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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

LOVE UNDERCOVER by Nana Prah: Excerpt and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the blurb blitz tour for Love Undercover by Nana Prah, a multicultural romance released September 13, 2014 by Black Opal Books.


http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/08/blurb-blitz-love-undercover-by-nana-prah.html


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nana be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

Love Undercover by Nana Prah


The last thing she expects is to fall in love with a prison guard…

Hotshot Secret Service Agent, Sarita Cerez is thrown into a medium security prison—for work. Her job is to protect the daughter of the president of South Korea. She never envisioned making friends with illegal immigrants or falling head over heels for one of the guards. Now the clandestine activity, which is integral to protecting her charge, may destroy her only chance at love.

He's never fraternized with the inmates—until he met her…

Matthew Carter always plays by the rules, which includes maintaining a strictly professional relationship with the inmates in his charge. But when Sarita saunters onto the unit, all bets are off. Her status as a deportee with a permanent ticket to Columbia means they can never be together, but try as he might, this doesn’t stop him from risking his career for her.

He's a man who values honesty above all else, and she lies for a living. Can two people from such different worlds find any common ground?


EXCERPT


As inappropriate as the situation had turned out to be, Sarita was his. At least until she returned to Columbia in what? A few days? A week? No matter when, she would go. “No wife or girlfriend to hang out with.”

Her chest deflated with her released breath. He wished he could have taken her air into himself. I’m screwed. “What about you? Are you married or have a boyfriend waiting to break you out of here at the first opportunity?”

Her eyes blazed into his. “Single as single can be.”

The admission sparked something deep within him. He had to touch her. Nothing else mattered except having his fingers glide over her flawless mocha skin. The all-encompassing urge pushed him to stand.

With a controlled effort he strode to the area across from the television and leaned against the wall.

On every unit, one spot existed where neither the cameras nor inmates could see. Management knew about it, but the cost of adding a third camera would be too expensive for the facility to contemplate so they left it. At least that’s the story Matt had been told.

He’d never used the spot, but as he waited for her to join him, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

He motioned her to him with a crook of his index finger. “Come here.”


AUTHOR Bio and Links


Nana Prah is a multi-published author of contemporary, multicultural romance. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she’s not writing she’s reading, indulging in chocolate, and enjoying life with friends and family.

Contact her:

Blog: www.nanaprah.blogspot.com

Twitter: @NanaPrah

Facebook: Nana Prah, Author http://www.facebook.com/NanaPrah.Author

Goodreads: Nana Prah https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202262.Nana_Prah

Google + : Nana Prah https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NanaPrah/posts


GIVEAWAY 


Nana be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, September 29, 2014

MOLLY HARPER & DUETS by Emelle Gamble: Book Blast with Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for Molly Harper and Duets by Emelle Gamble, Women's Romantic Fiction books available now.
 

Emelle will award a signed paperback of MOLLY HARPER with bonus novella DUETS included (US ONLY) to THREE randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Please click the tour banner at the top to see other stops on this tour.

Movie star Molly Harper has it all, beauty, success in her field, and a loving family and marriage to actor Ben Delmonico. Norma Wintz, Molly’s mother, has it all, a lovely life style and two children who adore her, and a respite from the battle against cancer she’s been fighting. Anne Sullivan, at age fifty, is optimistic that her move to sunny Santa Barbara, California, will allow her to be closer to her youngest son and his family, and help her start her life anew after the death of her beloved husband.

But all three of these women, despite their considerable blessings, are plunged into turmoil when the most intimate of secrets that ties their lives together is revealed. At this same time, Molly Harper is confronted with the news that her marriage to actor Ben Delmonico is over. As she navigates this heartbreak and tries to keep the personal details of the drama off the front pages of the newspapers, Molly must also find a way to once and forever negotiate a way forward with her ex- lover and best friend, the volatile and compelling Cruz Morales.

How each of these characters handles the resulting upheaval in their own life, and in their relationships with one another, forms the compelling story of family, secrets and trust in the romantic women’s fiction novel, Molly Harper.



DUETS offers alternating looks into the lives of two women who would seem to have little or nothing in common.

Screen star Molly Harper has it all…beauty, success in her profession, a loving family and an upcoming marriage to actor Ben Delmonico. But as Molly is on the verge of marrying the man who has swept her off her feet, she still wonders if he hasn’t swept all her feelings for her first love away, Cruz Morales.

A handsome and cerebral college professor, Molly and Cruz have an on-again, off-again history stretching back to Molly’s early teen years. He’s not a man who a girl can ever forget about, and his feelings for Molly are equally conflicted.

Anne Sullivan, happily married for twenty-five years, is fighting to hold onto the man she loves, and hold off a confrontation that could shatter her family’s image of what they are. It involves the beautiful screen star and her mother, upper crust matron Norma Wintz, who Anne has traveled to California to meet under the most dramatic of circumstances.

Duets confronts the most intimate type of family secret that ties these two women’s lives together, just as chance events turn Molly and Anne’s worlds upside down.

Enjoy an excerpt from DUETS:

“He’s not what you think.”

Molly Harper turned away at these words, knowing they more than likely preceded an indictment of her fiancé. Keep from showing you’re hurt, she told herself. But she knew disappointment had flashed in her eyes, and that her mother had seen it.

“Ben’s not what I think?” Molly stared outside as the limousine she and Norma rode in glided down Wilshire Boulevard, five miles from the brick-paved road leading to her mother’s neighborhood. “Why don’t you tell me what you think I think he is?”

“You think he’s a man like your father, a man inclined to put his wife’s well-being and his children’s needs before his own. Ben Delmonico is not that kind of man,” Norma said.

She turned and faced her mother. “I don’t think you know Ben well enough to say that. And honestly, I wish you had a little more faith in me. I gave this a lot of thought before I decided to marry him.”

“A lot of thought? You told me five minutes ago you said ‘yes’ the same night Ben proposed. I think you’ve agreed to marry him because you’re panicking.”

Molly sighed. She’d hoped Norma would be delighted by the news she was marrying a successful man, the gorgeous, Academy-Award-nominated actor, Ben Delmonico. A man known the world over for his sophisticated action movies and box office charisma. But it was clear Norma was not delighted.

Typical. Mother loves being contrary. And in control. “What am I panicking about?”

“About being thirty-two. About not having children. But mostly because Cruz Morales is seriously involved with another woman. And, as usual, when you panic you make impulsive decisions. I’ve seen you live to regret that several times.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.” Molly’s took a breath. “When you told me a few weeks ago Cruz was involved with Shar, how did I act? I was happy. I told you to give him my congratulations! Cruz and Shar hooking-up has nothing to do with me deciding to marry Ben.”

“Really?”

“You know as well as anyone that Cruz and I have been over forever. He’s moved on, and I’ve moved on. We’re friends, but only that.” Heat bloomed on her cheeks and spilled down her neck.

“I don’t remember you being all that crazy about Ben before you heard the news about Cruz.” Norma tilted her chin up.

“Just because I don’t announce something to you, doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

Norma snorted.

“Ben and I have been dating for months. He’s a charming and generous man who convinced the studio to consider me for Traitor, risking his own chances for the lead. All my friends like him, Mom, both for himself and because he’s a wonderful actor.”

“Well, that is one thing we can agree on,” Norma said. “He is a good actor. So why not just make movies with him instead of marrying the man?”

“Those are not mutually exclusive. I’m marrying him and making a movie with him. Or have you forgotten I’ll be on set in Paris at Christmas?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten that. It’s the first Christmas you won’t be home; thank you, Ben Delmonico.” Norma leaned closer. “I just can’t help but wonder if that movie isn’t what’s behind him proposing so suddenly. The wedding publicity is sure to make it a blockbuster.”

“For god’s sake, that’s just plain insulting. He didn’t ask me to marry him to get publicity.” Molly reddened again, remembering how Ben had said, two minutes after she’d accepted his proposal, “Our box office will be huge.”

“Let’s just drop this, Mom. We’re almost home and I’ve got a million things to do.”

The Lincoln slowed and turned onto North Highland, the main thoroughfare into Hancock Park. “Every time we come this way, I remember the day Charles and I brought you home, all those years ago. It was the biggest triumph of our lives,” Norma said softly.

“That’s a nice memory.” It was, but Molly knew better than to let down her guard.

“It is.” Norma turned to Molly. “Now look, obviously I can’t tell you what to do any more. But until you found out Cruz was moving in with Shar, every time you called home, you asked about Cruz first. Every time you came home, he was the first one you called. I think you’re still in love with him. And, despite his behavior, which might fool someone who hasn’t known him since he was a little boy, it’s clear to me that he loves you too. I think this relationship with Shar is a ruse to provoke you into finding a way to work things out.”

The limo rocked gently and the women’s shoulders brushed against one another. Molly ran her fingers through the wild blonde hair she was famous for. “You’ve just outlined a plot so pathetic it wouldn’t get made by the Hallmark Channel.”

“I like the Hallmark Channel. They make lovely movies, without all the naked fannies.”

“I like the Hallmark Channel too, but that’s not my point. Cruz wouldn’t be with Shar for any reason other than he finds her a good match. He doesn’t do ‘ruses’.”

“What’s he got in common with her?”

“They both work at the college and they’re both into books and the local arts scene. I bet she’ll finally get him to turn one of his ideas into a novel. I never could.” Molly’s voice wavered.

“See, that’s pain in your voice, not happiness. You shouldn’t be afraid of the truth about your feelings, whatever the cost.”

“Like you? Are you always completely honest, Mother? No matter the cost?”

Norma blinked. “What are we talking about now? What haven’t I been honest about with you?”

Molly looked down. Her question had surprised both of them and she wished she could un-ask it. Now isn’t the time to open that particular can of worms.


Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection. These evolved into bad teen poetry and worse short stories. She took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, published in the summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an April 2014 release.

Once and Forever, an anthology which includes the novella Duets, came out on November 1st. Molly Harper, a full length novel starring the characters from Duets 3 years later was released by Posh Publishing in January, 2014. Duets is now available as a standalone novella. Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, ‘Phil-the-fist’, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving.

Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Review Quotes:

Praise for SECRET SISTER…

“Along with being a very unique and captivating plot, SECRET SISTER offers a shocking turn of the paranormal kind… This is a story of friendship, family, and most of all, true love and what those things can mean. I cannot recommend SECRET SISTER strongly enough… “ Fresh Fiction, Fresh Reviews

DUETS…

"I'll admit I grabbed this book for review more because Emelle Gamble had a story in there - I've loved her significant touch brought to family relationships in a previous book of hers that I've read, and I wanted to confirm if this sort of embroiled-relationships type of tale is really her niche or not. Turns out, it is!" Zee Monodee's Author's Corner reviews MOLLY HARPER…

"MOLLY HARPER ...is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be my last! Ms. Gamble does a wonderful job of drawing these characters and making them just leap off the page." Long and Short Reviews

DATING CARY GRANT…

"Fantasy and reality blend together in this mesmerizing tale from Emelle Gamble…It's not your typical romance, making it a breath of fresh air in a market currently inundated with new adult contemporary romances (which I do love, but need a break once in a while!). I continue to be a fan of this author..." Andi's Book Reviews

Links:

Email: emellegamble@aol.com

Website: www.EmelleGamble.com

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/Emelle.Gamble

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmelleGamble

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123746.Emelle_Gamble

Emelle Gamble BOOKS:

DATING CARY GRANT book of the month at Long & Short Reviews. eBook exclusively at Amazon.com http://amzn.to/1iiE8Y0

SECRET SISTER… RONE Award Honorable Mention for BEST CONTEMPORARY NOVEL of 2013 available in audio, paperback and eBook at Amazon http://amzn.to/17J2Bn6

DUETS, a prequel novella to MOLLY HARPER, now available at Amazon http://amzn.to/1cagyNa

MOLLY HARPER, available in paperback and eBook at Amazon http://amzn.to/MOJUXa

MOLLY HARPER and DUETS now available in one Paperback volume! http://amzn.to/1hW6YSj

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski #EmbraceTheSacred FREE Book Offer

God is at work everywhere. And every-when. We only need to open our eyes and take the time to notice.



Michael Yankoski became jaded and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, feeling as though he was another act in the “Christian Carnival.” Religion started to become a façade instead of a deep, nourished, lived experience of faith. He knew he needed to stop talking about his faith and begin living and practicing it. In a sort of desperation, Michael dedicated the next year to engaging various spiritual practices, and The Sacred Year is a firsthand account of the downs and ups, the failures and successes of an honest search for answers to the human yearning for life, love, and God. It’s time to stop talking about your faith and begin living and experiencing it.

Join Michael and #EmbraceTheSacred—seek out God at work in the mundane and attend to what God is doing in your life. Share those moments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and make sure to use the tag #EmbraceTheSacred.

sacredyear-embracethesacred


As a thank-you for ordering The Sacred Year, Michael is giving away a free ebook! Email your proof of purchase of The Sacred Year to TheSacredYear@gmail.com, and you will receive A Straightforward Guide to Three Essential Spiritual Practices ebook for FREE! Learn more here.

sacredyear-400-freeebook

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Celebrate the Treasury of Bible Stories by entering the Rhythmical Rhymes Kindle Giveaway!

Part of the Magnificent Tales series, Treasury of Bible Stories: Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times will delight children ages 4–8 with rhyming Bible stories pairing spiritual truths with playful illustrations.

Enter the Rhythmical Rhymes Kindle Giveaway 9/15 – 10/12.

Treasury of Bible Stories Kelly Pulley

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A Kindle HDX
  • Treasury of Bible Stories by Kelly Pulley
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 12th. Winner will be announced October 13th at Kelly's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Kelly's blog on the 13th to see if you won!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Royalties by Andy Marx: Excerpt and Giveaway


Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Royalties by Andy Marx, an historical romance saga available now from Taliesin Publishing. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.


http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/08/virtual-book-tour-royalties-by-andy-marx.html

BLURB


America has never seen anything to match the innovation, energy, romance, and excitement of the 20th Century. And the embodiment of all this is Eve Solomon, a young woman who embraces the vitality of the times with a fervor. Determined to make a name for herself in the fledgling music business of 1908, she ultimately becomes wildly successful. But the same steely determination that takes her to the heights of the entertainment world cannot bring her the one thing she wants more than anything: the love of her life, Alex Getz, a struggling Vaudeville comic who becomes one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. As their careers and lives intersect across the years, there is a price to pay—a royalty for true love that can never be measured.


EXCERPT


To Alex, Saturday night crowds were the best and tonight’s show in Milwaukee had been no different: a full house, several spontaneous bursts of applause during his act, and two curtain calls.

And Alex knew the evening would only get better. In less than an hour he expected a visit from a local prostitute, a date arranged by his friend, Charlie Chaplin.

“She’s the best in Milwaukee, maybe even the whole state of Wisconsin,” Chaplin informed Alex the night before.

As Alex finished taking off his make-up, he wondered what Chaplin’s gift would look like. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t agree to meet a hooker sight unseen, but he knew Charlie to be a good judge of talent. Besides, his friend even offered to pay for it.

Hearing a knock at the door, Alex looked at his watch. Only ten-thirty. She wasn’t due for another thirty minutes, he thought. There would be no time for showering or putting on a fresh change of clothes. On second thought, he reasoned, why bother getting dressed? We’re just going to take our clothes off anyway.

Following another knock, he got up and sauntered to the door in only his towel. He threw open the door and stared at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.


AUTHOR Bio and Links


Andy Marx is an award-winning writer and photographer, whose work has appeared in Variety, The Los Angeles Times and Entertainment Weekly, among others. He is also the co-founder of the comedy website, Hollywood & Swine, known for its lampooning of the entertainment industry. His paternal grandfather was the legendary comedian, Groucho Marx, and his maternal grandfather, the renowned songwriter, Gus Kahn. Marx lives in Beverly Hills with his wife and three children.

Website: www.andymarx.com

Blog: www.hollywoodandswine.com

Twitter: @andymarx

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1B1pGMu

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mD2XTR

B&N: http://bit.ly/1rdkvoW

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1oVSIJO


GIVEAWAY


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes for the tour are as follows:

• One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
• One randomly chosen host will receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.


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Thursday, September 25, 2014

THE RIFTERS by M. Pax: Excerpt and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for The Rifters by M. Pax, an urban fantasy story released on September 8, 2014.



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post during the tour.

NOTE: The Rifters is FREE everywhere it's available. Buy links are below -- why not grab your copy today?

A junction between the worlds erupts.

The Gold Rush trickles to a fool’s quest and a string of stagecoach heists. In 1888, Earl Blacke decides to make a new start and become a better man. He escapes into the mountains, heading north. In the wilds of Oregon, a rift inside an ancient volcano opens and sends him into the future, into the present day. It also shaves thirty years off his age, thirty years to live over again and atone for what he’s done.

Starting over is hard to do. In current day New York, Daelin Long’s dream job at a publishing house goes the way of the dinosaurs her sister chases. With no money and nowhere else to go, Daelin accepts the librarian position in her sister’s dinky town in the middle of Oregon.

Nestled inside ancient volcanic peaks, the town of Settler holds onto many secrets. Residents roam the streets with weirdly fashioned devices, and odd lights pulse in the night skies. People whisper of a phantom outlaw and start dying, murdered and missing their heads. Worse than that, Daelin’s sister is missing, and Daelin doesn’t know who to trust.

Earl knows more than he’s saying. He shares a notorious history with the phantom, one he’ll see remains buried. Keeping Daelin’s sister’s secrets is his only chance at redemption, and the only way to keep this world safe.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Earl’s vigil ended. His girl came home. It had to be her. He stood, ready to run down into the clearing and embrace her, but the angle of the head gave him pause. Silhouetted by the blue energy, the arrival had a long beak. Yes, a beak. Definitely not Charming.

“No.” Earl slumped to the ground and scrambled behind a boulder. Once concealed from the visitor below, he raised his binoculars.

The figure came into focus illuminated by the moon and the rift. It wore a mask with goggles over its beak. Green mist poured out of it in a breathing rhythm, and it had the tail of an eel. The thing stood like a human with two arms and two legs in the usual places. It set down a gyroscope, a metal orb of rings, some full rings, some partial, before the gateway. The gyroscope spun, siphoning energy from the pillars, energy reaching for a crystal in its center. It spun faster, faster, faster until the crystal began to glow. A disturbing shade of green.

The beaked thing from the rift shrieked, which came out as a bubbly burp, an odd sound to go with an odd sight. It kept burping, stopping periodically to sniff at the wind. It continued with its strange behavior until the moon started to set, which deepened the shadows of night, stretching them to distorted patches.


M. Pax is author of the space adventure series The Backworlds, plus other novels and short stories. Fantasy, science fiction, and the weird beckons to her, and she blames Oregon for that, a source of endless inspiration. She docents at Pine Mountain Observatory in the summers, has a cat who has a crush on Mr. Spock, and is slightly obsessed with Jane Austen.

Website: http://mpaxauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpax1

FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Pax/115874581852313

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468047

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-rifters/id910696527?mt=11

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rifters-m-pax/1120171300?ean=2940046112849

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/The-Rifters-M-Pax-ebook/dp/B00MW8RKME/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

AmazonUK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MW8RKME?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Googleplay - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/M_Pax_The_Rifters?id=IbJMBAAAQBAJ

Other links: http://mpaxauthor.com/mpaxworks-books-and-stories/rifters-series/the-rifters/


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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

XENA: Warrior Princess- 20th Anniversary & Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the spotlight tour for Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand by RS Mellette. I hope that you enjoy Robert's guest post. I personally refuse to believe that it has been almost 20 years since the premiere of Xena, as I cannot possibly be that old.

The 20th Anniversary of Xena: Warrior Princess 

From Ancient Scrolls to E-Books

 

by RS Mellette aka Xenastaff


Next year is the 20th anniversary of the first airing of the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess, but for me the anniversary is now. I was the writer's assistant from 1994 to 1997. Besides doing normal office work, I monitored the net forum as Xenastaff, wrote any dialogue that needed to be added after an episode was cut together, and wrote The Xena Scrolls for Universal's website. When an episode based on the online characters aired in 1997, it became the first intellectual property to move from the web to television.

Now, 20 years later, I'm about to publish a novel as an e-book. Oh how far we've come. I remember a Xena fan posting on the forum that he discovered the show online when he did a search for "Amazon." I thought, that makes sense. I mean, Xena isn't technically an Amazon, but what else should turn up when you search on that? Someone then explained to me that there was a new online bookstore called Amazon.com. That was 1995.

You would think the anniversary would make me feel old, but that happened the first time I heard a co-worker say, "I loved Xena when I was a kid." Instead, I'm looking back on Xena, and forward to the release of my novel, Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand. It might shock some in the literary world, but I learned a lot about being a novelist from my work as an apprentice writer on a TV show.

One of those things was how to write a story for all ages. Xena was "syndicated for broadcast." Syndicated meaning it was sold directly to independent TV stations and Broadcast meaning it had to adhere to FCC rules (unlike subscription channels: HBO, Showtime, etc.).

Independent stations could play Xena any time they saw fit. In some cities it screened at midnight for adults. Other cities showed it on Saturday afternoons for kids. That's a wide age range, and believe it or not, the show's numbers were even across the board. We had as many men & women between 18 and 49 as we did girls & boys between 12 and 17 and 55 & over.

In the publishing world, the insistence to declare what age range a book is targeted to clashes with what I learned on Xena. Every time I hear someone say their book is "Middle Grade" or "Young Adult" all I think is, Why have you cut out the majority of the people on the planet?

Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand is a book for the whole family – which is probably why it's being published independently. The majors love to find a book "with crossover potential," but at the same time, don't want to hear that your book isn't targeted for a certain age range. They seem to think that crossover potential is rare, but anyone who knows their literary or theatre history – or who has worked in Broadcast TV – can tell you how to create a crossover work. Stick to these three rules:

1) Include characters of various ages, or follow the life of one character from young to old

2) Keep sex to what one may see in public and language to what your mother would approve of

3) Target age ranges in beats within the story, not for the whole piece.
Independence was one of the things we all loved on Xena: Warrior Princess. In addition to being syndicated for Broadcast, the series was what the industry called "first run syndication," meaning it never ran on a major network. For a brief time in the 1990's to early 2000's, Xena, Hercules, Baywatch, and many other shows were possible because the business model worked. There were enough independent TV stations to buy shows that had never been on the big three networks. The shows sold for more money than it cost to make them. They were as good as anything on the Big 3 (or 4) networks but without the hassles that came with network standards and practices (aka sensors) or network executives. If the creative team liked the script, and it was affordable, then that's the script that was shot. It was a fun way to work.

In publishing today there is a similar paradigm. E-books and Print On Demand (POD) have made it possible to bypass the Big Six publishers without sacrificing quality. As long as the independent publishing house keeps its standards high, and doesn't become a self-publishing hack, they can provide books of the same quality as the old-fashioned publishers and still make a profit for both themselves and the authors.

In trying to sell my first book I went through the majors. My agent gave notes – which were good, but intended to please editors. Some editors gave notes that were just bad. We passed on those. Some editors gave notes that were okay, but intended to please acquisitions. It's a frustrating process. Not a bad one, mind you. The Big Six publishers are great and completely necessary, but not a lot of fun.

With Billy Bobble, I'm having a blast! Matt Sinclair is both my editor and the publisher for Elephant Bookshelf Press. He and I are in complete agreement about the style and tone of the book, so his notes make the story better, period. If he and I like it, it's in. If we don't, it's out, period. There is no, "I like it the way it is, but…"

It is a fun way to work.

I had a hand in choosing Kirbi Fagan to design the cover. She friended me on Facebook and the three of us have exchanged a few ideas. Her early drafts have been fantastic! Unlike a major publishing house, I've been kept in the loop on each draft. I can't wait to see to see the final product.

It is a fun way to work.

I think fans of Xena will agree that the whole production team put the fun on the screen. I hope readers of Billy Bobble will feel the same way about what we have done with the page.

It's a fun way to read.

About the Author 


Robert Mellette has written, directed, designed and acted in theatre, film, television, and publishing for over 30 years. His credits in various jobs include XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS, BLUE CRUSH, and his own JACKS OR BETTER, which won Dances With Films Best Screenplay award in 2000. He has been working with the festival ever since.
Robert's novel, Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand, is due out in December 2014 from Elephant's Bookshelf Press. For novelists, Robert blogs for From The Write Angle. For filmmakers, he writes for Dances With Films.

Upcoming events: In the real world, Robert will appear at the 2014 Conjecture Con in San Diego Oct. 10-12.


Online, there will be a cover reveal for Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand in October. If you would like to be a part of that, please contact Candace Robinson. If you would like to interview Robert please contact him at mellette@earthlink.net.

Giveaway:

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: The Light of Day by Kristen Kehoe

Today I'm excited to announce and share the cover of The Light of Day by Kristen Kehoe.The cover looks light and breezy. Wonder where she got that hat? 

There's a giveaway of a $25 gift card too!

The Light of Day is a New Adult contemporary. This is an installment in the Beyond the Horizon series, not a sequel and does not need to be read after Beyond the Horizon. Release date is October 2014. 

The first two chapters can be read at www.kristenkehoe.com.
Add it to your shelf! 


About the Author:
Mom, Wife, Coffee Addict, and Book Lover
I am a writer of YA/NA contemporary novels.  I write about those crazy ages of 18-23 because there is nothing scarier than being told to grow up and decide what to do with your life and who to be so suddenly.  I write about love because it’s my belief that love, in one form or another, saves us all at some point in our lives.  I am married to a man who understands and believes in me, and mother to a beautiful baby girl and a neurotic Great Dane Puppy.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

Giveaway:  

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

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Scandal The Price of Free and Fair Election #WWOPR | 1 Day to #Scandal

Need to brush up on what happened in the season three finale? Here's your chance. Check out The Price of Free and Fair Election on Hulu.

What are you looking forward to most with the return of Scandal?

Scandal The Price of Free and Fair Election 



Election Day has arrived and nothing is off limits to capture votes.

Season 3 Episode 18 | Aired on 04/17/2014 | TV-14 | 43:02

What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR


According to my math, Olivia is at the beach. Which one? I dunno.

Olivia is always so busy on the show. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I'd recommend that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I am going to count down the days until Scandal's season premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.




Countdown Clock

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Pre-order @MaxLucado’s BEFORE AMEN and receive a FREE book. And, Enter to WIN an iPad!

Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. In Before Amen, best-selling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts, and confidence even for prayer wimps. Let the conversation begin.

Be sure to enter the Before Amen iPad Mini giveaway. AND if you pre-order a copy of Before Amen by 9/29, you'll receive a FREE ebook copy of Max’s best-selling Second Chances: More Stories of Grace.

beforeamen-400-click

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • An iPad Mini
  • Before Amen by Max Lucado
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 29th. Winner will be announced September 30th on the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 30th to see if you won! (Or better yet, subscribe to their blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

Monday, September 22, 2014

Now Touring: AMERICAN RIDE with Stan Ellsworth + Giveaway #Letstakearide

Host of AMERICAN RIDE, Stan Ellsworth breaks the mold of the stereotypical High School history teacher.

American Ride


Former history teacher Stan Ellsworth tours the country on a Harley Davidson for the television show “American Ride.” Ellsworth’s approach to American history in AMERICAN RIDE removes the “bow tie and sweater vest” of history professors, puts on the “skull rag and denim vest” and breaks down stereotypes. His adventurous spirit and love for the United States is contagious and engaging. His approach is more like an invitation to walk (and ride) with him through the footsteps of history. He hopes the stories and “postcards” from the highways and byways of the country will make American history relevant to today’s audiences, and motivate them to take an active part in the preservation of the values this country was built upon. Now in the sixth season, Stan takes you across the world to see how the clouds of war gathered once again and what led America to enter WWII. New episodes air each Monday 9PM ET/ 7PM MT on BYUtv.

If you've missed any episodes, you can catch up with all of the previous seasons online anytime at www.byutv.com/americanride.


OVERLORD


Stan I don' think that I've talked about it much on this blog, but I am a big fan of history books, documentaries, and television shows. I was the kid who actually liked history in high school. So of course, I jumped at the opportunity to check out American Ride. I am reading a book on World War II right now so season six held special interest for me.

Today I am featuring episode 8, Overlord - the story of the Allied invasion of France on the beaches of Normandy. In it, Stan takes a ride to key locations in and around Normandy, France. With the aid of historical film footage and photographs, he vividly describes the military tactics used by both sides and their impacts. It is an interesting mix of yesterday and today. What sets this show apart from others like it? Good old-fashion storytelling. You can tell that Stan really enjoys the subject. He doesn't drone on, stringing together endless lists of facts. He tells the story behind the story.

As Stan and a WWII veteran discussed on the show, freedom is not free. It makes me sad to think that young people aren't learning much American history and older people are forgetting it. Kudos to Stan Ellsworth for keeping warm fires burning. If you like U.S. history with a healthy dose of patriotism, you'll really enjoy American Ride.

I enjoyed season six a little too much. I have decided to go back and watch the show from the very beginning. Season one, here I come! Think that I can convince Stan to let me tag along on a motor scooter while filming an episode of an upcoming season?

American Ride: Overlord | Season 6 Episode 8 | Originally Aired: 6/2/2014


D-Day, the Great Invasion, the Longest Day--call it what you will, but the Allied invasion of France on the beaches of Normandy was, as General Eisenhower said, the hour of America's "Great Crusade."


 

ABOUT STAN ELLSWORTH 


The 6’ 2”, 300-lb muscle-clad Harley Davidson-riding host of BYUtv’s acclaimed American history program, American Ride, would like nothing better than to inspire the next generation of George Washingtons, Susan B. Anthonys and Thomas Jeffersons. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in the Carolinas, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Pennsylvania, Ellsworth was steeped in the landmarks and stories of American history throughout his formative years. His family lineage includes such historic luminaries as Revolutionary War patriot Ethan Allen; both Generals of the Cival War, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant (also the 18th president of the U.S.); and American folk heroes Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. Ellsworth’s goal—both when he was in the classroom, and now in his weekly television program—has always been to “wake people up” to the stories of our founding fathers and mothers, and to the sacrifices they made in creating this nation. In his gruff baritone voice, he speaks eloquently of our heritage and extols the wisdom and bravery of those who came before. “LET’S TAKE A RIDE” ~ Stan Ellsworth

  American Ride Tour  

Blog Tour Giveaway 


$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/2/14

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

Sunday, September 21, 2014

CHRISTMAS AT ROSE HILL FARM iPad Bundle Giveaway & sign up to host a Book Club Brunch!

Join best-selling, award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher for an Amish Christmas to remember. Filled with heart-twisting moments amid the sweet anticipation of love, Christmas at Rose Hill Farm will charm readers into the holiday spirit.

Suzanne is hosting a "Christmas Rose" iPad bundle giveaway and a nation-wide Christmas at Rose Hill Farm Book Club Brunch in November. Enter the giveaway below and sign up to host a brunch HERE.

rosehill-400-click 

TWO grand prize winners will receive:
  • An iPad
  • A Rose-patterned iPad case
  • A Rose-patterned phone case (for any model phone)
  • A Christmas wreath
  • A set of Christmas hand-towels
  • Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Five second place winners will receive:
  • Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 28th. All winners will be announced September 29th at Suzanne's blog.

rosehill-brunchbuttonHost a Christmas at Rose Hill Farm Book Club Brunch! This fall Suzanne is inviting book clubs across the nation to throw a Christmas at Rose Hill Farm Book Club Brunch. Sign up here between now and September 29. If you’re selected as one of the 50 hosts, you’ll receive a copy of the book plus two other Revell titles (give them away as party prizes or door prizes or keep them for yourself), a complete party kit, and a discount code to purchase copies of Christmas at Rose Hill Farm for your book club at a discount. Suzanne is also encouraging each book club brunch to collect non-perishable items for their local community shelter. She will be making a donation to her favorite charity (helping abused women and children) for every brunch that meets their goal. Click here for more details and to SIGN UP!

 

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 29th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop: Sept. 21-27

It's banned books time, baby! I have been participating in the Banned Books Week celebration since 2010. I am kicking off this week with my Banned Books Week Proclamation and the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and BookHounds. I've also added a Twibbon to my Twitter profile pic to show my support for Banned Books Week!



Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. - American Library Association

I believe that people should be allowed to select their own reading material (and that of their children). Don't like it? Don't read it. And don't police my reading. I especially cringe at the idea of books being banned in public libraries. I try to read at least one banned book during the event to celebrate the freedom to read. Like a mischievous little kid, nothing moves a book up my TBR list like being told not to read it. LOL!

“Hey Upper East Siders…” I am giving away a box with a few Gossip Girl books (and a surprise) to a randomly drawn winner* (U.S. mailing addresses only) via the rafflecopter widget in this post. The Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar is number 23 on the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009 and number 9 on the 2011 Most Challenged Books lists.

"Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, originally ran on The CW for six seasons from September 19, 2007 to December 17, 2012. Narrated by the omniscient blogger "Gossip Girl", voiced by Kristen Bell, the series revolves around the lives of privileged young adults on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City. The success of Gossip Girl led to adaptations outside the United States. The show has received numerous award nominations, winning 18 Teen Choice Awards." - Wikipedia


a Rafflecopter giveaway


* If teen drama is not your thing and you are selected as the winner, you can choose a book from my PaperBackSwap bookshelf (in the brown footer at the bottom of the blog) instead. I have some other banned books listed.



Thanks for stopping by MAD Hoydenish. Hop through all the blogs for giveaways at each stop!


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"YALSA Recommends Books For Young Adults Who Enjoy 'Gossip Girl' Series

54 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About "Gossip Girl"

2014 Banned Books Week Proclamation

http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/


WHEREAS, the freedom to read is essential to our democracy, and reading is among our greatest freedoms; and

WHEREAS, privacy is essential to the exercise of that freedom, and the right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one's interest examined or scrutinized by others; and

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is protected by our Constitution; and

WHEREAS some individuals, groups, and public authorities work to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label "controversial" views, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries of materials reflecting the diversity of society; and

WHEREAS, both governmental intimidation and the fear of censorship cause authors who seek to avoid controversy to practice self-censorship, thus limiting our access to new ideas; and

WHEREAS, every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of American society and leaves it less able to deal with controversy and difference; and

WHEREAS, Americans still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression, and can be trusted to exercise critical judgment, to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe, and to exercise the responsibilities that accompany this freedom; and

WHEREAS, intellectual freedom is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture; and

WHEREAS, conformity limits the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend; and

WHEREAS, the American Library Association's Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year as a reminder to Americans not to take their precious freedom for granted; and

WHEREAS, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that MAD Hoydenish celebrates the American Library Association's Banned Books Week, September 21 - 27, 2014 and be it further

RESOLVED, that MAD Hoydenish encourages all libraries and bookstores to acquire and make available materials representative of all the people in our society; and be it further

RESOLVED, that MAD Hoydenish encourages free people to read freely, now and forever.


Adopted by MAD Hoydenish

September 20, 2014

Out in the Yard, USA



Check out the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop: Sept. 21-27. 2014

* Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Kindle HDX Giveaway and Live Webcast Event with @MaryConnealy!

Don't miss the first book in Mary Connealy's Wild at Heart series. In Tried & True, Mary is back with her signature humor and heartfelt story-telling.

Mary's celebrating by connecting with readers during a live webcast event and giving away a Kindle HDX.

triedtrue-400-click

One winner will receive:
  • A Kindle HDX
  • Tried & True by Mary Connealy

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 23rd. Winner will be announced at the Tried & True LIVE webcast event on September 23rd. Connect with Mary for an evening of swoon-worthy book chat, fun trivia, laughter, a sneak peek at the next book in the Wild at Heart series, and more! Mary will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Tried & True and join Mary and friends on the evening of September 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
 
 

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Stuck In A Good Book Hop: Sept 20 - 25 (US)

I am excited to be participating in the Stuck In A Good Book Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Stuck In Books. I got stuck in All the King's Men this summer when I was looking for book recommendations for Olivia Pope's beach reader.


I am giving away one copy of All the King's Men [Movie Tie-In Edition](Paperback) by Robert Penn Warren to a randomly drawn winner* (U.S. mailing addresses only) via the rafflecopter widget in this post.


Book Description:


Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Robert Penn Warren’s tale of ambition and power set in the Depression–era South is widely considered the finest novel ever written about American politics.

All the King’s Men traces the rise and fall of demagogue Willie Stark, a fictional character loosely based on Governor Huey “Kingfish” Long of Louisiana. Stark begins his political career as an idealistic man of the people but soon becomes corrupted by success and caught between dreams of service and an insatiable lust for power, culminating in a novel that Sinclair Lewis pronounced, on the book’s release in 1946, “one of our few national galleries of character.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All the King's Men has been adapted into two movies of the same name. The most recent adaptation was in 2006 starring Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Anthony Hopkins, and Mark Ruffalo. Be sure to check out the movie trailer at the bottom of the post.

Broderick Crawford won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Willie Stark in the 1949 screen adaptation produced by Robert Rossen (who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film).


*If political fiction is not your thing and you are selected as the winner, you can choose a book from my PaperBackSwap bookshelf (in the brown footer at the bottom of the blog) instead. I have some other movie-television-ish books listed.


Thanks for stopping by MAD Hoydenish. Hop through all the blogs for giveaways at each stop!




All the King's Men (2006) Movie Trailer


Rewind to You by Laura Johnston: $75 Book Blast Giveaway

Today's feature is Rewind to You by Laura Johnston, a clean contemporary YA romance.

Rewind to You CoverRewind to You

One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away.
But the past isn’t easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete’s body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street.
When she’s with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now…

Laura Rewind to You AuthorAuthor Laura Johnston

Laura Johnston lives in Utah with her husband and two children. Growing up with five siblings, a few horses, peach trees, beehives and gardens, she developed an active imagination and always loved a good story. She fell in love with the young adult genre both through her experience in high school as well as her job later as a high school teacher. Laura enjoys running, playing tennis, sewing, traveling, writing, and above all, spending time with her husband and kids. REWIND TO YOU is her debut novel.

Excerpt

I’m increasingly aware of Austin—his shower-fresh scent, every curve of muscle and the rise and fall of his chest with every breath—as he stands behind me and wraps his arms around mine.
“I’ll teach you,” he says, his hot breath against my ear seeping in. Whispering a thrill.
His hand cups the back of mine. I watch as he positions my pinkie and ring fingers over the threads and slides my thumb down. “Hold the football with your fingertips.”
I glance at his face above my shoulder, his blue eyes, strong jaw and his lips. And suddenly, football is the last thing on my mind.

Praise for the Book 

“Johnston’s debut spotlights romance and familial relationships, including themes like grief and self-sacrifice. It’s an ideal story for readers looking for a deep-rooted YA love story with the emotional ups and downs and poignancy of a Nicholas Sparks contemporary. There’s also a touch of wit and a sigh-worthy hero – a definite on your TBR list.” – RT Book Reviews

“This is contemporary YA fiction at its best! –Kay Lynn Mangum, author of The Secret Journal of Brett Colton

Rewind to You will steal your hear away.” –Kelly Nelson, author of The Keeper’s Saga

BookBlast Giveaway

$75 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 10/5/14
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an iTunes Gift Code or River Street Sweets Gift Card. 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.