Welcome to my stop on the cover reveal tour for Restless Earth and Blessing Sky by Emily Mah. These are the first two books in a YA/NA fantasy series. They release July 20th.
For over a thousand years, the Tanoa have relied on their line of Earth Shamen to bring rich harvests, temper stone tools and weapons, and imbue pottery with strength like metal. Now, though, the bloodline has dwindled to one Shaman, Tuwa, who is trapped high in the mountains, holding bedrock together to prevent a volcanic eruption while the rest of her people flee to safety. The only way to save the village is for her to sacrifice herself and buy them the time they need to evacuate.
But her grandson, Ahote, refuses to abandon her to die. Rather than do as she asks—marry and bear daughters who might inherit her gift—he sets out to find the one person who might be able to save Tuwa’s life.
Kasha is a Tanoa girl in who lives in Solace, a city of the pale-skinned Andalanos. If the Engineers Guild ever discovers her gender or race, they could order her execution—for in violation of the King’s law, Master Engineer Seamus trained Kasha as his apprentice. She is a genius in all things mechanical and earned her master certification when only fourteen years old. Since Seamus’s death, she has been discreetly working his job as the City Engineer.
No engineer in history could save Tuwa; it requires an invention unlike anything the world has ever seen. Kasha believes she can do it, but when Ahote breaks the Andalanos’ most sacred law, she is caught between worlds. Kasha must choose between her Tanoa heritage and her Andalano friends who have risked their lives to give her the only career she has ever wanted. Choosing one means betraying the other, and in this world, betrayal means death.
I write as both Emily Mah (for science fiction and fantasy) and E.M. Tippetts (for chick lit). My short stories have appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, The Black Gate, and anthologies like The Dragon and the Stars, Shanghai Steam, and The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth. My E.M. Tippetts novels have been on the Amazon Top 100 numerous times, and my novel, Someone Else's Fairytale was semi-finalist for the Best Indie Book of the Year - Kindle Book Review, and a runner up in Romance for the Best of the Independent Book Awards - eFestival of Words.
When I'm not writing or chasing small children, I manage E.M. Tippetts Book Designs, my company which offers formatting, cover design, and editing services to authors and publishers.
The author is giving away an ebook of the first book in the series, Restless Earth, to everyone who signs up for her mailing list: http://eepurl.com/bitx49
Welcome to the cover reveal of Ensnared by Kriston Johnson! Ensnared is the second book in The Legends of Elyndia series. The first book is Awakened. This is a young adult fantasy and will be available in August 2015.
About the Book:
Facing monstrous demons, a ravenous dragon, and a malicious faerie queen are the least of Jade’s worries.
It has been a fortnight since Jade confronted Draven, and he has emerged from the battle more terrifying than ever. Armed with a new plan and fueled with unrelenting determination, Draven casts a dark spell and calls forth new players that no one ever expected, bringing him one step closer to opening the portal to The Fathom.
Back at the Citadel, the people are divided and succumbing to the dark magic that threatens to encompass the entire realm. To unravel a tangled web of hidden truths, Jade plays a dangerous game of her own and works in secret to uncover something the Council is refusing to share. But the more she learns, the more she begins to question if she is doing the right thing.
Jade vows to bring an end to the madness she feels responsible for and works to harness her elemental power, but unforeseen consequences arise.Her power is growing beyond what she can control, and it’s on the verge of destroying her from within.
Was learning to use her magical ability the beginning…or the beginning of the end?
Kriston Johnson lives in Southwest Washington with her husband, teenage son, and miniature Australian Shepherd. Her home rests at the fringe of an old growth forest that she insists is the home of Jason Voorhees. Her husband thinks that’s a ridiculous assumption, because everyone knows it’s really Bigfoot. Every summer Kriston participates in the annual pilgrimage to Faerieworlds, a real life faerie realm here on Earth, and has an unhealthy obsession with Star Wars, The Vampire Diaries, and Iron Man.
Welcome to the release event for Tripp by Kristen Kehoe, a companion novel to Life Interrupted. We have some teasers as well as a giveaway of a necklace from Stella & Dot. Tripp is a Mature Young Adult Contemporary Novel and is now available for sale!
Have you read Life Interrupted yet? Get both books today (see details below)!
About the Book:
Because there are two sides to every story…
I’ve never been the guy who shied away from taking the ball. I’m an athlete; I thrive on the court, and I thrive in life because I don’t shy away from taking chances.
Except that one time.
Except with Rachel.
I fell in love with my best friend when we were ten, and she almost put her fist in my face when I tried to defend her against a fifth grade bully. I didn’t tell her that day that I loved her, or any of the ones following, because she had proved she didn’t need me, and even at a young age, I knew the opposite was true for me.
I needed Rachel with every breath I took, and it scared the ever-loving crap out of me.
Being the mature young man I am (cough), I tried to ignore it. I dated someone else; I stayed Rachel’s friend and watched her from afar because when you love someone who has the potential to break you into a million unrecoverable pieces, that’s what you do. You watch from afar and you never reveal your true feelings because it’s safer to hide them than to admit them.
Until it’s not. Until the day you take a step forward and alter both of your worlds completely, only to discover that you’ll never, ever be over her.
This is my story – my story of Rachel and everything I did and didn’t do, everything I said and forgot to say, and everything I felt before and after we made our biggest mistake and walked away from each other.
She told her side – now it’s my turn. I’m including our past, holding nothing back from her ever again, so she better be ready for me.
Mature Young Adult
***This is the companion novel to LIFE INTERRUPTED (The Life series Book 1) released January 2014. It can be read as a standalone, as it is different from Rachel’s story.
“Tripp,” Stacy says. I snap to the present. “Are you ready?”
I wipe my palms on my jeans and nod. “What do you need?”
Following Stacy’s instructions, I walk down the hall into Rachel’s room. The light is on; I can see the small form under the blankets before I peel them away and scoop my arms under her even though she protests. I want her to fight, even prepare myself for it, but right away I see what Stacy’s talking about. There’s nothing inside of Rachel—even as she attempts to thrash in my arms, I barely have to tighten my hold on her while I carry her to the bathroom. The girl who has so often put me on my ass from one punch has no muscle, and worse, she has no spirit.
Nothing about the girl in my arms right now is the Rachel I’ve always known. The lack of fight worries me more than the lack of weight.
Stacy’s already pushed the shower curtain back. I put Rachel inside, ignoring her half-hearted protests as I turn the water on cold and high. When she screams—the real-deal scream full of terror and anger—the vise on my chest loosens a little and I’m so grateful I could break down and weep. My hands are full because she’s putting much more effort into fighting me than she was a second ago. I forget about how cold the water is on my skin, or the fact that she looks like a ghost with dark circles under her eyes and a pasty pallor to her normally warm skin, and I talk to her while I hold her there.
“That’s right, Rachel, fight me. You fight me and you come back. Do you hear me? We need you, Rachel. We need you to fight.” She screams more, shoving at me with her hands, but I don’t budge. I encourage her as I see the color start to slowly seep into her cheeks. “Come on, baby, come back to us. Come back to me.”
I whisper the last part. I don’t know if it was the words or the fact that she’s finally opened up enough to feel the weight of it all, but she breaks—the dam cracking and flooding. Instead of being angry, she’s devastated.
My heart cracks and my lungs seize; she falls into a sobbing heap. I turn the water off and start to lift her into my lap. Whatever I promised her sister, I can’t do it; I can’t watch her break like this.
Don't miss out on Life Interrupted (The Life series #1). Order your copy today!
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.
I'm excited to share Pride by Rosie Somers, book one in the Temptation series! I really like book cover. Don't forget to check out the book trailer and enter the giveaway.
Seventeen-year-old Gabriella Pierce is used to taking care of herself, but she’s about to become responsible for a whole lot more. When she gets a visit from three men claiming to be defenders of fantastical rings imbued with the powers of THE CARDINAL SINS, her life is changed irrevocably.
Gabby is the steward of PRIDE
To make matters worse, she’s falling hard for fellow steward, Grant Barnett, and he hates her guts. Now Gabby has to learn to protect Pride without letting her feelings for Grant get in the way.
Iola’s Christian Reads: “Pride is aimed at the YA market, and is the first in a planned series (presumably one for each of the seven deadly sins). It incorporates elements of other well-known YA series such as Harry Potter and Divergent, (an orphan who is the ‘chosen one’ fighting the forces of evil). It has that fast pace and addictive quality which makes it hard to put down.”
“...it was thrilling enough to grab my attention and I can’t wait to continue Gabby’s story in the next installment. Rosie Somers has made it to my Author’s to watch for list!”
The man didn’t make a sound. He stood stock still for the span of one sharp, inhaled breath, then he crumpled to the floor. After assuring herself there was no one behind him, Gabby flipped her flashlight on and knelt to give the unconscious heap at her feet her full attention. Oh God, she’d killed him. She just knew it.
Save for green streaks coursing through his thick, black hair, and a spot of blood near his temple, there wasn’t any color on him. His clothes were black, his skin winter-pale. Everything about his appearance was smooth, lean, handsome—no feature out of place. Full lips, chiseled jaw, and strikingly thick eyelashes. He was pretty, for a boy. It all fit, even the green hair. And he was still breathing. She wasn’t a murderer.
Suddenly, a strong hand gripped her forearm, and the heavy flashlight was ripped from her grasp. Wrenching free from the iron grip, she tried to turn around as she stood. Instead, she fell backward over Pretty Boy, landing hard on her butt with her legs draped over his torso.
Gabby scrambled to her feet. The moment she was steady, she broke into a run, but only made it as far as the back door before arms like steel bands wrapped around her from behind, pinning her to a rock-solid chest. She couldn’t breathe.
“We’re not here to hurt you, Gabriella,” a deep voice murmured into her ear. As if to prove the honesty of his words, the man relaxed his hold just enough for her to breathe normally.
“Yeah, right.”And her foster dad had only wanted to give her a kiss goodnight—with his tongue. Gabby knew what men were like, and she was not about to be fooled by this one. “How do you know my name?”
“It’s a long story, but we’ve been lookin’ for ya for some time now.” He had an Irish accent.
“Who are you?”
He turned their bodies back toward the unconscious man across the room. Now another guy stood over Pretty Boy. He wasseveral years older, thirty maybe. His pale blond hair was short and, even from across the room, it was clear he was much taller than her.
As Vice Guy half-carried her to the other men, a muffled moan floated up to meet them, and the guy on the floor took great care disentangling lanky limbs to pull himself to a kneeling position. He rubbed the side of his head with one hand while he used the other to brace himself against the wall. The look Pretty Boy raked over Gabby as he got up made her cringe.
The guy still holding her spoke. “If I let ya go, will ya promise not to run? We’re not goin’ to hurt ya. We’re here because we need your help.”
She believed him. Maybe because, even though she’d just clobbered his friend, he hadn’t hurt her. She nodded and was immediately released.
She turned, but the guy behind her wasn’t the giant with superhuman strength she’d imagined. Her captor was probably only a couple of years older than her, with dark auburn hair and a hint of a dimple on his right cheek. Despite the seriousness of the situation, his bright blue eyes sparkled with interest, and the corners of his lips were turned up in an amused smile.
He didn’t take his gaze off her, even when he took several steps away. Instead, he stood arms crossed, feet planted apart. Poised to give chase if she fled. Running had crossed her mind, but something compelled her to stay at least long enough to hear what they had to say.
“Well …?” She prompted with a wave of her hand that clearly said, get on with it.
The blond man cleared his throat. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Andrew. This is Lucas.” He motioned toward the man who’d grabbed her, then to the one she’d knocked out. “And Grant.”
Grant’s eyes were narrowed. She shifted under his scrutiny and diverted her gaze.
Andrew whispered something in his ear, and Grant looked down at his feet. Andrew continued, “We need to go.”
They were there to abduct her. At the realization, panic rose in Gabby’s chest, choking her breath into shallow threads. She threw her hands up defensively and backed away with slow, shaky steps. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Andrew sighed. “You may not want to now, but you will when you find out why.”
“Then tell me.”
He checked his watch, then squared his shoulders in determination. “Have you ever heard of the seven deadly sins?”
Gabby snorted. “Who hasn’t?”
“I assume you don’t realize how serious they are. We’ve spent our lives protecting humanity from the temptations and you laugh at the mention of them?” Grant’s voice was deep and forceful.
He looked as though he would have continued scolding her, but Lucas uttered a soft “Dude” and shook his head. Grant snapped his mouth shut and raised a hand to rub the back of his neck.
Lucas picked up where Andrew left off. “Do ya know much abou’ the history of the sins?”
She’d only ever heard an Irish brogue on TV. His lilting tone was soothing.
He raised an eyebrow.
Oh, he’d asked a question. What was it? Ah yes, history of the sins. Gabby shook her head.
“In the latter half of the fourth century, a monk fled Constantinople to a small monastery in Egypt. There, he penned a list of eight sins which he referred to as the Temptations of Man: Pride, Avarice, Acedia, Gluttony, Impurity, Anger, Sadness, and Vainglory.”
He took a few steps back and leaned against the wall, then continued, “For two centuries, almost all of those not involved with that particular monastery thought the list of Temptations was nothing more than the opinion of one monk, a suggestion of how to lead a good Christian life. Then, sometime around five-ninety A.D., Pope Gregory the First came across a collection of rings tha’ had been housed by this monastic order in utter secrecy. They considered them so powerful only the handler was permitted near them, just one specific monk who devoted his life to ensurin’ no one else came into contact with the Temptations.”
“Listen guys, much as I appreciate the history lesson, I’ve got work in …”she made a show of checking her non-existent watch, “a few hours, so I really hope you’re getting to a point.” This earned her a leveling glare from Grant.
“Pope Gregory had the rings studied and discovered they were in fact imbued with special properties. It seemed they had the power to influence people toward certain … well … temptations,” Andrew replied.
What asylum had these guys broken out of? Did they actually believe this nonsense they were spouting? “Seriously, jewelry that makes people sin? Right.” Gabby moved to her bag and gathered her clothing, making sure to keep the men in her line of sight.
Lucas reached into his shirt and pulled out a chain. He slipped it free of his neck and dangled it from the tips of two fingers. Swinging like a pendulum at the bottom of that chain was a brilliant, red ring.
“What is that?” She already knew the answer.
Lucas took several slow steps in her direction and extended his arm toward her. She clenched her fists and bit down on her tongue to keep from yelling at the men. How dare they sneak into her makeshift home, intruding into her life, practically scaring her to death. Now, they were feeding her this absurd story about sin-possessed rings and crazy monks.
The closer he got, her anger went from muted seething to barely-contained rage. The more she thought about it, the more she wished she was still in possession of her Maglite so she could hit him with it, and maybe again after that. When Lucas was little more than five feet from her, he winked and reversed direction. With each step he took away from her, the violent feelings receded.
“Anger,” Gabby answered her own question.
“Anger,” Andrew affirmed. “Lucas is the steward. I’m the steward of Pride, Grant of Envy.”
Grant’s eyes narrowed at her, while Andrew pulled a matching chain from beneath his own T-shirt and let the attached orange ring fall to rest against his chest. Something about Andrew’s ring was different though. Sure, power emanated from it, too, but she wasn’t experiencing pride. This power was different. It tingled—almost like static electricity.
After slipping the chain back over his head and tucking it under his neckline, Lucas picked up his story from where he’d left off. “Each of the rings has the ability to influence people toward a particular sin. Pope Gregory discovered which ones led to which temptation and labeled them accordingly. As a result, the original list of temptations was amended. It came to be known as the seven deadly sins.”
That was why the list Lucas spouted earlier didn’t sound right.
“The rings didn’t create the sins, of course. They just have the power to promote that particular feeling or action. Each sin has two rings and two custodians.” Lucas was matter-of-fact.
“What, like a janitor?”
He shook his head, but didn’t otherwise acknowledge her interruption. “The stewards are bound to their particular ring, can sense it, can control its influence over others.”
“How come I’ve never heard of these … stewards?”
“We exist in secret. If the world knew about us and the sins, all hell would break loose. We are not equipped to deal with that,” Grant answered in a tone that clearly said she should already know the answer.
“I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with me.” Were they ever going to get to the point?
Lucas took a tentative step toward her. “You’re the other steward of Pride, Gabriella.”
Author Rosie Somers
Rosie Somers is a YA author who lives in Florida, soaking up the year round sunshine. She can often be found in her favourite spot on her favourite beach, nose-deep in a good book.
Ends 4/13/15
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.
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Savage Winds by R.J. Merle, a YA Sci-Fi Adventure/Horror available now from Towering Pines 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. Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.
BLURB
A dangerous conspiracy unfolds...
In Author R.J. Merle’s whirlwind start of the Children of the Elements series, a clumsy teenage techno-geek struggles to protect kidnapped children from a covert government organization responsible for creating their abilities to control the five elements.
A mighty wind…
Eighteen-year-old Stedford Thackett’s conspiracy theorist brother ensnares him in a real life children-as-weapons plot, while a determined scientist grooms happy-go-lucky five-year-old Darcie Lynn Carpenter to use the wind as a deadly weapon.
Out of control...
Despite the firm hand of Scientist Nora Hicks, Stedford struggles to rescue the kids and escape, even as Darcie Lynn fights to gain control of the surging power of the savage winds.
GUEST POST
What inspired you to write Savage Winds?
Oddly enough, the initial idea or concept for the Children of the Elements, A Secret City Science Fiction Adventure Series, came from watching an episode of History Channel’s Serial Killer Earth series.
When I came across the episode, the possibility of the weather being controlled to prevent such devastation surfaced in the back of my mind, followed immediately by the questioning the idea of whether nature could ever truly be directed or harnessed.
Savage Winds is the first book in the series and was derived from asking all those what-ifs derived from watching that episode of Serial Killer Earth.
The five-year-old girl featured in Savage Winds along with eighteen-year-old Stedford Thackett and Scientist Nora Hicks is kidnapped and forced to cause harm with her wind play.
EXCERPT
No matter what she had to do, Darcie Lynn Carpenter was going home. Weren’t nobody going to stop her.
Dreary and sad, the rain fell from the clouds like the whole wide sky cried buckets of tears. How did the rain smell so much like dirt, and wet dirt so like rain?
Not waiting for Miss Nora to say so, she tugged the oxygen tube free. She blew air out her nose to rid herself of the plastic yuck.
The strong breeze—all grabbing, slapping, giving, taking—whipped the tubing away. The tank’s handle ripped from her grip. Ping. Clank. The tank rolled, dropped off the hilltop. Gone.
“Wait,” Nora said in the button thing in her ear, “we haven’t obtained our readings.”
No more of Nora’s scolding.
None of her lies.
Pulling the clip from her earlobe, Darcie Lynn dug the ear-button out of the other ear, dropped both, and played on. She coughed. Floaty lightness dipped into her forehead. Kind of like when she sneaked and ate too much fudge in one day.
“Do it, Darcie Lynn,” yelled Junior.
A squeeze in her head, and the coughing stopped. Stedford did good because the new collar thingy made play easier. She waved and circled her fingers.
The breeze whirred.
Just outside the town below, a twister blew up.
Within seconds, she sent a tornado, half again as wide as the earlier one in the field, toward the way Junior showed her.
Even though the little girl part of her on the hill cried, the wind-play piece of her soared.
—from Savage Winds
About Savage Winds:
A dangerous conspiracy unfolds...
In Author R.J. Merle’s whirlwind start of the Children of the Elements series, a clumsy teenage techno-geek struggles to protect kidnapped children from a covert government organization responsible for creating their abilities to control the five elements.
A mighty wind…
Eighteen-year-old Stedford Thackett’s conspiracy theorist brother ensnares him in a real life children-as-weapons plot, while a determined scientist grooms happy-go-lucky five-year-old Darcie Lynn Carpenter to use the wind as a deadly weapon.
Out of control...
Despite the firm hand of Scientist Nora Hicks, Stedford struggles to rescue the kids and escape, even as Darcie Lynn fights to gain control of the surging power of the savage winds.
About the Children of the Elements Series:
When nature refuses to be controlled, can mankind endure?
Brainwaves altered by a covert government project based out of the Secret City of Oak Ridge, the Children of the Elements are brought together and tested as weapons of mass destruction. Their struggle to free themselves and survive in the hostile East Tennessee Mountains creates massive chaos and threatens to bring about an apocalypse.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Author R.J. Merle stepped out of the realm of Top-Secret documents (shh, don’t tell…) to write sci-fi and paranormal fiction.
R.J. survived and escaped both the entertainment field and the government-contracting environment, craves the Walking Dead, and entertains what-if tidbits about “supposed” technological and biological advances.
No stranger to the goings on in the city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, R.J. Merle blends a down-home flavor with a former in-the-know—hypothetically, of course—technical background to craft the twists and intrigue of Secret City Adventures.
The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for How I Fall/How I Fly, a two-book young adult romance series by the bestselling author of Almost and Unmaking Hunter Kennedy.
How I Fall by Anne Eliot
*WHAT IF YOU HAD AN IMPOSSIBLE CRUSH?*
Impossible because she’s Ellen Foster. The beautiful, smart, and possibly fragile photography-girl. You’re Cam Campbell. The guy who plays football 24/7 with no life. But what if during junior year, you decide to finally try for her phone number—until this glitter-crazed new girl ruins your plan. Worse, the girl is Irish, awkward, and insists you and Ellen should become best friends—with her! Only, you don’t want to be friends with a human tornado, and you think Ellen might need to stay a crush. This is because after one interaction you’ve discovered Ellen Foster really is fragile. Your problems and secrets are too big for anyone to understand.
*WHAT IF YOU COULDN’T RESIST?*
But what if the three of you wind up assigned to a group photography project, where rumors are already circling about the new girl being ridiculous? You know she’s nice but very alone, so you convince your crush to help protect the new girl. Suddenly, working on the project makes hanging out, texting, talking—and even high school—seem fun and completely normal when it’s anything but normal.
*WHAT IF YOU KISS?*
What if you kiss Ellen Foster and it’s perfect enough to make you believe in things you shouldn’t. You tell her secrets and share your dreams. You make the kinds of promises and create plans to be together that might be impossible to keep when you’re only sixteen and your parents control your entire future, but... WHAT IF YOU HURT HER?
"How I Fall captures exactly how a high school crush feels. You can have endless long days—days that feel exactly the same—and then in one moment a little thing changes, a conversation finally happens, and suddenly there’s a new friend group formed where relationships are suddenly ‘on’! I loved this book (How I Fall) and I’ve already read the sequel, How I Fly as ARC. You will laugh, you will cry and you will fall so in love with Ellen and Cam’s story.” ~Becca H. Teen book blogger.
“Anne Eliot writes the sweetest first kisses. She also does those book boyfriends you can’t get out of your head. Cam Campbell in How I Fall doesn’t disappoint, nor does the awesome first kiss.” ~Judith, I Love YA Fiction, Blog
How I Fly by Anne Eliot
*WHAT IF IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON...?*
Over six months after an accident that broke her legs as well as removed her boyfriend from her life—because Cam Campbell left town and dumped her—high school senior, Ellen Foster, wants to move past her broken heart. She’s off to attend a summer photography workshop at a real university along with her best friends. Ellen’s determined to find a new love—or at least a summer boyfriend. In the dorm, she meets Harrison Shaw. He’s a handsome photography student, a charmer who likes her, and a perfect way to forget her past.
*WHAT IF IT ALL GOES PERFECTLY...?*
Ellen thinks she has everything she wants. Her summer program couldn’t be better. She’s half in love with Harrison Shaw, and she’s going after her next scholarship. But when she kisses Harrison, she can only remember how Cam Campbell used kiss her better, sweeter, and how he used to make her feel like she could fly…
*WHAT IF SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT...?*
When Cam shows up at the university it’s a shock, especially to Ellen’s new boyfriend. Cam’s distant, different and very afraid to hurt Ellen again. He asks Ellen if they could be friends despite the past and how they’ve both changed and Ellen agrees. But after all they’ve been through, can Cam and Ellen ever be just friends?
Anne Eliot is the author of the, How I Fall/How I Fly two book series, and bestselling, young adult teen issue romances, Almost and Unmaking Hunter Kennedy. She loves writing about teens who live outside the ordinary and she's devoted to stories about teens who live outside the ordinary but who also get to find sweet first kisses and first loves.
Anne resides in Colorado with a very patient husband, two teens of her own whom she adores (an some teens near and far thanks to hosting many exchange students) who are all growing up too fast.
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.
I'm excited to share the Toucan Trilogy special offer. 1000 pages of pulse-pounding YA dystopian adventure by Scott Cramer for under $2. Normal price is $13 for all three books. This is a killer deal that can't be missed! Follow the Leigh siblings, Abby, Jordan, and Toucan, after a catastrophic pandemic kills the world’s adults.
Book 3 - - Generation M --#99 cents (regular $4.99) Dec 19 – 25 http://bit.ly/generation_m
BONUS
“BOOK-A-DAY” PAPERBACK GIVEAWAY.
This is a daily facebook giveaway with two complete sets of the toucan trilogy being given away Dec 25. Visit the pinned post in Scott Cramer's author page. Every day there will be a new pinned post, Check out the details on Scott Cramer's blog: http://nanonoodle.com/book-a-day-give-away-extravaganza/
What they are saying about the Toucan Trilogy?
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“Would highly recommend these books for book clubs, but be careful they are highly addictive. The ending is so touching and shows the power of love”
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Spread the word!
Tweet the following and feel free to add the above image as well!
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Night of the Purple Moon:
Abby, 13, is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple, unaware that bacteria from a passing comet will soon kill off older teens and adults. She must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her--adolescence.
Book 2 of the Toucan Trilogy.
When Abby's little sister, Toucan, contracts a new, deadly illness spreading among the survivors, they go on a dangerous journey to Colony East, an enclave of scientists caring for a small group of children.
Abby fears that time is running short for Touk, but she soon learns that time is running out for everyone outside Colony East.
The explosive conclusion to the Toucan Trilogy.
Coldly implementing their vision of the future, CDC scientists allow a lethal infection to become an epidemic outside the colonies.
Abby, her body wracked by the infection, begins a desperate journey to find her brother Jordan and her little sister Toucan, and save the lives of millions.
This
post is part of a cover reveal for the re-release of Christine Manzari’s
DEVIATION (young adult dystopian). One randomly drawn winner will be awarded a $25 Amazon/BN
gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet
deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster,
and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your
freedom.
Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program.
But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive
things. Things she can’t control.
When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in
the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon
in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years
ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are
others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code
names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.
Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious
motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive
cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind
closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the
Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target,
caught in his crosshairs?
Enjoy an excerpt:
We stood quietly, looking at the monument.
“All right then. Had enough?” Sterling asked. “Time to get back to the stadium before Farnsworth comes to.”
“Are you kidding?” Arabella grabbed our hands, dragging us through
the cemetery and around the back of the building. The light was starting
to fade as the sky began to morph from pinks and oranges into deep
purples. “Don’t you want to see his original burial spot?”
“I didn’t really want to see his current burial spot. I just wanted
your player’s card,” Sterling admitted as she dragged him along.
We wove in and out of the ancient grave sites, making our way down a
worn path, under trees, and to the back corner of the graveyard which
was cloaked in too many shadows for my comfort. Soon, we were standing
in front of a traditional looking headstone with a carving of a raven
underneath words that said “Quoth the Raven Nevermore.”
Arabella stood there for what seemed like an eternity, staring at the
tombstone that wasn’t even the current resting spot of the poet
anymore.
“He was an orphan, just like us,” Arabella murmured.
“How did he die?” I asked.
Arabella tore her gaze from the raven. “It’s kind of a mystery. He
was found on the streets of Baltimore, delirious and in distress. He
kept calling out the name Reynolds and the last words he spoke were,
‘Lord, help my poor soul.’ All of the medical documents have been lost.
Some theorists think it was murder, some suicide, some cooping.”
“What on earth is cooping?” Sterling asked, kicking at a pile of leaves at the base of the headstone.
Arabella turned to face Sterling. “Hard to explain, you’ll have to
look it up. But for the sake of simplicity, let’s just say he was forced
to do something he didn’t want to do.” Arabella turned back to the
tombstone. “Just like us.”
“That’s all very fascinating, but I’m afraid story time is over,” spoke a deep, strange voice.
I whipped around just in time to see half a dozen large men emerge
from the shadows. Before I could even think about struggling, one of the
men had caught me in a tight grip and another was putting something
across my nose and mouth. I kicked out blindly, bucking in the strong
grip of the man holding me. As a sickly, sweet, cloying scent filled my
mouth and nostrils, Poe’s words echoed in my thoughts. Lord, help my
poor soul.
The first thing Christine does when she’s getting ready to read a
book is to crack the spine in at least five places. She wholeheartedly
believes there is no place as comfy as the pages of a well-worn book.
She’s addicted to buying books, reading books, and writing books. Books,
books, books. She also has a weakness for adventure, inappropriate
humor, and coke (the caffeine-laden bubbly kind). Christine is from
Forest Hill, Maryland where she lives with her husband, three kids, and
her library of ugly spine books.
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Spell for Sophia by Ariella Moon. It is book four of The Teen Wytche Saga, a young adult fantasy series.
You can check out my post about the other books in the series here.
Spell for Sophia
Sophia Perez-Hidalgo’s survival depends upon her mastering magic and the supernatural before her lawless parents and their vengeful boss catch up to her. How far must she flee to escape them forever? Sophia runs until she’s out of stolen money, then…Fate delivers her into the arms of Louisiana teen Shiloh Breaux Martine, and his grand-mère, a voodoo priestess living deep in the bayou.
Breaux knows Sophia is trouble — but he’ll travel through time, battle zombies, and risk his bright future to protect her. While Ainslie, best friend extraordinaire, will jeopardize her sanity to find and aid Sophia. When friendship, magic, and love are not enough, Sophia will have to save herself. But first, she must believe she’s worth saving.
Sometimes the worst scars are the ones you cannot see.
Think magic will solve your problems?
Bring you love? Cure you? Protect you? Help you find someone who is lost?
Think again.
Magic tests friendships. It hisses, chirps, stinks up the room, backfires, and explodes. Magic forces you to make tough decisions. Shatter limitations. Discover your true self. When you use magic, expect results in the ultimate triple-un—unpredictable, uncontrollable, and so undeniable.
And you thought navigating high school was tough.
Watch for the upcoming blog tour hosted by I Am A Reader.
Ariella Moon is the author of the Teen Wytche Saga, a sweet Young Adult paranormal series. Ariella writes about magic, friendship, high school, secrets, and love in Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire from Astraea Press.
Ariella spent her childhood searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred her youth. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. Ariella is a Reiki Master, author, and shaman. She lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, two shamelessly spoiled dogs, and an enormous dragon.
Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/23/14
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.
From the author of The Great North Woods Pack series comes a new adventure...
Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for The Earthkeepers by Shawn Underhill, a middle grade/young adult title.
Millions of people talk to animals every day. If you happen to be such a person, there’s nothing terribly unusual about you. But what if animals spoke to you in return? What if you could clearly understand them, while the people around you could not? That would be very unusual, remarkably interesting, and would likely be tremendously fun.
For nine-year-old Ethan Dewfield, talking with his dog is an everyday occurrence. Add to this the fact that he lives not in a regular house but in a sprawling hilltop inn, and what you’ll find is a highly unusual boy with a unique tale to tell. In this personally narrated account he discovers the depths of his abilities, makes new friends, goes for a long walk in the snow, meets a special pack of wolves known as Earthkeepers, uncovers a nasty scheme devised by his even nastier uncle, eats a stack of pancakes, and does all he can to save his beautiful home from the greedy men plotting to destroy it.
*If you’re someone who likes a wide assortment of animals, with funny names and contrasting views of the world, and you like Christmas decorations, happy endings, and you’re open to the possibility of liking boys named Ethan, there’s a good chance you might enjoy this story.
*If you’re someone who admires deceitful, scheming, selfish people who manipulate others, who dislike animals, kids, beautiful buildings, and beautiful scenery, you might enjoy a long career in politics, but will probably not like this story in the least.
*If you’re someone searching for an epic, unrealistic romance between two people resembling Ken and Barbie, you are looking in the wrong place. You are now terribly lost. I’m shocked you’ve read this far. You should probably hit the back arrow now. There’s no telling what could happen if you don’t.
*If you’re someone shopping for affordable health insurance, you might try a different website.
The true story of Shawn Underhill may never be fully realized to the world at large. Theories and rumors abound, ranging from the fantastic to the absurd, but none can be entirely trusted.
Most scholars agree that he is certainly a devoted admirer of Jack London, while less credible claims suggest that he is loosely related to the novelist, merely adopting the false name Underhill as a means to anonymity. The most bizarre of all rumors state that Mr. Underhill actually is Jack London reincarnate, that in his spare time he pilots experimental aircraft on dangerous test missions, and is slated to appear on DWTS.
Attempts by this biographer to uncover solid evidence have proven frustrating at best, and dangerous at worst. Establishing contact with Mr. Underhill's family in the slim hope of acquiring trustworthy information has been, for the most part, an exercise in futility.
The most viable explanation came by a series of mysterious phone calls leading to a secret meeting with an individual claiming to be Shawn's second cousin. This unnamed source (who only spoke with me under cover of darkness behind a Dunkin Donuts off highway 93 in rural New Hampshire) states that the author was last known to be located within his secret writing cave--a high mountain fortress, heavily defended by steep ledges and rushing waterfalls. The grounds near the secret trail leading to the hidden entrance are said to be patrolled day and night by wolves, watchdogs and bears.
In an interesting side note, UFO's and Bigfoot sightings have been reported in the general area of Mr. Underhill's alleged stronghold, but none have been officially confirmed by any reputable organizations.
The author's Facebook page, Shawn Underhill (Author) is the only known source of contact he has with the outside world.
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.
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Deceived by L.A. Starkey, a YA paranormal book available now. 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
They say a soul is the immaterial essence, the animating principal, the actuating cause of an individual life.
But what if you had to share yours with the one person you hated the most?
The soul mate principal states that for every one soul there is another that will recognize its match, hence creating the perfect union.
But what if you had two soul mates, which would you choose?
What if your choices had eternal ramification?
Deceived, the debut novel in the Soul Keeper Series, is a modern day love story about the implications of having more than one soul mate, and having to choose between the two of them. The decisions of the gods has left the next generation, their heirs, torn between fate and reality, and the balance of the future hangs in anticipation of what's to come.
EXCERPT
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and even though the breeze had picked up, embracing Sam like a good friend, the warmth of the sun was putting up a mighty fight. Being someone who thrived outdoors, she loved that New Hampshire had four seasons and took profound joy in having the ability to experience all the weather gods could throw her way. After the first few warm up miles, Sam stood back up on her peddles and pumped out the next few miles with a good bit of effort.
Man, it feels good to get my blood pumping.
Sam looked to her left as a quick movement of yellow jotted between the trees.
“No!” A loud masculine voice rang out.
She jerked forward in time to swerve, barely missing the yellow lump lying in the road and instead hitting the curb. She plummeted off the bike, flying through the air and landing in a crouch. Her chest heaved in effort to gain much needed oxygen as all of the blood in her body rushed to its aid.
Her eyes quickly surveyed her surroundings as she cautiously rose. No one was close enough to create the loud protest that was still reverbing in her head. Trying to regain her composure, she worked to make sense of what had happened. I could’ve sworn there was something yellow in the trees. And then it was in the road, right?
She searched the ground finding nothing to support her internal claim.
GUEST POST
Ten things you might not know... about me
I always find it interesting when people share a few things about themselves that are seemingly private. We all do, right? Why else would magazines and reality shows do so well in the public opinion? Because people want to see authenticity - even if it shocks us.
Anyway... Here are 10 things about me that seemed fun to share.
1. My mother is a preacher and I lead worship at her church.
2. I can vibrate my eyes. Send $5 to charity, show me the receipt and I'll send you a clip - lies.
3. I've known my husband since I was 6. He was 2. I was cool and hawt and he was dorky and young. Not much has changed besides the fact that he's mine!
4. I'm a songwriter and have put a few clips on YouTube.
5. I passed up a few full-ride scholarships after high school to marry a sailor because he was cute and I was obviously highly intelligent. :-)
6. I am a CPA, or certified public accountant.
7. I'm starting a bookkeeping business this fall with my brother who is a junior in college - his major being accounting.
8. I am working on starting a food truck business next spring, our target market? Drunk people.
9. I would rather read than write, and yet I have too many stories in my skull to sit down for more than a few minutes without twitching.
10. I'm a mermaid. Seriously though... that special on the animal planet over mermaids was creepy. My husband is totally sold that they exist, not that I'm one - not yet at least.
Hope you're taking advantage of all that life has to offer today.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Laurie Starkey is the author of the upcoming Soul Keeper Series, a supernatural young adult series, and The Liarus Detective Series, a supernatural middle grade series. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband, Jacob and three beautiful kiddos.
She is a CPA by trade, a church planter and entrepreneur at heart; however, writing and reading are passions she just can't help but indulge in. With more ideas that one person should be allowed, she is blessed to have a muse that doesn't seem to take a vacation and more energy that one might consider healthy.
• 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.
