her path with a blue-eyed stud named Kyler King. He is notoriously known for being emotionally unattainable, but his façade is only to hide the burdens he bares every day.

As Kyler and Haley’s physical attraction becomes deeper, the secrets of the past threaten to surface. When Haley’s past collides with the present, will her secrets prove too big of an obstacle hindering their happily ever after, or will letting go be the key that locks their bond forever?

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17189305-the-upside-of-letting-go

About the Author

Nacole Stayton was born and raised Christian “Nacole” Stayton. She is twenty-three years young and currently resides in the Bluegrass state, Kentucky. She spends her days working at the local hospital and nights writing vigorously on her current novel. She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors Nacole enjoys the finer things in life like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle Fire. Her hair color changes with the seasons and she has a weakness for tattoos and iced coffee.

Author Links: FACEBOOK | BLOG | TWITTER

Blog Tour and Giveaway, Date Me (The Keatyn Chronicles, Bk 3), Jillian Dodd

2013-04-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

Excerpt #2

After dinner, he parks his car down by the field house and leads me out onto the big green commons ground, where we played football and he kissed me in the grass.

My heels are sinking into the damp grass and I'm worrying about ruining the suede when he says, “This is where I first laid eyes on you."

“No, it’s not. We met at dinner, when you said Riley was a cheap imitation of the real thing.”

He scrunches up his nose. Kisses me. "You tease me about the worse kiss ever, but you're lucky I even talked to you. You were so mean.”

I laugh. “You were a jerk and, besides, I apologized.”

“Still, this is where I first saw you. When you stole the soccer ball from me.”

I remember that day so vividly. Like it was a scene out of a movie. I felt free and fearless. I could’ve never done something like that at my old school.

I glance over at the goal. The spot where I first saw Aiden.

I can still feel that instant connection.

But I’ve learned that instant connections aren’t enough. Sparks aren’t enough.

My mom always says that life is about the choices you make. And I know that I’ve made the right choice. The smart decision.

Because I’m here with Dawson.

“You didn’t have a shirt on that day. I thought you were gorgeous."

"I thought you were crazy." He laughs and grabs a piece of my hair, twirling it lightly on his finger. "Crazy, but hot. So, Keatie, will you be my girlfriend?" His big brown eyes glitter in the moonlight.

Our relationship has been all backwards. Bad first impressions. Bad manners. Bad kisses. Sex way too soon. My supposed rebound could have gone horribly wrong in so many ways.

But it hasn't. It's been better than I could have scripted.

"I'd love to be your girlfriend, Dawson."

He undoes the necklace. I turn around and lift my hair up, while he clasps the key to his heart around my neck.

Of course, once he has it clasped he attacks my neck with his mouth.

Title: Date Me (The Keatyn Chronicles, #3)

Author: Jillian Dodd

Release date: Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Genre: Romance

Age Group: Young Adult/New Adult

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16173484-date-me

Book Description:

I’m not scripting my life anymore.

I’m living it.

I’m done with the God of all Hotties.

I’m going to give my heart to the boy who I think deserves it.

The boy whose kisses are hotter than molten lava.

The boy who offered me the key to his heart.

The boy who asked me to Homecoming in a big, sexy way.

There are so many things to look forward to.

Parties at the Cave. Homecoming festivities. Drama Tryouts. Shopping trips to NY.

But things aren’t always as perfect as they seem.

I find out that my best friend has been keeping a secret from me.

Not that I can blame him.

I have secrets too.

But, for now, I’m going to pretend I’m just a normal girl.

I’m going to pretend he’s not still out there.

I’m going to pretend he’s not getting desperate.

I’m going to pretend I’ll never see him again.

But, I will.

And this time, I might not get away.

Date Me for Barnes & Noble

Date Me for Amazon

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OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!

About the Author

Jillian Dodd grew up on a farm in Nebraska, where she developed a love for Midwestern boys and Nebraska football. She has drank from a keg in a cornfield, attended the University of Nebraska, got to pass her candle, and did have a boy ask her to marry him in a bar. She met her own prince in college, and they have two amazing children, a Maltese named Sugar Bear, and two Labrador puppies named Camber Lacy and Cali Lucy.

She is the author of the That Boy Trilogy and The Keatyn Chronicles Series.

Jillian Dodd | Facebook | Twitter

Author social media links:

website: www.jilliandodd.net

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JillianDodd1

twitter: https://twitter.com/JillianDodd

Book Review: Walking Disaster, Jamie McGuire

2013-04-01T04:29:00.000-04:00

Reading Level:	Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Format:	Ebook (ARC)
Publisher:	Atria 4/2/2013
Rating:	3.5

Walking Disaster is Jamie McGuire's follow up to her wildly successful self-published novel Beautiful Disaster. Only this time we get into Travis "Mad Dog" Maddox's head. This book is so anticipated that we who got early copies were lip-locked. Embargoed if you will.

I think Jamie had a good idea, but the I feel the construction failed. We know the story. We know what happens and seeing it from Travis' point of view doesn't give us insight into him at all. Yeah, we get a few bit of his interaction with his mom, but really how many three year old's remember vividly what happened? Losing a mom is momentous, but when you're three you don't quite understand the significance of it all. So I found the prologue, first chapter a bit weird.

I wanted more Travis-centric scenes with people other than Abby. I know what happens, I know they fall in love, fight, break up, are a beautiful disaster of a couple. But I wanted to see more of what was making Travis tick. There were a few scenes with him and Shepley that were nice. One scene with his dad that I wish there were more of. I really would've liked to have seen more interaction with his dad and brothers.

The saving grace of this book for me was the last chapter and the epilogue. Jamie could've written a book on that alone and I would've been extremely happy because she went into uncharted territories that is brought up in BD, but skimmed over. It was a very interesting twist and I thoroughly enjoyed that. Makes me wonder if she'll continue on with that story line? I think it would work.

For me, 3/4 of the book didn't work. I was bored, wondering when I was going to learn something new. But alas, it never came.

People will gobble it up and love it. I know that I'll be in the minority on this. I just wish there was more fresh material.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let's wish Travis Maddox a very Happy Birthday as well!

Our favorite fighter boy was born on April 1!!!!

Cover Reveal: Thursday Night's, Lisa N. Paul and GIVEAWAY!

2013-03-28T09:12:00.001-04:00

Book Summary:

“Pain can leave even the strongest of people weak and hollow

Max DeLucca has spent seven years trying to forget the betrayal of his past.
He lives his life from day to day never looking forward and never looking back.
The walls around his heart keep anyone from getting too close and prevent him from feeling too much… until he meets her.

Her entire life, Janie Silver searched for the kind of love that wouldn’t leave her broken and more importantly, wouldn't leave her behind. She longs for a love that can heal the wounds of her past and give her the future she knows she deserves.
She thought she was looking for something that just didn’t exist…until she meets him.

Danny’s on Main is where their story begins.
A neighborhood bar where strangers become friends, friends become family
and some … become lovers

… it all started on Thursday Nights”

Book Title: Thursday Nights (The Charistown Series, Book #1)

Author: Lisa N. Paul

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Expected Release date: May 13, 2013

Cover Designed By: Okay Creations

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17185521-thursday-nights

Lisa N. Paul (Author) Facebook | Website | Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Book Review: Connected, Kim Karr

2013-03-27T07:53:00.002-04:00

Reading Level:	Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Format:	Ebook (ARC)
Publisher:	Self Pubbed 3/20/2013
Rating:	4

I was contacted by Kim Karr on Facebook asking me if I'd be willing to read her debut novel. I jumped at the chance because I was excited that I would be reading something new and fresh. I've managed to chat with Kim a bit and I hope that I've become a friend to her during our conversations.

I read CONNECTED a few weeks ago and I instantly fell in love with it because it was different. It wasn't anything I'd read recently or even ever. Kim takes you on a roller coaster ride that doesn't want to let you off. At first when it starts, you think, 'oh I've read this'. but then it goes into uncharted territories that you'll be clamoring for the end to see where it's all leading up!

The story starts with Dahlia dating Ben Covington while they're at Stanford. It's Halloween and Dahlia is not one to celebrate the holiday (I'm with her!). Her reason is more doable than mine. I hate it, she lost her parents and a beloved aunt in a horrific plane crash on that day. So yeah, she's not dressing up. However, she does promise a friend that she'll head to the local bar to listen to an up-and-coming band.

So leaving her inebriated boyfriend behind, she heads to the local bar and there she meets an enigmatic stranger who practically begs her to stay. When she finds out that he's the lead singer of the band performing and she knows that she's about to make a big mistake, she bails.

We flash forward a few years later. Ben and Dahlia are living together and engaged. She's a photographer and he's a hard-hitting journalist who is about to win a prestigious award for a story that he's been working of for a few years. En route to the banquet, the car holding Ben and Dahlia is carjacked and Ben is killed. Leaving Dahlia broken and brokenhearted.

Two years go by before she's able to go back to work and even function. When her best friend Aerie, offers her a job in Vegas to interview a rock star and grab some photos. Her surprise is complete when she's told its River Wilde that she'll be meeting in Vegas. See this is the same person she met oh so long ago and never acted on it.

Kim tells a tightly knit story that will break your heart, have you cheering and pretty much leaving your panties in a bunch. She sucker punches you just when you think Dahlia and River will finally live their happily ever after. I fell in love with River. He's a guy who pulls no punches, he knows what he wants and he goes after it. Dahlia is broken. Afraid to open her heart because whenever she does the person she has opened it to leaves.

With the influx of new adult/contemporary romance/self-published authors, this book is highly recommended. I could read it over and over again because it's just that good.

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Asylum, Jenny Miller. NOW LIVE!

2013-03-24T09:59:00.000-04:00

I haven't read this yet, but I'm going to because it sounds really fantastic! She sent me an email last night letting me know that this book is live right now a few days early! So go here:

How to find Jenny!

Synopsis taken from Goodreads:

June Foster’s summer is limping along. Her life on a 1950′s farm in eastern Washington is boring–full of milking cows, picking apricots and tending to the chicken coops. Her only friends are her record player and her books. But when gorgeous, turquoise-eyed Frank falls into her world, her life becomes anything but ordinary.

June falls for Frank hard and fast–he’s beautiful, impossibly strong, and capable of things ordinary humans are not. But she’s wary about his father Jonas, a creepy man with an agenda. She should be. Suddenly June is deathly ill, falling in and out of consciousness. When she recovers, June and Frank discover Jonas’s deadly plans for her–and June takes revenge.

Convicted of murder, declared insane and sentenced to life at Washington Pines Sanitarium, June is stuck. Jonas’s plans are reaching her beyond the grave, and she suspects that there’s a lot more going on in the sanitarium than group therapy and electric shocks. Something evil has followed her here, or maybe it was waiting for her all along. If Frank doesn’t break her out soon, she’ll lose her mind–and her life.

Blog Tour: My Life After Now, Jessica Verdi

2013-03-22T13:40:00.004-04:00

From Jess Verdi:

My writer friends always tell me they can spot a “Jess book” a mile away.

[Jess Book (jes-boo k) noun: A young adult novel that approaches a super serious subject in a light, hopeful way.]

My Life After Now is the epitome of a Jess book. Because it’s about HIV/AIDS, it is of course extremely serious and sad at times, and some would say even envelope-pushing, as HIV—particularly HIV contracted from unprotected sex—isn’t a topic that has been covered very much (or at all) in YA thus far.

But here’s the thing: the book is not just about HIV. It’s about a character. A character who has a very full life. And I felt strongly that if I was going to write a story about this issue, I had to do my character justice—she couldn’t just be a walking statistic.

My main character, Lucy, is very involved in theater. So one of the main settings of the book is her high school drama club—and all that entails. A Diva with a capital D, a Broadway chorus boy turned director, and the gorgeous male lead who all the girls—and some of the boys—lust after. Lucy also has some amazing friends—from hopeless romantic Courtney to sassy, boy-crazy Max. And then Lucy meets Roxie—a girl who’s so damn upbeat all the time that you’d never guess how tough her life has really been.

Additionally, I tried to infuse even the most serious of scenes with bits of lightness and humor, to balance out the intensity of the moment and explore what a teenage girl might actually be thinking in these sorts of situations. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Lucy is in line, waiting for her HIV results. The woman in line ahead of her asks Lucy to watch her two little kids while she goes in to get her own results, and suddenly Lucy, who has never babysat before, finds herself having to rein in two very lively, curious young children while she’s waiting for what may be the biggest news of her life.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy Lucy’s story!

RT Book Reviews is calling MY LIFE AFTER NOW “a gem of a novel” told with “unflinching honesty and unfaltering compassion,” while Publishers Weekly is praising Verdi’s ability to tell Lucy’s story with “realism and hope.”

Informative and uplifting, MY LIFE AFTER NOW tells the intensely relatable story of Lucy, a sixteen-year-old who makes a mistake – and the consequences that follow. How will Lucy face her family? What will she tell her friends? Will anyone ever be able to love her again?

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Blog Tour: Priya Narendran Schoolgirl Cinderella Spotlight

2013-03-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Seventeen year old Briony Duke lives in a manor house with her guardian Mrs. Eyres and Eyres's daughter Lucy. Mrs. Eyres makes Briony sleep in the kitchen, cook, clean and do the laundry. One day Briony meets nineteen year old Tom Logan,the sixth richest man in the country. Tom is intelligent, articulate and incredibly attractive. The only problem is. Mrs. Eyres and Lucy have also set their sights on him

Author Bio:

My name is Priya Narendran and I have been a fan of paranormal fiction and fairy tales for years. I started writing when I was 7 years old and haven’t stopped writing since. So far I have written mainly fairy tale themed stories but I hope to branch out into paranormal romance and fantasy in the near future. As well as writing I’m an avid film buff and my favourite films include My Fair Lady, Amadeus, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Shining. I tend to write mainly fairy tale re-tellings mainly because I find it fascinating to look at fairy tales through a modern lens. I hope you enjoy reading these books as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Connect with Priya!

GoodReads

March 18 – Chick Lit Plus – Review

March 18 – Reader Girls – Guest Post

March 19 – Free eBooks Daily – Guest Post

March 19 – eBook Addict – Q&A

March 20 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt

March 21- eBook Addict – Review

March 21- Laura’s Review Bookshelf –

March 22- Ai Love Books – Review & Q&A

March 25 – Storm Goddess Book Reviews – Review & Guest Post

Teaser and Picture. LIGHT, Michael Grant

2013-03-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

I WANT THIS BOOK NOW!!!!

Boston Author Event 3/16/13

2013-03-17T17:04:00.001-04:00

I went to the Boston Author Event yesterday at the Omni Parker Hotel right on Tremont Street in Downtown Boston. I had such a wonderful time meeting all these amazing authors that have started out as self-published authors and have made it big. SC Stephens hit #1 on the NY Times Best Seller list with RECKLESS. I wish I had taken more pictures, I don't know what I was thinking!

I got a really big hug from Colleen Hoover who instantly recognized me (I was recognized by quite a few authors). It was simply amazing and I bought SLAMMED (for ME) and she signed it. Normally I don't have them personalized because I've done this rodeo before with BEA. I got to talk to Tina Reber for a little while and she does have a new book coming out but she didn't say when :(.

I got to meet J. Sterling (who wrote THE PERFECT GAME) and let me tell you, Mets shirt aside, she was awesome. I was able to talk to her for quite a while and she signed my bag! (Bloggers got a free bag from Denise Grover Swank, which included her book AFTERMATH and some really cool swag. Jenn was having a great time, and has a kick-ass tattoo on the back of her neck that I instantly fell in love with. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out!

From there I got to talk to Tarryn Fisher for a few minutes. She was exceptionally busy as everyone wanted to meet her. She is absolutely gorgeous. Simply stunning.

I stopped by to meet Kendall Grey who has become my BFF on Facebook, she understands me and knows that I'm not a terrible person at all. I was a bit nervous with this bunch of authors because well I managed to piss off one (she wasn't there), but still, word travels. I also got to talk to Jessica Park who brought her son and he is an adorable little boy. He looked bored, but he had his iTouch so I think it was all good for him. If you haven't read FLAT-OUT LOVE, well get on it. (It starts off in my hometown of Jamaica Plain, which is a section of Boston, MA.) She's got a novella coming out soon (no date I think) called FLAT-OUT MATT, which I want in my hot little hands like yesterday.

From there I met Kyla Linde (KA Linde). Who wrote the AVOIDING Series. She flat-ironed her hair and looked absolutely gorgeous! (I flat-ironed my hair and think I looked pretty cool too!) I didn't get to talk to her too much because there were people waiting to chat and get books signed (I only bought two books).

From there I got to meet the Goddess of Authors (In my mind), SC Stephens. I absolutely do not want any bad blood between us and hope that she knows this. My interview with the D-Bags in November remains my second-most popular blog post behind my review of Gayle Forman's WHERE SHE WENT. I admire Shannon beyond words and think she has an amazing career ahead of her. I wish that happened a few months ago, didn't happen. I think some people like to use certain things as leverage, and maybe that is what happened. I still have a great repoire with my contact at her publisher and they have been very amenable. So with this I say, Shannon, you rock!

Madeline Sheehan. Absolutely effing gorgeous. Her book UNDENIABLE was probably one of my favorites last year, and it has a new cover! We got to talk and I met her sister who is equally as gorgeous. Madeline has asked me to review another book of hers that is a trilogy: THE SOUL MATE. I will be getting to that soon. It's part of the HOLY TRINITY series. I cannot wait to DIVE in!

Georgia Cates. Another gorgeous southern belle. Her accent just won me over, but I think she appreciated my Boston accent just as much (although, I try hard to NOT sound like I'm from Boston.) She was a busy bee signing books and as soon as she saw me, she instantly knew who I was. I've adored Georgia since I first read GOING UNDER sometime last year and I saw that she was a Blue October fan. Since then we've become Blue October buds and I'll be holding a contest with her in the upcoming weeks.

I stopped by RL Mathewson's table and of course, she had NO clue who I was even though we chat on FB all the time and she likes my posts ALL THE TIME! Especially when they have to do with Lily. (Inside joke for RL. :)

I never got to stop by Katie Ashley's table, CJ Roberts, although her books THE DARK DUET, are AMAZING. Never saw Tara Sivec either. All those tables were so packed!

I wish I had taken a picture of the line of people waiting to get inside! It was beyond ridiculously crazy. I waited 90 minutes outside (yes, it was cold), but I met the most incredible people outside. We all have the love of reading and it was so nice to know that I'm not the only one who's obsessive about books! I need to give a shout out to Livia, Melissa, Heidi, Rachel, Dawn, Kristina, and Amy! Who made the wait in the cold bearable. Plus I got to have lunch with Heidi, Lori and Rachel. It was a great time. I understand that there were people who could not get inside, and I feel badly for them. It really was a magical time.

I wish I took more pictures. I don't know WHAT I was thinking! But here are two:

Tina Reber with Autumn (From Autumn Reviews)

Georgia Cates signing a poster she had (why didn't I grab one?)

Blog Tour for Connected by Kim Karr

2013-03-13T14:06:00.001-04:00

This will be fun!

Book Review: Reckless, S.C. Stephens

2013-03-09T14:15:00.001-05:00

Reading Level:	Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Format:	Ebook (ARC)
Publisher:	Gallery (S&S) 3/5/13
Rating:	4

I've been holding on to reviewing this since I read it just before Christmas. I was so happy to get an early copy of this. Everyone loves Kellan Kyle and the D-Bags. In fact, I interviewed them back in November HERE.

RECKLESS pretty much starts right where EFFORTLESS left off. Kiera and Kellan vowed to each other during her graduation party and declared themselves husband and wife. But we should all know that being with Kellan is anything but a piece of cake. He's got a biological dad he's getting to know, his band is starting to really do well and they're recording an album. And he's got a mad-as-hell ex-roommate who is looking to milk him for some money. With a sex tape.

However, the sex tape is neither here nor there. It's quickly relegated to dead and we're off to California for recording time. Kiera absolutely refuses to leave Kellan's side this time, so she's touring as well. Anna decides to come along as well. Since she's pregnant with Griffin's child. (um, sidenote, who'da thunk?)

Of course nothing will go smoothly for this couple. With an oily manager and a less than nice publicist, they become embroiled in tabloid fodder for the ages. An aging popstar who wants to rekindle her fame, decides that Kellan is exactly what she needs to catapult her to the stratosphere. Unfortunately, Kellan isn't buying it.

Throughout the whole book, he always let people know that he was married. But that didn't matter to the record executives, they saw some gossip that would keep both groups in the spotlight. But at what cost is fame worth it? Kellan grew leaps and bounds in this book. Every time an opportunity appeared or what seemed to appeared for him to fall back into his manwhore ways, he managed to sidestep it. He's particularly unhappy when Sienna Sexton becomes a little too grab happy for him especially when they have to shoot a steamy love scene for a music video.

Kiera wants to be anonymous. She's happy being the wife who supports her husband by just being there for him. She's writing a memoir about her incident that took place in the first book. It's a carthartic, soul-cleansing thing for her. But with her staying out of the limelight, it's very easy to trick the public into a KELL-SEX frenzy.

The book did get a little draggy toward the middle. Some unnecessary scenes, but it's neither here nor their. I adored Anna in this book. She was absolutely adamant that she was having a girl. But when the ultrasound doesn't go her way, she must settle with having another little Griffin. The transformation for both of those characters, Griff and Anna, was amazing. I found myself wanting to read a story about their courtship or whatever you call it.

Back to Kiera and Kellan. With fans asking for more Kellan/Sienna pairings, the record company pulls them off their current tour and puts them on Sienna's comeback tour. I wish at times that Kiera was a bit stronger especially when it came to Nick and Sienna. She was always willing to take a ribbing from those two. But again, Kellan was the one who put his foot down time and time again.

When paparazzi catch Kiera and Kellan in a sentimental moment, she realizes that being in the background is no longer going to happen. But she's also not ready to be called a homewrecker, Kellan's mistress and every other bad thing in the book. Kiera finally decides that coming forward and being there in the open for her relationship is what needs to happen. She's tired of listening to people speculate that Kellan and Sienna are a couple.

Kellan's adoration of Kiera is absolute. We know that. She's finally learned to accept it. But it's not until she almost loses him in a coincidental accident, that she realizes that they are soul-mates. Finally marrying legally, they begin their life together. The backlash of the staged relationship with Sienna and Kellan doesn't affect the band as hard as it hits Sienna.

With an epilogue to make even the strongest of women weep, we see into what happens when Kiera becomes a published author, The D-Bags win a grammy, Denny and Abby get married. Everything is as it should be.

Cover Reveal: Lost in You, Heidi McLaughlin

2013-03-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

Coming May 1st

Cover by Sarah Hansen ~ OkayCreations.net

Lost In You

Ryan Stone is a less than average teenager. He doesn’t have fancy clothes. He doesn’t carry around the latest smartphone and he definitely doesn’t have an MP3 player. Instead, he goes to school, does his chores and dreams of a new life away from Brookfield where he’s expected to follow in his blue collar family’s footsteps.

Hadley Carter is America’s Pop Princess. A successful recording artist living her dream with a sold-out tour and a handful of Grammy’s there isn’t much that she wants for, except love. But finding love on the road is near impossible when all she longs for are romantic dinners, a nighttime stroll on the beach and holding hands with someone who isn’t going to exploit her.

When a chance encounter introduces Ryan to Hadley, will he be like her adoring fans looking for a way in, or will it be Hadley who pursues Ryan even though it might cost her the only career she's ever known.

Lost in You is a story about following your dreams, taking risks and getting lost in love.

About Heidi:

Heidi is the author of USA Today, Digital Book World, Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestselling novel, Forever My Girl

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she's writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.

USA Today Bestseller - Forever My Girl - Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Facebook Page

2013-03-06T12:03:00.002-05:00

I have a facebook page and I've been posting daily questions about reading and various sundries. If you like to put your $0.02 worth, come on over and join the conversation. I try to keep it fun and topical. And I might just throw in a few goodies as well.

So just go HERE to join in the conversation or to just say hello.

Blog Tour: Emblaze, Jessica Shirvington

2013-03-05T09:33:00.002-05:00

I was asked by Sourcebooks Fire if I wanted to partake of a blog tour with Jessica Shirvington of The Violet Eden Chronicles. I was so excited that I said yes and then yes again. Then again. I'm totally loving these books. Violet is such a kick-ass character in a similar way to Buffy Summers and Veronica Mars. She doesn't take any crap from her superiors or the two guys who are interested in her for two very different reasons.

The one thing I really enjoy about this series is that it's written by an Australian. Plus her world building and storytelling is amazing. There's romance, there's thrilling escapades and there is a young girl just trying to find her way in a world that expects so much from her.

I was so excited that I was able to ask Jess a few questions and she graciously answered them for you to enjoy. So the books in order of release (just so you know, Australia has the fourth book out already, we'll get it in October).

EMBRACE

ENTICE

EMBLAZE

1. How different is it writing for American readers after publishing in Australia?

Other than applying an American edit it's not very different at all. As an Australian it really just means that I need to take the time to acknowledge the differences in some descriptions - like 'jumper' vs 'sweater' or 'coffee machine' vs 'espresso machine' or 'runners' vs 'trainers', that kind of thing. Also another consideration was school year and vacation periods etc, but with the help of great editors it was all relatively pain free. In terms of what readers expect, I think everyone is after the one thing - an awesome story, and for that, I do my best ;-)

2. How long did the series take you to write?

I've been working on the series since October 2009 and I am currently writing book 5. I've worked pretty solidly on the series for this entire period.

3. It's such a unique idea, where did the inspiration come from?

I wanted to write a story that focused on choice and consequence. I was adamant that my heroine would be flawed and make reckless mistakes, but that she would learn and grow from them. As readers it can be irritating to watch characters make mistakes and yet at the same time be very gratifying to watch them grow into their destiny. That is what I wanted for Violet and for the readers. I also loved the idea of twisting and manipulating bible folklore and ancient mythology. Using the angelic hierarchy made this possible and opened the floodgates for introducing so many different concepts and questions. I found it to be a very rich resource!

4. If you could have lunch with anyone, who would you choose?

My husband. I married him for a reason, he's my always choice!

NB: Matt Shirvington is an Australian athlete and television presenter who held the Australian 100m national sprint title from 1998 to 2002. He's the 2nd fastest Australian of all time. (from Google)
5. Are you currently writing anything else?

Yes, I'm just in the final stages of editing my first stand alone novel called Between The Lives. It is my first departure from the Embrace Series and I am extremely excited and passionate about it.

ENDLESS, book 4 in the Embrace Series will be out in the US in October this year and I'm also working on the 5th book as we speak. It's a big book to write and in some ways the most challenging of them all so I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all pans out.

I really appreciate the time Jessica took from her busy life to answer my questions. I really enjoy these books and look forward to reading more about the gang of Angels. Plus Violet and Lincoln are really hot together. And Phoenix is cunning as ever. Definitely a series to pick up!