Seduced by a Beta by Elle Hill: THE TITHE Book Tour (Guest Post & Giveaway)

Welcome to my stop on the book tour for The Tithe by Elle Hill, a sci-fi paranormal romance available now from Soul Mate Publishing.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

Every seven years, the towns sacrifice their sick and disabled. No one has ever survived the angels’ harvest. Until now.

“Every seven years, seven persons from each of the ten towns must go into the desert, where they will enter into the realm of Elovah, their God.”

No one knows exactly what happens to these seventy Tithes, but everyone knows who: the “unworkables,” those with differing physical and mental capacities. Joshua Barstow, raised for twenty years among her town’s holy women, is one of these seventy Tithes. She is joined by the effervescent Lynna, the scholarly Avery, and the amoral Blue, a man who has spent most of his life in total solitude.

Each night, an angel swoops down to take one of their numbers. Each night, that is, except the first, when the angel touches Josh… and leaves her. What is so special about Josh? She doesn’t feel special; she feels like a woman trying to survive while finally learning the meanings of friendship, community, and love.

How funny that she had to be sacrificed to find reasons to live.

EXCERPT

“I don’t want to die.” The words surprised her, spinning so artlessly from her lips.

“I don’t want you to die,” Blue agreed.

“What about you?” Josh whispered.

He didn’t respond for a long moment. “It doesn’t much matter, I guess.”

“Of course it matters!”

“If you say so,” he said.

“Blue,” she began, and then stopped. “Blue, why? Aren’t you scared?”

His blue eyes remained completely empty. Had his mouth not moved, she might think him a statue. “No.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t matter. I’ve spent my life existing. Sometimes I think the best thing humanity does is provide sustenance for bacteria and other symbiotes. And then there was here. And you, Joshua Barstow.”

“I’m not special,” she insisted.

“You exist so grandly, so loudly, I can feel you. The air trembles around you. You walk through a room and atoms collide. Everyone here can feel the greatness of your being. They may love you or despise you or want you to lead them, but everyone notices you.”

She exhaled a startled breath. Blue, her friend, her bodyguard, her socially-backward philosopher. Her hand moved to his hair, smoothing through its knots. When her voice returned, she told him, “You matter, Blue.”

“I don’t,” he said gently, as if imparting an uncomfortable truth to a child.

“You matter a lot to me,” she carefully enunciated, unsnarling a particularly knotted tangle.

“Well, then.”

Seduced by a Beta by Elle Hill

I papered the walls of my adolescent and early adult existence with the pages of romance novels. As I got older, I expanded to other genres, but romances will always mean safety, comfort, and reliability to the adult Elle. I love romances: their predictable narrative format, their feel-good happily-ever-afters, their celebration of relationships as the most crucial aspect of human existence. I have great affection and nostalgia for some of the more common romantic staples: the initial dislike and distrust that hides bubbling passion, the BFF who represents the shero’s and/or hero’s id, the shero’s stumble or fall from a tree root or from a ladder (oopsy-daisy!) and into the strong arms of that oh-so-insufferable man. I even find adorable some of the impossible euphemisms for orgasms. Overall, I’m a flag-waving fan of the genre. Only one thing causes a slight snag in my overwhelming devotion to the genre: A preponderance of alpha men.

I like alphas; they’re great peeps and all. And sure, I realize romances are all about ideals, from romantic relationships themselves to the people who populate them. But, you know, I also dig gender diversity. Is it just me, or does your heart go pitter-pat at the thought of a tender, nurturing man with a far bigger IQ than gun collection? And who isn’t seduced by the thought of a nerdy, bespectacled hero, ala Spencer Reed in Criminal Minds or Daniel Jackson in Stargate: SG-1, who use their brains rather than a bullwhip to help the shero save the day?

I don’t write alphas, or at least not traditional ones. At folks’ urging, I’ve written semi-alpha men, but they tend to read more like moody brooders. My question for you: Am I the only one who wants to read about heroes who look like hot nerds and sensuous poets rather than arrogant business tycoons and vampire lords?

Alpha males are great, but is there also room for nurturing, sexy, and soulful heroes with backgrounds in quantum mechanics? Yum!

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Born in Idaho during the height of disco, Elle Hill now chicken-pecks at the keyboard while rocking out to Donna Summer and KC and the Sunshine Band. She worked in Idaho for several years as a secretary and journalist before moving to California and selling her soul to academia. After receiving her PhD in Sociology, Elle Hill became a not-so-mild-mannered college instructor by night and a community activist during the remainder of her waking hours. Always a journalist and writer at heart, one of her favorite pastimes includes publishing commentary on the political and social state of the world; some of her thoughts are posted on her blog at ellehillauthor.blogspot.com.

Elle welcomes visitors to her website at www.ellehill.com. She also urges everyone to become a superhero and adopt their next non-human companion from a local animal shelter.


Blog: http://ellehillauthor.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.ellehill.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Elle-Hill/155409064486649?ref=hl

Twitter: @ellehillauthor


Purchasing the book: http://www.amazon.com/Tithe-Elle-Hill-ebook/dp/B00MVCPJFG

GIVEAWAY 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ENNARA AND THE BOOK OF SHADOWS by Angela Myron: Book Blast and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron, book two of the Ennara series, a 200-page middle grade fantasy released today. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Angela will be awarding a the winners choice of one of the following prizes (international giveaway -- All photos used from Etsy shops that she plans to purchase the gifts from. Actual gift will be sourced from winner's country and will likely look different for international winners):

1.  Dragon earcuff. A tiny dragon that wraps around your ear just like Ennara's wraps around her wrist! Ennara would not approve.

2. Potions master decal kit: Trick out your Kitchenaid with this decal kit! Ennara approved.

3. Emergency Potion Necklace: Potion/necklace dependent on winner's location. Ennara approved.

Or the winner may choose something from Ennara Swag (if they live in the US).

When strange accidents start happening around thirteen year-old necromancer Ennara and her friends, she must search for the mysterious stolen artifacts causing the attacks while learning the highest form of magic--the spells that could prevent the fruition of a terrible prophecy.

 

Now enjoy an excerpt:

“You haven’t much time,” Formult said, glancing again at the door. He crossed to the far edge of the dome and opened a huge glass panel. The winged horses enthusiastically trotted to the edge of the roof, and the griffins took up the rear.

The professor patted Snowflake’s neck. “I’m fairly certain I saw the book when I was in Dordonne. That is, I saw the Bishop of Dordonne with an odd-looking book in the Royal Court. It was my last clear memory before the spell… Anyway, when you find the bishop, I believe you’ll find that book.”

Ennara had heard of the Bishop of Dordonne once before, but where? She shook her head. Now they had two clues to look for—the crypts, and the bishop. Maybe hunting down the Book of Shadows was something they could do, after all.

Formult clapped Snowflake on the hindquarters and stepped aside. She leapt from the door and into the air effortlessly. Ferrus and the two griffins followed.

“Take good care and don’t worry about us,” Formult called after them. “We’ll have the school straight by the time you get back.”

The horses ascended as the door to the aviary burst open. The two druids from the hall tumbled forward. They quickly assessed the scene and raised their wands to the flying creatures. Smoos crouched to pounce and Formult unfurled his whip.

“Let’s get out of here!” Kithe yelled.

Without further instruction, the pegasii and griffins pounded their muscular wings and lifted them away. Galdurlan retreated, quickly becoming a tiny village, then a bay, and then an island alone in a cold, dark ocean. Ennara wrapped her cloak tightly and pulled her hood up as she settled into Snowflake’s rhythmic flight. The air grew icy, and she leaned into the horse to share its warmth. Beside her, Cinne did the same, resting her face against Ferrus’s dark mane.

Gevin and his griffin flew slightly above and behind the pegasii, to the left. His bright green eyes shone from behind his heavy black hood. He was enjoying the flight as much as she. Kithe rode his lion-eagle ahead of the other. He’d bundled himself up in his hunter green cloak and smiled as he gazed into the distance. The hilt of the Sword of Gisilfrid glinted on his shoulder.

From the tiny castle on the retreating island, a screech tore through the air, then another. Two tiny black objects rose in pursuit. Then another, larger object. Two larger objects. The tattoo on Ennara’s hand prickled. Her stomach grew queasy. They would not be let off the island without a fight. Long necks and massive wings pulled the large creatures into the sky. Dragons.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Angela Myron was born in Vancouver, Canada in 1973. She grew up in the piney forests of southern British Columbia, studying tiny blue bells, dodging hidden cacti, and creating fantasy worlds in her back yard. She loved to imagine lands of fairies and goblins, then invite friends over to introduce them.

Angela studied biology and professional writing at university, starting her degree at the University of Victoria in Canada and finishing it at San Francisco State University. She wrote grant proposals for nonprofits, technical manuals for software, and freelance journalism before writing fiction.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Buy Links:

Amazon

Kobo

Smashwords

GIVEAWAY

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Book Blast & Giveaway: GYPSY HUNTER by Andrea Drew

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for Gypsy Hunted by Andrea Drew, a paranormal (psychic) thriller released this week in eBook and in print late November. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

Reluctant psychic Gypsy Shields—she prefers the term "intuition consultant"—finds herself in trouble when, on her way home from a blind date, she interrupts a kidnapping in progress. She attempts to intervene, and her heroics are repaid with a collision between the attacker's van and a brick wall. She awakens in the hospital, paralyzed on her left side and unable to speak. This also means she's unable to share her vital information as a witness. Fortunately, she is able to use her telepathic connection with her niece to throw a line out to a police detective she knows: Connor Reardon, her blind date.

Connor will do anything to protect Gypsy, and he listens to her claims of psychic power willingly, as he's concealing certain powers of his own. Nor are they all he's concealing. Gypsy senses a part of her new ally's mind is closed to her—what she cannot know is that Connor suspects the kidnapper is someone close to him, and the kidnapping victim holds secrets that will tear through Connor's department, putting careers and lives at risk. Including Gypsy, still in hospital and vulnerable as the attacker turns his sights on her once again.

Can she use her powers to track down the perpetrator and prevent her own murder?

EXCERPT

My eyes went down at the registration plate. I reached into my handbag for my mobile phone, realizing I should have done this earlier and made a damn call to the cops.

He’d got her into the van but she wasn’t going without a fight.

The woman had started banging with her feet kicking the shit out of the van walls. I could almost see the outline of her foot bashing the thin metal veneer. With the key in the ignition he’d turned up the radio to full blast, drowning out the noise of her screams and kicking.

He revved the crap out of the van, the engine growling so loud I felt it through my toes. But I stood my ground, even with nails biting into my palms, pulse speeding, and heartbeat pounding. I’d get his details through to the police if it was the last thing I did.

I looked up to face him and the van launched at me. I dialed the emergency services number holding the phone to my ear with fingers so rigid they hurt. The van came at me and in a split second I was hit, my body bouncing off the van. My head taking the brunt of the blow as I struck the brick wall, landing on the ground like a rag doll unloved and discarded. Strangely, nothing hurt, at least at this moment. I was sure that it should.

Colors flashed: green, hot pink, and yellow. Tires squealed, and I thought I heard frantic footsteps approaching.

Then it was lights out.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Andrea Drew has been a commercial copy writer and resume writer for over a decade.

She's written for celebrity stylists, assisted business coaches and start-ups, written grants for not for profits, delivered marketing presentations to business owners, and attends Australian writing conventions.

Her self-published book "Pro Resumes Made Easy" has been downloaded over 40,000 times.

Andrea has one husband (more than enough), three kids, a pet rock (her daughters not hers), and a house in the suburbs, where she's hard at work on the second novel in the Gypsy series.

Email her at andrea@andrea-drew.com.

Gypsy Hunted, her first fiction novel (her first suspense thriller set in her home town of Melbourne Australia), is available for pre-order on Amazon prior to release on October 28 2014.


Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewwriter

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/andreadrew

Blog: http://andreadrewauthor.wordpress.com/

Gypsy Hunted Available for Pre Order on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Hunted-Hunter-Knows-Where-ebook/dp/B00N9Q9PYY/

GIVEAWAY

Andrea will be awarding a $20 amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review & Giveaway: PARIAH by C.R. Richards

Welcome to my stop on the book review tour for Pariah by C.R. Richards, an urban fantasy novel released on September 15, 2014. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

Millennia have passed since the corrupt of Seelie society were banished from Otherworld. Abandoned in the Human Realm, their Descendants keep to the shadows, secretly controlling criminal organizations and swaying governments. Jin, a Seelie Descendant, refuses to swear allegiance to any Clan. Marked as a pariah, he is banished from their society. One ill-fated evening, Jin breaks the rules to visit the family he left behind. A chance meeting with an old enemy draws him into a murderous plot that could propel the Human Realm into a bloody war. His warning of insurrection goes unheeded. Determined to keep the plan secret, the conspirator summons an ancient demon with a taste for Seelie blood. It's reward? A pound of Jin's flesh.

On the run with a Death Mark on his head, Jin is desperate to find the cunning spider behind the conspiracy. With the help of Gracie Berry, a pre-cognitive with a hidden past, Jin searches for their allusive enemy before his ruthless hunters find their target.

EXCERPT

The parking lot behind the warehouse looked like a parking lot at a mortician's convention. Black limousines and sedans lined the blacktop under the morning Vegas sun. Jin passed them by with a derisive grunt. Then hope sparkled as a blue gem among coal. A blue Lamborghini Aventado Roadster glittered like a rock star at the end of the line of bulky sedans. He hurried over to run his hands along its sexy lines.

"Daddy like," Jin hummed under his breath. He lifted the door up and slid down into the sleek leather seat. The owner of this beautiful piece of automotive perfection hadn't locked it. In Jin's book, that meant the super-car wasn't being properly taken care of—an egregious sin. The cretin didn't deserve to own her. It was time she had someone behind the wheel who truly respected and adored every inch of her fine carbon fiber frame.

"Oh no, we are not stealing a car!" Gracie's bare feet danced on the hot pavement.

Jin pointed at the group of Seelie Descendants running toward them. Gracie yelped and raced around to the other side of the Lambo. Her fist banged on the door with an unacceptable level of disrespect for the super-car. For a brief moment, Jin considered leaving her and then motioned up with his hands. She got the hint and lifted the car door. The golden fabric crept up her bare thighs as she fell down into the seat. Her hand tugged at the hem when she caught him looking.

MY REVIEW

Pariah is officially in my top five funnest books to read list this year.

The novel opens with the worst dinner party ever. EVER. I loved that author dropped us into exciting action early in the book. No stringing you along for action until chapter 10. The novel's storyline is complex and entertaining. There is a motley crew of secondary characters that really add depth to the story and help move the plot forward.

What I liked most about the story is that it kept me guessing all of the way through. I couldn't figure out how Jin was going to clear himself of a frame up and prevent the Human Realm from falling into a war. I also liked that Jin (in all his shady angst) was dedicated to doing the right thing even though the Seelie society and his family turned their backs on him.

I simultaneously felt bad for and wanted to shake Gracie Berry. Being a pre-cognitive with a hidden past is no joke, but has its funny moments. I laughed aloud when Gracie went to the Las Vegas police to report a Seelie-related kidnapping. How many wild stories must the police hear in Vegas?


Pariah is an exciting page-turner – an intriguing mix of fantasy, mystery, romance, and adventure. And the book's cover is awesome looking! It lured me right into its pages. As Gracie would say, "Gawd!" I look forward to the author’s next book.


Recommended for:

• Fans of Urban Fantasy
• Fans of Action and Adventure

NOTE: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I'd like to have some Seelie abilities and the Lambo - just for a week or so.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

C. R. Richards is the award winning author of The Mutant Casebook Series. Her literary career began as a part-time columnist for a small entertainment newspaper. She wore several hats: food critic, entertainment reviewer and cranky editor. A lover of horror and dark fantasy stories, she enjoys telling tales of intrigue and adventure. Her most recent literary projects include the horror short story, Lost Man's Parish and the newly released novel length dark fantasy thriller, Pariah. She is an active member of EPIC and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

Author Website

Blog: Deep Thoughts and Junk

FB Page: authorcrrichards

Twitter: @CR_Richards

Amazon Author Page: C. R. Richards 

Available for Purchase

Print

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Pariah-C-R-Richards/dp/0990669408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410712332&sr=8-1&keywords=pariah+richards

Createspace - https://www.createspace.com/4971463


EBook

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MRLYPTW

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pariah-c-r-richards/1120171710?ean=2940046094909

Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/465845

Also available on iBooks.

GIVEAWAY

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS by Brenda Novak: $100 Book Blast

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak, a small town contemporary romance available today from MIRA/Harlequin Publishing. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

Just call her Christmas Eve…

Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn’t have. Almost all her friends are married now, and that’s what Eve wants, too. Love. A husband and kids of her own. But the B-and-B she manages and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised, suddenly seem…confining.

As Eve turns thirty-five, she’s worried that her future will simply be a reflection of her past. She’s dated all the eligible men in the area. There’s no one she could even imagine as a husband—until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve’s definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve’s happily ever after—just when it finally seems within reach. Just when she’s counting on the best Christmas of her life!

EXCERPT

Moving slowly to compensate for her hangover, she managed to prop herself against the headboard and, once there, frowned at her bedmate.

Who the heck was he?

She had no idea, but she was relieved to see that he was no bum off the street. He wasn’t even one of those “he looked a lot more attractive last night” kind of pickups everyone joked about. This guy was so far above average that she began to wonder why he wasn’t already taken. Heaven forbid that was the case! She didn’t see a ring on his left hand, which rested on the pillow above his head. But he had to have some story. If he looked this good sleep-tousled, she could only imagine what he’d be like once he had a chance to clean up.

It was his bone structure, she decided. Those pronounced cheekbones. The narrow bridge across his nicely shaped nose. The distinct ridge of his upper eye sockets. He also had a strong chin and a manly jaw, which certainly didn’t detract.

So maybe she couldn’t point to just one or two features. With his long, sandy-colored hair spread across his pillow, he resembled a fallen angel—and his body further enhanced that image. Although bedding covered his lower half—thank goodness—she could see his torso. He was built like a greyhound or panther, lean and sinewy and ideally proportioned with very little body hair. What body hair he did have was golden and downy, as appealing as his tanned skin.

He’d make a nice subject for a painter, she mused, someone looking for refined masculine beauty—a man who could even be called elegant.

But not everything about him was elegant. When she looked closer, she could see that he had some very unusual scars….

What types of injuries could’ve caused those? she wondered. It seemed to her that he’d been shot, and more than once. Several round, bullet-size marks dotted his chest. Then there was a long, jagged scar on his side that must’ve come from something else….

Out of nowhere—he didn’t open his eyes first, so she had no warning—he grabbed her wrists in a crushing grip and slammed her onto her back.

Eve gasped as she stared up at him. Gone was the image of an angel, fallen or otherwise. Shocked at being so easily and unexpectedly overpowered, she couldn’t even scream. His fierce expression, as if he was intent on causing her bodily harm, made it worse.

Had she brought home a homicidal maniac? Was he about to kill her?

The terror that surged up must’ve shown on her face because he suddenly came to his senses. He gave his head a shake. His expression cleared and, letting go, he eased off her and slid back onto his side of the bed.

“Sorry about that. I thought…” His words trailed off, and he covered his eyes with one arm as if he needed a moment to pull himself together.

Her heart was now pounding in unison with her head. But once she could speak somewhat normally, she prompted him to finish his sentence. “Thought what?”

His lips turned down. “Never mind. I was dreaming.”

She pressed a hand to her chest as though she could slow her galloping pulse. “It couldn’t have been a pleasant dream.”

“They never are,” he muttered.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of more than fifty books. A four-time Rita nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs an annual on-line auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised over $2 million.

For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com. While there be sure to check out her The 12 Days of Christmas Contest.

Links:

Website

Facebook

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

GIVEAWAY 

Brenda will be awarding a $100 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn host.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kindle HDX Giveaway and Facebook Author Party with Judith Miller!

Don't miss Judith Miller's latest novel, The Brickmaker's Bride. CBA Retailers + Resources raves, ". . . a wonderful story about faith and love throughout life’s trials."

Judith is celebrating with a Kindle HDX giveaway and  a "Refined by Love" Facebook author event on November 4th.

  
One winner will receive:

• A Kindle HDX
• The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 4th. Winner will be announced at the Refined by Love Facebook Author Event. Connect with Judith for a fascinating evening centered around her new Civil War-era series. She'll be hosting a book club discussion, giving away prizes, answering your questions, offering an exclusive peek at the next book in the Refined by Love series, and much more!

So grab your copy of The Brickmaker's Bride and join Judith and friends on the evening of November 4th 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 4th!

Book Review & Giveaway: CAIRNS OF SAINCTUARIE by Hawk MacKinney

Welcome to my stop on the book review tour for Cairns of Sainctuarie (The Bleikovat Event - Book 1) by Hawk MacKinney, a 228 page Sci-Fi novel available now from Sage World Publishing. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Hawk will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour. Be sure to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

BLURB

The Cairns of Sanctuarie: Volume I - The Bleikovat Event

Among the close-kin clans of western rural Malfesian Murians, farming and gelf ranches are long held traditions. Times are good…full barns, fat gelf calves and large families thrive among the sprawling grain fields and hamlets and the river from which they derive their name—the Feldon. Word comes with the trade caravans that times are not so good in the regions far to the east of the Feldon River: tumultuous changes stir among the remote province of Bleikovia. Old timer Feldovats shrug it off as one more squabble between clans over boundaries or water rights…too distant to affect the Feldovats.

The western clans learn too late, however, it is no local squabble. Outnumbered and unprepared, Feldovats resist a hoard bent on plunder and conquest. Days of battle along the Feldon River stain the riverbanks in green Murian blood. In the finals days of exhausted fighting, Judikar Klarvko Celo, leader of the Clan Klarvkon and the Feldovats, is fatally stabbed with the slow-acting sevon poison. The Judikar’s consort, Etikaa Klarvkaa, becomes Regentkaa, and with Celovat Field Commander Korvo Celo serving as her advisor, she leads the demoralized Feldovat survivors on a gruesome ill-prepared winter trek through high mountain passes of ice and blizzard snow in an attempt to elude the Green Dragon forces of the Bleikovats.

Etkaa’s only son, Klarvko Celo II, helps spirit Feldovat young across a remote mountain exodus to the west toward Eedov Province. The battered, starving Feldovats reach the Malfesian coast at Eedov City only to be confronted with their implacable enemy determined to destroy the remaining Klarvkon rabble. Taking passage on crowded lumbering Maalonovion freighters, Feldovats and Malfesian refugees set sail. On arrival in Maalon City they are welcomed among their Maalon hosts, and settle into a new life.

But famine and a pandemic pestilence stir old hates and nurse former ambitions. The enraged Overseers of Bleikovia move against the Klarvkons, this time bringing bloodshed to Maalonovia. The exiles from the Feldon must fight once again, but starvation and plague across the Planete Myr make it a different war from the battles along the Feldon…a na’ä blikovat…the Bleikovvat Phenomenon…an event with unexpected consequences and outcomes none could have foreseen.

Before the vendetta killing is exhausted, the Regentkaa Klarvkaa and her son are swept onto the Maalon throne, setting the Klarvkon Dynasty and the Murians toward an intergalactic golden age, and a star-flung destiny the once-agrarian Feldovats could never have envisaged.

EXCERPT

Prologue

The catafalque of the old Dowager Queen rested on the high rostrum of the Temple of the Goddess Myraa. There was little ceremony to the cremation of dead. Yet, all that had passed made this requiem for the Dowager Queen Klarvkaa Etkaa Bremanova Celovaa Bremanova symbol of the changes which had swept so many lives. Long annuals before the ascendancy of The Klarvkon Dynasty, the massive wood and granite Temple to the Goddess Myraa had been destroyed in the firestorm which laid waste Eedov City. After the close of the Malfesian War the temple was rebuilt, but not the city. On the ashes of the old temple, immense columns rose above the sanctuary and vaults. Iridescent alabaster and polished marbles greeted pilgrim supplicants who had come to the shoreline plains washed by the Green Sea.

Dowager Etkaa Klarvkaa…wife, myäat, founding matriarch of the Klarvkon Dynasty, gave hope from a time without hope. As was her wish, she would be cremated on the soil of her birth, her ashes to mingle with those of her consort, Klarvko Celo. Their son, His Imperial Majesty Klarvko Celo the Second, decreed it would be. At the enormous base of the great temple…a spectacle never seen before and seldom since those times, came an undulating ocean of banners. Some of clans which no longer existed, even the once-hated Green Dragon of Bleikovia. Murians had taken her to their hearts…and never relinquished her. Her shadow would reach across the centuries, and measure all who followed.

MY REVIEW

I won't summarize much. The blurb above pretty much says it all.

Caught up in the good life, the western clans of the Feldon failed to realize that the enemy plaguing eastern clans along the Feldon River would soon be at their doors. When the enemy finally arrived, there were no strong allies left to help them. In a bold and unusual move, the consort of the fallen Clan Klarvkon leader steps up to lead the Feldovats against enemy forces. The hardest challenges begin here.

As I read about the plight of the Feldovats, it reminded me of the famous Martin Niemöller (Protestant pastor and Nazi concentration camp survivor) quotation (versions vary):

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

I must confess that I started this book somewhat intimidated by the blurb. I continued to be intimidated through chapter 2. I was thrown off by the meaning and pronunciation of the clan and character names presented in the story (ex. the Regentkaa's name - Klarvkaa Etkaa Celovaa Bremanovaa). I twisted my ponytail as I clicked pages, unsure if I could easily follow the characters throughout the story.  

That was only a momentary worry. Things are started to click with chapter 3. By chapter five, I was overly engrossed and sneering, "Bring it on, Bleikovats punks. Regentkaa Etkaa and the Feldovats will never bow down."

Character-driven and fast-paced, this is an epic tale that weaves a story about fighting for survival with strings of fantasy, loyalty, and ethics. I especially liked the attention to scene detail. I could really picture them in my mind. I excitedly followed storyline events using the maps provided at the end of the book. MacKinney has a nice turn of phrase which should help Cairns of Sainctuarie stand-out in the sea of fantasy books. His writing style is descriptive and succinct. Two qualities that don't often come together in sci-fi and fantasy novels.  

All in all, Cairns of Sainctuarie is a promising start to the series. It will be a hearty treat for sci-fi and fantasy readers. It offers complex world building, a strong heroine as war leader, and lots of action.

NOTE: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I'd like to have a clak (see the animal on the cover) of my own.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Welsh and Scottish Hawk MacKinney grew up in northwest Arkansas, and wrote for his school newspaper. Hawk served over twenty years as a Special Staff Corps Officer with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, a Naval Academy Blue and Gold Recruiting Officer, a Navy Recruiting Command Liaison Officer, and Commanding Officer of units attached to the U.S. Marine Corps bases at Parris Island, South Carolina and Twentynine Palms, California. Along with his postgraduate degrees, he studied English and Russian history and foreign languages. As a faculty member in major medical and veterinarian universities, he authored professional articles and taught postgraduate courses in the United States and Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem. In addition to his sci-fi series, The Cairns of Sainctuarie, Hawk MacKinney has authored the Craige Ingram Mystery Series and Moccasin Trace, a historical romance nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. 

Website: www.hawkmackinney.net

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cairns-Sainctuarie-Bleikovat-Event-Book-ebook/dp/B00A6BR6YG/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1406718551&sr=8-7&keywords=hawk+mackinney

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cairns-of-sainctuarie-hawk-mackinney/1113367156?ean=2940015906448

Sage World Publishing: http://www.sagewordspublishing.com/fantasy.shtml

BOOK TRAILER 

GIVEAWAY 

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Book Blast and Giveaway: Sean's Sweetheart by Allie Kincheloe

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for Sean's Sweetheart by Allie Kincheloe, a contemporary romance available now from Secret Cravings Publishing. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

Sean has spent five years cleaning up his life. He’s shoved his past behind him and built a profitable business in the town’s most popular dance club. Falling in love with a college sophomore wasn’t in his plans. But, from the moment he rescued Talia, she brings out his every protective instinct. He tries to resist getting involved on a personal level. Talia’s persistence, however, is stronger than his will.

Despite just ending an abusive relationship, Talia finds an instant connection with a man unlike any she’s dated before. Older, tattooed, and totally inappropriate for her, Talia couldn’t keep Sean off her mind, especially once he calls her “sweetheart” in that deep drawl of his.

When Talia is in danger, they discover just how strong their relationship is. Can Sean and his sweetheart make things last when horrors from their pasts come back to haunt them and family seems determined to keep them apart?

EXCERPT

Sean tried to call Talia for the sixth time that week.

“This is Talia, you know what to do.” But obviously she doesn’t or she’d answer her damn phone!

He hung up without leaving a message. He’d left messages earlier in the week. Sent a couple texts. No response. She was still pissed. But damn it, she’d kissed him. He just wanted to explain himself. Explain his reasons for pushing her away. But she wouldn’t answer his call. Again. Sean pulled his arm back to sling the damn phone at the wall, but he’d just have to replace it. His hand itched for a handset to slam down. Jabbing at the touchscreen would never satisfy like slamming a receiver down so hard the phone rang.

Sean tossed his phone on the table and sank down onto his couch with a sigh. One kiss and he acted like a lovesick puppy. Frustrated the hell out of him. He was a grown-ass man who should have better control over himself than that. Maybe it was a side effect of two years of self-imposed celibacy, you idiot, he chided himself. Not dating for five years while he got the club going seemed like a good plan. Until a beautiful, soft woman pressed her lips to his.

He never should have kissed her back. He should’ve shoved her away the moment she stepped between his legs. Should have, but didn’t. Oh, no, he pulled her tight to his chest and kissed her until they both gasped for air and he thought his lungs might collapse from lack of oxygen. Then he’d moved to that delectable throat, savoring the feel of her pulse beneath his lips. He’d marked her, leaving evidence of their passion on her pale skin. He’d thoroughly enjoyed her soft curves pressed against…

He had to get out of this apartment.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

As a busy mother of five, Allie sneaks time to write between breakfast and tickles. Always a Kentucky girl at heart, she currently makes her home near Nashville.

Author Links:

Website

Twitter

Pinterest


Buy Links:

Secret Cravings Publishing

All Romance Books

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

GIVEAWAY

Allie will award a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to one randomly selected winner via Rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to one randomly selected host.

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Expectant Parents – New Resource from Focus on the Family {And, iPad Mini Giveaway!}

While many books for new parents focus on prenatal development and the health of a mom-to-be, Suzanne Hadley Gosselin's Expectant Parents' core purpose is to help new parents understand key issues related to the arrival of a new child in the home, offering practical assistance as they prepare themselves for long-term family success.

Learn ways to strengthen your marriage relationship, set plans and expectations for parenthood, increase communication, and prepare for the new stage of your family life. Pick up a copy for yourself or for expectant friends and enter for a chance to win an iPad Mini!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• Expectant Parents from Suzanne Hadley Gosselin and Focus on the Family

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 2nd. Winner will be announced November 3rd on Suzanne's website here.
 

BECOMING BEA By @LeslieJeanGould | Kindle Giveaway and Facebook Party!

Leslie Gould is back with the latest book, Becoming Bea, in her Shakespeare-inspired series, The Courtships of Lancaster County. Don't miss the other books in the series, Courting Cate (retelling of The Taming of the Shrew), Adoring Addie (inspired by Romeo and Juliet), and Minding Molly (inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

Leslie is celebrating the series with a Kindle giveaway and a Facebook party on November 11th.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• One copy each of the entire The Courtships of Lancaster County series: Courting Cate, Adoring Addie, Minding Molly, and Becoming Bea.

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 11/11. Winner will be announced at Leslie's 11/11 Becoming Bea Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Leslie and Amish fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!

New Regency from @SarahLaddAuthor AND a Kindle HDX giveaway!

Award-winning author Sarah E. Ladd examines how to escape the clutches of a tainted past in the final installment of her Whispers on the Moor series. A Regency-era novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall cleverly shows that even though our pasts may be shameful or painful, God can take the darkest personal histories and turn them into the brightest futures.

Celebrate with Sarah by entering her Kindle HDX giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 2nd. Winner will be announced November 3rd here.

Return to Emerald City by Allyson Lindt and Sofia Grey: Book Blast and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for Return to Emerald City by Allyson Lindt and Sofia Grey, a Sci-Fi Romance released this month from Acelette Press. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

Return to Emerald City

A Collection of Sci-fi Romance Novellas Inspired by The Wizard of Oz


Dorothy’s Red Shoes

There’s no place like home… Dorothy is already feeling homesick for Emerald City, and wonders if taking a job halfway around the world was a mistake. When her love life crumbles–again–will she run for home?


His Replay Girl


If he only had the nerve… Ten years ago, Quinn made the best choice of his life, and the biggest mistake. It’s true, his band, Lionheart, is one of the biggest in the world, but how much does it mean if he can’t tell the woman he loves how he feels?


His Reboot Girl

If only he had a brain… Scott woke up with his head spinning and not much else going on up there. Now he’s a suspect in a terrorist plot, and on the run. One woman insists she's the key to his past and his freedom. Too bad he doesn't remember her.



His Rewind Girl

If he only had a heart.... Cam is as much machine as man. There are days he loathes the CyGes implants that saved his life but couldn't do the same for his family. They replaced his limbs, but now he needs someone to mend his heart.

EXCERPT

My thoughts swirled and darted in random directions. The big Christmas party, the one for all the Wellington employees, was next week. If I wanted to make a real impression on Matthew, that would be the place to do it. I was flying back to Emerald City for the holidays, but that wasn’t until a couple days later.

How about if I dressed up? Wore a slinky evening gown instead of my usual black slacks and shirt, put on fuck-me heels instead of flip flops, and got my hair and makeup done beforehand? My heart beat a little faster. Could I do it? The women he dated were always well groomed and elegant. That was why I thought he liked me—I was different from his normal floozies—but maybe that was where I was going wrong. I had no idea. I needed a guy’s perspective, but who could I ask?

“Hey.” The familiar voice came from behind me. “You look miles away. You okay?”


Ben. Standing beside me at the cart. How long had he been there? I watched, dazed, as he dug into a pocket, before holding out his phone to pay for his drink. Unlike most of the programmers I worked with, he had nice hands—with long slender fingers and neat, clean nails. I pulled myself together.

“Yeah, just thinking.” Ben was the closest I had to a male friend. Could I trust him?

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Catch Sofia & Allyson blogging at www.GeminiGirls.com

About Sofia Grey

Romance author Sofia Grey spends her days managing projects in the corporate world and her nights hanging out with wolf shifters and alpha males. She devours pretty much anything in the fiction line, but she prefers her romances to be hot, and her heroes to have hidden depths. When writing, she enjoys peeling back the layers to expose her characters’ flaws and always makes them work hard for their happy endings.

About Allyson Lindt

Allyson Lindt is a full-time geek and a fuller-time contemporary romance author. She prefers that her geeky heroes come with the alpha expansion pack and adores a heroine who can hold her own in a boardroom. She loves a sexy happily-ever-after and helping deserving cubicle dwellers find their futures together.


Find Sofia Grey Online:

Website:www.SofiaGrey.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6906923.Sofia_Grey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sofia.Grey.Romance.Author

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sofiagrey1/

Twitter: @SofiaGreyAuthor https://twitter.com/SofiaGreyAuthor

Amazon author profile page: https://www.amazon.com/author/sofiagrey

Tumblr: sofiagreynz@tumblr.com


Find Allyson Lindt Online:

Website: http://allysonlindt.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allyson-Lindt/116062025108551

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllysonLindt

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7024176.Allyson_Lindt

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/allysonlindt

GIVEAWAY

Allyson and Sofia will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $15 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host between this tour and the Excerpt tour.

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PROJECT FIREBIRD by Nick Green: Book Blast with Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for Project Firebird by Nick Green, a YA Sci-Fi book available now.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nick will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Don’t ask Leo Lloyd-Jones. Ask him how to steal a car, or why he got excluded from every school in Salford, but don’t come to him for help. This whole thing must be a daft mistake – and if anyone finds out, he’s done for.

Earth is on a deadly collision course that nothing can prevent. The only real hope is Project Firebird, deep inside a blast-proof bunker that shelters the brightest and bravest young people. Leo has got mixed up with the likes of Rhys Carnarvon, the celebrated teenage polar explorer, and other child prodigies chosen to keep the flame of civilisation.

Among them is the streetwise Paige Harris, a girl Leo likes a lot (but not in that way). Paige is desperate to rescue her little sister from London before the catastrophe strikes. But no-one is crazy enough to try that. Almost no-one.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Kian tried to break the ice by spinning the bottle.

‘Okay.’ His eyes flickered at Lucy. ‘Next question. Who do we think is the prettiest girl in the room?’

Lucy blushed at once. Isabel looked merely curious, perhaps forgetting that she herself was a girl. But Paige shifted on her beanbag chair and turned her face away. Leo had to feel a bit sorry for her. Great though she was to have around, no-one’s choice was ever going to be Paige, in his expert opinion. He realised that the bottleneck had stopped on him again.

‘Truth or dare!’ said Kian. ‘Who’s prettiest?’

‘The bottle seems to think it’s me.’

‘Only ’cos it’s drunk,’ Lucy smirked.

‘Prettiest girl. Come on,’ said Kian.

Leo laughed. ‘That’s easy.’

It was now. Their three supervisors had appeared in the lounge: David followed by Lenka and the long-haired Chris. Even in workaday jeans and her very uncool Firebird Foundation t-shirt, Lenka remained drop-dead gorgeous. She might have been a Hollywood actress relaxing between takes. The noise levels plunged as most of the boys stopped talking. Rhys pretended to throw a glass of water over Leo.

‘She’s too old for you.’

Leo shook his head. ‘Age can’t stop true love. See the way she looks at me.’

‘You mean like she’s about to be sick?’

‘She’s playing hard to get.’

‘So that’ll be game, set and match to her,’ said Rhys.

Leo gave him a friendly dead arm.

About the Author: Nick Green lives in the UK. He is the author of seven fiction books to date, including the middle-grade CAT KIN trilogy published by Strident. His other books include THE STORM BOTTLE, a fantasy adventure about the dolphins of Bermuda, and most recently the FIREBIRD trilogy, a YA science fiction epic.

www.nickgreenbooks.com
https://www.goodreads.com/nickgreen_catkin

Buy the book at Amazon.

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THE BACHELOR By Stephanie Reed | Kindle Giveaway and Facebook Party!

Don't miss Stephanie Reed's newest book in the Plain City Peace series, The Bachelor. This compelling second book deftly weaves together the strands of a solid, simpler time with the turmoil of an era of change, revealing the strengths of both in its powerful narrative.

Join Stephanie in celebrating the book's release by entering her Kindle giveaway and RSVPing to her Facebook launch party on October 28th!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Bachelor by Stephanie Reed

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 11/9. RSVP for the Facebook launch party today for a chance to connect with Stephanie and Amish fiction fans and a chance to win some great prizes! Winner will be announced November 10th here.

Release Day Promo (Guest Post) by Katie Cross for Antebellum Awakening

I have author Katie Cross on the blog today. She is talking about her day to celebrate the release of Antebellum Awakening, book two in the Network series. Isn't the cover lovely? Don't miss out on book one, Miss Mabel's School for Girls. It is only .99 cents for a limited time.

 

So it begins . . .

0700- Wake up to this whining face because he wants under the covers again.

0712- Drag myself out of bed.

0740- Walk past dishes in the sink and pretend like they aren’t there.

0758- Check email.

0759- Check facebook with a promise to only stay on for ten minutes.

_______ 0854- Log off Facebook. _______

0901- Answer emails from editor, cover designer, and a new fan from United Arab Emirates.

0906: Drool over new book cover.

0909- Open current work in progress.

0914- Commence staring at screen, waiting for inspiration.

_______

1001- Finish staring at screen.

1013- Search for inspiration by making chamomile tea.

1029- Feed dogs because I forgot.

1041- Feed myself because I forgot.

1053- Log onto Pinterest to find inspiration.

_______ 1245- Log off Pinterest. _______

1306- Return to story.

1309- Switch to the first draft of another story and free write.

1342- Stop at 2,000 words because a tweet just popped up.

_______

1434- Log off twitter.

1459- Go to grocery store because husband insists on eating dinner. Fill up car with gas, buy 2L of Dr Pepper 10.

_______

1601- Open current work in progress. Stare at screen. Drink 12 oz DP 10.

1634- Eat package of Miss Mabel's caramels for inspiration. Java and pretzel are the best.

1639- Stare at screen again.

_______

1718- Go on a hike with dogs to find inspiration in the my mountains.

_______

1816- Start dinner, kiss husband hello.

1841- Eat dinner while watching new episode of Big Bang Theory.

_______

1900- Vacuum hoping a mindless task will bring inspiration

1911- Wash dishes

1921- Drops favorite dish when inspiration strikes.

1922- Abandons unwashed dishes, knocks husband down, jumps over dog, and rushes to computer. Frantically starts writing.

_______

0333- Stops writing. Goes to bed.

_______

Katie Cross eats a lot of cookies when she's not eating caramels. She also likes to write books. Check out her newest book, Antebellum Awakening, Book Two in the Network Series, that releases October 15th. The first book, Miss Mabel's School for Girls is available for $0.99! (Both books are available in the Kindle Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited.)

Visit the official Miss Mabel's website to learn how to win the awesome prizes below!

Kara Tippetts’ THE HARDEST PEACE Blogger Challenge & Giveaway! Share Your #HardestPeace Story.

Kara Tippetts' brave and touching book, The Hardest Peace is launching with a blogger challenge. Celebrate with Kara by joining the #HardestPeace conversation and share how you are finding grace in the midst of the everyday and in life's hard moments.

Share your stories of everyday grace in the midst of life’s difficulties and enter to win a #HardestPeace prize pack:

• A book club pack (10 copies of The Hardest Peace for you and your small group!)
• A handcrafted candle
• Journal
• Custom Etsy The Hardest Peace print and coffee mug

To enter to win, simply blog about your #HardestPeace story and then submit the link to your post via the link-up (or see link in the Rafflecopter below). Plus stop by others’ stories to leave encouragement and offer prayers as we all travel the journey of life together and discover that the hardest peace is often the most fulfilling peace. Then follow Kara online (via the Rafflcopter) for additional entries into the giveaway.

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MY NAME IS THANK-YOU by Kaizen Love: Author Interview and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book tour for My Name is Thank-You by Kaizen Love, a young adult book available now. Today I have an interview with the author to share with you. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour.

BLURB

My Name Is Thank-You allows us into the worlds of two very different thirteen-year-old girls. Each girl’s voice carries its own unique tone, as the girls beckon us to follow magically into their lives. One is a joyous story of hope against all odds, the search for acceptance, and the longing for unconditional love; the other a sad tale of unspeakable abuse, constant rejection, and an overwhelming sense of loneliness. Thank-You and Josephine create around us a world rich with emotion, one that will leave you inspired, breathless, and yearning for more words.

EXCERPT

"They say that a child’s imagination is one of the most powerful forces on this planet. As children we are able to tap into the mystery that exists outside of the walls of our minds. We are free from the cage of reasoning and ignorance. We are able to look beyond what is directly in front of us and see the path that lies ahead. As we grow, we begin to lose sight of these things. The mystery becomes overshadowed by the wall that grows bigger with each human experience. Eventually, we forget the magic and wonder that we once found in the belief that anything was possible, and the word impossible becomes the box that we use to shove God into. " (My Name Is Thank-You)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. How do you come up with the characters names/personalities?

I love to give my characters interesting names, or names that in some way describe who or what they stand for. For this novel my character's name is "Thank-You", and she lives the definition of gratitude.


2. What scene was the hardest to write? Why?

There is one very intense scene in this novel. I can't describe it in detail because it gives away a big twist in the story. But, I will say that it is a scene that highlights abuse in a very realistic way. I was sad when writing it, then angry, but it needed to be written.


3. What is your favorite scene in My Name is Thank-You?

The ending was my favorite. It made me laugh out loud with tears in my eyes.


4. How much of you is hidden in the characters in your book?

There is a lot of me in both my main characters. I think that there is a lot of all of us. I believe the only thing that separates us from each other are the way we perceive the details in our stories. We all have a beginning, middle, and an end. We fill those chapters in different ways, but all using the same vocabulary.


5. If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play Thank-You and Josephine?

I would have to say Josephine could be played by Quvenzhané Wallis, the young girl from Beasts of the Southern Wild, and 12 Years A Slave. And Thank-You, well, that is a tough one because she is so unique looking. Whoever would play Thank-You ultimately needs to have a big and beautiful smile.


6. What does your writing process look like?

Some days it looks like a lot of coffee, and other days it looks like a lot of wine. Ok, maybe not so much wine, a glass or two will do. It really depends on my mood, and what mood my characters are in.


7. What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Never be afraid to be yourself. One of the greatest things about writing is being able to release the contents of your mind in a very special way. Don't spend so much time focusing what kinds of books are the most popular, or what you think will make the most money. Write what you feel, and allow the story to lead you.


8. What is your best marketing tip?

Research, research, and more research! There are so many tips and tricks online these days it is almost impossible to say which is the best. I research as much as I can, I make lists of things to try, and I do them.


9. What literary character is most like you?

I would have to say Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.


10. What are you working on now? What is your next project?

I am working on a novel about a young man on a journey of discovery. It will have a bit of humor, and a lot more romance. I am in the beginning phases of writing, so I cant' give too much away. My stories always tend to change as I go, they truly tell themselves.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Kaizen Love is an up and coming writer, spinning words into a beautiful web that should enrich the lives of all who read them. She has a positive and fresh take on life, and has mastered the art of storytelling. She grew up reading books by authors from every style, race, nationality, culture, and religious perspective; drawing inspiration from each one. Her greatest mission is to share love.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPLHQ3W

Website: http://kaizenlove.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaizen-Love/1387506034846336?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaiZenLove

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22711164-my-name-is-thank-you

GIVEAWAY 

Kaizen Love will be awarding a $15 BN/Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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