Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.
Showing posts with label Blog Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Tour. Show all posts

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Blog tour and giveaway: Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair


Leap of Faith
by Jamie Blair
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BfYR
Contemporary, YA

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read.

Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?


Purchase Links:
 




Excerpt from Leap of Faith:


Halfway to 356 Maple, a black pickup truck pulls into the driveway. Music blares from the open windows. Chris’s hair blows around in the breeze.
My heart jumps to life.
How have I become so hooked on a guy I met yesterday? But watching him park his truck and hop out, I know how. Nobody’s ever done half as much for me, and he doesn’t even know me. He’s a good person, and I haven’t known many of those.
On his way to the front door, he stops when he spots us. “Hey!” His smile’s genuine, and fills his whole face. He jogs across the yard to meet us.
After seeing his room, I half-expect him to be wearing a superhero t-shirt, but there’s none today, just a plain white t-shirt covered in dirt. He’s filthy. “All moved in?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I watch his tall frame moving toward me, his jeans shifting with each stride, his shirt hugging his chest. I stop the stroller as he reaches us. “I love the paint color and the privacy wall. Thanks.”
He bends down, leaning his head in the stroller. His fingers wrap around Addy’s arm. “You’re welcome. Listen, I’m really sorry about what happened. My dad can be…I don’t know what’s wrong with him sometimes. Do you need help moving anything in?”
I ignore the jab in the pit of my stomach at the mention of Chris’s dad. “No, we’re good. We don’t have much, so it wasn’t difficult.”
He unbuckles Addy and lifts her out of the stroller. “Is it okay if I carry her in?”
I cringe at the dirt on his shirt, but he’s already got her pressed against his chest. “Sure.” I can always give her a bath.
She turns her head toward his neck and snuggles into a ball. Somehow she feels what I do with him.
Safe.
Secure.
Home.





About the author: Jamie Blair spent most of her teen years choreographing moves for her dance team routines, kissing boys on the couch after her mom went to bed, and pondering the mood enhancement qualities of Lemon Heads when consumed with Diet Coke. Writing under Kelli Maine, she’s the USA Today bestselling author of Taken. Leap of Faith is her debut New Adult novel.

Author links:








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Prizes (open US only):
10 winners:
--5 prize packages of a signed hardback, a t-shirt and a guitar pick,
--5 e-books with an autographed Leap of Faith notecard, a guitar pick and stickers

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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Keeper of Reign by Emma Right

Keeper of Reign copy



keeper

Keeper of Reign
by Emma Right

Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it?

For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema.

Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn't get himself killed first.


Purchase Links: 

 


Excerpt from Keeper of Reign:
They took a swig from their water pouches and were about to set off except that a glow from another shaft next to the one they had emerged from alerted Jules.

“Shh!” he motioned for the others to stay behind him. Gophers didn’t carry lamps.

After some seconds the glow brightened. Jules glanced from one tunnel opening to another. Which one should they rush into to escape from whatever was heading their way? A part of him was curious to see who could be traveling in these parts with lamps. But if he stayed behind and it was an enemy, would he endanger his siblings? He shoved Tippy behind him and determined the direction to take. Hopefully toward the river. Hurry!
“Jules!” a whisper echoed in the chamber.

Jules swiveled toward the speaker.

It was a gopher, all right! With his back to the tunnel he’d edged out from, Holden stood, a crude jar lantern in hand and with a stunned face. Even in the dim light it was obvious Holden had bruises and cuts on his arms and face.

“Who pummeled you?” Jules rushed toward his neighbor, eyes wide.

“We must get away.” Holden was still panting. His green cloak was in shreds.

“What happened? Did you see my mom?”

“Your mom?” Holden shook his head, eyes dazed. “But my mom….” He hung his head and slumped to the ground.







emmaAbout the author: Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn't have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.

Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.




Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/9/13



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Friday, August 16, 2013

Blog Tour: Working it Out by Rachael Anderson (Amazon/Paypal GC Giveaway)


working it out tour


Author Rachael Renee Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of five novels (Working It Out, The Reluctant Bachelorette, Minor Adjustments, Luck of the Draw, and Divinely Designed) and two novellas (Twist of Fate, from the All I Want anthology and The Meltdown Match from The Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection). She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.


Working It Out

A chance encounter . . .

Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.



A chance for love . . .

Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.






Blog Tour Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
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Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/10/13
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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Blog Tour: The Controlled by Becky Komant







Title: The Controlled
Author: Becky Komant

About the book: Sarah Ruiz thought she had it all – until someone entered her life who was hell-bent on destroying her.

Sarah Ruiz is a business owner, a fitness trainer and a mom.  Married to the ever-so-charming and wealthy Alex Ruiz, Sarah appears to have the perfect life.  But behind closed doors, he revealed a side of himself that destroyed her love for him.  With five beautiful children and unable to leave her situation, Sarah knows she must make changes.

Sarah’s journey to freedom take a turn when a man, Gabe Benoit, promises to help her.  Thus starts a whirlwind of romance, intrigue, seduction, blackmail and manipulation.  No matter which way Sarah turns, she is backed into a corner before she can even realize it.  When she finally has promise of a better future, she must use every ounce of her strength to work her way through the web of lies and find truth on her journey to independence.





About the author: Becky Komant was born and raised in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia.  Spending most of her childhood years outdoors and playing sports, Becky’s passion for fitness was ignited.  Working at a gym at the age of 16, she then went on to an advertising position at a local newspaper following high school. Soon after, Becky started her family and wanted to be more involved with her children.  It was then that Becky followed her passion and founded a successful private training studio.   Realizing that being a trainer was much more than just helping people physically, this lead her in the direction of becoming a certified life coach.  Because of her fitness and life coaching career, Becky always envisioned writing a book.  Overtime and thought, it evolved into her first novel, The Controlled. With more writing on the horizon, she hopes to inspire others on many levels. Becky continues to reside in Kelowna with her family.

Her latest book is the adult suspense thriller, The Controlled.

Learn more about Becky at www.beckykomant.com.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Blog Tour: Bitten by Dan O'Brien with a giveaway!


Welcome to the fourth day of the Bitten blog tour. It will run until July 16th and will feature excerpts, new author interviews each day, character interviews, and a casting call by the author. But first, here is the obligatory blurb about the novel to settle you into this dark world

A predator stalks a cold northern Minnesotan town. There is talk of wolves walking on two legs and attacking people in the deep woods. Lauren Westlake, resourceful and determined F.B.I Agent, has found a connection between the strange murders in the north and a case file almost a hundred years old. Traveling to the cold north, she begins an investigation that spirals deep into the darkness of mythology and nightmares. Filled with creatures of the night and an ancient romance, the revelation of who hunts beneath the moon is more grisly than anyone could have imagined.



A few questions for the author:


What is the single most powerful challenge when it comes to writing novel? 

Marketing it. Sitting down and doing it has never been a problem for me. And with more than a dozen written, I think I can say that with some confidence. Marketing is what came the slowest, but is now something I feel like I have a good handle on. 


What do you consider your biggest failure? 

Not doing what I wanted sooner. I can hear the groans and shouts now. Yes, I realize I am only 32. I wrote my first book at 16 and was published by 20 and then gave up because there was no one waiting with a giant check. I traded in novel writing for freelance editing and copy-writing and just waited too long for my liking. Also, I never took piano lessons and I can’t ski. 


Do you research your novels? 

It depends on the novel. If there is something specific from a region, I am most definitely looking it up. Is there lore? Then I am there pouring through the pages. I spent a lot of years in academia, so research is not foreign to me. It can be very relaxing. Then again some people find speed metal relaxing, so it’s all relative. 


How much impact does your childhood have on your writing? 

A tremendous amount in terms of why I got into writing in the first place. I loved science fiction and fantasy when I was a kid. I read hundreds and hundreds of books when I was in elementary school. Had I not that voracious appetite for reading, I might have chosen a different profession.






Here be an excerpt for your enjoyment:


Chapter IV


The morgue was at the bottom of the only mortuary in the town of Locke. Agent Westlake, Montgomery, and the youthful deputy made their way through the building’s darkened interior, into the bowels of a cold stone structure that could withstand the end of the world.

Montgomery smiled. “Surprised about our simple morgue, Agent Westlake?”

“Not in the slightest. It would be ridiculous to have a separate building given how infrequently violent crimes occur in your small alcove of a town. It is efficient in a way.”

“Well at least some one appreciates…” spoke Collins as they emerged in the wide whitewashed walls of the basement. Collins was wearing her characteristic bee hive, though black butterfly clips held up random, erratic wisps that attempted to free themselves from bondage. “…what I do here.”

Agent Westlake led the crowd, looking over the walls of silver doors that encased empty chambers where the departed slept in a kind of purgatory before finding a home in the earth or the hearth, as they such desired. Montgomery and the deputy hovered near the table where a white sheet covered the bumpy, uneven terrain of a body. 

“How many homicides?”

The sheriff and deputy looked over at the agent with mute glimpses. “Homicides, Agent Westlake?”

Lauren touched the cold metal of the human cabinets. “In Locke or surrounding towns. How many deaths of unnatural causes have you had?”

Montgomery shrugged. 

“One a year, maybe every two or three.”

“And now two in 48 hours. Perhaps there is something to that.”

“Perhaps.”

Collins, her thick glasses decorated with rings of silver balls interlinked to form a chain, pulled back the sheet that covered the woman. “We still don’t have an identification, but what we do have is cause of death.”

Montgomery crossed his arms and the deputy scratched his head. Westlake lingered over the body as the sheet revealed what might have once been a woman. The dark hair was pulled back and laid down beside her pale skin like wet carpet. The make-up was reduced to heavy indentions in the skin from prolonged use. 

Her breasts remained a testament to their creation and construction by the hands of man. Lines along her stomach announced more cosmetic alterations. Lauren reached out and touched the pink wound; deep lacerations carved her chest cavity. 

“Did you swab the wound?”

Collins lowered her head, looking over glasses. “No, we here in the north don’t know nothing about our business. We just put the bodies in boxes up here.”

Lauren smiled at the woman, chagrinned. 

“My apologies, Dr. Collins.”

Collins smiled. The use of a formal title allowed everything to be forgotten. “We did a full autopsy, sent out for toxicology and swabbed the wound for particulates. What is it that you are looking for?”

Lauren placed her hands on her hips. “Whatever did this used a weapon. Knowing the material and construction, we might be able to limit our focus.” The sheriff coughed and Lauren looked down. “Of course, I mean the scope of the sheriff’s investigation. I am merely shadowing.”

“Couldn’t it have been an animal?” echoed the deputy, his face the very picture of absence of thought. “I mean the wounds look like they could have been from a wolf or bear or something.”

Lauren looked to Montgomery and he nodded, giving his silent approval. “If it were animal there would be other markings, not just a singular, purposeful wound. A deathblow as it was. Animals rip and drag. And usually a low chest wound would indicate knowledge of anatomy. A predator would have gone for the jugular.”

Collins replaced the sheet. “We should have the reports back in a couple of weeks.”

“Couple of weeks?”

Montgomery intervened. “Things work a bit slow up here. We have to send the reports out. Get processed somewhere else and wait for results.”

Lauren touched a hand to her mouth in thought, stepping away from the table. “Would it be a terrible insult if I tried to expedite your wait time, sheriff?”

Hands in pockets, he shrugged. “Not at all, Agent Westlake. I would say that would be a very kind thing to do. Go a long way toward that cooperation and professional courtesy you were looking for.”

Lauren smiled tightly and withdrew her cell phone from her coat. “I will see what I can do.”

*

Dominic McManus walked through the old farmhouse filled with barren walls and aged paintings. There was an unsophisticated smell, a sense of the rustic enhanced by the wilderness. Wood planks beneath his feet alternated in sound, creating a symphony of rhythm. The afternoon sun hid behind the gray cloud cover, creating a lining of beer-colored halos that shielded the world from luminance. 

The woods were silent, tall pines and evergreens sentinels against the night that would come and the day that followed. Dark, surreal paintings were littered about the simple walls depicting creatures roaming the night, dancing a ritual beneath the moon. The living room was home to one wide, strangled rug in desperate need of cleaning. 

Triangles and lines of muted light cascaded onto the antediluvian home. He walked the house: his home. Bare feet touching the ground, he moved with a grace unbecoming for a man of his considerable size. Nearly six feet, his wide shoulders were marked with long, thin scars of memories past. His chest was a mat of tight black hair that made an artistic triangle. 

Sweat dripped down off of him, following the contours of his strong shoulders and slender waist. His shirt was draped over one of two uncomfortable-looking beige chairs that looked as if they had been left in the rain for a century. 

His dark hair touched his shoulders, unrestrained. 

“Friday,” he whispered. 

A Labrador––the sleek color of night––bounded into the room. He knelt, running his hands across the side of the dog in broad strokes. “Good girl,” he whispered, allowing the dog to nuzzle his lightly bearded face. She was his sole companion by choice. 

Standing again, he walked to the single oak table at the center of the room, grabbing his shirt as he walked by. He pulled it over his shoulders and sat into one of the odd-looking chairs that surrounded the table, reaching down again to attend to his friend.

The house was a silent reminder of a past forgotten. He had come to Locke for simple reasons: a life unfinished. There were ghosts of the past haunting the land. That haunted him still. Each night was a journey, a remembrance. 

His kitchen was clean; no dishes in the sink. There were none of the usual signs of a bachelor. Bowls of fresh fruit, some spilled out past the rims covered the counter. There was no refrigerator, no stove. A heavy, off-white freezer lay on its side, humming softly. There was a heavy wood stove, a cast-iron pot setting atop the warm, burning embers inside. A thin string with a white packet hung from it: tea. 

Moving out into the back porch, a mesh enclosure with a single chair that overlooked the backyard and the surrounding property, he contemplated the world around him. There was a rifle on the ground just beside the chair and a wastebasket with torn off days of a calendar. Each had a circled day; every marking was a shrouded secret. 

He stood looking out upon the wilderness, knowing its mysteries. The murders had already spread through town. The word was panic. He knew more than he could possibly tell them. 

Lauren Westlake: her name intrigued him. Born to the west of a great lake, her ancestors must have been hunters or river folk. There had been something intoxicating about her. He walked her home, made sure she made it through the night. 

Things would get worse. 

The whistle of the iron kettle made him turn. He stalked back into the house. The heavy muscles of his arms flexed. Veins formed an interspersed roadmap down his bicep and into his forearm as he lifted the kettle free. 

The tea was poured. He carried the simple mug with him as he returned to the porch, looking out upon the still woods. He knew that they would not be still that night. Things would get much worse. But what could he do? What could be said that would not cast doubt upon his guise? He had come for a reason, for a purpose. That is what had to remain most important. He would have to be vigilant. 

*

Lauren smoothed out the map on the wall behind the sheriff’s desk. It was littered with light blue lines and no script save for some cardinal directions. The deputy leaned against the long counter of the station. The sheriff sat back in his in chair, arms laced behind his head. 

“You think there is a pattern to the attacks? I thought we needed three points to make a line. We ain’t got but two yet,” spoke the deputy as he took a drink of the stale, tasteless coffee. 

Lauren placed the last tack into the map and stepped back. “Three points would make a perfect line. But we are not looking for a line. We are looking for a connection, deputy. Until we get those toxin and particulates screens back, which by the way, I managed to shave off some time. We should have them in a couple of days. But until then, we need to see if we can’t figure out what we have here.”

“You think there is going to be another murder, Agent Westlake?” said the sheriff, emotionless.

“I believe there will be many more before all of this is said and done.”

The deputy placed down his coffee and folded his arms. “What exactly do you think is going to happen?”

“It starts out as a single murder. Looks like an animal attack. And then another. And another. A pattern emerges. Women and small children attacked, maimed in a fashion meant to look like an animal.”

Mrs. Meadows and the deputy covered their mouths, eyes wide. Lauren touched the map, spreading out the wrinkles and folds from years in a desk drawer. “Then it stops. As quickly as it came, it disappears. We have had at least three instances similar to what you have had here. The second victim is missing flesh, which is disturbing and new. We have not seen that before. In the past, there were missing organs, purposeful disfigurement.”

“You think it is the same person?” queried the sheriff, his monotone voice skeptical. 

Lauren leaned against the wall. “Doubtful. If it is, we are talking about someone who has been killing for thirty or forty plus years, a serial situation. When I took over the investigation, it had been sitting for near a decade.”

The sheriff switched feet on the desk: dirty soles, filthy souls. “I thought you were talking about a recent case. This sounds as if it might be unrelated.”

Lauren frowned. 

She had anticipated this doubt. “When I resuscitated the file from deep storage, it was because there were some strange killings in a rural area outside of a Chicago suburb. There was talk of animal attacks. Investigations produced bodies not just similar to what you have here in your sleepy town, but identical to what was sitting in those dusty case files.”

She placed her hands on the sheriff’s desk. He looked at her hands grimly. “There is a connection,” she finished. Returning to the map, she pointed at a garish red pin marked with white speckles. And then tracing a line to another tack, this one a green best suited for Christmas decorations. “We have two attacks separated by a mile, mile and a half maximum.”

“That’s a lot of woods, Agent Westlake,” whined the deputy. She did not bother to turn around. Montgomery chastised him with a reproachful glare. 

“Agreed, deputy. We need more people to cover the area effectively.”

The sheriff coughed. “What you see is what you get. I could, if it was an emergency mind you, get some extra deputies from Pine County or from over in Laketown. But that would be a while and would require an emergency.”

Lauren glared at him, her wide eyes squinting to angry spheres. “Murder is not serious enough for you?”

Montgomery grimaced, his kind of smile. “Murder is most serious, even to us country folk. But, the fact remains that Collins could not identify the weapon used in the attacks. If there was such an explanation or a connection, it would be that both looked like animal attacks.”

Lauren touched her head. 

The hangover had subsided to a dull throbbing, an angry itch that scratched at her last nerve. “What about the existing case files? What about my sudden presence here in Locke? Are these not sufficient to cause alarm? Certainly a hysterical woman would be enough.”

The sheriff looked at her with a crooked grin. “I would hardly call you hysterical, Agent Westlake,” he spoke with a slight ruffle. 

“What about canvassing the area between the two murders with the personnel you have?”

“Seems reasonable, but I am not ready to call in reinforcements. I think that you might be overshooting your mark.”

“Can we at least have a look at the Leftwich house and then patrol the area tonight?”

The sheriff stood slowly. 

He stretched out his legs as he did so. 

Lifting the mug beside him, he grinned. 

“You can ride with us.”

She thought to argue the point, ask for separate cars, one for each of them to better scout the area. Nodding with a tight smile, she motioned with her hand that she would follow. As they exited the station out into the cold open air of Locke, she realized the day had already begun to shrink away from the coming night. The feeling deep in her gut told her that the night would be a long one.




Bio: A psychologist, author, editor, philosopher, martial artist, and skeptic, he has published several novels and currently has many in print, including: The End of the World Playlist, Bitten, The Journey, The Ocean and the Hourglass, The Path of the Fallen, The Portent, and Cerulean Dreams. Follow him on Twitter (@AuthorDanOBrien) or visit his blog http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com. He recently started a consultation business. You can find more information about it here: http://www.amalgamconsulting.com/.









Would you like to win a copy of Bitten?

All you have to do is comment on a post during the tour. Two randomly drawn commenters will be awarded either a physical or digital copy of Bitten.


Visit http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/ and follow the blog for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!




Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Book Review: Broken Faith by Brandy Nacole







Virtual Book Tour April 15 - May 12

April 15- Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
April 16 - My Cozie Corner - PROMO
April 19 - Pieces of Whimsy - PROMO
April 21 - The LUV'N - Interview/PROMO
April 22 - Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books - Review/Guest Post
April 23 - Noemi Betancourt - PROMO
April 27 - Wormy Hole - Interview/PROMO
April 29 -  Biaca2B - PROMO
April 30 - Addicted Readers - Review/Interview
May 1 - Books and Needlepoint - Review
May 2 - Love in a Book - Interview/PROMO
May 3 - Must Read Faster - Guest Post/PROMO
May 4 - Gimme the Scoop Reviews - PROMO
May 6 - Mythical Books - PROMO
May 7 - Faerie Tale Books - Review/Interview
May 9 - Pink Fluffy Hearts - Review
May 10 -
May 11 - 
May 12 - RABT Reviews - Review



Title: Broken Faith (Spirtual Discord #1)
Author: Brandy Nacole
Publisher: CreateSpace

About the Book: This was it. The moment Heaven and Hell would clash. But which unearthly being would win? The fallen angel or Hell's hounds? 
Overtaken by fear, I close my eyes. 

Kayson is a Fallen Angel who has spent decades running from the Hell Hounds while searching for something that no one else believes can be so, not even God. Kayson is determined to find a Blood Child. But when a hound finds Kayson first, he is sure his end has come. 

Falon, Alpha of the Hell Hounds, destroyer of the blood children, and devoted believer in his master’s plan, is bound and determined to drag Kayson back to Hell with him. 

Sabrina is a Vampire, a half-breed created from one of Lucifer’s original blood children. After years of hiding, Sabrina’s fate changes when she finds Kayson barely alive. Against her instincts, Sabrina saves him. Now she and Kayson are both marked by the Hell Hounds.

Emma is an ordinary human, whose only problem is making ends meet, and getting over the hurt caused by her untrustworthy brother. Her everyday problems become supernatural ones when she finds Kayson and Sabrina hiding in her parent’s backyard shed. Kayson, Sabrina and Emma are unlikely allies, thrown together by chance to fight against the most powerful creatures of the underworld in order to follow their world-changing quest. But will the broken faith of one break the faith of all?


Purchase Links

~Amazon~     ~Barnes & Noble~     

My thoughts: Thinking back, I am not sure that I have ever read a story about fallen angels AND vampire.  Definitely makes for an interesting premise.

I like Kayson, Sabrina, and Emma and their questionable friendship.  First off we have Kayson and Sabrina - though one is a fallen angel and the other a vampire - it doesn't stop the sparks from flying between.  

What I really like though, was that they did not let their labels (vampire, fallen angel) effect them.  Through out the book, they continued to just be themselves and not fall into the roles of vampire or fallen angel that others of their kind did.  Guess you could say it was just another way to break the rules.  Even though Kayson and Sabrina meet face to face in the beginning of the story, he had actually been tracking her movements for awhile.  She influenced him greatly in the choices that he made for his own life. 

This isn't a book that I would normally pick up - my daughter Tori was actually supposed to review it, but didn't get it read. I did enjoy reading it though.  

~I received a complimentary ecopy of Broken Faith from Reading Addiction Blog Tours in exchange for my unbiased review.~

About the author: Brandy Nacole resides in Arkansas where her imagination runs wild. Her obsession is reading but her  passion is writing. She put her dream of becoming a writer on the back burner and went to college to become a psychologist. Three years after endless classes in a field she only felt half satisfied with, Brandy picked up her pen once again and wrote the outline to Uniquely Unwelcome. She finished out her degree in psychology but traded her dream of writing for the degree and put psychology on the back burner. Whenever she’s not reading or writing, Brandy is spending time with her family and friends, throwing around crazy ideas, and laughing through the crazy moments.

~Facebook~     ~Blog~     ~Goodreads~







Broken Faith
Publisher/Publication Date; Create Space, 
ISBN: 9781300852094


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Blog Tour: In My Sights by L.J. Garland and Debbie Gould


Blog Tour of In My Sights by L.J. Garland and Debbie Gould is hosted by Sizzling PR.

Tour Schedule: Mar 1 - 31
Mar 4 - Melissa Kendall (Spotlight)
Mar 5 - Delphina Reads Too Much (Guest Post & Extended Excerpt)
6 - Bea's Book Nook (Extended Excerpt)
7 - Books and Needlepoint (Spotlight and Extended Excerpt)
8 - Books-N-Kisses (Interview)
11 - Jezebel Jorge - (Spotlight)
12 - Erotica For All - (Guest Post)
13 - Simply Ali - (Guest Post)
14 - The TBR Pile - (Guest Post)
15 - Lindsay's Scribblings (Spotlight)
18 - A Passion for Romance (Extended Excerpt)
20 - The Jeep Diva (Guest Post)
22 - Bookin' It Reviews (Spotlight)
25 - Mark of the Stars (Guest Post)
26 - To Be Read (Guest Post)
27 - CS Maxwell's ~ Where's My Muse (Spotlight & Extended Excerpt)


In My Sights
A 1Night Stand Story
Pararescuemen Series – Book 2

Six months ago, Siobhan Cantrell’s world was changed forever by a sniper’s bullet. The incident transformed her from a secure confident woman to a recluse, afraid to leave her own home. When her friends urge her to re-enter the world of the living, they suggest Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service. Nervous, she signs up and learns the company is renown for in-depth background checks and safe encounters. So, how dangerous could it be?
Sergeant Bobby Martin has witnessed Madame Eve’s magic firsthand. His teammate found true love through her service. Still a skeptic but giving in to peer pressure, the Air Force Pararescueman signs himself up. When he meets Siobhan, his doubts fly out the window—unfortunately bullets start flying in them. Determined to protect her from a sniper that won’t give up, Bobby vows to keep her safe. As their chemistry ramps up, so does the sniper’s attempts.
Can Bobby keep Siobhan alive, or will the killer catch them in his sights?

Purchase: 
~AMAZON~        ~ARe~          ~SMASHWORDS~          ~BARNES & NOBLE~

Siobhan entered the large suite and glanced around. She’d used every ounce of strength she possessed to walk through the front doors of the hotel and into the dining room. But with Bobby standing behind her, the fine hairs on the back of her neck that had irritated her all evening, eased.
She strode through the room, flipping on lights, checking the bathroom. When she slid the shower curtain back, she stopped herself. What the hell am I doing?
Turning, she caught her reflection in the mirror, the scar on her temple a permanent reminder of everything she’d lost. The sniper had taken so much from her. But did that mean she had to lose her future, too?
By talking her into contacting Madame Eve, her friends had given her a second chance at getting some semblance of control again. And what am I doing? Looking over my shoulder, watching the balcony for shooters, and checking the bathtub for the damn bogeyman while a hot-blooded, gorgeous man is waiting in the bedroom.
And damn it, she wanted to quit hiding in the shadows. If she could survive that day six months ago, then she was damn well done cowering in fear. Hadn’t the bastard taken enough from her? In the past, she’d never shied away from her sexual side. She’d embraced it.
The past six months had been damn lonely. Time to take control again. Starting with the sexy Bobby Martin.
She turned to leave the bathroom and came smack up against a hard male body. He reached out to steady her as she stumbled.
“You okay?”
She pressed her palms on his chest in an attempt to recover her equilibrium—and what a chest. All hard, sculpted muscle. “Uh, yeah, I was just––”
“Looking for the bad guy?” He chuckled.
Heat rushed up her neck and claimed her face. “That obvious, huh?”
Taking her hands in his, he led her into the bedroom. “It’s what I do. If I can’t recognize someone clearing a room, I have no business in Special Ops.”
He tugged her against him, and she had to stop herself from swooning. The men she used to date were nothing close to Bobby. Sure, they’d been fit, but not like this man. He radiated strength and unadulterated male. Something that couldn’t be bottled if you tried. Pure down-and-dirty sex—she tilted her head and eyed him—yet something more.
He gave the impression he actually cared. After listening to her story downstairs, he’d understood immediately how uncomfortable she’d been, sitting in the open dining room, and had gotten her the heck out of there.
She could get used to a man like him. Except tonight would be a one-night stand—something she intended to take full advantage of. Slipping her hands under his shirt, she let her fingers glide up the rock hard abs and sculpted chest until her fingers brushed over his nipples.
His grip tightened on her arms, and his gaze darkened with lust. “Damn.”
A thrill shot through her at the reaction she’d produced, and as she stared up at him, desire coiled low in her body.
“Look, I’m not gonna lie to you.” He loosened his hold on her while he perused her face, settling on her mouth. “I wasn’t sure about this one-night thing to start with, but after seeing you…well, I can definitely follow through. No problem.” He shifted his attention to her eyes, the naked heat swirling in his baby blues causing her breath to catch. “But after what all you told me, I want you to know I get it. We can play this thing any way you want. Fast. Slow. Or I can just hold you.” He trailed his fingers up and down her arms, sending delicious tingles along her skin. “Though I’ll admit, that’s not my first choice.”
She stared at him. God, he was such a gentleman. Without hesitating, she lifted onto her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, crushed her mouth against his, and…holy crap, what a kiss! Her pulse jumped, her head spun. A fire sparked deep inside her, and her breath caught at the passion winding through her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting exactly, but not anything like this.
Before she melted into a puddle at his feet, she broke the kiss and gazed up at him. “Does that answer your question?”
A sexy grin curved his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Blog Tour: The Prophet by Ethan Cross - Interview


The Prophet
by Ethan Cross

OLD ENEMIES...
Francis Ackerman Jr. is one of America's most prolific serial killers. Having kept a low profile for the past year, he is ready to return to work – and he's more brutal, cunning, and dangerous than ever.

NEW THREATS...
Scarred from their past battles, Special Agent Marcus Williams cannot shake Ackerman from his mind. But now Marcus must focus on catching the Anarchist, a new killer who drugs and kidnaps women before burning them alive.

HIDDEN TERRORS...
Marcus knows the Anarchist will strike again soon. And Ackerman is still free. But worse than this is a mysterious figure, unknown to the authorities, who controls the actions of the Anarchist and many like him. He is the Prophet – and his plans are more terrible than even his own disciples can imagine.

With attacks coming from every side, Marcus faces a race against time to save the lives of a group of innocent people chosen as sacrifices in the Prophet's final dark ritual.

Please visit the PICT tour page to read the first chapter and see the blog tour schedule!

Mr. Cross was kind enough to answer a whole slew of questions for me!   Please take a moment and get to know him a little better. 

1. How do you typically write? Do you plot it all out beforehand or do you just let the story pour out?

It all begins with a cool idea and interesting characters, but there’s much more than that to a novel (in fact, those are the easy parts). I typically start by just thinking of everything I want to happen in the book (character moments, action sequences, etc). Then I begin to fit those pieces together. I have a dry-erase board and a cork board. I brainstorm on the dry-erase and then begin lining up notecards on the cork board. These cards contain just enough info to let me know the linear progression of the book and how the pieces fit together. Then I craft an outline.

I’m an obsessive outliner. For THE PROPHET, I wrote a 170 page outline that went through two major drafts with feedback from my editors. This outline contains pretty much everything that’s going to happen in the book, even thoughts, research, and snippets of dialogue.

For me, that’s the hard part. Once that’s done and the “writing” begins, things flow, and I’m able to focus on the intricacies. After the outline was done, I wrote the 125,000 words of the book in about a month and a half.


2. Do you have a favorite place to write or “must haves” while writing?

I typically write in my office while sitting in a big recliner. As far as requirements…laptop, heavy metal music, and caffeine.


3. Do you have much say in the title or covers of you books?

It depends. I come from a technical background, and so I’ve actually designed my own US covers. I also have input on the UK editions, but for other countries, they pretty much do whatever they want in regard to both. I usually have a title chosen before the book is written, but this can change depending on the publisher’s thoughts. In the end, they have the final say, but I can’t see any of my publishers going against me completely if I felt a title or cover would hurt the book. They’ve all been great to work with.


4. Is there anything that has surprised you about writing, publishing or touring with your books?

I’ve been very surprised at how wonderful, accessible, and supportive the writing community has been, especially an organization that is close to my heart, The International Thriller Writers. I consider some of the people I’ve met at Thrillerfest (ITW’s yearly conference) to be among my best friends. If you are a writer (or want to be one) and haven’t attended any conference or joined any organization like this, it’s time to start checking into it.


5. Do you have a favorite author/book or one that you always recommend?

I enjoy any book that’s action-packed, regardless of genre, and I've been known to read three or four books in a week. I love David Morrell, James Rollins, Lee Child, F. Paul Wilson, Dean Koontz, Jeffery Deaver, James Patterson, Douglas Preston, Clive Cussler, and many, many more.


6. Was there anything (or anyone) while growing up which helped you decide you wanted to be a writer?

The original idea for The Shepherd started out years ago as a short 40-page story written for a college English class. I was watching a movie called Frailty (great movie, by the way), and it got me interested in the idea of turning the tables on who we saw as the villain and the "good guy". The short story asked the question, "Do the ends justify the means?" and dealt with the abuse of power. The serial killer in the short story (the character that later evolved into Ackerman) was actually not a character at all, since the story centered upon the finding of the killer's dead body. I originally intended to use the short story as a starting point for the novel, but the book took me in such different directions that there is basically nothing recognizable left from the short story. The class was a senior level English course, and I handed in the story on one of the last days before graduation. On the following day, the teacher asked me to stay after class and urged me not to stop writing. Her words meant a lot and really stuck with me.


7. Do you have a job outside of being an author?

Writing is my “day job”, and so I try to treat it as such.


8. What would you tell a beginning writer?

The first step in succeeding as a writer is having a deep love of stories and then learning how to write. You can do that in many ways including reading (and doing it a lot), taking classes, attending conferences, etc. For me, the most significant and worthwhile experience was attending Thrillerfest in New York. While there, I took classes from some of the biggest selling and most accomplished writers in the world. I learned so much and have applied those techniques to my writing. I also made a lot of great friends and business connections while there. So I guess I could sum it up as: have an incredibly strong desire to write and a deep love of stories, learn to write well (and keep learning and improving), and get out there and make connections.


9. What were your favorite books growing up?

The Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine and anything by Stephen King. Honestly, the only books that I read all the way through in school were from one of those two authors. I faked my way through the rest.


10. Do you have any books on your nightstand right now?

I’m currently reading The Naked Edge by David Morrell (who is one of my all-time favorite writers).


11. If you could meet one person who has died, who would that be?

Possibly Nikola Tesla or Albert Einstein; two of the greatest minds in history. On a personal level, I would like to meet my grandfather who died long before I was born.


12. If you could co-author a book with anyone, who would it be?

James Patterson. It would pay the best :-)

Seriously, though, I would probably choose David Morrell, because I feel that I could learn a lot from him.


13. Do you have a favorite quote?

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” - Jack Kerouac


14. In one sentence, why should we read your book?

I try to write books that I would want to read, and I like stories that are fast-paced with a lot of action.


15. What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

If I find a bug in my house, I try not to kill unless absolutely necessary. I try to capture it and release it. Several years ago, we had a mouse get into our basement. I would only allow my wife to purchase catch-and-release live-capture traps to go after it. And we caught him and released him into the wild. Kind of funny from the guy who writes about brutal serial killers.


16. What do you come up with first when creating your character- the back story, the plot, the characteristics?

It really depends. Sometimes I come up with an event from the past that would really shape a character. Sometimes it’s the character with certain attributes. Sometimes the character evolves from plot necessity. I can’t say which comes first, but for me, the most important thing is to make them a real person who I care about. Otherwise, my readers never will.


17. What do you do in your spare time?

I’m a huge movie buff. My wife and I religiously have date night every week and take in a movie. And if I’m not writing or watching a cool story, I’m probably reading one.


18. What does a day in your life look like?

Since I’m not much of a morning person, I start out with answering e-mails, conducting promotional activities, research, learning, etc…essentially the business side of things. Then, once I’ve got some caffeine in my system, I start to write/outline. I usually quit around 6:00, depending on when the kids have activities or we have plans for the evening. Then I usually have a little time to work some more once the kids and my wife have gone to bed.


19. How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?

Most of them read the books, and they are all extremely proud. We have cards that they can give out to their friends or people they meet that contain more info on me and the books, and I hear lots of stories about the cards being given to random strangers in lines at grocery stores and waiters in restaurants. It always makes me smile when I get a message or someone at a signing that says, “This lady gave me a card…”


20. Is there anything else that you would like my readers to know?

My goal is to make every book that I write the best book I’ve ever written and continue to grow as an author and storyteller. Hopefully, this will show through in my work, and I’ll have the opportunity to live my dream for many years to come. But that all depends on the support of the wonderful reading community, and so a big thank you to all the readers out there.



Silly questions –
1. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

1st Choice - Immortality, 2nd Choice - Telekinesis, 3rd Choice - Invisibility

2. Do you have any hidden talents?

I can play several different instruments including guitar, piano, drums, mandolin, bass, etc.

3. Night owl or early bird?

Night Owl

4. Favorite season?

Summer. Mainly because the best movies come out then.

5. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

The Walking Contradiction

6. Favorite sport?

To play: Basketball. To watch: Baseball.

7. Favorite music?

Heavy Metal

8. Talk or text?

Text. It’s funny, but it feels terribly inconvenient to actually call someone these days.

9. Cat or dog?

Dog, but I love all animals.

10. Favorite tv show?

All time - 24. Currently - The Walking Dead

11. Favorite holiday destination?

Las Vegas

12. Do you have a literary crush?

Hmm, probably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or David Morrell.

13. If you could live in a literary world - what world would that be and why?

Probably the Star Wars universe…because I always wanted a lightsaber.

14. Most embarrassing moment?

Shooting a one and one free throw, making the first one, and turning and running all the way back down to the other side of the court before realizing that I had another shot.

15. If you could travel forward or backward in time, where would you go and why?

Definitely into the future. I would go at least a few hundred years. It would be fascinating to see how technology and humanity has changed (if we’re still around that is).


Thank you Mr. Cross!  There were some entertaining answers there.  I was also a huge Stephen King fan in high school and list Dean Koontz and James Patterson as some of my favorite authors. BTW - Did you ever make that second shot?  

Best of luck with The Prophet!  It has been a fascinating read so far and can't wait to get back to it!


AUTHOR BIO:
When a fireman or a policeman would visit his school, most of his classmates’ heads would swim with aspirations of growing up and catching bad guys or saving someone from a blazing inferno. When these moments came for Ethan Cross, however, his dreams weren’t to someday be a cop or put out fires; he just wanted to write about it. His dream of telling stories on a grand scale came to fruition with the release of his first novel, the international bestseller, THE SHEPHERD.

Ethan Cross is the pen name of a thriller author living and writing in Illinois with his wife, two daughters, and two Shih Tzus. In addition to The Shepherd and The Prophet, he has published two novellas––The Cage and Callsign: Knight (with Jeremy Robinson).

AUTHOR SITES:
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