Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Never Kiss and Tell by Megan Gaudino










Welcome to Megan Gaudino, author of Never Kiss and Tell, with a post about a trip that inspired a scene in her latest novel!

I wanted to talk about something today that I think is pretty amazing. Amazing enough that I wrote it into this book and made it a key part of the story. What I’m talking about is the blue hole. There are actually thousands around the world, but I don’t think many people are familiar with them. They’re these little (or big) pockets of water with steep walls and are almost perfectly circular. They are essentially sinkholes that form within another body of water and usually date back to past ice ages. That might sound really cool to you or that might sound really boring but either way, if you saw one, you’d be impressed.

The blue hole in Never Kiss and Tell is completely based on my trip to the blue hole in CastaliaErie CountyOhio. I don’t mention Castalia in the book but I do mention Erie County. I first heard about blue holes from my mom and grandmother. They would talk about their trips out to see this blue hole and the tales of this constantly freezing water and endlessly blue color just seemed like pure magic. I had to go. I had to see it. After some Googling I found out, to my dismay that the blue hole was now on private property and closed to the public but I was in luck, there was another blue hole.


I made the trip out to Castalia, just a little over two hours from my house, and I wasn’t disappointed. Getting there isn’t glamourous or even challenging. You just drive around to the back of the fish hatchery and see a plain road sign that reads “blue hole.”


I walked up to the small dock and there it was. In all its glory. I think being surrounded by the ordinariness of the buildings and the parking lot made it even more special. It was so blue. Like, ridiculously blue. And clear! You could see all the way to the bottom. The temperature is always at about 49F and because of the water’s makeup it can’t support fish, but it was amazing. My mom said, and like the picture shows, you couldn’t get near the old blue hole but I could’ve jumped right in this one. That is if I wanted too.


I know I’m not giving the blue hole justice with my descriptions, and I promise you it is described to perfection in the book, but I do have a point. There are magical things everywhere. I know it can be completely explained by science, and I’m sure the people who see it every day aren’t that impressed, but to me standing there and dipping my toes in the water, I had found magic right here on earth. That makes me pretty happy and so impressed I made it a key point in a book I wrote. Moral of the story is, find the closest Blue Hole and check it out! Oh, and read about it in Never Kiss and Tell too!




NEVER KISS AND TELL
(Guardian Kiss, 2)

by Megan Gaudino

Romance/Paranormal/Teen
72K/Evernight Teen Publishing


Sophia Destino has a target on her back.
Someone is determined to make sure 
she doesn’t see tomorrow. 

When Leo takes off on a dangerous mission 
to track down her attacker, Sophia is left to 
deal with a life that’s been turned upside down. 

Then she discovers her importance to guardian legend. She thought she was strong. She thought she could trust Leo. Until she discovers that her biggest fear is Leo’s greatest desire. 

Leo wants to be human again, and Sophia is the key to him doing just that. But should she risk everything for Leo and their happily ever after, or has Leo been tricking her all along to get what he wants?


Buy Links:   Evernight Teen    Amazon     ARe
  
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14+ due to adult situations

Excerpt:

“Don’t be afraid.” Leo’s deep voice wrapped around me like velvet.

I bolted to the light switch and flicked it up. Was my mind playing tricks on me?

“Leo…” It was barely a whisper and held a hint of a question.

“My Sophia.” He stood up and held his arms out to me, just waiting.

Waiting was something I’d done a lot of for Leo. I kept my spot by the door, with hopes so high they could kill me. He looked the same—out-of-this-world hot, and fortunately not injured in any way my eyes could detect. He wore severely distressed light-washed jeans and a plain black V-neck. His flaxen hair curled wildly around his face and his lips were tight.

The look was so good on him I almost couldn’t take it.

The dark look on his face told me he was feeling exactly the same way about me and my dress.

Without knowing who made the first move, I ended up in his arms. Leo held me close to his chest as my feet no longer touched the ground. I clung to him with everything in me, not caring how hot his flesh felt against mine and forgetting to be angry with him for being gone so long.

“I missed you,” he told me as his hand cupped the back of my head while his other supported the entirety of my weight.

“I missed you more, I bet,” I told him, believing my words to be true. There were so many thoughts swirling in my head.

“Impossible.” He sat us down on the edge of the bed and cradled me in his lap since I refused to end our hug.

“Well, you could at least see me.” I had to point out the obvious. I’d had no way of knowing if he was even alive.

Leo gently nudged my head up with his shoulder and tilted my chin with his burning fingers until it was level with his. “I’m sorry I left you.”

Before I answered, his lips caught mine in a crushing kiss. My hands buried themselves in his hair and held his face as close to mine as possible. My heart was beating so loudly I was sure he could hear it and I couldn’t breathe but it didn’t seem to matter.

Leo’s mouth only left mine to kiss my shoulder, then trailed down to my arm. Where his lips met my skin, visible puffs of steam appeared.

“Oh, God.” He groaned and tried to pull away from me.

“No,” I told him as I tried to keep him close.

“I’m hurting you.” He brushed the hair away from my eyes, just barely touching me.

“Stopping would hurt me.”

My words were all it took for his lips to be back on mine. Leo fell back on the bed and pulled me with him. First I was on top of him. Then all of a sudden Leo was on top. My hands pressed into his back with all the strength I had as I pulled him closer to me.

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Books 1 and 2 now available HERE

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About the Author:

Megan Gaudino works in a high school library by day and on her own books by night. She is particularly fond of every show on HBO and writes YA and NA novels full of emotions. Megan lives in Pittsburgh where you can find her reading, writing, and Instagraming.
Instagram- https://instagram.com/mkgaud/       

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Giveaway:
$15 Amazon gift card,
a From the Page Leo's Scent candle,
a Craft'dVan custom magnetic bookmark,
and some healing crystal's used in the book

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Cover Reveal! Bleeding Hearts by Dana Louise Provo - Excerpt

Cover Reveal!!


Bleeding Hearts

Dana Louise Provo

New Adult Romantic Suspense
Clean Reads
August 25, 2016

Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare.
Red roses, a reminder of her parents' killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life.
Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again?


Excerpt
My arm trembles as I grip the cool handle of my pistol, keeping a firm grasp to ensure it doesn’t slip out of my sweaty hand. It usually stands sentry in my left nightstand to scare the nightmares away. But this isn’t a dream. The room is dark and hides the face of the man whose intent is to kill me. But I know who he is. A metallic taste fills my mouth; I want to gag. My blood drips off the blade in his hand in slow, steady beats on the carpet. My arms shake as I lift the barrel and point it in his direction. He doesn't move. His heavy breaths alert me to the meager distance between us.
We’re at a stalemate.
A soft glow from the lamppost just outside my window casts a sliver of light on his face. His dark, beady eyes that I have grown to know rake over my body like I'm another one of his many victims. He lifts the edges of his mouth into a smile. My heart plunges into my stomach. I know what that sinister expression means, and I think back to all the times he had looked at me like that before. I had been so blind.
Before I react he lunges at me, grabbing onto my waist and twisting me to the ground. I shriek as my head slams against the bed frame. Black spots flood my vision. I squeeze my hand only to find it empty. My gun is gone. The sound of the knife clattering on the floor gives me slight hope. Not much though. He climbs up my body trying to pin my arms to the floor. I thrash my fists around, desperate to knock him off.
“Get off!” I scream, pulling on his shirt and kicking him off balance. Wrapping his hands around my arms, my attacker cuts off the circulation of blood. Rug burns flare across my skin as he drags me across the carpet. He closes his hands around my neck, shutting off my air supply. I pull at his hands but it's no use; he has always been stronger than me. My pulse drums a frantic beat in my ears. The air slowly leaks out from my lungs, killing any hope I may have left. I search for the gun around the room; it may be my only savior now.
"Why are you doing this?" I struggle to get the words out. He squints his dark eyes. I'm wondering if there might be a chance that he will stop this madness. I am wrong.
"It'll be over soon, sweetheart." His hands again tighten around my neck, blocking the air from entering my lungs. 

About the Author

Dana Provo has always loved books and reads everything from young adult fantasy to adult historical romances. When she’s not reading or writing her next novel, Dana can be found riding her horses and getting ready for competition. Dana lives with her husband and two house plants in Richmond, Virginia.


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