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Thursday 29 May 2014

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway - Unseen by Lauren Stewart



Unseen
The Heights
Volume 1
Lauren Stewart

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Off the Hook Publishing
Date of Publication: May 29, 2014
Number of pages: ~386
Word Count: ~100,000
Cover Artist: Amanda of Pixel Mischief Design

Book Description
An invisible wall built from the tears of those touched by death.

An impossible love as divided as the world around them.

After Addison finds a nearly-dusted vampire in the garbage outside her building, her ability to stay off the supernatural world’s radar is deader than the vamp. Almost as dead as she’ll be if anyone thinks she put him there. Should she finish the job somebody else screwed up or move him somewhere humans won’t find him? To keep the Heights hidden, she may have shoved a stake into her own chest. Just when she thinks her life couldn’t possibly get any more dangerous, she finds out who he is.

As vampire king and Prime to all supernatural beings in the North American zone, Rhyse is accustomed to getting what he wants without asking. But he neither wanted nor asked to be wounded in an ambush, waking up chained to a bed with a hole in his chest. Unfortunately, he needs help to discover who tried to kill him. But worse than that, his only ally is his captor, someone unaware she has the power to destroy their entire world.

As a prophesized war brews in the Heights, Addison and Rhyse must decide which carries more risk—trusting someone who could destroy you or trusting someone who could love you?

Buy Links:



Excerpt from Unseen

Addison backed up until she hit the counter. It was over. It had been over ever since those chains came off. Ever since she brought him into her apartment. Into her life.
“I saved you. I could’ve left you outside until the sun came up.”
“I imagine you wish you had.”
“Can you…can you not kill me? Just take some, but not all?”
Rhyse brushed her hair behind her shoulder and curled his fingers around the nape of her neck, whispering, “Do you trust me that much?”
“I don’t even trust you a little.” She felt the sting of tears. “I don’t want to be turned. If you drain me, let me die.”
He ran his other hand up her shoulder, to her throat and slowly closed his fingers around it. One move and her neck would break. “To drain you I would have to drink from you. And that, my pet, I will not do.”
She didn’t know what he meant but now seemed like a bad time to argue.
“Did you know what you are? How many of you exist?”
She didn’t answer. Partially because speaking required the air he was cutting off. Then his hands were gone, just like the rest of him.
Was it over?
When one of the women behind the counter moaned, Addison went to make sure they were alright.
Rhyse was on top of one of them, his fangs obviously burrowed in her neck. The woman moaned again, her legs wrapping around him. One hand clutched his shoulder and the other slapped the wall, searching for a hold.
It had to have been shock that made it impossible to look away. Or run away. The woman’s moans got louder, then crested, and her body went limp. Not in a dead way, but in an I-just-had-the-best-orgasm-of-my-life way.
Get out of here.
“Leave and they will die.” His voice stopped her after only two steps. “Stay and they will wake up from a very pleasant, very erotic dream.”
She grinded her teeth when she heard another moan. He must have moved on to the other woman. With two to feed from, there was less of a chance he would drain them, but… “Why should I trust you?”
The woman’s moans stopped and she whined, “No.”
“I do not care if you trust me,” he said. “Only that you obey me.”
“Fuck you.” But she didn’t move. “Are they alive?”
“Of course. It is against the law to kill humans.”
“Then let me go.”
“You are not human, Addison.” His voice came from just over her shoulder.
 “I am. I promise. Totally human.” Somehow he’d missed the fact that seers were human, despite her telling him at least five times.
She heard the shuffling of fabric and looked down to see him wrapping his already-bloody shirt around the arm she’d cut. He tied a knot with the sleeves and pulled it tight. There was no part of this that she understood.
She sucked in a breath when he put his hands on her hipbones. Then another as they slid to her belly and down, pressing her back into him. She felt his heat and a vibration on her back as he made a sound similar to a cat’s purr but scarier. Clenching her eyes shut, she waited for death.
“You should thank them.” His voice was all sex. Dangerous, risky, awesome sex. “They just saved your life.”
They did? “Thank you,” she called out with a shaking voice. “Now that your belly’s full, how about you back off a little?”
“I should kill you, Addison.”
“I’m going to have to disagree with you about that.”
After a moment he stepped away, sighing as if he just made a really tough decision and wasn’t sure it was the right one.
“So,” she said, heading for the door, “it seems like you’re feeling better which is great. I’m really happy for you. Since you don’t need me anymore, I’m gonna go now. I’ll see you around.”
“Come to me, Addison.” His eyes were back to their original inhumanly beautiful color. Though he didn’t quite look calm, he looked satisfied.
 “No.”
“Come to me or I will snap your neck.”
“Okay.”
“If you had simply brought a human to me, this all could have been avoided.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Total lie—she wasn’t thinking a goddamn thing besides, “Shiiiiit!”
“You and I have things to discuss, and a few memories to alter along the way back to your home.”
Damn it on many counts. “Alter or wipe?”
“Alter, of course. Although my strength has returned, wiping that many minds would still be highly taxing. I prefer to save my power for other activities.”
Like…? Nah, she didn’t want to know.
 He opened the door and gestured for her to go first. Which he’d probably never done before. Minions opened doors for him and she doubted chivalry ranked high on his list of valuable traits. But she went because when you gotta go, you gotta go.
“Did you know?” he asked.
What was it with that question? “Know what? That your victims come while you feed? Yeah, I heard it happens occasionally.”
“Always. They always come while I feed. If it were possible, I would show you.”
“I just heard more proof than I wanted to, thanks.”
“I have no doubt that it would be far more enjoyable to feel you come than to hear her do it.”


About the Author
Lauren Stewart lives in Northern California with two of the most amazing children that the world has ever seen. She reads almost every genre so, naturally, her writing reflects that. With every book, every story, you'll find elements of other genres--fantasy, mystery, romance, paranormal, suspense, YA, women's literature, all with a touch of humor because what doesn't kill us should make us laugh.

Author Links:
Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook ¦ Goodreads






***GIVEAWAY***

5 ecopies of Unseen up for grabs.

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Blog Tour Dream Cast & Giveaway - Below the Surface (Code of Silence #3) by Tim Shoemaker




Below the Surface
by Tim Shoemaker

Synopsis:
Something is wrong with Cooper. He’s plagued by a fear he doesn’t understand and can’t control. Cooper just wants to escape, and a summer vacation aboard the restored cabin cruiser, The Getaway, with best friends Gordy, Hiro, and Lunk seems like the perfect way to do it. Two weeks of fun—with no mysteries or life-and-death danger. That’s the plan. But their plans are shattered the very first night when they witness a murder. Or did they? Despite their intentions of leaving the investigation to the police, narrow misses and creepy encounters lure them in. Is there really a body floating in the underwater currents of the lake? The closer they get to the truth, the deeper into danger they get. Too late they see the trap. Now each of them must face their own buried fears . . . just below the surface.



Buy Links:
    


Below the Surface Dream Cast

For Cooper, I’m thinking that a young Ethan Embry would play the part well. He looks like just the kind of guy who has a great heart… but can easily get over his head in some situation!



For Gordy, how about a young Jay North? And yes… he’s the one who played Dennis the Menace years ago.  But doesn’t that just fit for Gordy?



For Lunk, I think Adam LaVorgna may work…  but younger, of course. He’d have that tough exterior… the kind of guy who would have a wiffle ball bat filled with concrete strapped to his bike. But inside… he’d have a loyal, protector’s heart.



For Hiro, casting Vanessa Hudgens when she was younger would work well, I think.  Give her a single braid going right down her back and she’d be great!



A young Kristen Kreuk (remember her from Smallville?) could also work for Hiro.  Tough outside… fragile inside.  Maybe she could be the stunt double!



About the Author

The Quick Bio
  • Happily married for more than thirty years to Cheryl, the love of my life.
  • Dad to three grown sons and two daughter-in-laws
  • Elder Chairman in my church and high school small group leader
  • Full time speaker and author since 2004
  • Living in the greater Chicago area
  • Grateful for God’s incredible grace and mercy to me in countless ways
My Passions
  • To be a man of integrity, who loves God and others with all my heart.
  • To be an extraordinary husband to Cheryl, the wife of my youth.
  • To love my sons, daughters-in-law, grandkids and extended family with everything in me.
  • To impact kids and youth in ways that cause them to become true men and women of God.
  • To help parents teach their kids about God and the principles He’s given us to live by.
  • To help couples experience the richness that comes from a marriage guided by God.
  • To help men see what a Christian man should be in all the various facets of life.
Author Links:
 




***GIVEAWAY***

3 Winners will receive a Copy of Below the Surface by Tim Shoemaker.
1 Winner will receive a Complete Set of The Code of Silence Series by Tim Shoemaker.

Must be 13+ to Enter.

INT Giveaway.

*Book Nerd Tours is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Mail Box*


Blog Tour Organised by:

Prologue Reveal & Giveaway - How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You by T.M. Franklin

Prologue Reveal

Today we get a sneak peek at How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You - a sweet, fun YA romance, coming soon from T.M. Franklin. Don't forget to scroll down to enter the giveaway for a signed ARC, plus some other fun prizes!


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Reviews for Ainsley

How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You will be released June 12th.


Pre-OrderAinsley is Now Available for Pre-Order!

Amazon (Paperback only, for now)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback & Nook)





Add Ainsley to Your Goodreads Shelf

How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You




TM Franklin
About the Author
T.M. Franklin started out her career writing non-fiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a B.A. in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Awards.

In addition to MORE and its sequel, The Guardians, Franklin penned the Amazon best-selling short stories A Piece of Cake and Window, which also won a Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Award for Short Story/Fantasy. Her new YA romance, How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You, is Franklin’s first love story without a paranormal or fantasy element, although she believes love is the best kind of magic.

TWELVE, the final installment in the MORE Trilogy will be released in the fall of 2014.

Author Links:

Author Spotlight - Athena_Heart {Wattpad}

Crazy Sexy Cool: Big Bad Mafia Boy Series 1
Author: Athena_Heart
Genre: Romance

Wattpad Book Blurb:
As the car headed towards them at full speed, he pulled out his gun much to her horror. Why and how did the man she was to wed in a couple of weeks, possess a gun? He took aim and fired, the bullet piercing the driver’s forehead, smack in the centre. One single perfect shot and the man was dead. “What’s going on, Dean?” She asked him and he replied, “Business. You’ve nothing to worry about. You are safe with me.”  Deadly secrets and heart – breaking lies. Without a doubt, the goody two – shoes heiress, knew he was keeping deceitful skeletons in the closet. When he fired a bullet through a man’s forehead with perfect precision, Elena Cruz was certain that the reckless bad boy had grown into someone far worse than the boy she had once known.

Sexy and arrogant, the grandson of a powerful Mafia family, Dean Bishop wanted nothing else but her, even if she was a snooty spoilt princess. Having taken over her family’s business with a sealed contract which included a marriage between the two, Dean knew he had Elena exactly where he wanted her. When the attack was made on them both, Dean knew there was a mole amongst his Crew of soldiers and Elena would easily be a target. But she was safe because she was by his side and he would protect her.   In a sudden turn of events, Elena found the courage within her to make a run for it, to be free of Dean once and for all. Filled with blind fury, he pursued, determined to find her at all costs. The problem was, the traitor in their midst was also after her. Would Dean and Elena ever realise that they belong together, before the traitor gets to one of them as death lingers dangerously near?

Author Links:


Author Interview

1. Please tell the readers a bit about yourself.

You know its kind of awkward to call yourself a writer but yet when it comes to “telling a bit about yourself”; you just keep staring at the laptop screen, not knowing how to proceed. And that’s me. Alrighty, what else? 

I go nuts over chocolates. 

I own more shoes and bags than clothes (I have a collection of 77 pairs of heels – it’s a fetish I think).
I’m into all things girly – earrings, accessories and anything pink. 

Not forgetting how I adore anything Bollywood, Starbucks, chilling with my buddies and my other love, swimming and snorkeling.

I do dance (think Bollywood here) when I’m not feeling like a lazy bum. 

2. What types of books do you write?

I totally don’t see myself writing those gooey romantic stuff though I’m a romantic at heart. (Makes sense? No? Never mind). I love creating the adrenaline rush with a combination of action and romance, which are the driving forces in most of my stories.

Chicklit’s another genre I’m experimenting with but time is not on my side to go a 100% focus into it. 

3. How many books have you written?

Gee, it should have been four but three of them are stuck in the “work-in-progress” stage for a pretty long time as I decided to focus on completing one book at a time, which is currently Crazy Sexy Cool which is actually a re-write of The Games Begin.

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

Movies – Definitely X-Men: Days of future past (watching it in the coming weekend) and Transformers

Books – Gods & Monsters, The Art of Lainey and Concealed in Death

5. What type of books do you enjoy reading?

Well that kind of depends on my mood as I read all genres. But the main choices will be romance, historical and mystery / thrillers.

6. If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

The three will be…

1. MacBook (I need to write)
2. Body lotion with SPF 180 (I do not wish to look like a grilled lobster) 
3. Chris Evans!!!! (I wouldn’t mind getting stuck anywhere with the Captain ^_^)

7. Are you considering a sequel?

Crazy Sexy Cool (CSC) is the first installment of the Big Bad Mafia Boy series. The second installment, The Fire Within is on hold at the moment, as I would like to focus on the updated version CSC. There will be at least five (keeping my fingers crossed) other subsequent books in the series.

8. What inspired you to become a writer?

Both my parents didn’t speak a word of English and as a kid, I used to flunk all my English papers. My English teacher, Miss Low, encouraged me to read English stories, at least about four books a week.

I would say that reading began to create a desire to write as my mind began to be filled with story ideas. At nine, I began to write short stories and subsequently short skits for school competitions and the rest, like they say is history.


Excerpt from Crazy Sexy Cool

“I’m so sorry, I have to do this.” Elena pointed the gun at the nun behind the wheel. Her lips twisted sympathetically at the white – faced nuns staring at her. But it was now or never. “Out!” She made gestures with the gun at the nun in the passenger seat to get out.  

Fearing for her life, the nun got out and Elena nodded her head to the back seat. Obediently, the nun sat at the back seat and began calling upon the Lord for rescue. Elena jumped into the car and slammed the door shut. “Entrance!” She pointed at the hospital’s entrance. The nun at the wheel looked where Elena’s gun was pointing and then back at Elena. The pink Volkswagen remain stationary.  

“Oh God,” Elena groaned. “I don’t want to do this, especially to you.” With a deep breath and summoning all the coarseness in her heart, Elena pointed the gun at the nun behind the wheel. The other nun began to moan and groan in French, for the gracious and Mighty One to deliver this young woman from her insanity or to rain fire and brimstone down on her. Elena didn’t care. She would state her case with the Almighty later. “Entrance!” She demanded, pointing the gun at the hospital’s main entrance and back at the nun.

The nun nodded pitifully and Elena’s stomach churned at the sight. Damn you Dean. See what I have to do just to get away from you. The pink Volkswagen came to a screeching halt and Elena popped her head out of the window, searching for Mel. There was something going on inside the hospital as a crowd had gathered but she couldn’t see what exactly. “Where are you Mel?” She bit down on her lip, getting restless with impatience. “C’mon, c’mon Mel.” Her foot started to tap the floor of the car restlessly. Elena saw something red break away from the crowd and let out a cry of victory as Mel ran out from the main entrance. 

Mel looked at the waiting cab. Her face fell when she didn’t see her best friend inside the vehicle. Oh no! Did Dean g…

“Mel!” 

Mel’s thoughts were interrupted by Elena’s shriek. “Oh thank God!” Mel laughed with relief seeing Elena’s head stick out of the window of pink bug. 

Elena opened the door, but not before she saw Dean break away from the crowd and glaring at her directly. Mel jumped in, shutting the door. “Drive, drive! Fast!” Elena screamed her lungs out and the nun drove. Mel’s eyes widened and her job dropped open at the sight of the gun in Elena’s hand.

Dean raced after the fleeing pink Volkswagen. “Faster!” Elena screamed in panic when she saw him catching up. Her heart pounded with horror as she saw Dean’s hand shooting out, fingers almost touching the door of the passenger seat, where she was seated.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Blog Tour Promo Post & Giveaway - Perfectly Messy by Lizzy Charles




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Perfectly Messy
by Lizzy Charles
Release Date: May 2014

Summary from Goodreads:
Popularity isn't everything it's cracked up to be. Justin Marshall knows this better than most. For the captain of the basketball team, small business owner, and son of Minnesota's next governor, life can get pretty overwhelming. But Justin can handle anything as long as he has Lucy, the girl who fell for the man he’s trying to be.

But for Justin and Lucy, finding time together proves challenging. Stolen kisses and whispered promises just aren't enough. That is, until scandalous photos of the couple are leaked to a press intent on creating a juicy scandal during Justin's dad's gubernatorial campaign. And when Lucy becomes fair play for the tabloids and gossip pages, Justin does the only thing he can to protect her: he breaks her heart.

For Lucy, junior year is everything she hoped it would be: new friends, second chances, and a boyfriend she can’t stop kissing. That is, until the boy she’s pretty sure she loves chooses the life his family wants for him, over her.

Now it’s up to Lucy to teach him what it really means to have everything. Because for Justin, being who everyone needs him to be just might cost him the one person he can’t live without.

Buy Links:



Effortless With You

Book One in the series:
(linked to Goodreads)

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Buy Links:
Amazon ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo

From Panster to Planner

Hi everyone! I’m so pumped to be on the blog today talking about my approach to writing a novel. Perfectly Messy, the sequel to Effortless With You (my first published young adult novel), was actually my third attempt at writing a novel (I’d like to think that attempt was successful). Funny enough, each time I sit down and face the daunting task of writing something new, I approach it differently. Perfectly Messy, bless its soul, was given a full court press. For the first time in my writing career, I was on deadline. I took one and half years to write the first draft of Effortless With You. Five months to write my second novel, which is not yet published. But with Perfectly Messy, I had less than eight weeks. Now, if you aren’t a writer, that may seem like a lot of time. If you are a writer, you know that it’s tight, but doable. But life, as it often does, kept things interesting while I attempted to keep pace with that deadline. First off, I was busy tending to the promotion of Effortless With You. Second off, I work as a neonatal intensive care nurse. Third, I’m a mother. At the time, I was parenting a newly minted three year old, a twenty month old, and was twenty some weeks pregnant with our third child. Oh, and there’s the whole wife thing too. Basically, without needing to write a new book, I was barely keeping my head above water. With it? Well … I was one exhausted woman who often wore snorkeling gear.

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Basically, my eight weeks really boiled down to a handful of actual evenings where I could write. That was it. The stress forced me to engage my type A personality that I reserve only for nursing. An outline was born. I created a word count calendar with mandatory goals. I arranged babysitters far in advance for my few hours of writing. I could not stray from the plan. Each time I sat down to write, I sprinted. There was no “Ah, let’s have a relaxing evening to write.” It was insane concentration, pounding away on my keyboard to the point where I actually broke it. As I hammered out my word count, Perfectly Messy took on a life of it’s own. I swerved away from my outline. I believe it’s important to listen to your characters. It’s what keeps them alive. Justin broke down my doors, demanding to no longer be just a love interest, but the main character. And, no surprise here, I discovered that Justin needed to chill out and address his overly scheduled lifestyle. It was time for him to learn to let things go and live a little. Life isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being real. And thankfully, I had Lucy available from page one of Effortless With You to teach him that in Perfectly Messy. ;-)

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lizzycharles1
About the Author

When Lizzy Charles isn’t scrambling to raise her two spunky toddlers or caring for premature and sick babies as a neonatal intensive care nurse, she’s in a quiet corner writing or snuggled up with a novel and a few squares of dark chocolate. Black tea keeps her constant and she loves guacamole. She married her high school sweet heart, a heart-melting musician, so it’s no surprise she’s fallen in love with writing contemporary YA romance novels.

Author Links:


***GIVEAWAY***

3 ecopies of Perfectly Messy plus a $10, $15 and a $20 Amazon Gift Card up for grabs.


Blog Tour Organised by:

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Don't Fall by Rachel Schieffelbein



Don't Fall
Release Date: 2014
Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:
In which a teenage girl endures the over-protective love of her adoptive mother until she falls for a boy who has her wanting to spread her wings, pitched as a contemporary retelling of RAPUNZEL.

Seventeen-year-old Anya leads a very secluded life in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother. She doesn't go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Her over-protective mom keeps her so sheltered that she doesn't even have a best friend.

But Anya doesn't seem to mind. She has her books, her photography, and her daydreams, and would do anything to please her mom. Until one day at the library, the only place she's allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

Before long she's lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she's ever cared about.

Buy Links:



Guest Post - Retellings

First of all, thank you so much for having me on your blog! I’m going to talk a bit about fairy tales and why I wrote this retelling.

I have always loved fairy tales. I grew up on them, and I suppose I’m a bit of a romantic. I love magic, and true love, and happily ever afters. It makes me happy that retellings are gaining in popularity. All those old stories I loved are getting a new light shone on them, new twists, new characters, and new perspectives.

Rapunzel has been my favorite fairy tale from long before Disney made its version of it. (Although the Disney version is pretty cute.) To be honest, I think a big part of why it’s my favorite has to do with fond memories of visiting an elderly neighbor who used to read it to me.

It was a story I really wanted to work with, but making it contemporary had its challenges! So I will tell you now, no one climbs anyone’s hair. It’s the theme of the story I wanted to hold onto. The idea of this girl being locked away from the world, and how she has to set herself free to really find herself.
I love Anya, my Rapunzel. She’s sweet and innocent, but also spunky and fun. I wanted to write her a modern fairy tale, with its own kind of magic, true love, and happily ever after. Hopefully I’ve succeeded, and readers will fall for her and Zander, too.


About the Author
Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

Author Links:
   






***GIVEAWAY***

1 ebook of Don’t Fall + $10 Amazon Gift Card (INT)


Book Blitz Organized by: