Saturday, October 26, 2013

Blog Tour: Blood Moon by K.B. Miller



Title: Blood Moon 
Author: K.B. Miller
Series: Moon Coven (A Coven Series Novella) {#2.5}
Genre: Paranormal Romance/YA
Publisher: BKC Publishing
Release Date: TBA
Blurb/Synopsis:
The Vampires have declared war on the Moon Coven ...
You would think that would be Leeny Moon’s biggest trouble this time around, but two jealous guys make the horde of hungry vampires gunning for the powerful witch seem like a day at the park.
Leeny has embraced her birthright. She is next in line to lead the coveted Moon coven. Out of fear of history repeating itself, Leeny made her first kill, and for the last three years her sole mission has been to drive the vampires out of Ireland. With the help of neighboring covens she is not alone in her pursuit.
However, the close friendship developing between Finn O’Donnell and Leeny is causing a problem in her budding relationship with Seamus McNamara.
The future is up in the air as the creatures from her nightmares invade the tiny fishing town of Galway Bay, Ireland ... again. The revenge they seek is simple─Leeny’s blood. Who will survive the war on this Blood Moon?
 


Title: Haunted Moon
Author: K.B. Miller
Series: The Moon Coven Series (0.5)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Vampires
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Mar 27 2012
Synopsis:

Before Lilyann stepped into her destiny to lead the coven, there was another powerful Moon witch...her grandmother. 

A teenage witch-to-be in Galway, Ireland, Leeny Moon was prepared to take her rightful place in the circle along side of her family. That was until she witnessed firsthand the forthcoming nightmares she would be expected to face, vampires.


The fight between good versus evil begins here...



Blessed Be~ 



Title: Compulsion
Author: K.B. Miller
Series: The Moon Coven Series (1)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Vampires
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Nov 1 2011

Synopsis:
A family secret kept hidden has been exposed, and the consequences could be deadly.

After Lilyann Moon's beloved grandmother dies shrouded by a veil of mystery, she and her young family members are yanked from their completely normal lives and catapulted directly into the supernatural world of witchcraft. A world they know absolutely nothing about.

The town of Hampstead, Maryland has no idea of the monsters that lurk in their midst. Or, of the dangers they will face if the Moon Coven doesn't figure out how to embrace the magick within each of them, especially Lily.

She's suddenly up to her little pointy black hat in magickal problems. Destiny presented her with one more, and it's a big one - vampires.

The only bright spot in this nightmare was meeting Mason. But, is she in love with the enemy? Lilyann is in a race against time to save her town and coven. Will she survive the coming dangers, with her heart and neck intact?

It all comes down to this one night...

All Hallows Eve.



Title: Harvest Moon
Author: K.B. Miller
Series: The Moon Coven Series (1.5)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Vampires
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 1 2012

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Lochlan Moon had been groomed his entire life to accept the torch that would eventually be handed to him, and step into his destiny - to be the most powerful witch in almost five hundred years. He put his heart and soul into mastering a craft passed down through the generations of his ancestral bloodline.

Between the savage murder of a family member, and vanishing classmates, doubts that he'd kept buried began to resurface. Someone or something is on a monstrous killing spree in his home town of Hampstead. Lochlan is determined to help stop whatever it is.

All the while, his future within the family's circle teeters on a deadly precipice.

Will any of the witches survive to harness the magick within... after the Harvest Moon?




Title: Conversion
Author: K.B. Miller
Series: The Moon Coven Series (2)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Vampires
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Sept 3 2013

Synopsis:
Mason loves her.
Dax needs her. 
Maylee still wants her dead.

The Moon Coven series continues as the highly coveted Spirit Witch, Lilyann Moon, settles into her new destiny─ putting an end to the curse her family initiated more than five hundred years ago, once and for all.

If only her new relationship was as easy to figure out as what she’s going to wear to the annual Winter Ball.

After narrowly escaping the fight in October with his life, her boyfriend, Mason Shaw, is determined to drive a wedge between them with his overprotective ways.

As usual, everything goes to hell in a hand basket as one of their own is kidnapped. Lily must travel across the “pond”, back to her family’s homeland, to retrieve the lost member. Along the way, she must ally herself with an enemy from her past and work with a ragtag band of hunters that don’t believe that she has it in her to do what needs to be done.
Sometimes, there really is no turning back...

Can the Moon Coven save their lost member? Or will they wind up sacrificing themselves in the end?







Okay, so I'm supposed to tell you about me...
Seriously, if I wrote a book about myself it would take you ten minutes to read and you would be bored stiff after the first two! LOL
I'm a full-time writer, wife, and mother. Which basically means there's always a surplus of pencils lost somewhere in my hair, I usually have some place to be (I'm always late), I have a bad habit of calling family and friends random character's names (from my books), I talk to myself because no one else listens to me, and I can throw together a mean dinner for eight with only ten minutes notice and four ingredients in the pantry, LOL.
If you can't find me on the sidelines of my sons' football games, online, cooking, cleaning, shopping, at the local coffee joint or on the phone wandering aimlessly throughout my house then I've probably hidden myself in my "bat-cave" to write.
I have a positive attitude, and absolute fun-loving approach to life. That makes it easy for the voices in my head to take over on a regular basis providing endless hours of entertainment for my pleasure, and hopefully yours.
Random facts about me:
~My favorite color is pink
~I have a Bishon Frise puppy named Cullen Edward
~My favorite music is hip-hop
~I have a severe addiction to coffee. So much so, that those in my inner circle refuse to speak to me before caffeine O'clock! True Story
Enjoy the ride.





Places to find K.B.


Places to find The Moon Coven Series 

Haunted Moon {.5}
Amazon   Free Download
Barnes and Noble  Free Download 
Smashwords  Free Download
Goodreads
Compulsion {1}
Harvest Moon {1.5}

Conversion {2}


Blood Moon {2.5}


Friday, October 25, 2013

Book Blast: A Light in Dark Places by Jennifer Graves & Emily Clawson + Giveaway!

light in darkA Light in Dark Places

In December, 2009, Susan Cox Powell was reported missing from her home in West Valley City, Utah. As law enforcement tried to piece together what had happened to Susan, her husband, Josh Powell, became the only person of interest in the case. For Jennifer Graves, Josh’s sister, the nightmare started long before Susan’s disappearance. From her experiences growing up in the Powell family to the terrifying moment when she first started to believe her brother was a killer, she relied on her faith to stay strong. She devoted herself to the safety of Susan’s boys, Charlie and Braden, whom she hoped to be able to raise as her own. When the boys were murdered by their father in February, 2012, Jennifer was more than devastated, but she had to believe there was a reason for it all—including the deaths of her beloved nephews. In A Light In Dark Places, Jennifer shares her struggles and her triumphs. In coming to terms with such tragedy she finally was able to embrace the truth that we all have the power to choose our own path—and there is always hope, no matter how dark things may seem.

 
Praise for A Light in Dark Places

I just finished reading "A Light in Dark Places" By Jennifer Graves and Emily Gray Clawson. I was impressed with how well written the book was. The descriptions are such that I felt I was part of the story. I was grateful that the message was one of hope and peace in tragedy. The book does tell the tale of Susan Powell, her boys and their demise but doesn't dwell on it. It was nice to see inside the life experiences of someone so close to them and to see things from Jennifer's perspective rather than what you see on the media. I highly recommend this book. It doesn't disappoint! – T. Hyde

I love true accounts of people overcoming challenges and helping others with the lessons learned from them. This story of Jennifer's experiences throughout her abusive childhood, and later the disappearance of Susan and the murder of her two sweet nephews is just that. She shares how she felt God's hand in her life, guiding her to make better choices than the rest of her family did. Though the book had so many sad details, it ended with hope, courage and love. ~D.

Raymond I had followed the story of Susan Powell very closely so I wasn't sure if the book was going to tell me something I didn't already know...but it sure did. Jennifer was very brave in writing this book and all she had done in support for Susan. I highly recommend the book it sheds a light on the whole situation that helps make things more clear. ~ Carolyn

This was a very informative read. I lived in Utah at the time of Susan's disappearance and followed the news every day. This book answered many questions that the news did not. Although it was very sad and I already knew the outcome it was a good read. I admire Jennifer for her part in the whole story and I am glad she had the fortitude to write this book to honor her sister in law. ~Katie O.

To finally read about details that were never shared brought closure for me about this insidious crime. While the book was an easy read, the message shared about breaking the cycle of abusive relationships is invaluable. It truly does take someone removing themselves from their abusive family's presence to stop the cycle. Praises to the author for sharing her perspectives. ~Arlene   add to goodreads

JenandEmAuthorphoto1  Jennifer Graves is the mother of 5 beautiful children, 2 girls and 3 boys. She and her husband have been happily married for 19 years and together have been active in their community and church. Jennifer is the sister of Josh Powell who killed his 2 sons, Charlie and Braden, as well as himself in February of 2012, and is also believed to have killed his wife, Susan Cox Powell, in December of 2009. She is the recipient of the 2013 ChainBreaker of the year Award, given for breaking the chain of abuse and violence in her family. She enjoys homeschooling their children and mentoring in classes for the commonwealth school they attend. She also loves reading, playing card and board games, and learning new things. Most of all she loves to spend time with her husband and children. They currently reside in West Jordan, UT.

 
♦ ♦ ♦
 
Emily Clawson is an author, a mother and a mentor. She traditionally writes inspirational fiction. This book has been a life changing experience for her and she is grateful to have been a part of telling this story. She resides in Taylorsville with her husband and four children where they run their leadership mentoring programs for youth.

 
 
light in dark tour
 
 
BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/15/13 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

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Book Blitz: Keeper of the Lost Souls by Kristy Centeno


 
 
Keeper of the Lost Souls

Kristy Centeno

YA Paranormal Romance
Limitless Publishing

Available at Amazon

 

Synopsis:

Bryn McCaskey is young, naïve, and can talk to ghosts...

Like her mother and grandmother, Bryn comes from a breed of witches called The Keepers of the Lost Souls. Their main purpose is to guard those spirits who are permanently or temporarily grounded in the world of the living. Handling supernatural creatures is something which comes naturally to Bryn, however, dealing with people is a whole different story.


As her 18th birthday approaches it's time for her to take on her first assignment. Bryn is forced to confront her inability to communicate with others in an effort to save the one soul that can mean the difference between life and death for mankind.

Johnny Shaw is a lost soul with a personal vendetta against witches...

A vendetta he has carried on even after death. As much as he hate's them he must join forces with a keeper witch, in order to stop a century old threat. When fate brings them together, not only will they be forced to learn how to work as a team, but they will have to depend on each other to stop an evil witch carrying a six hundred year grudge!


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Excerpt:



The only reason I escaped being ripped into twenty chunks of flesh was due to Uncle Hung’s intervention. Had he not been in the room with me, I would’ve suffered a gruesome death. Instead, I ended up succumbing to the huge gash on my abdomen, a product of my one on one battle with the evil beast.
As the demon spun around, facing me, I waited to see whether or not it would pick up on my presence a mere fifteen or so feet away. So far, it seemed to have a hard time finding me. Somewhat relieved to have the upper hand for once, I summoned as much energy as I could while the Voltus demon remained oblivious to my whereabouts.
The second the atmosphere began to change around him, the demon started to back away from me, suddenly wary of the unseen threat nearby. Just as his rump reached my bedroom doorway, I hurled a ball of energy his way, sending him crashing into my bedroom with a loud thud.

In less than three seconds flat he was up and out of my room, rushing toward me with deadly intent. Because he’d seen the direction the energy ball had come from, he had an idea of my whereabouts, so in order to avoid his dark magic, I sidestepped him and ran down the hallway in the same direction he’d come from just seconds before.
I hurried down the hall to the opposite staircase, the Voltus demon fast on my heels. Because it detected my movements, it could follow me everywhere I went, and as I rushed to the first floor, it did an excellent job keeping pace with me.

Directing my invisible feet to the center of the living room, I continued forward, determined to mock and outsmart the angry beast chasing me. Intent on annoying him as much as possible, I failed to notice the black ivory stones laid in a perfect circular pattern on the carpet. Because I was too busy acting like a six-year-old, I ran straight inside the circle just as Una’s form materialized right in front of me.

“Well, well, well. Johnny Shaw, how nice it is to see you,” she mocked.

Coming to a stop, I assessed her curly, store-bought red hair and brown eyes filled with hate. I’d waited so long to confront the hated fiend that for a second or two I couldn’t believe she was actually there.

“Una!” I spat her name out as if was venom to my lips. “I can’t say the same thing about you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

About the Author:


As a child, she used to lose herself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that she’s all grown up, Kristy gets to create her own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect.

She’s always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options, she realized that writing was what she loved the most so when she found herself with some free time on her hands, she decided to pursue her passion. As it turned out, her very active imagination helped her achieve her goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along in one way or another.

As she keeps moving along in achieving her dreams of becoming a published author, she divides her time in between her four children and her very understanding husband.

 
Author Links:

http://www.kristycenteno.net

http://booksbycenteno.com

http://www.facebook.com/KristyCenteno

http://www.twitter.com/KrissyGirl122

http://www.goodreads.com/KristyCenteno

http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.com/author/kristycenteno



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Cover Reveal: Grounded by You by Ivy Sinclair + Giveaway!

We join Grapevine Book Tours in presenting the new cover for:


Cover designed by CCR Book Cover Design
Grounded by You
by Ivy Sinclair
Publication: November 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance


Lights, camera, and passions flare as a small town boy gets the break of his career. As the lines of life and art blur together, can he also find a way to win the love of the girl who got away?

Carter Samuel Groveson.

His name is on the lips of every woman in the country who has a pulse. An actor pulled from obscurity to star in the most anticipated movie of the century, he’s an enigma to all. Everyone wants a piece of him.

Except her.

Amelia St. John isn’t about to follow the life plan that her father set out for her. She refuses to be tied down or commit to anyone. A year ago, she ran as far and as fast from Sam Groveson as she could. But when he reappears in her life and asks her to be the friend he needs to keep him tethered to reality in the midst of the chaos, she can’t say no.

Unfortunately for Sam, his big break comes with expectations that threaten his career if he doesn’t toe the line. In this high stakes game of love, everyone is watching.



Ivy Sinclair

Her Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads
Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy's guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy's stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.



• One (1) $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card {INT}
• One (1) signed paperback copy of Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair {US only}
• Two (2) eBook copies of Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair {INT}
Cover reveal organized by

Cover Reveal: Rowena's Revenge by Theresa Marguerite Hewitt + Giveaway!





Title: ROWENA'S REVENGE (The Broadus Supernatural Society Series, #5)
Author: Theresa Marguerite Hewitt
Genre: Fiction | YA | Paranormal
Expected Release Date: 10/31/13
Rowena's life has never been easy. 
Being part Were and part Fae fire-starter she has learned to live a solitary life, depending only on her own instincts until one mistake throws her into danger. Now being chased by a psychopathic Warlock who is bound and determined to "own" her, Rowena must rely on her newly found mates and family. But is she ready to trust? Or will her damaged heart plunge her into darkness?
Blaine is a strong wolf, wanting to protect his new mate with his life. When a new man comes into her life, he can't help but be jealous. Will it drive him into betrayal? Or will he accept their new life too late?
Penton has lived hundreds of years looking for his mate. Now he's found her, but can he keep her safe long enough to get her back to Montana?
Cearbhall is one of the last Dark Warlocks known in the world. He has been searching for centuries for the 'fire-heart' that will complete his prophecy, bringing the world to his feet. In Rowena, his dark, twisted mind finds it with just the hint of her blood left behind as she runs from federal forces.
He will stop at nothing, killing everyone and everything in his path to have her for his own. He thinks nothing of leaving a path of destruction across the country in his wake to claim her.

Will one of these three mates pay the ultimate price for love? Or will evil finally descend upon Broadus, Montana and The Big Sky Pack?




Theresa Marguerite Hewitt is a very laid back person; enjoying the simpler things in life more than most sometimes. She grew up in a very, VERY small town in Central New York and she will always be a Redneck Woman.
She loves reading, writing, taking long pointless drives and long dusk time walks. Fall and winter are her favorite times of year and she spends more time outside then than in the summer. She loves hearing from fans and is not above fan-girling on those that show her tons of support.
She donates the profits from the Amazon sales of her military series, The Wakefield Romance Series, to various military charities including; Wounded Warrior Project, Red Circle Foundation, Boot Campaign and others.
She is addicted to the cheap-Harlequin romances you can pick up in most drug stores and cannot go in and out of a store without picking up at least one. She resides in Buffalo, NY with her boyfriend, two dogs and two cats.
  Twitter | Facebook | GR | Website

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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Cover Reveal: Chasing Angel by J.L. Weil

Cover Reveal
 
Chasing Angel
Divisa #3
 
J.L. Weil
 
YA Paranormal Romance
Expected Release 2014
 
Synopsis:
 
Chase Winters is one of a kind.

That doesn’t mean he still doesn’t get on my nerves more days than not, but his arrogance is starting to be sexy. Together our bond grows stronger, and so do we.

Just as we hurdle one obstacle, two or three more pop up. Go figure. It isn’t enough that Emma once again hates our guts, now Travis has decided to go all demon-zoid on us. I could hardly blame him though; he had lost the girl of his dreams—again.

After everything that we have endured, I am not the same girl anymore. Not since the day I met Chase. The icing on the cake—there is a new player in town and he is not human. Hell has decided to pay Spring Valley a visit, and Chase and I are their first stop. Our quiet little town was about to shatter.

Of course there is also our rare bond to factor into all of this, and the pesky last piece. Or maybe it isn’t as pesky as it is combustible.

Soul. Heart. Body.

Oh dear God…
 
 
About the Author:
 
 
I am the author of New Adult & Young Adult Paranormal Romances, Post Apocalyptic and Fantasy novels including the Luminescence Trilogy and Divisa series.

Most of my books are for ages 16+. They usually have what I consider the good stuff - sexual content (oh yeah) and swearing. You have been warned ;)

I reside in the Windy City with my husband and two awesome boys. I am a book lover of epic proportions and usually favor romances, fantasies and happily ever afters. I have a serious addiction to Love Pink clothes and raspberry mochas from Starbucks.(yum!)

To seal my geekdom, I am a gamergirl. Skyrim, Guild Wars 2, Call of Duty, my current game obsessions. My boys think I'm a noob. And I am a total camper, and proud of it.

I hope you enjoy my world!!
Author Links:


Monday, October 21, 2013

Trailer Reveal: Few Are Angels by Inger Iversen

Few Are Angels

Inger Iversen

New Adult Paranormal Romance
Published: May 28, 2012



Synopsis:

After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale–a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past–reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand.

Trailer:





About the Author:


Inger Iversen lives in Virginia Beach with her tree-hugging boyfriend Joshua and her overweight lap cat Max. When not reading or writing she spends her time watching reruns of True Blood or killing zombies in Call Of Duty.

Author Links:




Cover Reveal: The Remake: Akila's Psalm by Casse NaRome


Sunday, October 20, 2013

Book Blitz: Gravity Between Us by Kristen Zimmer + Giveaway!


 
 
Gravity Between Us

Kristen Zimmer

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Available at  Amazon  B & N



Synopsis:

At just 19, Kendall Bettencourt is Hollywood’s hottest young starlet with the world at her feet – but behind the glamour and designer dresses is a girl who longs for normal.

Payton Taylor is Kendall’s best friend since childhood, and the one person who reminds her of who she really is – her refuge from the craziness of celebrity life.

With her career taking off, Kendall moves Payton to LA to help keep her sane. But Payton is hiding a secret that could make everything ten times worse. Because to her, Kendall is more than a best friend – she is the only girl that she has ever loved.

Just as they need each other more than ever, they’ll have to answer the question of where friendship stops and love begins? And find out whether the feelings they have can survive the mounting pressure of fame…

The Gravity Between Us is a daring, romantic, emotional story about friendship, love, and finding the courage to be yourself in a crazy world.

New Adult novel: recommended for 17+ due to mature themes and sexual content.

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Excerpt:

 
CHAPTER ONE

Payton

Kendall is sitting on my bed playing with my laptop. I’m hovering in front of my closet, looking for my favorite Montclair State University sweatshirt. “I hate your hair,” I call to her over my shoulder. “Sorry, I couldn’t keep that in any longer.” I did notice right away that the reddish-purple tint of her new hair color made her blue eyes pop. Nonetheless, I don’t like it. I mean, what natural blonde ever wants to go auburn? Women drop hundreds of dollars at hair salons trying to attain the golden perfection she was born with. It’s ludicrous.

“It’s for my next role.” She laughs. “You could at least pretend to like it.”

“No, I can’t. And you shouldn’t either. Lawrence made you do it. I know you didn’t want to.”

“Of course I didn’t want to. You should have been there when he came to me with the idea. He was all like, ‘You absolutely have to do this. Don’t worry, it’ll be great.’ God, he sounded just like my mother. It took everything I had not to punch him in the throat.”

I chuckle at that. There’s a lot to be said about Kendall Bettencourt. She’s one of those people who were put on this earth so that the average human can give the word ‘beauty’ a definition. Between having the body of a Victoria’s Secret model and a face that should be immortalized in a Da Vinci painting, she never stood a chance at living her life in the shadows. It didn’t really come as much of a surprise that this girl—whose genetic makeup is, by no fault of her own, startlingly akin to that of a Greek goddess—would become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after up-and-comers. But my favorite thing about her is not her physical beauty or even the fact that she has genuine talent. It’s that she doesn’t take shit from anyone, including her legendary publicist, Lawrence Mackin.

“How did the Today Show go yesterday?” I wonder. “I didn’t catch it.”

“I didn’t even want to do it. I honestly felt like saying, ‘Well, Matt, I don’t think anyone should bother wasting their money on In Heaven’s Arms. It’s a total gagfest.’” She sticks her finger in her mouth and makes this half-retching, half-gurgling sound. “‘It’s all Ghost Girl meets Living Boy. Ghost Girl falls in love with Living Boy, Ghost Girl tries to figure out how she can be with Living Boy without inhabiting a rotting corpse, which is sure to be a major turn-off to Living Boy. Blah Blah Blah.’”

I take a seat next to her on the bed. “Funny. If it’s so horrible, what the hell possessed you to star in it?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I figured I couldn’t sit around waiting for an awesome script to come my way. By the time someone writes a strong, intelligent, independent, twenty something female lead, I’d be too damn old to play her. Besides, everyone and their mother read the book it’s based on. James thought it would really put me on the map. I know he’s one of the best agents around, but I still can’t believe he was right! It was such a piece of crap book, you can imagine how much shittier the movie adaptation is.”

“So, we won’t be going to see it tonight then?”

“Not unless you want me to upchuck violently in a public place. That would be a perfect headline for The Inquirer! ‘Movie Star Visits Home Town, Vomits All Over Friends and Former Classmates.’”

I’m laughing so hard now, I’m afraid I might pee myself. Oh man, I’ve missed her so much. “We don’t have to go to the movies, but we should do something fun. Otherwise, I’m just going to sit here obsessing over the sixty-four bars I have to write by Tuesday for my Piano Theory class.”

“I don’t care what we do. You know I’m leaving for a shoot next week. I have no idea when I’ll be able to make it home again. The only reason I came home this weekend is because I was afraid I was forgetting what my best friend looks like.”

I cannot argue that. The last time I saw her was around the Fourth of July. A few years ago it would have been unthinkable to go three months without seeing each other.

“Let’s go to the Grind House,” she says. “For some reason I’ve been craving their terrible coffee.”

          “Sure, as long as you make sure to put those hideous things on your face.” I point to the metal-framed sunglasses sitting atop her head. “Otherwise, it’ll be a mob scene. Everyone will be tripping all over themselves to meet you es, Rae,".”

“Yeah right,” she says. “Everyone around here knows me, Payton. It’s not like I’m Angelina Jolie or someone cool like that.” She throws me the keys to the sleek, silver Beamer she rented. “You’re driving. I can’t stand the potholes around here.”

 

The moment we walk into the coffee shop I become aware of just how off-putting small town New Jersey can be for a famous person, or an “almost famous person” as Kendall would say. People don’t recognize her at first; she was still sporting her natural locks in In Heaven’s Arms, as well as on her most recent press tour. She’s still blonde on all the magazine covers. But it’s easy to make out that the world around us is about to lose its collective mind. It starts with stares—everyone squinting hard in our direction. We’re in line waiting to order by the time the real craziness kicks in. The atmosphere intensifies as the noise level recedes, until finally, the whole place goes dead silent. Then, with all the grace and subtlety of a falling H-bomb, the menacing buzz of whispering beings: “Is that Kendall Bettencourt?” “I think so. OMG!”

The barista knows exactly who Kendall is. He can hardly contain his drool as she begins her order. “Hi. Can I have a tall hazelnut latte, please?” She looks over her shoulder at me and raises her left eyebrow. I’m standing stiff and straight at my fully awkward height of 5’9,” somewhat in awe of how she’s managing to function normally in this preposterously abnormal situation. The attention that is on her right now is overwhelming. I mean, I get it. Her biggest movie ever just opened. She has more money than the Catholic Church, and she’s gorgeous, but really? I want to scream at everyone within earshot, “I’ve been hypnotized by her much longer than you have! You all need to get over it already!”

It doesn’t seem to faze her much, though. Maybe she’s just gotten so used to being gawked at that she legitimately doesn’t care.

She shoots me a grin. My rigid muscles instantly relax. “The usual for you, Pay?”

“Um, yeah.”

          “And a tall coffee, light and sweet,” she continues to the barista. When she’s finished, she turns back to me and whispers, “Ignore it. That’s the approach I’m taking.”

          What a radical strategy! “Okay.”

“Your coffee, darling,” She hands me a piping hot cup and then takes off toward the large wall of windows. People continue to gape at her as she passes like she’s a unicorn or some kind of exotic animal. She is stopped twice—first by two preteen girls who ask for her autograph, and again by a musclebound, gym-rat-looking guy who uses his iPhone to snap off a few pictures of himself with his arm slung round her shoulders.

Once everyone gets over the titillation of her presence, we find a sunlight-drenched table in the corner where we can sit facing one another. She looks at me for what feels like forever before speaking. “I can’t believe your hair got so long.” She puts her cup down, reaches across to me, and winds a few brown strands between her fingers. “You should get bangs. Not those full in the front kind, but the asymmetrical side-cut kind. You’d look bangin’,” she chortles. “Get it, banging?”

“You’re such a dork,” I say through my own giggle.

“You know, I meet new people every day, and they all have these great expectations of me.” Her voice quickly goes from funny to serious. A hint of melancholy flashes in her eyes. “I’m supposed to be the cool new superstar, or the latest silver screen vixen. No one sees me as the dork who makes lame puns.”

“But you are a dork who makes lame puns. You’re just cooler and sexier than the rest of us. It’s pretty awesome. You’re like a chameleon.”

“A chameleon?” She cocks her head. “Yeah, I like that. Thank you.”

“Don’t embrace it too much. You forget that chameleons are slimy reptiles.”

“Wait a second. Did you just call me a slimy reptile? Nice, Payton. You’re a master at backhanded compliments and completely ruining the moment.”

I take a sip of my steaming coffee and examine her carefully. Her tone was both convincingly stern and mildly pained, but the look of anger on her face is so feigned that she isn’t fooling anyone, certainly not me. “Yes, I’m particularly skilled at ruining moments. And you should consider taking acting lessons. Your ‘rage face’ is overly emotive.”

“Shut up,” she croaks. “Damn it. I can’t pull anything over on you, can I?”

“Nope.” I shake my head, reminding her that I know her all too well.

“While we’re on the subject of ruined moments, I’d like to ruin your day by making you take me to the city.”

“No! You know I hate Manhattan! It’s loud and dirty and too big for its own good.”

“Please? It’s barely half an hour away, and I’ll drive. I know how much you despise New York motorists.”

I look at her skeptically. She reciprocates with a semi-adorable pout.

“I want to go to The Met. And afterward, I’ll let you take me to lunch. I won’t even try to pay.”

“Wow!” I can feel myself smirking. “What a gift! Thank you so much.”

“Whatever! You always complain that I never let you pay.” She playfully slaps my arm. “Come on, look at my sad puppy face! You can’t resist it! I am being so cute right now!”

“Okay, yes! We can go, as long as you stop with the face. I can’t take it.”

“Sweet!” She holds out her hand. “Car keys, please.”

 

The Met is much larger than I remember. It’s teeming with tourists, which turns out to work in our favor. We walk the halls of the museum in silent anonymity, drifting through a sea of strangers. Not once does anyone stop to ask Kendall for a picture or autograph. I can tell she is relieved. Truthfully, I am too.

We reach the photography section and stop to sit on the floor. And that’s when my senses are tossed into cataclysmic upheaval. Mounted on the wall in front of us is a print called “Lesbian Couple at the Monocle.” Instantaneously, I’m anxious. It’s like a sign from the universe telling me that I need to gather my guts, forget the past, and finally stop being afraid.

I’ve never said it out loud to anyone. I’m not sure I should start now. Will saying it give it some kind of molecular structure that permanently and visibly imprints itself on me? I doubt it. But saying it means that there is a very real chance I might lose friends and alienate people. Worst of all, I have no idea how Kendall is going to handle it. It’s not exactly a topic we’ve discussed much or, like, at all. Will she still see me the same way she did this morning, last week, last year? At least if I tell her here, in public, she won’t make a scene. She is notoriously too good an actor for that. Hell, that’s what she gets paid to do.

I’m about to drop the bomb when Kendall’s eyes wander up to the photo. “Lesbian Couple at The Monocle. What?” She stands up to get a closer look. “That’s weird. I thought it was a picture of a man and a woman. Look at it.” She bends down, offers her hand to help me to my feet. For an instant I think about refusing it for fear that my palms are sweaty. I decide I’m being ridiculous, but wipe my hands on my jeans just in case.

          I clear my throat before speaking and immediately notice how annoyingly hollow and gruff that sounds. “I would think it was a man and a woman too, at first glance.”

“It’s interesting how old this picture is and how much society has changed since it was taken.”

          “What?” I’m so close to full-blown panic, I’m willing to bet it’s written all over my face. “What do you mean?”

“Like, back in the day,” she starts lightly. “I mean, she is clearly a woman,” she points at the print, “but she is dressed like a man. I suppose there had to be that, I don’t know that… dynamic back then. If it were a picture of two girls…” She’s getting flustered, blushing a bit, but she presses on. “Okay, say it were a picture of me and you. That caption, ‘Lesbian Couple at the Monocle,’ would have sent people’s heads spinning more than I’m sure it already did. Do you see what I’m saying? It’s like there had to be one feminine woman and one more masculine woman for it to have been understood that they were a couple.”

“Oh.” I want to say ‘what?’ again, but know I shouldn’t. “You’re talking about stereotypes?”

“Yes! That’s it! Like today, just because a woman has short hair or wears racer back tanks doesn’t mean she’s a lesbian.”

“And on the flipside, just because a woman has long hair or wears skirts doesn’t mean she’s straight,” I add.

“Right! Those notions don’t apply to the world anymore is what I was trying to say.”

“I get it. You can’t go by what a person looks like.”

“Exactly!”

Then it hits me. This is it. It’s now or never, put up or shut up. I’ve gotta go for it. “So, if I were to tell you that I’m gay, it wouldn’t be all that surprising—purely based on the fact that I have a feminine appearance.”

“No, not based on your appearance. Based on the fact that I know you, maybe…”

I’m staring at her now. Blatantly staring. Was that too indirect? Should I be more forward?

“Wait,” she says, her eyes narrowing in on me. “Are you trying to tell me that you…”

I motion yes with my head. “I’m gay, Kendall.”

And then there is silence—a very deep, impenetrable stillness. I want to curl into the fetal position and die right here in the middle of this world class museum.

“Um, how about we do that lunch thing I’m letting you pay for? I need a beverage,” She says finally.

It’s not at all what I was expecting to hear. “Sure.”

We walk down to the Rock ‘n Roll Deli, neither of us uttering a word to the other. When we arrive, I order her favorite, tuna salad on a whole wheat wrap, and my tried-and-true staple, grilled cheese and tomato on rye, while she finds a booth in the back.

I haul ass over to her with our food atop a bright red, plastic tray. She snatches her wrap from the tray, but doesn’t eat it right away. Instead, she is hell-bent on gawping at me for I don’t know how long. I can’t tell what she’s thinking, but it’s as if she is somewhere between eyeing up a piece of meat and staring down a rabid dog. “So, you’re like, gay gay?” she asks after taking a few bites of her wrap.

“Uh,” I pause to think over her question. “Is there some kind of non-gay gay?”

She laughs—the kind of good, hearty laugh that always gets me laughing, too.

“What I mean is that you’re gay, as in, exclusively. Not like bisexual?”

“Yes, exclusively. I’m an exclusive lesbian. Though, syntactically, that would indicate that I’m difficult to get into or something, like one of your hot LA nightclubs.”

“It’s impressive that you’re able to maintain your hilariousness even when talking about serious, life-altering things.”

“Well, it’s not like some crazy Body Snatcher thing happened, but yeah, it is pretty life-altering.”

“How long have you known?”

“For a long time, but I didn’t start to think of it as a fact until I was sixteen.”

At that, I see her expression change. She’s offended, or hurt, or something. Maybe a little bit of both. “Seriously, Payton? You’ve known for ‘a fact’ for nearly three years, and you’re only telling me now? Jesus, are you that scared of me?”

“No, not at all!” I shake my head fervently. Terrific, I have to tell her the story. This is one memory I was hoping to never relive. It might be old news, but it sucked enough to damage me irreparably. Every time I think about it, I start trembling like a dead leaf in the wind. “Do you remember Amanda Garrison? She was a year ahead of us in school.”

“Amanda Garrison.” She taps the table top as though trying to place a face to the name. “Yeah, I remember her. She was the captain of the soccer team the year before you were, right?”

“Right.”

“Uh huh. What about her?”

Here we go. “I kind of had a thing with her. It wasn’t, like, love at first sight or anything. I just knew that I liked her and that she liked me, too. We started talking a lot after practice, went out on a couple of dates. Eventually her parents found out about it; I’m still not sure how. They went through her text messages or something. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The point is, her mom totally flipped out. She dragged Amanda to my house and demanded to talk to my mom. Mom wasn’t home—thank God—but when I told Mrs. Garrison that, she started screaming at me. She kept telling me that her daughter wasn’t gay, and I had better stay away from her. She forbid Amanda from seeing me; she even went as far as making her quit the team. From that day on, Amanda wouldn’t even look at me. It was so brutal.

After that, the thought of coming out to anyone was paralyzing. I pretty much dined on an unhealthy diet of self-loathing and terror. It took me a long time to get comfortable in my own skin—I’m still working on it. But at this point, I’m just too exhausted from keeping it a secret to even bother trying anymore.” 

Her revolted expression speaks volumes. It’s enough for me to know what she’s going to do next. She reaches across the booth and takes my hand in her own. “Wow, Payton. That’s monumentally messed up. I’m sorry that happened to you. Some people are just so closed-minded.”

“Some people are, and that’s also part of the reason I’ve been hesitant to tell you. You’re a celebrity now. Your face is already plastered all over the tabloids, and you’re just doing normal teenage crap. What if it got out that some girl you’re always flying cross-country to visit is a big old homo? I’m sure that would start some delightful rumors. Rumors create rifts between people. So you see, I wasn’t scared of you. I was scared I might lose you.”

“The tabloids are going to write what they’re going to write regardless of what the truth is, Payton. I can’t let it bother me. Plus, hello? I live in Hollywood. It would be insane to think that I don’t have any gay friends! And lose me? That will never happen. I’m like a bad case of herpes—just ‘cuz you can’t see me doesn’t mean I’m not there.”

“Herpes! Eww,” I roll my eyes. “That is a horrible analogy.”

“Yeah, but it’s kind of funny and also very true.”

“So, we’re okay then? We’re cool?”

“Are we cool?” She drags out the “cool,” leans back in her seat, and crosses her arms. “Yeah, dude, everything’s cool. Everything’s smooth.” She’s making fun of me, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

“Sweet, dude. Finish your wrap.”

She brings the last bite to her lips and abruptly stops. “Hold the phone. If you’re into girls, what the hell was with you and Scott Strafford the end of junior year?”

“Let’s chalk it up to a last ditch effort at heterosexuality.”

She stuffs the bread into her mouth. “Yeah, you should’ve picked someone else. If I had to choose between that asshole and lesbianism, I’d go gay all the way. Seriously, I considered asking your mom to have you committed. Only a mental patient could’ve fallen for that jerk.”

“I’m going to write The Inquirer and let them know that one of Hollywood’s It Girls talks with her mouth full.”

“See food.” She sticks out her tuna-covered tongue. “It’s all the rage.”

“Charming,” I lark. “No wonder all the guys find you irresistible.”

“Harhar,” she says and grabs the tray from the table. “Let’s get out of here.”

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Guest Post from Author Kristen


New Adult vs. YA

By Kristen Zimmer

As a reader, I absolutely love Young Adult – especially YA of the dystopian and sci-fi/fantasy persuasion. But as a writer, I wanted to tell a story set in the real world. Before I even started writing The Gravity Between Us, I knew I also wanted to create characters who had already survived high school (and all the drama that comes with it), and who were just beginning to embark on grown-up adventures, while still having the mindset of teenagers. Sometimes, life seems to throw things at us that force us to grow-up pretty quickly, as is the case with Kendall, who, at just 19, has skyrocketed to fame. She’s got boat loads of money and one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood… I imagined changes of such epic proportion wouldn’t be easy for anyone, let alone someone so young. On the flip side, Payton is a pretty average, American college student who is faced with not only the prospect of uprooting herself from her home and family to move cross-country and be on her own for the first time, but learning how to navigate her changing feelings for her childhood best friend and what that might mean for their relationship.

While writing, I came to one very simple conclusion: the difference between Young Adult and New Adult goes beyond curbing myself from dropping however many f-bombs I may deem fit throughout my book, or even crafting a racy-yet-appropriate “intimate” scene for an under-17 crowd; it’s recognizing that adolescence doesn’t necessarily end once you graduate from high school, that no miraculous chemical reaction occurs in your brain the day you turn eighteen, thus magically transforming you into a fully mature adult. Adulthood takes many years to reach, and everyone gets there at their own pace. I honestly believe that most people learn more about who they are, who they want to be, and life in general between the age of 18 and 22 than they could have handled in their younger teen years. The problem is, YA fiction doesn’t always address the real-life issues that older teens and twentysomethings encounter—moving out of your parents’ house, finding an honest-to-goodness job, paying rent, utilities, student loans, etc... Basically, just learning how to stand on your own two feet without toppling over and hurting yourself.

So, did I nail it? What’s your take on the differences between NA and YA? 
        
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About the Author:


Kristen is a New Jersey-based freelance writer and editor. A member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, she holds a B.A. in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from Montclair State University. She also studied Music Performance with a focus on percussion instruments at Five Towns College. When not busy writing or burying her nose in books of the YA/New Adult fiction persuasion, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family, which includes two adorable Black Lab mixes and a very patient Better Half, and making electronic music. The Gravity Between Us, a contemporary New Adult Romance, is her first novel.

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