Saturday, November 8, 2014

Blog Tour: Beyond the Gloaming by Brendan Murphy - Excerpt, Trailer & Giveaway

Beyond the Gloaming Tour Graphic

Beyond the Gloaming


Sebastian and the Hibernauts: Beyond the Gloaming
Brendan Murphy

It is Easter, 1973 and twelve year old Sebastian Duffy has some serious self-esteem issues. He is beaten by his parents, bullied at school, steals from his friends and still mourning the death of his brother. To cap it all, strange things have begun happening around him and he is finding it hard to distinguish dreams from reality. After a nightmarish assault, he wakes in the Gloaming, a shadow world inhabited by ghosts. There to greet him is Porrig, a creature from Hibercadia, a magical realm crafted from Celtic dreams. Inhabited by Fir Bolg, Tuath and Milesians, it has been overthrown by brother gods from another dreamworld. One brother, Phobitor, is a tyrant and even the Tuath, who took to their underground sidhe millennia ago, are concerned. Sebastian discovers that he alone can save Hibercadia by finding an enchanted spear. Teaming up with the Hibernauts—a mercurial sorceress, an orphaned druidess, a taciturn warrior, a snuff-sniffing leprechaun and a lovelorn poet—he embarks on a fantastical quest, but can he succeed when he is yet to find his magical potential or even his courage, and half the realm is bent on his destruction?


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Beyond the Gloaming from Kaleb Lechowski on Vimeo.


Praise for Beyond the Gloaming

I cannot say just how much I have enjoyed this book; you are a very accomplished writer with a wonderfully rich imagination. Your use of the English language is amazing and your ability to create the many different speaking styles in the book and to maintain them is remarkable. You have an incredibly inventive mind and readers will come to love the many wonderful creations in this novel, it is jam-packed with the most wonderful and inventive characters; new, exciting and beautifully realised. ~The Oxford Editors

An imaginative epic...an intricate and fully realised fantasy world with a big cast of likeable characters that are charming, well drawn and endearing, with wonderfully apt names. The depth and breadth of your high-voltage imagination, and the richness of the world you create is very impressive. ~Sam Mills, author of Blackout, The Boys Who Saved the World, and The Quiddity of Will Self

Excerpt

Sebastian concealed himself amongst the boulders and bracken, the only noise a low breeze that fluttered through the fernery. Though he knew his friends were close, he suddenly felt quite alone. As he peered at the ebony sky, thinking he had never seen such darkness, he noticed a faint blue light. 

He took it for a star until it grew steadily brighter and he realized it was an aiia. The nervous excitement he had initially felt—long since dispelled by the irritation of staggering across moors—returned as icy fear. He pushed back against a rock, desperate to meld into it. Unsure where his friends had hidden, he contemplated calling to them, but stopped himself for fear of the aiia overhearing. He felt an irresistible urge to up and flee, to take his chances and try to outdistance it, not to stay there like a helpless animal, easy pickings for the monstrous creature. The longer he stayed, the greater he worried he was losing his head start, yet as the light advanced pitilessly he found himself unable to move. Now he could see her outline, the floating body no bigger than his thumb, the silhouetted head darting this way and that. He tried to dive for cover, but his body froze, unwilling to move despite his exhortations. It was not until the aiia steadied forty feet from the ground and began to pass back and forth, scanning the moors, that his body finally heeded him. He slid to the ground and pressed his face to the earth, screwing his eyes shut and covering his ears, desperate to zone out. 

“Sebastian!” she cried, the hills echoing to her lamentation. 
Never had he heard anything so alluring. He removed his hands and raised his head. As she flew overhead, he turned to her and was transfixed by her beauty, surrendering fully to the uncontrollable passion that hurtled into him, possessed his entire being, and vanquished all fear. All he wished was to behold her forever.

“Sebastian!” she repeated, desperately, achingly. 
Such pain. Such yearning. His love-addled mind had an epiphany. He would return to her, for surely it was she, the one eternal love that each renewed life was a quest for. They had finally found each other. How she craved him. How she missed him. Seized with a violent desire, his arms reached out to her, but the tall fernery conspired to conceal him. 

“Sebastian!” she wept in heartrending tones, sweeping directly above. As she sang his name, a metallic liquid issued from her mouth, carried on the breeze this way and that. A chain of drops descended to him, pouring into his ears, filling him with ecstasy.

“I’m here,” he gasped, yet his love-parched throat would brook no words.

The desire was so intense it became agonizing. He struggled to find his feet, yet his leaden limbs betrayed him, as if his mortal frame were jealous of the pending reunion of souls. With a Herculean effort, he sprang up and began to wave his arms wildly. Too late. She was some way off and did not look back. Finding his lungs, he released a plaintive howl.


Brendan
   Author Brendan Murphy

Brendan Murphy was raised in Sheffield, England, with dreams of becoming a writer, and has written every day since he was nine years old. After reading medicine in London and psychiatry in Manchester, he moved to Australia in 1999. He is an Associate Professor at Monash University and has written widely on youth mental health. His nonfiction work on the development of football in Victorian society, From Sheffield with Love, was published in 2007. He lives with his wife, Katrina, and their children, Sebastian and Violette, in a sprawling property built for the composer, Dorian Le Gallienne. They share their garden with a mob of kangaroos, a wombat, two possums, any number of creepy crawlies, and some very feisty kookaburras. In 2013, he was signed to Assent Publishing for a six-book deal. Beyond the Gloaming, the first Sebastian and the Hibernauts adventure, will be published by Assent imprint, Phantasm Books in 2014.



Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/28/14 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, November 7, 2014

Book Blast: Martian Goods & Other Stories by Noelle Campbell - Excerpt & Giveaway

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Martian Goods and Other Stories
Noelle Campbell

On a barren world where air is priceless and women are bought and sold, one man longs for love, but is she worth the price? In this collection of short stories by science fiction author Noelle Campbell, Mars is the new frontier where men stake their claims for a new life. But some commodities are harder to come by than others--including women, who are often willing to sacrifice everything to escape an Earth that is no longer free.

Purchase your copy on
Amazon * B&N


Excerpt

Richard “Rock” Klein
Captains Log 14.10.2665
Patraeus Station, Outside Luna Docking Bay 24

They say space is cold. But it’s not *just* cold. No one has ever really felt how cold it is and lived to tell about it. We know instinctively that anything so vast and so empty must be cold.

The irony is that all the things we spend time with while in space also make us feel cold and empty. We travel in cold metallic ships from cold empty space to cold empty space.

Machines have no disability like perception. Filled with Artificial Intelligence and hundreds of processors heating up their hard drives, they are still only metal and plastic. They don’t care if they sit in space or in a shipyard for twenty years. They do not desire warmth and companionship. They just exist.

If you have one of those new bioships it might feel a little more like a horse than a cold lifeless THING, but in the end, it’s still a machine. It gives out as much personality and intelligence as an animal and it only lives to fill its purpose. It knows exactly what it should be and do. There is no goal for a spaceship to one day become a station. It is what it is and will never be more.

We try to fill the spaces with ego or warm it with personality. Those of us who spend so much time in space hardly know what exaggerated bravado is. We believe the lies we tell ourselves. We believe all the fantasies we create about ourselves and the things… and people, we love – or maybe it’s just ‘want.’

I’ve given up trying to tell the difference between love and desire. I just want warmth.

We leave a planet’s atmosphere to be greeted by a sheet of black with pinpricks of light. There is so much empty blackness between each point of light, that space seems cold even without feeling the temperature drop. We spend much of our time trying to make it feel warm and filled.

The ship is cold and empty this morning and I think of her.

Samaya.

Six months ago she warmed these halls. Maybe it was longer, but I remember it like it was yesterday. No one has ever turned me on, out and completely neutroned me like Sam did. We were good. No. That’s a lie. We were slammin’ fantastic. I know how good it can be between a man and a woman.

That’s why I hate her and why I can’t get her out of my mind at the same time. I sit at these docs and the ship is so quiet, all I can think of is the noise that Sam used to make, the scents she used to leave, the warmth, the humanity, as flawed as it was. Every time I have to sit and wait for maintenance, I think of her.

You might look at the logs from a year ago and come to the same conclusion I did then: She could be a cold-hearted bitch.

Still. . .a cold hearted bitch is better company than an empty starship.

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noelleAuthor Noelle Campbell Noelle Campbell has been involved in science media for more than a decade, covering stories for the entertainment sections of syfy (when it was still scifichannel), space.com, and local media in Houston, Texas—the home of the Space Center. As an advocate for the disabled, Noelle thinks the best way to prepare for the future is to imagine what it will be like and loves to imagine a life on Mars, which she does in her first published collection of short stories, Martian Goods & Other Stories.






book blast buttonBook Blast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/27/14 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Book Blast: Ghosts of Christmas Past by Jessica Aspen - Review & Giveaway


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eBook Copy of GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST



Ghosts of Christmas Past 

Haunted Holidays # 1 

By: Jessica Aspen
Released August 6th, 2014



Jen MacNamara flees the Christmas wedding of her best friend and cheating fiancĂ© and runs to the country to spend the holiday alone. It's the perfect plan, until her unexpectedly sexy neighbor and landlord, Nate Pierce, insists on bringing the holiday to her—complete with a Christmas tree, hot chocolate, and an unexpected kiss.

And that’s not Jen’s only problem.

The cozy country farmhouse is already occupied by something evil. Now Jen’s nights are spent wrapped in sensual dreams of a past life, and her days growing closer to Nate as they solve the mystery of the malevolent ghost that haunts not only the house, but also wants Jen dead.

Dare to discover Jessica Aspen’s sexy, new adult, contemporary, Gothic romance, today.






My Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Ghosts of Christmas Past is a cute novella about a haunted house that brings two lost souls together. It's a super-fast read with endearing characters and a sweet romance.

Jen desperately needs to escape from her dead-end life. Sometimes the wealthy just don't have it all. With a self-centered mother, a man-stealing best friend, and a louse of an ex-fiance, Jen isn't happy at all. She flees the city to avoid the wedding of her best friend and ex-fiance.

Nate is desperately trying to hold onto the family real estate, renting out the old farmhouse that he remodeled. Problem is: it's haunted. Not that he has experienced anything, but he can't keep a tenant due to supernatural events.

Jen and Nate feel an immediate, intense attraction to each other. They bond over a couple of days while investigating the haunting. The romance moved really fast, but given their pasts, I'm not really surprised that they would cling to each other.

Overall, it's a fun read. I definitely enjoyed the first half better than the last half. Perhaps a bit more investigation would have made the second half better. While I liked Jen and Nate as a couple, their whirlwind romance was a tad much for me. If you're looking for a sweet ghost story/romance, I think you'll enjoy this novella.


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Jessica Aspen has always wanted to be spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side and delve into new worlds by writing paranormal romance. She loves indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and hiking in the Colorado Rockies. You can find out more information and read about Jessica’s paranormal romances at her website.









Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Book Blitz: Blamed by Edie Harris - Excerpt & Giveaway



Blamed
Blood Money #1

Edie Harris

Romantic Suspense
Carina Press
November 3, 2014

Amazon * B&N * iTunes * Goodreads

Born into a long line of spies, sanctioned killers and covert weapons developers, Beth Faraday carried out her first hit-for-hire when she was still a teenager.


That part of her life—the American spy royalty part—ended one year ago, with a job gone wrong in Afghanistan. The collateral damage she caused with a single shot was unfathomable and, for Beth, unforgivable. She’s worked hard to build a new life for herself, far away from the family business.

But someone, somewhere, hasn’t forgotten what Beth did in Kabul. And they want revenge.
As the Faraday clan bands together to defend Beth and protect their legacy, Beth is forced to flee her new home with the unlikeliest of allies—MI6 agent Raleigh Vick, the only man she’s ever loved. And the one she thought she’d killed in the desert.


Excerpt

Oh, these games we play. Beth smiled wryly as the crosshairs of her scope framed him beautifully from six hundred yards away, unable to prevent the melty little sigh that escaped her.

Not that she’d ever admit to sighing over him, whoever he was this time around. Her brows knit in a scowl as she studied him, loathing the desert sun for the way it burnished him bronze—and loathing him for looking like a god in its glow.

How long had it been since Cyprus? Nine months, twelve days, and… Well, the hours and minutes didn’t matter anymore, because here he was. Granted, six hundred yards away and completely unaware of Beth lying belly-down on a hill in the outskirts of deadly Kabul, but still—here.

Her pulse picked up its pace as she remembered the last time she’d seen him, nine months, twelve days and twenty-two hours ago. Yes, twenty-two. A girl didn’t easily forget the last time a pair of broad-palmed, callused hands had stroked her to orgasm. At least, not when those hands belonged to him.

He stood on a dusty street corner under an awning, talking animatedly with a keffiyeh-wearing man who appeared decidedly upset. Her attention focused on the hands she could still feel like a brand on the tender skin of her belly, her inner thighs. He gestured easily, attempting to calm his companion, clearly speaking the other man’s language with enviable fluency. She stared at his moving lips through her scope, unconsciously wetting her own as she caught a glimpse of the gap between his front teeth.

And there was her confirmation, dental and undeniable. Different as always, and yet the same, despite the change to his coloring and clothing.

His hair was shaved down to a close buzz, appearing to be some shade of brown; in Cyprus, he’d been a sun-streaked, shaggy blonde, all surfer chic as his cover had demanded. She couldn’t see his brows behind the large aviator sunglasses he wore, but as he turned his head, she caught a glimpse of his other identifiable marker—the scar cutting across his jaw to the left of his mouth, earned years ago during an incident in Serbia.

Coincidentally, Beth had been underneath him during said incident.


About the Author

Edie Harris studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Iowa and Grinnell College. She fills her days with writing and editing contract proposals, but her nights belong to the world of romance fiction. Edie lives and works in Chicago and is represented by Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency.

Author links:



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Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Book Blitz: Evernight by Candace Knoebel - Excerpt & Giveaway



Evernight
Night Watchmen #2

Candace Knoebel

YA Paranormal Romance
October 31, 2014

Amazon * Goodreads

The stunning sequel to the thrilling paranormal romance novel Everlasting!

One lie will change everything.

Faye Middleton has secured the Dagger of Retribution for the High Priesthood, but in doing so, she’s opened the door to more demands set by them. She now has to break the Holy Seal, and soon. Trapped in the alluring Ethryeal City, Faye is pushed to the breaking point trying to discover just what she is truly capable of, even if it means destroying herself in the process.

With the clock ticking down to the war between both Covens, and the truth about her parent’s mysterious disappearance within her reach, Faye is faced with tough choices that will forever change her. Will Faye be able to handle the demands from the Priesthood, and still be able to continue her search for her parents?

But more importantly, can she survive the truth she finds?

Excerpt

“It seems even in a new city we can’t avoid interruptions.” He walks back over to me.
“Yeah,” I say, blowing out a large breath.
He clears his throat. Runs his hands down his thighs. “Maybe it’s a sign.”
“A sign?” I start to protest, but he shushes me with a long, deep, kiss. His velvet tongue dances with mine, and his hand finds the small of my back, supporting me as my knees convert to jelly. He kisses me with a certain madness, a longing delivered only by the distance forced between us.
Kissing him fills the hollowed ache inside of me. It eases the pain of everything I can’t control. The things I can’t fix. Of missing my parents, and Katie, and all the conversations we’ll never have.
I feel every emotion storming through him, and share the pain of having been stripped of control.
“I can’t get enough,” he says, trying to catch a breath. Holding me like he’ll never let go again. “I promise you,” he says as he breaks away from the kiss, his chest rising and falling rapidly, “this will happen. It’s going to happen. Soon. This—it’s just not the right time.” There’s desperation in his voice. He’s clinging to the edges of sanity. Of strength.
I run my fingers through his hair and plant a kiss on his lips, ignoring the whirlwind spiraling within me. Ignoring the ache that won’t seem to leave me. “When is the right time?” I ask evenly, trying to control my breathing.
The heat between us is intoxicating.
He rests his forehead against mine. Licks his lips and drags in a breath. It takes him a moment to speak, to pull himself back, and I envy that he even can. I envy his strength and how easy it is for him to slip in and out of desire. “When I can take you out like a normal person, learn all the secrets you’ve kept buried within you,” he says, his eyes sparkling with love. “And after we figure out what the hell is going on here.”
His bucket of ice-cold words splash over me.
I know it’s my turn to speak, but I want to make sure what I say is on point, and I can’t do that when I still feel his hands on my skin and his lips on my body. I can’t quell the storm he’s unleashed, breaking open every part of longing that I spent hour after hour shutting off. There’s no way to pretend that I don’t feel his heart beating wildly against his ribcage, wanting to be set free.
“That could take forever,” I admit, hating how this seems so easy for him.
Maybe he senses this because he exhales like he agrees with me. Like he knows it could take forever, and there’s no way either of us could make it that long. “I won’t be able to hold back forever, Faye. You-you’re so damn perfect. So damn tempting. I’m just… you deserve the best. You should be taken out and properly wooed. You should have the perfect night to give yourself to me, and I intend to make that happen. Very soon.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. My insides don’t care about a proper night, but my heart is flattered. My mind understands. I take his hand and squeeze, trying to be glad that I fell for a perfect gentleman. Striving not to be ashamed of my blatant want for this man who drives every inch of me deliciously insane.
“You never cease to surprise me,” I say, the side of my mouth lifting up.
He chuckles. “I surprise myself,” he admits, “because it’s sure as hell taking every last bit of my self-control to keep from exploring every inch of you right now.” He ruffles a hand in the back of his hair. Tries to keep his eyes on anything but me.
My heart swells. “I uh-maybe we should talk about something else then,” I say, my voice strained and shaky.
“Yeah,” he agrees, taking a seat on my bed. He moves back against the wall, takes in a breath, and then shifts subjects. “I can’t believe Clara got us out.”
“I know, right? I never thought for a second it would be her face I saw when we were released. She’s just always been so… so mean and hateful.” Thoughts of being back at the Academy race through my mind. Clara’s open distaste of me. Mack’s mistrust of her. Her thirst for power. It just doesn’t make sense that she would want to help us… at least not from the kindness of her shriveled-up heart.
“Clara’s ruthless,” he says, the bitterness in his tone leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
 I look to him, wishing for once the answer would come easy for me.
“But maybe,” he says, searching my eyes, “maybe we should go along with it for the time being. See what she wants.” He grabs my hand. “I mean, really, what choice do we have? We’re running out of allies. And choices. Mack isn’t here, and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get in touch with him. She’s basically the only person we have on our side in this city—the only one who’s connected to home.”
“I don’t know about her being on our side, but yeah, I think you’re right. We should at least play along for the time being. At least until the Priesthood reveals what they want next from us,” I say.
He leans his head back and closes his eyes. Drags in a breath. “As much as I hate to admit this. Hell, as much as I hate to go along with this, all we can really do is let go, jump in feet first, and hope for the best,” he says on an exhale. “We just have to keep a keen eye out, and we need to be prepared for whatever they throw at us because, really, we’re all we’ve got, and we have to make that work.”
The sad part is he’s exactly right.




Everlasting (Night Watchmen, #1)

What if your destiny lay on the other side of death?

The annual Culling ceremony is a day every coming-of-age novice looks forward to within the Primeval Coven. It’s the start to being initiated into the Night Watchmen, humankind’s protectors, and it’s the long-awaited day when novices discover if they’re a Hunter or a Witch.

But this day is not a happy one for Faye Middleton. Not when she’s known her whole life that she’s a Defect and is about to face banishment in front of her fellow novices. She’s forced to attend the Culling with little hope for her future, but what she discovers about herself is far worse than she could’ve imagined. And far more dangerous.

Thrown into training and separated from her friends, Faye must learn to adjust. She struggles to find her place within the Coven, and with Jaxen Gramm, the darkly handsome and extremely unnerving man assigned to watch and protect her. Emotions run high, and when she discovers a deadly secret about him, her struggles deepen. As corruption within the Coven begins to unravel, Faye pieces together her role in saving the future of her people, and within Jaxen’s life...but will the truth save her, or be her undoing?

Links for purchase (available in ebook and paperback):


The Gramm Curse (Night Watchmen, #0.5)

Set before Everlasting, the addicting start to the Night Watchmen Series, The Gramm Curse is a novella told from Jaxen Gramm’s perspective.

How far is one willing to go for love?

Before finding a love that shakes the entire foundation of his world, Jaxen Gramm only had his Witch, Jezibelle Beaumont, to worry about. He’s her Hunter, and he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe from the curse placed on his bloodline, even if it means keeping her far from his heart.

But when a spell is offered that has the power to remove the curse, temptation clouds the ethical judgment of the Gramm brothers and their Witches.

In this action-packed novella, enter the dark recesses of Jaxen’s mind as he battles with himself over a decision that could not only cost him his life, but the life of fellow Coven members. Reunite with Gavin, Cassie, Mack, and Jezi as they dance around the dangers of a civil war on the brink of beginning.

Links for purchase (available in ebook and paperback):

About the Author

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-book one in a young adult fantasy trilogy. She discovered in 2009 through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. And an outlet for all the voices residing in her head.

Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. In January of 2014, the last book in the trilogy, From the Embers, was released, thusly completing the trilogy. She now works on the Night Watchmen Series, while guzzling Red Bulls and pretending to be a ninja on Heelys.



Author Links:
Website: https://www.candaceknoebel.com
Blog: http://candaceknoebel.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandaceKnoebel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/candaceknoebel
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6458922.Candace_Knoebel

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Life, Luck & Dr. Seuss

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own trials and tribulations.
Even the most trivial thing can take on epic proportions.
We forget not to sweat the small stuff,
to stop and smell the flowers on the winding path of life.
For there is wonder in the tiniest things, under the smallest rock.
Today I want you to look at the world through newly opened eyes.
Ignore the bad and embrace the good.
Take your dog for a walk.
Call your parents.
Hug your significant other.
Talk to your child.
Smile at every person you meet.
Remember that every moment is a gift.
We are responsible for our own fate.

Need a kickstart?

One need look no further than Dr. Seuss for inspiration.


So give it a try- plaster a smile to your face.
You may find in time
that smile permanently in place.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Book Blitz: Cursed by Evangeline Anderson - Excerpt, Interview & Giveaway



Cursed
Brides of the Kindred #13

Evangeline Anderson

Steamy Sci-Fi Romance
October 31, 2014

Amazon * B&N * iTunes * Kobo * Smashwords
Goodreads

This is a plus length novel–over 153,000 words long.
Commander Stavros Rii of the Kindred is a Sin Eater–thick black lines cover his back and neck causing him to feel the pain of others. It is a curse that threatens to shorten his life and makes him unable to bond with a female–not that he’s ever found one he wants to bond with. Until he meets Charlie.

Charlie Sayers is an agent with the Earth Protection Bureau– and anti Kindred agency dedicated to ridding the world of the big aliens. Charlie joined the EPB out of a sense of patriotism but she has her own reasons to hate the Kindred.

But she has bigger problems than the Kindred at the moment–the Enhanced Ones have come to Earth and they’re planning to take over the planet, enslave the inhabitants and strip them of all emotion. Charlie can’t have that so she agrees to go undercover with Stavros to find the Heart of Love–an artifact which can destroy their mutual enemy forever.

On their dangerous and difficult mission, Charlie learns that going undercover with your worst enemy can rapidly turn him into your best friend…or your lover. Can she hold on to her beliefs and stay true to herself, or will she lose her heart to Stavros? And even if she gives in to desire, will Stav be able to bond her to him?

Or are they Cursed to be apart forever?

Excerpt


“You can put me down now.” Charlie’s heart was pounding—she wasn’t sure why. “I mean, I really am fine.”

“No you’re not. You’re wounded. And I must heal you.”

The look in his eyes was beyond intense as he cupped her cheek.

“But…” Charlie started to protest, her heart pounding.

“Open to me.” His voice had gone deep and soft and commanding. “Open  and let me heal you, Charlotte.”

“I…” But further words of protest seemed to die on her lips as he bent her over his arm and sealed his mouth to hers.

Charlie gave a little gasp as she felt his lips press gently but firmly to hers. Then his tongue was there, tracing the seam of her lips, seeking entrance. She wanted to pull away and cuss at him—tell him he had no right. Instead she felt her lips parting, allowing him in when she knew she shouldn’t.

He’s just healing me, 
she told herself desperately. It’s not really a kiss. But it certainly felt like one, especially when his tongue entwined with hers and he sucked gently, as though inviting her to explore his mouth as he was exploring hers.

Charlie gave a helpless little moan and took his unspoken invitation. God, his mouth was so warm and he tasted like cinnamon—cinnamon and some exotic mint she’d never had before. She could feel the edges of his fangs but this time he somehow managed to keep from cutting her with them even when the tip of her tongue danced dangerously over their razor-sharp points. The kiss went on and on and his dark, spicy scent filled her senses until Charlie felt like she was drowning in him, being completely consumed from the inside out.



Interview with Evangeline Anderson

1. For those who aren't familiar with you or your work please introduce yourself.
Hi, my name is Evangeline Anderson. I'm a registered MRI tech, a full time mom to a twice exceptional little boy and a full time writer as well. I live in Tampa, FL with my wonderful husband of 17 years. I love writing, cooking, baking, making jewelry, and volunteering at my son's school. I've been writing since 2003 and was first published in 2004. I started self publishing the Brides of the Kindred books in 2011 and the series took off quickly. Readers seem to love the idea of a hot, muscular alien man swooping down to take them away from it all. I wonder why...?  ; ) Anyway, I am about to publish the 11th book in the series this coming Friday and I'm very excited about it. Thanks for having me here to talk about the Kindred and my writing.

2. What inspired you to begin writing? Why did you choose to write within the sci-fi/fantasy genre? Once you caught the writing bug, how long did it take before you realized you couldn't juggle your love of writing and a full-time gig?
What inspired me? Hmm, I guess it's that I've always had a dirty mind. I used to write explicit  love scenes as a teenager and then burn them in the fireplace so my parents (who were both ministers) wouldn't have a heart attack.I chose sci-fi fantasy because that is what I love to read. Plus, Sci-fi is unique in that it lends itself to any plot situation I wish to write. If I want to write a planet where all the males are slaves so my hero and heroine have to go undercover as Mistress and slave, I can. And I have, along with many other ideas that wouldn't work in contemporary fiction.

As for giving up my full time job, I wasn't able to do that until the Kindred really took off in 2012. And to make it work, I have to put out a book every 2-3 months. Because everything I write is over 100,000 words long, that translates to some serious keyboard time. But I love it! I feel so blessed to be able to write for a living.

3. Let's talk about the Brides of the Kindred series! How on earth did you come up with this concept?
Thank you so much! When I started the Kindred series, I had never really written a series before but only stand alone books. I wanted something with infinite possibilities--something I would never get bored with. When I sat down to outline the series, I envisioned only the first four books. I'm as surprised as anyone else that my muse keeps coming up with more but I'm very grateful. Thanks to the Kindred I'm able to be a full time mom to my son.

4. You decided to cross over not only into writing interspecies pairings in this series but interracial pairings as well. Was it difficult to write these particular pairings? Lauren and Xairn in particular come to mind, which is why I inquire.
I credit my good friend and fellow author Lena Matthews for getting me into writing I/R pairings. She opened my eyes and made me see that  I/R readers are a very under-served audience. Also, I don't see why skinny white virgins should get all the love. I adore writing women of all different cultures and body types.
5. Do you find it difficult to write LBGT fantasy vs. M/F fantasy?
I have to be honest, I don't write much LBGT anymore. The Kindred series is all M/F and I have to be in a very specific mindset to write M/M. Since I started the Kindred, I haven't been in that mindset and I have to go where the muse takes me.

6. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
I think right now everyone wants to jump right into self publishing. My advice would be to work on your craft first. Take a writing class at your local community college and find a writing group to critique your work. Unless your name happens to be Jane Austen, your first novel is almost certainly going to be dreadful. (Mine was!) Get the first one out and move on to the second. See if you can find a publisher who is interested. By starting with a publisher you build a readership because everyone that comes to their website sees your book. Once you have a readership, THEN you can self pub and quit your day job. But it takes a little while unless you just happen to hit the right idea at just the right time in a 50 Shades kind of way.

7. What do you feel has been the most challenging thing you've encountered as a writer?
Getting published by a New York publisher was challenging. I got a three book deal with Kensington when I was just starting out in my writing career. But it turns out that those books don't make nearly the money that my self published books do. The other challenge is finding time to get my books written and out there in a reasonable amount of time without neglecting my family. My son has been diagnose with ADHD, SPD, and is on Autism spectrum as well. I have to take him to therapy 6 times a week so I just bring the laptop along. But it can be quite challenging getting everything done without cheating either my readers or my family.

8. Do you ever read your reviews? If so, how do you deal with the negativity?
Honestly, not anymore. We writers are fragile creatures. I have found that reading a terrible review, whether justified or not, can kill the book I'm presently writing and send me under a rock for at least a week. That's bad for business so I generally don't obsess over my reviews. Good ones are always nice but mostly I just try to keep my head down and write for myself. If I like a story I'm writing, chances are my readers will too.

9. What are you currently working on? When can fans anticipate your next release?
Well, my next release is Cursed, the 13th book in the Kindred series. And I'm currently working on Enslaved, which will be the 14th book in the series.

10. What are five things your fans would be surprised to learn about you?
Wow, five? Okay, I'll try. Hmmm...
1. My parents were ministers and I was raised in a very religious household. I was forbidden from reading anything questionable which of course, made me want to read it even more. I think that's one reason I became an author of erotica.
2. Despite what I write, I am a Christian and attend church regularly. I think of my stories as marital aids--I try to make my heroes and heroines monogamous and the sex they share causes  a deep spiritual  connection between them. I have gotten many e-mails from readers thanking me for "improving" their marriage. As someone who as been married a long time myself, I know that sometimes you just need a little help to get in the mood. It makes me happy if my books can do that.
3. I don't read romance. (Don't shoot me!) I didn't grow up reading Harlequin because my mother wouldn't allow it. I was raised on sci-fi and fantasy and those are still my favorite genres. So I write what I like to read, only I add some romance and sex to the mix. Some readers have said that my writing is unlike a lot of other romance and I think that's the reason why.
4. I still work one day a week as a MRI tech even though I don't have to for the money. I want to keep my skills sharp in case something should happen. Also, I am NEVER going to take the MRI registry exam again. Had to study for six months to pass it the first time and I have heard they've made it harder since then. I like to keep my options open so I keep my MRI license active.
5. This may be TMI but I have never been with any man but my husband. So many readers think I must have lived a wild life to write the things I do. The truth is, I just have a wild imagination.

About the Author

Evangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.





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Blog Tour: Stolen Moon by Kimber Leigh Wheaton - Excerpt & Giveaway



Stolen Moon is touring with Xpresso Book Tours this week. Click on the banner to follow the tour!


Stolen Moon
Light Chronicles Book 2
Kimber Leigh Wheaton

YA Fantasy Romance
August 19, 2014
Astraea Press


Blurb

Katarina ~ a Royal Knight bound by honor and duty who steals a powerful relic from a sorcerer in a desperate attempt to save her kingdom from the clutches of a madman.
Ethan ~ a mercenary leader trapped between his growing attraction to Katarina and his responsibility to protect his friends from the evil pursuing her.
Zebulon ~ a malicious sorcerer waging war as though it's a game, caring nothing for the lives he destroys in his quest for power.
Drawn together by a moonstone medallion—an indestructible relic with immense magical power.
Katarina steals the medallion from Zebulon and flees in the dead of night. Together with Ethan and his mercenaries, she struggles to stay one step ahead of the sorcerer and his minions in a race against time to save her homeland. Fierce battles, ravenous monsters, and bloodthirsty brigands—those are no surprise. But Katarina never dreamed her greatest obstacle could be falling in love.

Praise

“Stolen Moon was a lovely read. With the adorable romance and quest to take down a tyrant, this book was wonderful and I really liked it.” ~ Farrah @ Imagine a World

“Having read the first in the Light Chronicles, Shadow Fire set the bar really high, but Stolen Moon was just as thrilling a read as the first in this series.” ~ Sasha Hibbs- Bestselling author of Black Amaranth

“The plot was great and fast paced. I had to keep reading just to see what was going to happen. This is a book worth reading and I glad I did.” ~ Melissa Love – author of Love on Death Row




Excerpt from Chapter Six ~ Escape

Clashing metal. Pained screams. So many bodies, it's hard to tell friend from foe. A sword descends toward me. I catch it in my peripheral vision just in time to block it with my own. My body is at an awkward angle, and the blow jars my arm, sending pain lancing up into my shoulder. When I turn to face my attacker, a startled gasp escapes my throat.
"Roland?" I ask as tears fill my eyes. "Is it really you?"
"En guarde, Katarina," Roland replies, pointing his sword at me. "We are enemies now."
"But…" I trail off, unable to continue as I stare at my best friend. The boy I had once fantasized about marrying is now a man. "I thought you were dead."
"That's what I wanted you to think," he says as the point of his sword lowers a few inches toward the ground. "I had to leave—to fight for something I believe in… or rather against someone I don't believe in."
"Traitor," I bite out in a harsh whisper. "How could you turn your back on your comrades?"
"How can you continue to follow and fight for a madman?" Roland counters, his sword point creeping up again while mine hangs loosely at my side.
"I'm loyal to Tellain," I reply through gritted teeth.
"Until Zebulon is defeated, there is no Tellain to be loyal to," he says with a sad shake of his head. "Look at him, Katarina. Look!"
He points to the hilltop in the distance where Zebulon and Lilith are lighting the captured enemy soldiers on fire one at a time. This isn't a mass conflagration. No, they are burning slowly, their screams echoing above the noise of the battle. My heart falls. I know Zebulon must be defeated. But I also know that it must come from within where he least expects it. I've been biding my time for three years now. One day, I will take him down.
"I am doing what I can from within," I say, somehow managing to keep my emotions firmly under wraps. "One day I will succeed."
"And how many will die while you twiddle your thumbs?" Roland asks, spittle flying from his mouth in his fervor. "I loved you once. Now you're nothing but my enemy. You're pathetic. Too scared to cut ties with Zebulon and do what's right. You don't deserve to live. You're just as bad as he is!"
Roland's anger fuels his attack, and his sword crashes down against mine. My arms shake from the force of the blow. I counter three tremendous strikes. When he raises his sword for the next attack, he leaves his left side wide open. I slash my sword across his hip and down his left leg. It tears through his leather breeches much deeper than I intended. Tears burn my eyes when I meet his startled gaze.
"Finish me, Katarina," he says in a choked murmur. "Don't let Zebulon or Lilith get their hands on me. Please."
My vision blurs, and I blink the tears away so I can see my enemy. Roland, the boy I once loved stares at me with pleading eyes. Pulling my dagger from the scabbard on my thigh, I kneel next to his head and slit his throat in one quick motion. Watching the life drain from his eyes firms my resolve. I don't want to watch more people I love die needless deaths. I will stop Zebulon or die trying.

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