Friday 31 May 2013

Feature & Follow #30 ~ blogger I would most like to meet in real life?

RULES
  • To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
  • (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee and Alison Can Read}
  • (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
  • Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  • Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
  • Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
  • If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers.
If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Thursday 30 May 2013

Kindle and Nook Freebies and Deals!!! Here we go.. (30 May 2013)

Hey lovelies, one more day to weekend.. :-)

And happy reading, lovelies!


Penelope
Author: Anya Wylde
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Leaving behind the rural charms of Finnshire, Miss Penelope Fairweather arrives in London with hope in her heart and a dream in her eye. The dowager, no less, has invited her for a season in London, where she will attempt to catch a husband.

Thus begins our heroine's tale as she attempts to tackle the London season with all her rustic finesse. Unfortunately, her rustic finesse turns out to be as delicate as a fat bear trying to rip apart a honeycomb infested with buzzing bees.

What follows is a series of misadventures, love affairs, moonlit balls, fancy clothes, fake moustaches, highwaymen, sneering beauties, pickpockets, and the wrath of a devilishly handsome duke.


The Inconvenient Duchess
Author: Christine Merrill
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

"Dear Cici and Father," "I have come to Devon and married a duke. And I'm more tired and hungry than I have ever been in my life. Please let me come home."

Compromised and wedded on the same day, Lady Miranda was fast finding married life not to her taste. A decaying manor and a secretive husband were hardly the stuff of girlish dreams. Yet every time she looked at dark, brooding Marcus Radwell, Duke of Haughleigh, she felt inexplicably compelled--and determined--to make their marriage real.

TODAY'S DEAL!!!


Anew
Author: Chelsea Fine
Price: $2.95 (SAVE $12) / £1.91 (SAVE £6.15)
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

For more freebies, please refer my Facebook page.

*** The price posted above is true at the time of posting. (30 May 2013) ***

Tolomay’s World & The Pool of Light by ME Lorde (Excerpt 2)

ChapTer Two - (Much, much Later)

What does it mean to be in love with the world?  I cannot tell a soul.  For it has been long for me, too long.  Not that the passion is dead in me.  It’s alive and well and it screams at me each day from the first sign of sunlight, until I close my eyes to sleep.  This place is more than I would have thought, but the isolation makes it impossible to share things with anyone else.  Today is my birthday and once again I spend it alone.

Three years is too long to be alone on this earth, even with Carmella at my side.

I first saw her after the blast, the one that took the others.  Even then, even while the ground still shook, Carmella sat looking at me as she does now.  It was as if she instinctively knew what it did to them, as if she knew there would be no others aside from me from then on out.  Without a blink or so much as a shiver, she sat frozen on that rock looking at me with those heavy lidded eyes.  That day I cried for hours, longer than I care to recall.  Carmella does not know of self pity.  Pity does not help a creature who’s struggling alone to survive in the wild.

She may be a different breed, but we are friends, two females living together as silent partners, Carmella and I, lizard and gardener.  We rely on each other.  I like to think it that she has the nature of truly caring for me, aside from the insects that I feed her.  Garden crickets are her favorite and are in ample supply on this hillside.  Not those little green ones, mind you, but the big black ones that squirm in her mouth and crackle as she swallows them whole.  They are too big for her, but none the less she gobbles them up even while they cause her to choke.  The lizard will never learn not to bite off more than she can chew, but who can blame her?  Perhaps crickets are her chocolate.  It’s been so long since my taste of chocolate, that I don’t believe something as diminutive as a little choking would prevent me from inhaling a chunk of the sweet brown heaven.  If one were available in this place I’d devour it.

So here I am waiting with Carmella.  Each Tuesday it’s the same routine.  Even in oblivion, consistency rules the planet.  Tarron told us it would be like this.  He said that the waiting would be grueling.  Though he himself had never and could never swim in the light; he was too old, but he was right.  The waiting was hard and you cannot train for that.

I prepared myself for three months before my swim, isolating myself whenever possible from the rest of the group.  I stayed in my room, ate alone, camped for three weeks straight in the wood’s side of the lab’s property.  I did it right, just as Tarron trained me to do.  I thought I was ready enough when the time came to take the step.  I thought I was.  I was wrong.  No one could ever be prepared enough for the waiting because I am never sure that what I wait for will come.  Another day, another glorious day, but without human companionship I look to creatures for comfort.  Though they can be wondrous, there is so much to be missed by the human glance, the words, the smile, the touch.  Yet this is why I did it, wasn’t it?  All of us in Tee-Pod are spirits who love the world and humanity.

Carmella blinked, scampered toward me and then ran onto my hand and up my arm, finally resting on my shoulder.  I rubbed the top of her head.  When the coddling stopped, she leaned in for more.

It was Tuesday afternoon and the sun beamed hot.  ‘Would one come today?’ I wondered.

No one came.  They never did.  It had been one hundred and eighty seven Tuesdays and no one had come.  I plucked her from my shoulder, carried her back down the hill and into the hillhouse and set her onto the floor.  She scratched at the kitchen wall to sharpen her claws as I finished preparing dinner.  I was good at dinners.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords
Genre – Fantasy / Romance
Rating – NC17
More details about the authorthe book
 Connect withME Lorde on Facebook & Twitter

A day in the life of Amber Kallyn

- Guest Post by Amber Kallyn

My weekdays pretty much run the same (and sometimes blur together, LOL). Wake up, get the kids out of bed, get ready for the day, get everyone ready and taken to school.

Then it’s my time until the afternoon.

I wake up with coffee and twitter (@AmberKallyn) for a bit, then go on to my schedule (usually :) )

Writing (or editing comes first). I’ll admit I’ve been out of the loop for a few months and am trying to get back to my schedule. It’s not easy, push dedication… or force… is the key :D

I’m also full time student, but my classes are all online. After writing, I do homework.

My afternoons and evenings are all about the kids. After they go to bed, I relax, sometimes (need to do more) write or read.

Then it’s to bed and wake up for another day.

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Paranormal / Vampire Romance
Rating – PG
More details about the author & the book
 Connect with Amber Kallyn on Facebook & Twitter

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Kindle and Nook Freebies and Deals!!! Here we go.. (29 May 2013)

Hey lovelies, it is only middle of the week, and already I am tired.

Anyway, I was still able to gather some good freebies and deals for you.  Hope you enjoy and happy reading!


Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits
Author: Mary Jane Hathaway
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Shelby Roswell is a history professor on the fast track to tenure until her new book is crushed in a review by the famous historian, Ransom Fielding. She struggles to regain her momentum only to discover that Fielding has taken a visiting professorship at her college. The place that was once a refuge from the poverty of her past is now a battlefield of Civil War proportions.

Ransom is still struggling with his role in his wife’s accidental death six years ago and was hoping a year at Shelby’s small college would be a respite from the reminders back home. He never bargained for falling in love with the one woman who would give anything to make him leave. Together Shelby and Ransom learn that home is never very far away, and when you least expect it, love arrives.

With a cast of Civil War re-enactors, an evil wedding planner, antebellum mansions, and several mysterious diaries, 'Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits' will take you on a touching and hilarious ride through a modern South you haven't seen before.


Messages
Author: Christine Dougherty
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

James Smith is receiving messages.

Fired from his job, his girlfriend on the verge of leaving him, barely keeping his life in order, James’ unyielding insistence on following the signs and putting together the clues brings him to the answer…and it changes everything.

Hindered by flashbacks to a barely remembered babyhood at the hands of a criminally insane mother, James forges ahead, committing acts he’d never have thought himself capable, from shadowing a local teen, to kidnapping, to a murderous confrontation–all over the object of his desire.

When he partners with a mysterious cop named Riddel, James is certain he will not only bring everything out into the open, but also convince his girlfriend Lacey that she is central to his quest. And she is, but in a way they are all unable to foresee.


Angelfire
Author: Hanna Peach
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

An army of angels walks among us. They have kept us safe and ignorant - so far.

Earthbound for centuries and ruled by the Elders, they have established hidden cities, a society and the Code: obey your Elders, kill all demons, eliminate Rogue-angels, protect the mortals, remain hidden. Their warriors are the ungifted Earthborn angels armed with blades and the “borrowed magics” of distilled angel-blood tattoos.

Alyxandria is a young warrior with a fondness for customized knives and illegal night-races. If only she could overcome the taint of her parents, who abandoned her to become Rogues. When Alyx saves Israel, a gifted mortal with a past, she is forbidden to see him again. But she can't help herself, drawn to him through their Guardian-bond, an ancient and long-forgotten bond; if he dies, she dies.

Alyx begins to dig into the Elders' secrets - two thousand years of secrets, which begin with the death of the Archangel Raphael. She is not prepared when she uncovers an Elder's dark plan. Somewhere on Earth is a key to unlock Hell. Somewhere on Earth are pieces of an amulet that control Lucifer and his army. Somehow Israel is the link and now both sides are after him. Who can Alyx trust when Good and Evil are no longer clear?

The war for Earth begins.

***13 May 2013: 3rd ed. professionally re-edited***

Watch the trailer: http://www.hannapeach.com


The Dream Jumper's Promise
Author: Kim Hornsby
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Tina Greene can't accept the surfing death of her husband Hank without a recovered body. Months after signing the death certificate, she pulls herself from the emotional wreckage and trades mourning for saving her Maui dive shop from bankruptcy.

When war hero, Jamey Dunn, walks back into Tina's life, things take a strange turn. Lifelike dreams have the dive instructor questioning her sanity and leaning heavily on Hank's best friend, Noble. Jamey and Noble clash at every turn, both desperate to help Tina. When the dreams uncover clues to Hank's disappearance, Jamey must reveal his strange ability to enter dreams. But for Tina, trusting the man who betrayed her years before, doesn't come easily, and the decision to let Jamey enter her subconscious has a price she isn't sure she can pay. As Noble, Tina and Jamey get closer to solving the mystery of Hank's disappearance, grave danger sets in to reveal that one person is flirting with insanity, one is a traitor, and one is a traitor.


Seduced by Innocence
Author: Kimberly Kinrade
Price: $0.97/FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US ($0.97) | Amazon UK (FREE) | Barnes & Noble (FREE)

Rose Wintersong didn't have an ordinary upbringing. Raised in what most would call a hippy commune, but what is actually a powerful coven of witches, she never questions the life fate chose for her.

Until she meets Derek O'Conner.

Derek challenges everything Rose believes and forces her to see the secrets hidden beneath the whitewashed walls of her idyllic country life.

Rose knows she should walk away, that the sexy martial arts instructor is bad news bred to create discord in her tight community... but the animal magnetism between them is impossible to fight.

Caught between the passion of first love, and the steady beat of the life she's always known, Rose must choose between the innocence of her youth or the pleasures of womanhood--but lost innocence comes at a price, and Rose harbors a dark secret that could destroy everyone she loves--including Derek.

TODAY'S DEAL!!!

 

Dark Nights Dangerous Men
Author: Elisabeth Naughton, Cynthia Eden, Katie Reus, Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright, Joan Swan
Price: $0.97/£0.77
Buy Links: Amazon US ($0.97) | Amazon UK (£0.77) | Barnes & Noble ($0.99)

6 Bestselling Authors, 6 Sexy Reads…

From romantic suspense to paranormal romance; from a full length novel to a bite sized novella, whatever you're looking for, we've got the story for you!
Total collection: 317,000 words

STOLEN FURY by Elisabeth Naughton

To unearth a centuries-old secret, an archaeologist must team up with the rakish thief who's stolen both an ancient relic and her heart...

Word count: 100,000

BOUND BY BLOOD by Cynthia Eden

Married to the enemy. In order to save her clan, vampire princess Morgan LaBeaux will do anything…even marry werewolf alpha Jace Vaughn. She may have to trust him with her life, but Morgan vows to never give the wolf her heart.

Word Count: 21,000

NO ONE TO TRUST by Katie Reus

When Elizabeth Martinez is shoved into the cross hairs of one of Miami’s death-dealing drug lords she has no choice but to depend on former Marine Porter Caldwell, her ex-boyfriend and the one man she’s tried desperately to forget.

Word count: 45,000

RAPHAEL by Alexandra Ivy

The brilliant and dangerous diplomat of the Pantera shapeshifters, Raphael has devoted his life to discovering the key to the infertility that is threatening the extinction of his puma race. Creating a vast network of spies worldwide, he never expected to discover that the answer might be beneath his very nose. But when Ashe, a beautiful human female, crosses his path, his most primitive instincts are stirred. Unable to resist, he takes her to his bed, and is shocked when she becomes pregnant with his child. It’s a miracle that might prove to be the salvation of his people, but only if he can keep her safe from the mercenaries determined to kill her.

Word count: 21,000

PARISH by Laura Wright

Untamed and undeniably sexy, Parish, leader of the Pantera hunters, rarely leaves the magic of the Wildlands to deal with the humans he despises. But with the prized and risky Pantera birth on the way, puma shifter, Parish must travel to New Orleans to find and bring back a human doctor. The moment he sees the lovely, talented and all too human Dr. Julia Cabot he cannot resist the wild, potent drive to make her his. Betrayed and destroyed by love, Julia will not let her heart choose her path again. But as she and Parish fight to save the life of an unborn child, a fierce and overwhelming bond develops between them, threatening her frozen heart with the secret hope and ultimate temptation of love and family.

Word count: 20,000

INTIMATE ENEMIES by Joan Swan

An emergency physician on leave returns to Baja Mexico in search of answers in the deaths of her mother and stepbrother and uncovers buried secrets that threaten her life and a man who threatens her heart.

Word count: 110,000



Silent Run
Author: Barbara Freethy
Price: $0.99 (SAVE $13)
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

From #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Barbara Freethy, comes an emotionally compelling, romantic and suspenseful story ...

A woman wakes in a hospital bed with no idea of who she is. Her memory is gone, her baby missing. All she has is the gripping certainty that she is in mortal danger. Then a handsome, angry stranger barges in and makes a terrible accusation. He was her lover--and her child's father--until she disappeared seven months ago.

Jake Sanders swore he'd never forgive Sarah Tucker, but he isn't about to let her get away again--especially not with his daughter still missing. If he has any chance of recovering his baby, he must help the woman who betrayed him retrieve the pieces of her shattered memory--without letting his feelings get in the way.

Haunted by troubling flashes of memory, Sarah begins to realize she's lived a life of lies. But what is the truth? And where is her baby?


For more freebies, please refer my Facebook page.

*** The price posted above is true at the time of posting. (29h May 2013) ***

Untethered –A Novel Started on My Basement Stairs

- Guest Post by Katie Hayoz

I left my body when I was young.  I don’t remember how old I was – six? seven? – but I’ll never forget the incident.  I was standing at the top of the basement stairs, my hands stretched out to touch the smooth walls on either side of the stairwell.  The door at the bottom was open, the piercing sound of a circular saw blasting out along with the sweet scent of wood shavings.  My dad was down there working on some project, and I was to tell him it was time to eat.

It wasn’t the first step, or even the second.  But three or four steps down, I managed to trip on nothing and my body catapulted  forward.  Without me in it.

I saw myself — eyes wide, mouth open, hands out.  I saw my body fall down the stairs, but I, myself, felt like I was flying.  Like I had taken a dizzying jump that sent me to the ceiling of the stairwell where I watched from above.  It lasted maybe a second .  But the memory has stayed with me since.

Suddenly I was on the basement floor, my palms and forearms and elbows stinging.  I had apparently made enough noise falling that my dad even heard me from behind his saw.

That was my first and only real out-of-body experience.  It was so quick and so strange, I never shared it with anyone.  At least not for another ten years.

As a teenager, I read the book Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan.  In the novel, the main character learns to astral project – to send her soul, her essence, out of her body to travel around and watch things from above.  It fascinated me.  It floored me.  And it tugged at my memory, bringing back the feeling of flying over the basement stairs.  When I told my mom about it she nodded.

“It happened to me once,” she said.  She was making meatloaf, leaning her weight into a shiny, silver bowl of ground beef, ketchup, onions, mustard, and bread crumbs.  She squeezed the mixture through her fingers over and over as she talked.  “When I gave birth to Stephen.  I was floating near the ceiling like a balloon, watching myself, watching the doctors.”  She shook the excess mess off of her hands and looked me in the eye.  “Ever since then, I’m not afraid to die.”

That same week, I went out and bought books on out-of-body experiences, on astral projection.  I devoured them – both intrigued and completely freaked out.   The books documented all sorts of incidents – the good, the bad, and the really bad.  And that’s where my imagination got going.  In my head, a story began.  A story about a girl who wanted nothing more than to be loved by a boy who didn’t care.  A story about a girl who could leave her body and spy on the object of her obsession.  A story about a girl who let the dark side of herself take over, only to find herself in a situation beyond her control.

I wrote the story when I was seventeen.  More than twenty years later, the characters and the idea of astral projected still haunted me.  I turned the story into a novel, and finally gave voice to Sylvie – an anti-heroine who thinks she knows what she wants, but who gets more than she ever bargained for.  That novel is Untethered.   A novel that started from a quick fall down my basement stairs.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords
Genre – YA Paranormal / Coming of Age
Rating – PG13
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Katie Hayoz on Facebook & Twitter


Tuesday 28 May 2013

Kindle and Nook Freebies & Deals!!! Here we go.. (28 May 2013)


Here are some of the today's freebies and deals!!!  Happy reading everyone!



Bombshell
Author: Mike Faricy
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Dysfuntional, bumbling, crazy babe-magnet Dev Haskell, P.I. becomes the envy of every guy with a heartbeat when he's hired to watch over a team of gorgeous English roller derby stars. Though he'd rather be standing guard in the shower room, he suddenly finds himself under arrest and found guilty before he's charged. He's got an attorney who drinks too much, a beautiful friend with a bad attitude, a feisty team of females ready to kill him - and no answers. Bombshell is another fast-paced, engrossing suspense thriller from Minnesoya's master of the bizarre, Mike Faricy.




Bloodstorm
Author: Amber Kallyn
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

When duty forces a shaman to stop a vampire from her revenge, love doesn’t just burn... it bites.

For two hundred years, Niki DeVeraux has been tracking the monster who murdered her family and made her a vampire. She finally catches up to him in a small Arizona town, only to face more than she bargained for. Amid an imperious vampire King, a shaky truce between the local clan and shifter pack, and a too-sexy sheriff who makes her remember she’s still a woman, Niki’s single-minded purpose is threatened for the first time since her turning.

Between his duties as Keeper of the peace for the Magic Council and heir to his tribe’s shamanistic magic, Sheriff Shane Spencer’s job is to protect humanity and stop the friction between the local Arcaine races before it turns into an all out blood war. To make matters worse, there’s an irresistible rouge vampire in town enflaming his senses.

When wolves start turning up dead, the tension between the paranormal races grows and suspicion falls on Niki. Shane knows she’s not to blame, and it has nothing to do with the primal urges she stirs within him. Working together, they must find a way to stop the hostilities from going over the edge. Trouble is, the desires raging between Niki and Shane might prove more dangerous than the surrounding threats.


A Strange Fire
Author: L.H. Cosway
Price: FREE
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Flo has always had problems. Her stammer prevents her speech and her dad’s abuse makes her life a living hell. Not to mention she sees colours other people don’t.

When her dad decides to ship her off to live with her grandma in the sleepy town of Chesterport, Flo thinks that this is her chance for a better life. But on her very first day at her new school she is ridiculed and laughed at for having a stammer. One student sticks up for her and his name is Frank.

Frank’s body is surrounded by an aura of fire, but Flo is the only one who can see it. He lives in a foster home for troubled teenagers. Flo is drawn to him because he’s different and so is she.

Things are about to get scary, because Chesterport is not your ordinary suburban town. It’s infested by a coven of dark witches who prey on the young and the elderly. Soon Flo discovers that she’s next on their list of victims, and finds herself fighting a battle she never would have imagined possible.

TODAY'S DEALS!!!


Sweet Thing
Author: Renee Carlino
Price: $0.99 - SAVE $11
Buy Links: Amazon US ($0.99) | Amazon UK (£0.77) | Barnes & Noble($0.99)

Mia Kelly is a twenty-five-year-old walking Gap ad who thinks she has life figured out when her father’s sudden death uproots her from slow-paced Ann Arbor to New York City’s bustling East Village. There she discovers her father’s spirit for life and the legacy he left behind with the help of an old café, a few eccentric friends, and one charming musician.

Will Ryan is good-looking, poetic, spontaneous, and on the brink of fame when he meets Mia, his new landlord, muse, and personal heartbreaker.

A story of self-discovery and friendship, Sweet Thing shines light on the power of loving and letting go.



The List - A Thriller: A Technothriller
Author: J.A. Konrath
Price: $0.99 - SAVE $13
Buy Links: Amazon US ($0.99) | Amazon UK (£0.77)

JA Konrath is the author of six novels in the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series, the latest of which is Cherry Bomb.

THE LIST is a bit of a departure for Konrath. It's a technothriller about a group of ten people who all have tattoos of numbers on the bottoms their feet, and don't know why.

One of them, a Chicago Homicide cop named Tom Mankowski, has had one of these strange tattoos since birth. When he investigates a violent murder and discovers the victim also has a tattooed number, it sets the ball rolling for an adventure of historic proportions.

To say more would give away too much.

Like the Jack Daniels series, The List combines laugh out loud humor with serious suspense and thrills.

If the Kindle had back jacket copy, it would read:

A billionaire Senator with money to burn...
A thirty year old science experiment, about to be revealed...
Seven people, marked for death, not for what they know, but for what they are...


For more freebies, please refer my Facebook page.


*** The price posted above is true at the time of posting. (28h May 2013) ***

How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

- Guest Post by Calinda B

I’m a creative. I create. Creatives put their creations out into the world saying, “Look at me! Look at what I did! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Some will agree. “Yes, it stirred me! It’s brilliant!” Some will disagree. “Gah! Pure garbage!” The critics will put on their knowing smiles and cite why your work is worth nothing to them. Or, if kind, they’ll say, “It’s good but not what I was looking for.”

When I got my first 1 star rating I was devastated. That person had rejected my hard work. She made fun of it. It didn’t matter that I got 10 times as many positive reviews. It didn’t matter that person after person said, “Great book! Really descriptive! Wow!” That ONE person called me out. She knew I was worthless as a writer. She was the one with The Truth. I was crushed. Humiliated. Beyond repair.

Well, guess what? People have opinions. Many reviews later, many opportunities and rejections later, I’ve learned a better truth than the one star reviewer – I’ve learned that a) I am a really good writer. b) There’s always room for improvement. c) If feedback is specific or helpful, I learn from it. d) If feedback is mean or spiteful or just plain wrong, I thank that person in my heart and move on.

See, I’m a creative. I was put on this planet to create. I might learn from your comments about my creations. I might ignore your rejection of my creations. But in the end I’m going to keep doing what I was born to do. I’m going to create, I’m going to take joy in my creations and maybe, just maybe, you will, too.

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Romantic Suspense / Thriller 
Rating – R
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Calinda B on Facebook & Twitter


Close Encounters

- Guest Post by Chris Angus

Humans seem to crave connection to famous people; celebrities, politicians, actors, athletes. Lately the phenomenon has taken a strange turn with the frenzy given to potentially famous people on American Idol and various reality shows.

As a writer, I’ve always been a bit star struck when it comes to my favorite authors. I’ve collected stories about them and relished the personal connections I’ve had with a few.  I corresponded for a time with John McPhee and had a long connection with some well-known writers in the Adirondack region of New York: Paul Jamieson, Anne LaBastille, Barbara McMartin and Maurice Kenny.

Robert Parker, the writer of numerous detective series, including his Spenser, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall characters, passed away recently. He died with his boots on, metaphorically speaking, sitting at his typewriter pounding out yet another in his scores of books.

I discovered Parker more than thirty years ago and have devoured his books again and again. They are deceptively simple in format and utterly absorbing. The author honed his skills by studying the writings of Dashiell Hammett, even writing his college thesis on the subject.

Like many writers, I’ve picked up some of Parker’s writing habits. He’s a good writer to emulate when writing a mystery, but there’s also a danger that one’s own work will become derivative. I actually avoid reading him when I’m actively working on a mystery, because it is in the nature of the beast that Parker’s characterizations and even his plot will seep into my own words.

I was strongly influenced by Edward Abbey for a period. That man could write. His journals are filled with brilliant passages, including some incredible descriptions of Edinburgh, Scotland written when he was in his early twenties. He had a real passion for life and for telling the truth as he saw it. He could also be a bit of a cad, cheating on his wives and girlfriends. At least he seemed to be honest about it. What is the point, he wrote, of books that describe a hundred different positions when all a man really wants is a hundred different women? He believed men and women were entirely different creatures and marveled that the two managed to get along at all.

I wrote to Abbey to tell him how much I enjoyed his essay Blood Sport, about his distaste for hunting and also his book The Monkey Wrench Gang. His post card reply came from Oracle, Arizona in 1988, less than a year before he died. The handwriting was frail and meandering and made me fear for his health. Still, he appreciated a fan enough to take the time, and I still treasure that post card. Abbey had two children the last five years of his life. He was full of love for them and regrets that he wouldn’t see them grow up. One has to wonder what those children think of the father they have virtually no memory of, their poor, driven, joyful, passionate, angry father. In truth, when they read his work, they will probably learn more about him than most people ever do about their parents.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of being a writer is knowing that your deepest feelings, your heart and soul are revealed in your words. Those words will last long after you are gone, influencing others, warming the hearts of descendants and perhaps even changing history. It allows readers to feel as though they have had their own close encounter with a famous person, even one who may have been dead for hundreds of years.

Monday 27 May 2013

Freebies & Deals! Here we go.. (27 May 2013)

Hi everyone!  Hope you all had a fantastic weekend..I did! :-)

And today, I have some great deals for you!  Don't forget to check out the last one..that's my favorite!

So, here we go..  Happy reading!




Blood of the King (Khirro's Journey #1)
Author: Bruce Blake
Price: FREE
Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK

"Blood of the King is a masterpiece. It is as close to perfection as I would consider a book to be."
- Ella Medler, author of Blood is Heavier

A kingdom torn by war. A curse whispered by dying lips. A hero born against his will.

Khirro never wanted to be anything more than the farmer he was born to be, but a Shaman's curse binds him to the fallen king and his life changes forever.

Driven by the Shaman's dying words, Khirro's journey pits him against an army of the dead, sends him through haunted lands, and thrusts him into the jaws of beasts he wouldn't have believed existed. In one hand he carries the Shaman's enchanted sword, a weapon he can barely use; in the other he holds a vial of the king's blood, the hope of the kingdom. His destination: the Necromancer's keep in the cursed land of Lakesh. Only the mysterious outlaw magician can raise the king from the dead to save them all from the undead invasion, but can Khirro live long enough to deliver the vial?

Can a coward save a kingdom?

"Blake has a knack for bringing you into the story"

"Mr. Blake's writing is masterful and clear, he draws you into his story and when its finished you feel like your leaving an old friend."

DEAL!!!

***Spirit of the King (Khirro's Journey Book 2) only 99 cents until May 30!!**




Just This Once
Author: Rosalind James
Price: FREE
Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Everyone needs to be rescued sometimes.

Everyone but Hannah Montgomery, that is. She just needs a vacation. Three weeks in New Zealand to sort out her life, figure out what she wants, seems just right. Oh, and to relax. She should definitely put that on the agenda. She certainly isn’t looking for a fling with a professional rugby player, no matter how attractive he is. Hannah doesn’t do casual. But maybe just this once. . .

As much as he’s shared with Hannah, Drew Callahan has kept one very big secret. And learning the truth, now that she’s back home again, has made Hannah warier than ever. Drew knows that she’s right for him. But how can he convince her to let down her guard enough to explore what they could have together?



Seducing a Mermaid
Author: Karli Rush
Price: FREE
Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Sam Vanikey is under tremendous pressure.

His new gallery opens in less than a month and he has yet to produce any art in over a year. His inspiration is gone after leaving Angie and depression threatens to rob him of the life he loves. Sheila, his supportive sister sequesters Sam on an exclusive island getaway off the coast of Seattle.

Getting his life back together is his goal. As he relaxes on the beach searching for relinquished insight, something happens. This sends Sam into a series of unforgettable events. It will test everything that is important to him. In the end, will Sam claim his much needed inspiration and become the all aspiring painter he dreams to be? Or will fate decide?


Highland Stone
Author: Sloan McBride
Price: FREE / ($2.94)
Buy: Amazon US ($2.94) | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

After her grandmother's death, Kara Malone inherits a key and a box with a secret. On a plane bound for Hawaii where she is to start a new job, she opens the box to find her grandmother's journal and a beautiful stone. Magical forces propel Kara back in time to the Scottish Highlands where she is nearly run down by Alaxandar MacLeod, the dark stranger from her dreams. Her problems are just beginning.

Alaxandar has been charged with finding the truth behind the recent violent raids against his clan. When his horse almost tramples a beautiful stranger, he wonders if she may hold the key to the raids. Is she a spy or a witch come to lure him with her wiles and distract him from his mission? Whatever she proves to be, Kara is everything he's wanted in a woman and he'll do anything to keep her with him.

**NOTE: This book was released in 2007 under same title. Has been revised. Adult Content.**

DEALS!!!

Phantom Series Boxed Set
Author: Julie Leto
Price: $0.99 
Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

GHOST STORIES...FOR GROWN UPS

--Three brothers who survive by the sword fall to a mad Romani curse...
--Three modern women with the power to set them free...
--Will they teach each other the true meaning of love, or will evil foil their happiness?

PRAISE FOR THE PHANTOM SERIES:
on Phantom Pleasures: "Phantom Pleasures is a paranormal treasure hunt that will keep surprising you at every turn."--Sabella, Joyfully Reviewed
on Phantom's Touch: "When Hollywood magic meets real magic, the collision leads to a sexy and thrilling tale."--Jill Smith, Romantic Times
on Kiss of the Phantom: "Fascinating, thrilling, and sexy as all get out - with a twist of intrigue - this author has made her way onto my must read list! "--Thia McClain, The Romance Reader Connection



And the book below is my favorite,  I highly highly highly recommend it!  See my review here, in case you need my opinion!!!


The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back
Author: Sariah Wilson
Price: $0.99
Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.

But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?

Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.

Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.

Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.

And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.

For more freebies, please refer my Facebook page.


*** The price posted above is true at the time of posting. (27th May 2013) ***


All For One, One For All: Not Just A Cliché

clip_image002When I first decided to write a book on writing (after blogging about the subject for a year and a half), the decision was not a difficult one. I had a vision of exactly what I wanted.

Strunk & White.

Elements of Style.

It’s not that I believed myself capable of equaling their (arguable) classic work on grammar, style, and writing in general but rather I wanted to produce a book that was small in stature, large in OOMPH. A book one might keep next to the computer (or typewriter, for your sadomasochists). In fact, I priced the paperback as low as the distributor would allow (which means I make less on a physical paperback than a digital copy), all because I honestly believe, of all books, this is the one that deserves all the real highlight marks, dogears, and other signs of heavy usage over the years.

You see, over the decades I attended (and led) quite a number of writing workshops, attended courses, and handed out work to be critiqued (with the telltale grimace of someone who doesn’t want to hear what he or she knows they need to hear). But the gemsI learned over those years. I had to share them. I needed to share them. I believe fervently that writers need to band together because, unlike other products, ours is continually in demand—far more demand than only a few select of us can provide. In other words:

There are enough readers for all talented writers (and even for some not-so-talented ones).
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Books are not like sofas or cars or television sets. People don’t buy just one and hold on to it for 5-20 years. Some speedy readers I know read a book a day. What’s the average? Book a week? The demand for books is there—what we authors need are two things:

1) A hand-holding-hand path out of the jungle, to civilization, where the readers live

and

2) A product well worth their hard-earned money and time when we arrive there to present our work to them.

I work diligently at helping with #1. Now I wanted to share what I’d learned through trials, hard knocks, painful red ink on the page, and some damned fine writers over the years so that a fellow author might sit with my book and use a few simple (call them what you will: rules, techniques, processes, guidelines) and come out the other side with a book at least twice as good as it was entering the makeover.

Thus INK: Eight Rules To A Better Bookwas born.

Not of greed; not of pride; not of chance. INK was born because I was destined to write it, and I promise you, those writers who’ve taken the time to read it (one self-proclaimed slow reader devoured it in three hours!) will learn a lifetime of lessons. And it’s a book you can read over and over again. Highlighting, coming back to a section you love or need or just wanted to get straight in your head.

Writing is a process, and like every other skilled profession in the world, there are those to whom it comes naturally; there are great writers and good writers and decent writers and, yes, horrible writers. But I didn’t write INK for any one group. My theory is that no matter where you fall on the spectrum of ability or talent, your prose can always improve. None of us—nor non of “them”—is at the one hundred percent, don’t need to fix a thing stage.

None is perfect.

Lastly, the cover is intentionally simplistic, because I believe in the simplicity (and conversely, the POWER) of the eight rules. They aren’t rocket science and every single writer out there in the world can put them to use. I also have an absolute reason for using the hand print in ink for the cover. It has come to represent the unique signature of every writer on the planet. Each of us is different in some way from the next. Like snowflakes.

Like hand prints.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
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R.S. (Rob) Guthrie grew up in Iowa and Wyoming. He has been writing fiction, essays, short stories, and lyrics since college.

Black Beast: A Detective Bobby Mac Thriller” marked Guthrie’s first major release and it heralded the first in a series of Detective Bobby Macaulay (Bobby Mac) books. The second in the series (LOST) hit the Kindle shelves December of 2011. Reckoningcloses out the trilogy. For now…

Guthrie’s “Blood Land” is the first in the James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series and represents a project that is close to his heart: it is set in a fictional town in the same county where he spent much of his childhood and still visits. The sequel, Money Land, hit the shelves Christmas Day, 2012. Honor Land, the third in the bestselling series is due out in the Summer of 2013.

Guthrie lives in Colorado with his wife, Amy, three young Australian Shepherds, and a Chihuahua who thinks she is a 40-pound Aussie! Pictured is Elsa, the oldest, the Alpha, crazy adorable and every bit the diva (and she knows it!). And yes, there is a Hero Dog book bursting to get out that Guthrie plans to write concurrently with his third Pruett book.

Readers can catch up with what’s new with R.S. Guthrie at his official site, http://www.rsguthrie.com , or discussions related to writing at his blog, Rob on Writing (http://robonwriting.com).

Other Links:

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/RSGuthrie

Sunday 26 May 2013

Review ~ Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

If you know me, one of the things that is a big no-no for selecting a book is the happy ending.  But, this is one of those books that made me give 4 stars in spite of the **spoiler** tragic ending **spoiler**.  And I think this book entirely deserved it.


Series: Elemental #2
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: May 28th 2013
Genre: Fantasy, Young-adult

With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…


REVIEW

Hunter Garrity is facing a lot of problems..from his family, school, Calla and the guides.  And that doesn't stop when he is thrown out of his home and his grandfather hits him.  When everything in his life seems bad, there is that new girl in school, Kate, who he can't stop thinking about.  And Kate, being the Guide, doesn't help matters.  Hunter is in lot of confusions and so is Kate.  And then there is Calla, who is determined to bring the Guides to town, and if not, threatening to kill people.  Above all, there is Silver, the Guide, who is keen on destroying the Elementals.  Are Merricks, the only people who is trying to help Hunter, is in danger?  And whose side is Hunter going to take?

This book has a lot of emotions in contrast to the first novel in the series.  And I am saying that as a positive thing.  The characters are as always amazing.  It is nice and warm to see the brothers again.  And I didn't read the second book, so I have missed out some characters, but I still can understand them well.  The brothers did an amazing job in this novel.  You will be expecting that I will be drooling over such hot brothers (which I totally did), but I actually felt very proud of them.  In the first book, they were struggling so much to manage their lives, but it seems like they are at ease..they seem more..mature.

And this author can really write.  The writing just made me crazy for more.  I just want to keep reading and never ever stop.  The dialogues are smart, witty, emotional and young.  By young, I mean that this will be much enjoyed by teen readers.  I love this author and I will be definitely going for more..

VERDICT

Although I would have happily accepted a different and so-obvious ending, this ending made me want to cry.  And I still so love this novel.  I highly recommend this series for all YA fantasy fans, especially for teen readers. 


SERIES ORDER

0.5.  Elemental - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
1.  Storm - Review | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
1.5.  Fearless - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
2.  Spark - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
2.5.  Breathless - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
3.  Spirit - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
4.  Secret - Expected publication 2014 | Goodreads

FREE BOOK

If you like a free book, here it is for you.  Free download for the Elementals ebook (available on Kensington site only, through link below) is available for you, lovely readers:

Free download link: http://bit.ly/105eIEt
The promo code is: VCARD

** This link is active only until May 31st. **

In addition to the above free book, the first chapter of Spirit is also available for download here.

Happy reading!

Courtesy of free ebooks: Author Brigid Kemmerer

Friday 24 May 2013

Release Day Giveaway & Blitz ~ "In Darkness We Must Abide" ~ Rhiannon Frater

 Today, I am happy to be part of the release day blitz with Xpresso Book Tours.  One of the most favorite author is here today and you know how excited I can be. So, read the guest post, celebrate the release and yeah, don't forget the giveaway..
 
In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete First Season
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Genre: NA Modern Gothic Horror
Publication date:  May 24th 2013

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

Already living in the shadows due to her albinism, Vanora is just a little girl when her older brother inadvertently unleashes a terrible evil from the family crypt that changes their lives forever.

As she grows up in a world where beautiful deadly beings hunt by night, one captures her eye and her heart. Yet, can she trust the mysterious Armando? For there is a powerful entity plotting to claim her when she reaches adulthood in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy, and her enemy has enveloped her in a web of deceit, casting doubt on all she believes to be true. Soon, she will have to fight not only to save those she loves, but also for her very soul.

Rhiannon Frater delivers a chilling adventure once again with this multi-part epic serial with a dynamic cast, old school vampires, bloody action, a smoldering forbidden love, and a terrifying villain set against the backdrop of a modern day vampire war.

This paperback includes all five episodes of the first season of the serial.

 In Darkness We Must Abide
The Origin of a Supernatural Serial

- Guest Post by Rhiannon Frater

At the end of last year, I stumbled across an old manuscript lurking in the badlands of my hard drive. I was shocked to unearth the story, having forgotten I had it converted to Word years ago from my old word processing format. For years I had considered it trunked and lost somewhere in the storage in the garage. Opening the file, I rediscovered a story I had sank most of my heart and soul into a very long time ago when I was just starting to write horror novels.

In Darkness We Must Abide was my first full-length original work. I spent hours at my old typewriter creating the first draft of the manuscript. Later, I bought a word processor and retyped the entire manuscript, saving it onto floppy discs.  Yes, this was a long time ago!

As I read over my old work, I realized several things. One, I still absolutely loved the two primary leads, Armando and Vanora; and two, the story was solid, but needed some revision. I was very young when I wrote the story, inexperienced in life, love, and long lasting relationships, and this clearly showed. Also, I was under immense pressure from people in my life to write something “nice and normal,” so I struggled quite a bit with certain themes in the story. Reading over the manuscript, I saw exactly the changes I needed to implement to make it a stronger, vibrant read. I set it aside, considering reworking it into a trilogy at a later date.

Review ~ Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Elementals is one of those series I have been searching for..for a long time.  One of those books which makes you get miss your household works and gives you the NEED to take the Kindle everywhere with you.


Series: Elemental #1
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: April 24th 2012
Source: Bought
Genre: Fantasy, Young-adult

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys; all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.

REVIEW

CONCEPT

Imagine a pentagram as below.

If all the humans fall under this circle, and each of these points is an element - fire, water, air, earth and spirit.  The closer a human is to the point, the more he will be influenced by that element.  Those who fall directly in that point will be a pure Elemental.

The protagonist, Chris, and his brothers are pure elementals.  The spirit Elementals, who is called the Fifth and who can control all the remaining four elements, are chosen and trained to be a Guide.  And wherever there are such elementals born and mature, the Guide will be called to kill them.  Chris and his brothers are just trying to survive. 

LIKES

The brothers:

What not to like in hot and sexy brothers?  Michael, Gabriel, Nick and Chris are facing their own problems.  Although they keep fighting with each other, they just can't live without one another.  Their bantering only amused me more.

“If you want me to fix your homework, you need to leave me alone.” Then he spotted her. “You’re back.”
“Yeah.” She glanced between him and Gabriel. “You do his homework?”
“Just the math. It’s a miracle he can count to ten.”
“I can count to one.” Gabriel gave him the finger.

Can someone please tell me where these brothers live?

Casper:

“Casper, she said someone has to hold your leash.”
The dog barked.
Then he dipped his head, picked up the end of the leash in his mouth, and trotted after his master.”

:-) Well, see how cute can he be!  I love that dog..so smart! 

Quinn:

Quinn is the perfect annoying friend one can have.  It's nice to see someone not-so-perfect-and-your-ordinary-girl in a novel.

“She spilled your secrets,” said Quinn
“Yeah?” He sliced off a piece of chicken and glanced across the table. “What’s my name Becca?”
Busted. Becca wanted to melt into a puddle.
Quinn grinned. “You mean it’s not really New Kid?” 

COMMENTS

There is only one thing that made me knock off that one star.  I can't connect with Becca.  Yeah, she is nice, kind and good.  But, I can't get why she goes with those untrustworthy idiots during the prom.  And I also can't get why she chose Hunter, why she doesn't want Chris and why she suddenly reacts opposite.  And there are so many whys..  And there are many reasons for those whys too.  The problem is I just can't agree with all of them.  That's it!  Other than that, this book and premise rocked.

VERDICT

Despite my problems with Becca, I still loved it more.  Because that one small flaw didn't ruin the fun of the novel.  This is a promising series and fulfilling novel!  I already starting reading the third novel and its awesome!  I wish I had known this series sooner.  I recommend this series for all YA fantasy fans. 


SERIES ORDER

0.5.  Elemental - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
1.  Storm - Review | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
1.5.  Fearless - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
2.  Spark - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
2.5.  Breathless - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
3.  Spirit - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
4.  Secret - Expected publication 2014 | Goodreads

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