Blog Tour Author Interview - White Girl in La Casa by Christa Jeanne

Tour Schedule

White Girl in La Casa

by Christa Jeanne

Book Description:

After being dumped by the last bad boy she’s ever going to date, Calliope meets her Hispanic prince charming.  Peter Delgadillo is the perfect gentleman, sure, but he’s also extremely easy to look at with a flirtatious grin, naturally tanned skin that just radiates over gorgeous muscle, and the potential to be Calliope’s passionate Latin lover who whispers sweet Spanish nothings into her ear.  Hmmm.  If only she could convince him that she is his Caucasian love goddess.  However, Peter wants to remain in the ‘just amigos’ category.  Well, that is until a pipe bursts and they are forced to stay with Peter’s mother.  He confesses that in order to ease his mother’s ailing heart, they need to act like a couple in love.  Pretend to adore one another?  Play the part of the adorable girlfriend while getting to touch, fondle, cuddle and cozy up to the man that she’s been madly in love with for years?  No problemo!

However, nothing is getting past Peter’s mother, Margarita, who is not fond of the new white girl who doesn’t speak the language, doesn’t know the culture and doesn’t eat meat!  With quite the language barrier and culture shock, Calliope struggles to keep her end of the bogus relationship bargain especially when she begins to realize that their friendship may break her heart.  Oh, and then there’s Peter’s brother, Eddie, who threatens to blow the secret wide open because he knows it’s all an act.  With a love triangle right out of a Spanish novella, Calliope tries to figure out what’s real and what isn’t so her heart won’t take another blow. 

One white girl, one fake boyfriend who should be The One, one ice cold Margarita who’s determined to drive her out and the one guy who knows it’s all a sham.  It’ll be a wonder if this white girl will survive in la casa…

Buy Links:

Amazon

Author Interview

1. Tell a little about yourself. What you do when you’re not writing? What are your aspirations for the future? 

When I’m not writing, I do have a full time job that I suffer through with a smile until I can get home to do what I love, which is writing.  I’ve got a really great husband and two of the greatest kids you’ll ever meet.  When I’m not writing, I’m either getting clobbered at Candyland by my daughter who is three, but going on twenty-three, or organizing special sports games for my eight year old son with autism.  So at the end of any given night, I’d love nothing more than to crash on the couch, but once the kiddos are asleep, I break out the computer, put my head phones on, and throw two lovely characters into crazy situations knowing that by the end, they’ll end up happy and smooching!

2. When and why did you start writing? 

I’ve always been a bookworm.  My favorite Christmas present every year was the book that my dad would pick out for me.  It was always something different.  The more I read, the more I wanted to write.  I have a degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach and in my senior year, I started writing notes for a suspense thriller.  I wrote it, but life kind of happened in between, and I had to walk away from it.  I got married and our son was diagnosed with autism which wasn’t an easy pill to swallow.  With the hard news of our son’s autism diagnosis, I found writing to be a way to de-stress and a good way to find humor in hard situations.  I started reading books from Kristan Higgins, Jennifer Crusie and Christopher Moore and I loved the comedy.  After reading those, I got the writing bug in me and I seriously couldn’t stop.  I love writing comedies; putting a smile on someone’s face and hearing my readers say that they were laughing every time they turned the page.  I love that!

3. Have any particular novels or writers influenced your writing? 

Yes, every writer really.  I read a lot and I read just about every fiction genre since they all have great things about them.  Drama, comedy, thrillers, I love them all since I really feel that the more I read, the better writer I become.  But specifically, there are a couple writers and novels that I have read time and time again.  Karen Rose is one of those authors and her book I’m Watching You has been loved to the point of falling apart on my shelf.  The poor spine of it…yeah, I’ve read it many times because of the great love story and dramatic suspense.  Also, Kristan Higgin’s Too Good To Be True is one that I love.  Very sweet, very cute and very funny!

4. Give us some back story about White Girl in La Casa, where and when did you write it? 

I started writing White Girl in La Casa about nine months ago.  However, the story itself has been a long time in the making.  I have firsthand experience about being a white girl in a Mexican household since my husband is Hispanic.  When we started dating, it was quite the culture shock to me about some traditions and everyday differences.  My problem is that I have an extremely twisted sense of humor, so when I found myself in those “white girl” situations, well, I’d laugh them off and write a note in my head ‘that would be really funny in a book one day.’  For example, Calliope has a bowl of posole soup that Margarita makes for her and if you know what posole is, it’s made with pork.  By the way, my main character, Calliope, is a vegan and any good Mexican household is definitely not vegan!

I won’t give the scene away, but let’s just say the scene with the posole bowl of soup actually happened to me, and it wasn’t my finest white girl moment.

5. What was your favourite part of White Girl in La Casa to write? 

Definitely the scenes between Calliope, my main character, and Margarita who is Peter and Eddie’s old-school Mexican mama.  She’s very much into Mexican tradition and making sure her boys date nice Hispanic girls, so when a white girl who doesn’t eat meat comes in and tries win her over, well, it’s a little tough for both of them to bend to the other’s ways.  Throughout the book, Calliope does start to win her over, but Margarita won’t admit it which makes scenes with the two of them amusing and fun to write.

6. What does your writing schedule look like? 

Uh, well, even as I’m writing this, my daughter is doing the “Mommy?  Mommy?  Mommy? Guess, what Mommy? I want to tell you something.  Mom?” She’s like the baby from Family Guy.  So basically, whenever I get a chance to write, I write!  But mainly, I write when the kids go to bed and the house is quiet.  That’s really all the time I get, but I use it for all it’s worth.

7. Which fictional character would you like to take to dinner and why? 

From White Girl in La Casa?  Oh Peter.  Definitely.  Calliope thinks she’s in love with Peter and has been his friend for a long time.  But even though she comes to realize that their friendship will never become anything else, Peter is still very fun to go out with and very fun to look at…uh huh.  And he can dance.  Any guy that can dance…whew…yup, my kind of guy.  So yeah, dinner and dancing with Peter Delgadillo.

8. Besides your lead, do you have a favourite character in the story? 

Yes, Eddie.  He’s kind of a sarcastic, no-nonsense kind of guy.  He hates liars and I’m with him on that.  And the boots.  He wears these bad boy, black boots that get Calliope all hot and bothered.  I loved writing the scenes between Calliope and Eddie, especially the scene about the No Going Back Zone.  Uh huh…that scene was very fun to write!

9. What is one of the most surprising things you've learned as a writer? 

Confidence.  Definitely.  When my readers read my debut novel My Midlife & Married Romance Novel Life and tell me they love it, I gain confidence as a writer.  It’s an inner struggle sometimes, I’m good enough, I’m not good enough, like you’re peeling off the petals of a flower, but when people starting loving my first book and asking for the next book, I gained confidence in my writing.  That’s been the best part.

10. Any advice for aspiring authors? 

Don’t give up.  At all.  It’s still something I have to tell myself from time to time as a self published writer.  I’ve wanted to write novels for a long time and finally getting the first one done, and then another, that was gratifying.  It’s very easy to get distracted but if your dream is to become an author, like me, then you just have to do it!  And then, you have to do it again…and again.  But don’t give up because once you see your name on Amazon: Christa Jeanne, author, you get to do the happy dance of writing joy.  I did.  My kids laughed at my little dance but it’s thrilling to see your dream come true…geez, sorry that was a little too Disney-ish wasn’t it?  Anyways, don’t give up and write every day.

About the Author

Christa Jeanne lives and writes in the Los Angeles area, which means at any given moment she is likely to be stuck in traffic somewhere.  When she isn’t writing her next romantic comedy, she is either busy getting clobbered at Candyland by her daughter, educating anyone who will listen about how her son with autism is going to change the world one day, or lovingly doting on her handsome, charming, intelligent and perfect husband (who totally fed her that line).  Christa is the ringleader of her circus at home and as soon as the kids go to bed, she can be found at her computer rocking out to a playlist that matches the mood of the current book she’s hammering out.  She loves writing about the funnier side of love since falling in love can be pretty hilarious sometimes.

Her latest book is the romantic comedy, White Girl in La Casa.

Christa loves visitors, so please visit her at www.christajeannebooks.com.

Author Links:
Facebook ¦ Goodreads

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

Book Blast & Giveaway - Scents and Senses by Loren Secretts

Scents and Senses: Supernatural Friends. What the fairy tales didn’t tell you

Playing the role of a knight in shining armor is more complicated than it seems in the storybooks, as sixteen-year-old Joy discovers when she repeatedly comes to the rescue of a fifteen-year-old human. But when she meddles in the girl’s social life, Starra sends her packing.

Starra is determined to completely dissociate herself from the subterranean creature that has manipulated her life and cast her into the limelight. However, her resolve is soon tested when she becomes involved in a critical situation where supernatural assistance can enable her to carry out a daring plot.

Eventually, Starra’s involvement with her new other-wordly friends extracts a heavy price when she is beset by challenges that range from the down- to-earth struggles of a typical teenage student, to the realm of the fantastic. Nothing prepares her, however, for the ultimate challenge.

Buy Links:  
Amazon ¦ Smashwords

Excerpt from Scents and Senses

Joy 

Ever since I’ve been old enough to kick off on a condor with my own two chicken feet, I’ve been drilled to mind my own business.

Mind your own business, the first of the American Ten Commandments. It’s not one I subscribe to, even though in our community, not minding my own business means more than social suicide; it’s a crime when we ascend above ground.

For thousands of years we deeems have kept away from the creatures running over our heads with their five-toed feet. So if anyone in my community gets wind of the risky job I’m on these days, I’m practically a goner. But that doesn’t stop me from shadowing a certain teenage fivetoe.

There’s also a totally different occupational hazard involved in this position I’ve created for myself, one I’m suffering from right now: this job occasionally makes school seem relatively stimulating. Yawn. I’ve played too many Angry Condor games to count since Starra got involved in some fantasy book a couple of hours ago and lost contact with the real world. Even if I knew how to become visible to the fivetoe eye and suddenly revealed myself, I bet she wouldn’t notice me, the cute teen perched on her windowsill.

Time simply refuses to advance, and I have to resort to counting the spider eggs cocooned in their nest on a nearby tree branch. A sudden sigh interrupts my lame occupation. There’s a starry look in the big eyes, and I notice the novel is slipping out of Starra’s dreamy grip. This is my window of opportunity! I finger the starchy edge of the book jacket and coax the book forward.

Thud. The book falls to the floor, and the movement seems to bring Starra back to her senses. At last she grabs a hoodie and sets out, probably for one of her night excursions on the Vista Del Mar Path. Are we running or biking tonight?

Running it is. I jog behind her, finding the excursion by the shoreline an improvement to watching her read. At least we are moving.

She runs for half an hour, at a speed faster than the sea turtle pace usual for fivetoes. Then she slows to a stop at a jagged rock, half-submerged in the ocean. I groan quietly and contemplate leaving. From experience, I know she’ll climb to the top of her rock and dream away. I start backing off, but when I’m some fifty feet away, I look back. Starra makes a pretty picture there, her silhouette perched high on the rock. Her long legs are tucked under her, and her head hangs back as she keeps her gaze on the stars above. If only she would let loose the heavy dark mane of hair she always twists up at the back of her neck, she would truly look like a mermaid risen from the sea.

Something pulls me back to her. I can’t explain it, but I have a feeling trouble is lurking nearby, waiting to snatch her in its net.

My chicken feet make an about face and follow Starra home as she takes the shorter route through town.

Tour Schedule

About the Author

Loren Secretts was raised in a book-filled home, in a sleepy east coast suburb of the US. These factors are undoubtedly responsible for her early design of a number of exciting imaginary worlds that she could escape to from time to time during her childhood.

In her teen years, between schoolwork and lending an ear to her friends, Loren had less opportunity to go AWOL. Instead, her experience as a confidant to others inspired her to major in psychology in college and earn her M.A. in the field on the west coast.

As an adult, Loren has found fulfillment in her work with children and families for more than a decade. Her passion for writing was revived when she discovered that she enjoyed delving into the human psyche to write psychological reports. But clients' reports are safe with Loren, who guards secrets fastidiously. Indeed, one of her aspirations is to work as a psychotherapist for the CIA, but since she now lives with her family in Canada, that dream will have to await its turn…

Author Links:

Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook ¦ Pinterest

***Giveaway***

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash.

Ends 5/27/14

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

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Always You by Missy Johnson is on SALE for 99c!

Always You

by Missy Johnson

I was thrilled when I was offered a graduate teaching position at the prestigious Tennerson Girls Academy. At twenty-three, this would be my first ‘real’ teaching assignment. Working at the elite boarding school, home dsto the daughters of some of the wealthiest people in the world, was a great opportunity that I would’ve been stupid to pass up. 

One week into my new job, and I suddenly had no idea why I chose high school…I was a seventeen year old boy once, I knew how teenage girls behaved. 

You can’t even imagine the hell of trying to teach thirty, hormonal driven seventeen year olds who have been cooped up, away from any male contact. 

I could handle the whispers every time I entered the room. I could even handle the obvious attempts at gaining my attention. What I couldn’t handle was her… 

Rich bitches and way too many rules. Was it any wonder that I hated school? 

Add to that the lack of male contact, and I was going insane. Like literally. I wasn’t used to this. A year ago I was normal. I had a boyfriend, friends and a loving family. There is nothing normal about me anymore, and nobody here lets me forget that. 

My name is Wrenn, and I’m only here because my aunt took me in after what happened, but my aunt also happens to be the headmistress of this academy…Can you see my problem? 

I’m hated for my lack of money, and I’m hated for who my Aunt is. 

Then he arrived. Dalton Reed. My new history teacher. 

Slowly, he helped me see that even in the worst situations, there is always hope.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ Nook ¦ Kobo

BOTW - WEEK 50 {Wattpad}

When in Rome

Author: lalalalawriting

Genre: Teen Romance

Wattpad Book Blurb:

Meet Adeline,"Ade" Preston average teenage girl- she does well in school, doesn't crave attention, and is perfectly okay with not being on the high end of the popular scale. When her teacher asks her to go on a trip to Rome to volunteer, its something Adeline can't miss. Now counting down the days until the end of August it seems its the best way to end the summer before Senior year, but what happens when she finds out theres been a mistake and she has to room with the schools star quarter back Mason Carter. See what happens with Adeline and Mason When in Rome.

Click here to read the book.

Resurgence

Author: HarneetBajwa

Genre: Science-Fiction / Fantasy

Wattpad Book Blurb:

Humanity’s desire to be immortal is finally fulfilled when Stuart and Nick, two mischievous yet brilliant young men, figure out a way to reverse age. Over the next few years, they sell life to the aging population and build Phoenix Corporation: one of the biggest companies in the world. With Life Centers across the globe, people can prolong life but death still remains unconquered. 

When an accident at a Life Center throws the city of Hamilton into chaos, nothing stops the spreading death and madness. Stuart and Nick struggle to find the real reason behind the mysterious phenomenon. 

Will humanity pay the ultimate price for evading death?

Click here to read the book.

The Unusuals

Author: mayakakos

Genre: Teen Fantasy / Action

Wattpad Book Blurb:

Jamie Smith was never a normal girl. All her life she was training and running from The Government. Everything changes when everyone except her and five other Unusual are left to fend for themselves. Jamie Smith must now over come not only running from the Government but also betraying best friends, prophecies and the fear of losing everyone she loves...

Click here to read the book.

65 Letters A Day

Author: DiceFab

Genre: Romance / Short Story

Wattpad Book Blurb:

Danielle Teared is a girl that her boyfriend Samual is in the marines across country. He sends her letters for 65 days, until he stops. Danielle will go through so much pain, loss, and love, sending letters for 65 days will be tough, but its between love and war.

Click here to read the book.

Category X

Author: CT_Hill

Genre: Science-Fiction / Mystery / Thriller

Wattpad Book Blurb:

Evan and Alexander make a disastrous discovery, but instead of using the compound for the benefit of the world, they move to release the pathogen; the very pathogen to which they have the only cure.

When Special Agent Olivia Frey is given the case of her career, it does not take long for her to realize that what she is investigating is no ordinary murder, but something that will be forever etched in history.

The world takes a breath as it realizes its greatest catastrophe, as the gift of reproduction is snatched right from humanity's hands.

Category X means that the world will change.

Will you survive?

Click here to read the book.

BOTW - List #50 {Wattpad}

BOTW WEEK 50:

Blog Tour Author Interview & Giveaway - Reconquest: Mother Earth by Carl Alves

Reconquest: Mother Earth

Carl Alves

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Montag Press

Date of Publication: March 26, 2014

Number of pages: 304

Word Count: 75,000

Cover Artist: Jeremy Rathbone

Book Description:

SEAL Mitch Grace was among the first humans to see the aliens when they landed at the naval base where he was stationed, but like the rest of humanity, he was powerless to stop them.

Five years later, Mitch awakens from his coma under the care of an alien physician to find that aliens control the planet.  Starting alone, as a one man army, he rallies the surviving humans to build a resistance movement to take the planet back from the alien conquerors. After his capture by the aliens, Mitch is forced into intergalactic slavery to become a gladiator, fighting as the sole representative of the human species. Against all odds and far from home, he lays the plans for the reconquest of his homeland.

Reconquest: Mother Earth is the thrilling combination of Red Dawn, Independence Day, and Gladiator.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ BN

Author Interview

1. What inspired you to want to become a writer?

When I was in high school I dabbled in writing but I dropped it when I got to college.  Majoring in Biomedical Engineering, there wasn’t a whole lot of time for ancillary activities.  After graduation, my wife thought it would be a good idea if I started writing again, and I realized that it was something that I missed.  That was when I got serious about learning the craft and trying to get published. 

2. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.

It would have to be getting my first novel published, Two For Eternity.  It wasn’t the first novel that I had written. It was actually my third novel.  From the time I started writing again, until Two For Eternity was published was around ten years. It was a long, hard process, but one that has also been rewarding in many ways.  The struggle made me appreciate it all that much more. 

3. If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

Definitely The Stand by Stephen King.  The Stand is the best novel I've ever read.  I tackled this post apocalyptic epic fantasy when I was thirteen.  It had a profound effect on me then and made me want to write.  There is so much going on in the novel, but if you want to boil it down to its fundamentals, it's ultimately about good vs. evil.  The personification of evil, and the best written villain I've encountered this side of Hannibal Lecter is represented in Randall Flagg, who is kind of like the devil incarnate and the one who started this super flu.

4. If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

I would want to be superfast like The Flash.  Since I was a kid, he has always been my favorite superhero.  I live such a busy life.  I am constantly on the move.  I figure that if I had super speed than that could alleviate some of my problems.  I could get to my job in like 30 seconds instead of nearly an hour and that would create all kinds o fextra time. 

5. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

Reconquest: Mother is fast paced with loads of action, cool characters, and aliens.

6. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?

I never stop writing.  Just recently I finished a manuscript am I currently titling Beyond Ragnarok, which starts off with the Battle of Ragnarok taken from Norse mythology.  In my story Loki swerves the Asgardian gods by not appearing at Ragnarok, and instead spending the last decade on Midgard (Earth) creating a virus designed to wipe out most of the population so that he can wrest power from the world’s leaders.  It is up to two of the survivors of the Battle of Ragnarok to stop him.

7. Do you write as you go or do you have the book planned before you start the first draft?

What I generally have is a pretty good idea  of the beginning and the end, and then maybe a couple of the major characters and plot points.  I don’t outline, but what I do instead is sort of outline in my own mind all of the time.  I’m constantly looking ahead at what I see happening in the next three  - six chapters and how it will lead to my end goal.  I work out the dialogue and the action scenes in my head before I put them to paper, but I like to have the story evolve.  Very often, I’ll change directions  from where I had originally planned to go because it makes sense for the story and the characters. 

8. What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?

I am looking forward to watching Captain America: the Winter Soldier with my nine-year-old son.  It will be a nice shared experience for the two of us.  I currently have a long queue of books to read, but I what I am most looking forward to is getting further along in A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin. 

9. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Other than my home in Pennsylvania, it would have to be in Hawaii, the most beautiful place I have ever been to in my life.

10. Can you see yourself in any of your characters?

I think subconsciously there is always either going to be some of my thoughts or philosophies of life in my characters, but there is certainly never anything overt.  All of the characters I have ever written about are vastly different than myself as people.

About the Author:

Carl went to Boston University majoring in Biomedical Engineering.  Carl graduated with a BS degree, and has since worked in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries.  He later graduated from Lehigh University with an MBA degree.  His debut novel Two For Eternity was released in 2011 by Weaving Dreams Publishing.  His novel Blood Street was released in 2012 by True Grit Publishing.  His novel Reconquest: Mother Earth is scheduled to be released in 2014 by Montag Press.  His short fiction has appeared in various publications such as Blood Reign Lit, Alien Skin, and Dark Eclipse.  He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and has attended the Penn Writers Conference.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

***Giveaway***

5 copies of  Reconquest: Mother Earth by Carl Alves - winner’s choice print or ebook  (print open to US and Canadian Shipping Only).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organised by:

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - The Shade by Matthew Tallman

The Shade

The Shade Trilogy, Book 1             

Matthew Tallman

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: March 9th 2014

Number of pages: 340

Word Count: 105,494 words

Cover Artist: Pixel Pixie Design

Book Description:

James Langley's life is over. After an automobile accident leaves him comatose, James' body lies vulnerable in a hospital bed. However, his mind is lost, drifting between life and death, into The Shade.

Trapped in a world shrouded by the unknown, he meets Virgil, a mysterious stranger that informs him that his car wreck was no accident; that the man responsible has imprisoned them both, intent on keeping them there. Together they must race against time to get James back to his body in the real world before he becomes the next victim of a malevolent psychopath.

Enter the world of The Shade, where the boundaries of the human psyche are pushed to their limits and survival is not guaranteed. A place where death isn't the end, but only the beginning.

Buy Links:

Amazon Paperback ¦ Amazon Kindle

Excerpt from The Shade

We arrived inside the building; it seemed to be an old warehouse of some kind. While I found a seat on a large spool of rope, Virgil remained standing, half-paying attention to me, half intermittently looking outside. “James before we go any further I need you to realize something.” He told me firmly.

“What’s that?” I asked him, ready for what he had to say.

“There are things that inhabit this world, things you could have only imagined in your darkest nightmares. You’re going to need my help to survive here, so you need to listen to what I say, understand?” He asked as he looked into my eyes. 

I felt a sense of despair creep up on me as what Virgil had said started to sink in. This world was something very different from the one I’d been born into. My mind drifted to these ‘things’ he spoke, and what they actually were. I shook the thoughts out from my brain and then looked back at Virgil. “So you’re human?” I asked.

Virgil let out a long sigh then smirked at me. “Yes I’m human; I’m not some monster out to get you.” Then he returned to looking out the window.

“I get you. So what about my family?”I asked him quietly.

“Your family.” He paused as he thought about his words.

“Yeah, I heard them talking while I was unconscious, they were talking to the doctor, it was difficult to make out what they were saying but—,” I began to say.

“Wait!” Virgil said brashly.

Before Virgil’s attention seemed split between our conversation, and what was happening outside, but now his attention was fully on me. “What is it?” I asked worried at his newfound interest.

“The doctor! Who was the doctor?” He asked as he put both of his hands on top of his head.

“Uh, Brooke, or—,” it was hard to remember.

“Burke?” Virgil stated in a low voice.

“Yeah that’s it, Burke.” I confirmed his correction.

Virgil’s eyes seemed to grow twice their size and his voice became serious and nervous at the same time. “Damn, this is worse than I thought. If Burke is involved you're in danger.”

“What do you mean in danger?” I asked him as my body stood up to join him.

“James, you shouldn’t be here, the fact that you’re here is not an accident. Someone did this to you.” He said as he looked into his duffle bag.

“Who?” My voice filled with worry.

“Burke.” He stated.

“Why would the doctor do this? He’s the one who’s keeping me alive!” I tried to plead his case.

“James, he wants you here for a reason, you’re different, and the way your brain works compared to the way that most people’s brains work is different. Since Burke is involved we have to tread carefully—,” he paused for a moment to choose his words. “— and because Burke is involved with this, don’t get your hopes up about waking up.”

About the Author:

I am currently a part time writer and full time government employee. Reading and writing books is one of my favorite hobbies as I enjoy every part of the story telling process. I have been working on three full-length novels for the last three years. I grew up all around the world because my father was in the United States Air Force, the past ten years I have lived just outside of Dayton, Ohio, which is where I now reside with my wife and stepson.

Author Links:

Facebook ¦ Goodreads

***Giveaway***

5 ebook copies of The Shade by Matthew Tallman up for grabs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organised by:

Bookvie: This Is Where I Leave You - out September 12, 2014

Who's in it:

Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver

What's it all about (book blurb from Goodreads):

The death of Judd Foxman’s father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family—including Judd’s mother, brothers, and sister—have been together in years. Conspicuously absent: Judd’s wife, Jen, whose fourteen-month affair with Judd’s radio-shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public.

Simultaneously mourning the death of his father and the demise of his marriage, Judd joins the rest of the Foxmans as they reluctantly submit to their patriarch’s dying request: to spend the seven days following the funeral together. In the same house. Like a family.

As the week quickly spins out of control, longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed, and old passions reawakened. For Judd, it’s a weeklong attempt to make sense of the mess his life has become while trying in vain not to get sucked into the regressive battles of his madly dysfunctional family. All of which would be hard enough without the bomb Jen dropped the day Judd’s father died: She’s pregnant.

This Is Where I Leave You is Jonathan Tropper's most accomplished work to date, a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind—whether we like it or not.

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Blog Tour Author Interview & Giveaway - Justice Buried by Hilary Thompson

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Justice Buried

Series: Starbright #1 

Release date: January 15, 2014

Book Description:

The people need Justice, but she's not listening. One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now the community of Asphodel is trapped underground, waiting for the prophesied maiden of Justice to return and save them from their Fates. 

Sixteen-year-old Astrea is supposed to be this savior - too bad for them she isn't a believer. Trea fights against her false destiny: she rebels against her family and friends, then refuses her arranged marriage to the charming but deceitful Lexan. Learning her life is in danger, Trea is forced to trust Lexan - until she discovers a power she never knew she had, and one he already knew he did. 

As betrayal closes every door, Trea decides she must submit to her stars and accept her fate. Then a handsome stranger offers her an unexpected escape and the chance to create her own destiny.

Buy Links:

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Author Interview

Tell us a bit about your writing background. How did you get started writing for YA?

The first book I tried to write was horrible: the plot was convoluted, the characters were cheesy. The next story I tried was historical fiction; I got bogged down in the research and in trying to be too “literary.” My voice wasn’t right or ready for that. Maybe I’ll grow into it later…never delete!

When I was a young adult, I read adult books - classics from the Official List of Important Books. When I graduated college and had more free time, I read all kinds of genres - anything with a cool cover (yes, I too am that shallow - designers take note).

Eventually I found new favorites, and nearly all were in that YA category I’d been hearing about. YA authors to whom I will always be indebted include: Maggie Stiefvater, Laini Taylor, J. K. Rowling, Veronica Roth, Brigid Kemmerer, Susan Kaye Quinn, and so many others.

Luckily, I also read some bad ones. This was excellent because it made me think “I could do better than that.” Which isn’t nice, but it’s fantastic motivation! So once inspiration struck me senseless, I wrote and wrote until the story left me alone long enough to order a cover and push my baby book into the world. I wouldn’t mind branching out into other genres eventually, but I credit YA with giving me permission to be the writer I am.

Who/What were your earliest influences?

My mom and dad always encouraged me in my love of reading and writing, so that early support was a huge influence that I was insanely lucky to have. I also had lots of encouraging teachers along the way, and friends, colleagues, etc.

But you probably mean writing influences. One of my absolute “formative” books was Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery. It’s old, and it was old when I found it. But Anne is amazing - I think she might be a great-grandmother to Astrea in Justice Buried! She even has red hair. Hence my love affair with the feisty red-haired heroine.

Did you face any early challenges to finding success in writing?

Without dissecting the concept of success, just finishing the book was huge for me! I tried so many times and failed because I wasn’t ready. My voice wasn’t ready, I hadn’t read enough in the right genre, and I hadn’t lived enough to make my characters realistic. I had to make myself just keep writing, even when I had nothing tangible to show except a slowly-growing word count.

So obviously, one of my biggest challenges is patience. I want everything to happen NOW. I wanted to snag the first agent I queried and get the six-figure book deal and movie rights…and on and on. But that just doesn’t happen. (If it happened to you, don’t tell me…please, for my own sanity.)

For me, that waiting game was the time I needed to step back and evaluate what exactly I wanted out of a writing career. Once I looked at ALL the options, I decided to go with self-publishing. I’m a bit of a control freak (okay, a lot of one) and this path allows me to succeed in the ways I want to, and in as many ways as I have time for!

What are your favorite books as a reader today? What qualities in them appeal to you?

There are so many writers I enjoy, and I’m so lame at favorites. Every new book becomes my new favorite! However, I adore Laini Taylor’s Smoke and Bone series, Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Boys series, and Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series. Those writers are my role models now - great, original stories with gripping characters and lyrical writing.

What do you do outside your writing life?

Right now writing occupies a small percentage of my hours - hopefully that will begin to shift soon! I also teach high school English, which I really love doing, even though it keeps me so busy. I try to spend lots of time with my babies, ages five and three, and my husband, when he’s not working too!

What encouragement helped you along the way?

I found a few good buddies to read my stuff - people who know their books, but still love mine! My editor is my best friend, and her daughters are my favorite beta readers! Their enthusiasm keeps me going when I get mad at my characters for making a mess of things.

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

Read and write, then repeat. Read widely, and write in a variety of styles and genres. Otherwise you’ll stagnate. I’m always suspicious when writers don’t read much. You wouldn’t aim to be a musician without listening to music. You wouldn’t expect to play a sport well without ever watching others play. To me, it’s the same thing. If you want to improve, you look at the masters, the ones who are doing well. If you want inspiration, you read outside your favorite genre. If you want to stand out, you need to know what’s already been done.

What's up next for your fans?

The second book in the Starbright trilogy, Balance Broken, will be out this fall. I have a lot of work to do over my summer vacation! I have a truckbed full of other ideas, too, but I want to finish this series before I start another!

What has been your biggest compliment?

I get so many warm fuzzies when people say they couldn’t put the book down, or that they stayed up late to read it. That means I did my job and held your attention - I entertained you. With all the stress of daily life, if I can make a few hours of a person’s day better (like many writers do for me) then I am supremely happy!

Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and readers?

Thank you so much for reading and talking about the book, and everything else you do! I could write without you, but it just wouldn’t be any fun! <3

About the Author

Hilary Thompson is an independently-published author who released her debut Young Adult novel, Justice Buried, in January, 2014. Justice Buried is the first in a dystopian fantasy series incorporating mythology and astrology, with the second full-length title due later in 2014.

She also teaches high school English, which gives her some insight into her target audience, and helps her maintain a thick skin.

Author Links:

Blog ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook

***Giveaway***

A signed copy of Justice Buried (U.S. only) and an Amazon gift Card (INT) up for grabs.

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