Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Reaping Me Softly by @KateEvangelista #BlogTour #Giveaway

YA

 Book Description:

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?



Here’s an excerpt for your reading pleasure! (Too stinkin' short 

IMO!!)


She laughed. It held such clarity — so sweet to the ear that ittook his breath away. His legs refused to move. She captured his gaze completely, and he feared even more that he couldn’t help himself.
He knew without a doubt that he needed to make her laugh again.
He had to hear that sound.


There are 10 ebook copies up for grabs!




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Be sure to check out Ms. Evangelista’s other stops on her Reaping 

Me Softly Blog Tour. Just click on the button below! Thanks for

 stopping by & best of luck.




Stalk Kate:


Tuesday, October 30, 2012

#MeetTheAuthor of Shadowborn @JocelynAdams




Jocelyn Adams:

Competitive Archer & Rockin’ Author of The Glass Man (Lila Gray #1)and Shadowborn (Lila Gray #2)


It’s no secret I’m a huge Lila Gray fan. I LOVE her attitude and lack of restraint. *snicker* So I’m wondering – where did she come from? Was your muse inspired by someone you know or is she a complete figment of your imagination?
Aw, thanks!  Actually Lila Gray is pretty much, sorta-kinda-like *cough* me *cough*.  Yes, I’m a little crazy, though not quite as crazy as my Lila.  Her “voice” is mine to a T, right down to the lack of a brain-to-mouth filter. 
Where / when did your love of the fae realm begin?
I didn’t really have a love of the fae.  I found most of the typical culture from folklore overdone and a little tedious.  I decided to re-invent them to suit the powers I envisioned Lila to have, while keeping the Light element and the Sluagh and scrapping pretty much everything else I know about the Fae.  Have I mentioned that I love writing fantasy fiction?  I don’t do research well.  Good thing I love making stuff up.  J
Liam Kane – delicious Liam – did you have any (real) person’s mug shot in mind when creating his character?
You know, I didn’t really.  He came from my own perfect image of an ideal man.  Rugged.  Good looking and strong.  A little on the alpha side of the fence.  Mmm, yep.  He’ll do.  J
I know this tour is for Shadowborn, but I gotta ask – The Glass Man (book #1) begins in Pennsylvania, my old stomping grounds. What made you choose that setting?
I wanted to start in the fall, which meant Lila had to be migrating south for the winter from Northern Ontario.  I also needed a place I could describe fairly accurately without climbing on a plane to do research, so I searched for terrain similar to that of my own locale so I could get away with fudging it.  Pennsylvania fit the bill.  It’s lovely and well-treed, just like Muskoka.
And now for some personal stuff. *rubbing hands together* Optimist or pessimist?
Hmm, can I choose option C and say I’m a realist?  I’ve always been the sort of person who has to work extremely hard to do anything well, which means I REALLY have to want to do it before I try, and even longer before I succeed at it—if I ever do.  I don’t dwell on it, it’s just the way I am.  I take life as it is most times.  Sure, I’ll admit to feeling negative about things sometimes, but I can usually talk myself out of it by reminding myself I have a loving family and a great life.

Are you a peace maker or do you start the arguments?
*snort*  Um … how to answer that?  *taps chin*  It depends on the company, I guess.  I don’t suffer idiots well, especially if they’re in-your-face, know-it-all idiots, so sometimes I’ll call them on whatever crap they’re spouting just because nobody else will.  Most of the time, though, I keep my lips shut lest I pull a Lila Gray and stick my size nine in my mouth.

What are you best / worst personality traits?
For my best I’d say perseverance.  Worst would be that I sometimes don’t communicate with people well.  *snort*  Sounds funny considering I’m an author, but fiction is different and far easier than reality.

Do you have any odd habits while writing?
No, not really.  If I need a minute to sort out a scene I sometimes play Angry Birds on Facebook, but that’s about it.  During my writing time, I’m pretty much a dog with a bone, gnawing away at the words until I’ve accomplished my goals for the day.

Any hobbies other than writing & reading?
I’m a competitive archer, though I haven’t shot much lately.  A few years ago I won the Canadian National 3D championships and the Grand Prix.  That was pretty neat.

Lastly, what motivates you? (In writing or for getting out of bed in the morning.)
Hmm, in writing, it’s that drive to be better than I was yesterday that keeps me going.  I want to entertain, to suck someone into my world for a while and make them feel.  As for life, what gets me out of bed in the morning even when it’s darn cold—that would be my hubs and my wee turtle.  Love ya babes!



 Ms. Adams' newest release, Shadowborn is now available!
Check out my 5* review HERE.


Why me?

That’s the question Lila Gray asks every time yet another bad guy tries to destroy the earth, and she learns she’s the only one who can stop it. Once again, something’s on the prowl, leaving hundreds of comatose, soulless victims in its wake.

Couldn’t the deadliest assassins of the Otherworld go after someone else instead of the brand new Queen of the Seelie? One who still hasn’t adapted to her new role.

Lila would ask Liam Kane, King of the Unseelie, for advice, but something’s off with him, too. He’s holding back. In some way. About some thing. In fact, he refuses to tell her what’s going on.

The truth holds Lila back from the greatness of her role—the people she was born to lead—the man who she desperately loves—and the solution to the latest war raging around her.

To find the answers, she’ll need to fight through her own darkness and embark on a journey through her psyche.

If she doesn’t succeed, the Shadowborn will claim not only her world, but her soul.





Connect with Ms. Adams here: 

Purchase Links:

Shadowborn Amazon, Barnes & Noble
The Glass Man:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble



Monday, October 29, 2012

#Review : Shadowborn by @JocelynAdams




Urban Fantasy / Fairy

Synopsis:

Why me?

That’s the question Lila Gray asks every time yet another bad guy tries to destroy the earth, and she learns she’s the only one who can stop it. Once again, something’s on the prowl, leaving hundreds of comatose, soulless victims in its wake.

Couldn’t the deadliest assassins of the Otherworld go after someone else instead of the brand new Queen of the Seelie? One who still hasn’t adapted to her new role.

Lila would ask Liam Kane, King of the Unseelie, for advice, but something’s off with him, too. He’s holding back. In some way. About some thing. In fact, he refuses to tell her what’s going on.

The truth holds Lila back from the greatness of her role—the people she was born to lead—the man who she desperately loves—and the solution to the latest war raging around her.

To find the answers, she’ll need to fight through her own darkness and embark on a journey through her psyche.

If she doesn’t succeed, the Shadowborn will claim not only her world, but her soul.





Shadowborn is the 2nd Lila Gray novel following the Seelie fairy queen, Lila, and the king of the Unseelie, Liam who just happens to be her love. They’re determined to reunite the two sides of the fey and bring about unity as the goddess intended – even if it tears them apart.
I thought I was a Lila Gray fan after The Glass Man. Not so. No. In Shadowborn we see a softer side of one of the best female MCs I’ve read about to date. This leads me to the …
Yummies: Characters - Doesn’t get any better than the kick @$$ yet compassionate Lila Gray. And then there’s Liam who loves her more than one could imagine, even though secrets threaten to be their undoing. Emotionally charged, gut wrenching - their relationship is that & more.
Setting – Rich and lush like always. Ms. Adams paints vivid pictures like no other with beautiful imagery for the mind to ponder.
Storytelling – LOVE LOVE LOVE this author’s voice. Seriously.
Yuckies: Um … none.
Recommend: Whether you’re a fey fan or not, give the Lila Gray novels a go. Add Shadowborn to your to-read list HERE. Your brain deserves to be swept away by a tale of mystical powers, intrigue, passion, and the desire to survive.


Take my advice - nab a copy!

Friday, October 26, 2012

#FreeviewFriday #MakeBelieve Part 2




Welcome to Freview Friday!

Today I’m sharing another snippet from my story, Sacrificial Oath, from J. Taylor Publishing’s Make Believe Anthology which releases December 3rd.
Missed the first installment? Click HERE.
--------------------




Alesuela knelt before her father and cupped his cheeks in her palms. “What is it ?”

He clenched his eyes shut. “Not her,” he said. “Not my only daughter.”

“Father, you’re scaring me.”

Amant grasped her wrists and met her gaze.

The unusual display of sorrow constricted Alesuela’s throat. She forced herself to draw breath. “Please, tell me,” she whispered.

“Oath. I—I gave an oath.”




     --------------------


Until next time ….

As J.A. Belfield has said, any and all are welcome to join her in this weekly shenanigan. HOWEVER, if you do so, she URGE syou to keep the shared snippets short and sweet. Mine (like hers) will be a maximum of TEN (10) sentences. To help identification of these posts, we’ll be hashtagging them (for Twitter purposes) as #FreeviewFriday. Feel free to knick said hashtag for your own Freeview Friday posts. Hope you’ll join us!





Thursday, October 25, 2012

#YA Mythology Blog Hop #giveaway



Thanks to I Am A Reader Not A Writer and For Those About to Read for hosting another kickin' blog hop! Don’t forget to click the linkys below for more chances!

On to the goodies cuz I know you skip to the giveaway anyway .... a paperback copy of After Dark. You're welcome to check out my 4.5 star review HERE.




After Dark


YA Paranormal

Synopsis:

What eighteen year old Mac Thorne doesn’t know will probably kill her.

In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she’ll be for the rest of her life.

She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it’s her birthright. To Mac, it’s a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours.

Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists — which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class figures out there’s more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge.

In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.



a Rafflecopter giveaway







Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Will I be 'The Next Big Thing'? #fingerscrossed



I was recently tagged by Keri Lake to participate in The Next Big Thing hop, in which I’m supposed to talk about my WiP. I’m shipping it out to beta readers before the end of the month then it’s *fingers crossed* time as the submission process begins!

Be sure to stop by  Keri’s Blog and check out her post because her Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath #1) sounds incredible!
Anyhoo. Here we go.
 What is the working title of your book? 
 Pool of Souls is the name of the series, but book one isn’t named yet.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

LONG story. I’ll just say that a few years ago everything I believed in was swept from beneath my feet, leaving me questioning my faith. This story started as an outlet for my disappointment and anger. I’m hoping its underlying theme will resonate with readers or perhaps help them heal from their own hurt.

What genre does your book fall under?

Fantasy.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Oh boy.  

For Hyla, the MC, I’ve yet to find a person who looks like the young woman in my brain. Elisabeth Harnois has the face shape & innocence (in most photos) I picture – give her long dark hair and we're close.

If Dean Geyer (new Glee cast member) had dark eyes he’d be a ringer for Jadon. Yum yum.

As for my third character, Conlin, I have to go with that cutie redhead from Pride & Prejudice, Simon Woods.

And NO - there are NO love triangles.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

UGH. I hate these things. I've yet to work one up, so here goes nothin' *cringing*

As the only Native to escape imprisonment by the human High Priest, Hyla turns to her faith for help and answers, learning life is much more complicated than she'd ever dreamed.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I plan on subbing it to an indie publisher I adore.  ;)  If it's a no then I'll try for representation elsewhere.

How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Including the research & planning stages, 5 years. I've moved 5 times, got married, and had 2 munchkins in this time as well, so I HAVE been a bit busy.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmm. That’s a tough one. It’s medieval fantasy, but not with the typical sword & sorcery-type magic. Not sure I’ve read something comparable yet.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The same circumstances that brought about the idea lightly touched on above.

Also the times in our own history where a race of people were pushed off their land – the Native Americans for example.

What else about your book might pique the readers interest?
Manipulation. Loneliness. Yearning. Fear. Mistrust. Survival. Freedom. 
It’s all in there.
And did I mention NO love triangles???
  ---------------------------
And now for the nominations of five friends. Mwwaaaaahahahahahahha!
1.     Katherine Skye
2.     Rebecca Hart
3.     Deanna Proach
4.     S.M. Boyce
5.     Tenaya Jayne

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Emerald Talisman #BookBlast #Giveaway


Audio Book Tour 


Attention readers!!! 

 Join us for The Emerald Talisman blog tour from 10/26-11/23 hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic. There will be giveaways, interviews and a scavenger hunt! 




The Audio Book:


The Emerald Talisman Audio Book 
Read by Mary Morgan

You can run from your destiny, but you can't hide.
If for no other reason than to help endure the hormonal rush of high school, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would trade her ability to feel her fellow students' emotions in aheartbeat, especially half the boys in class.
When the beguiling Nicholas uses his superhuman strength to rescue Julia fromthe edge of a cliff before she's devoured by a bloodthirsty stalker, Julia is suddenly thrust into an underground world where people and animals are often one and the same. Fellow high school students disappear and only Julia and Nicholas know the truth. While Nicholas, a vampire hunter, is out stopping theever-growing coven, an old friend entices Julia to join him on the dark sideand a psychic tells Julia she alone is the key to stopping the madness, problemis it'll require Nicholas' life. 



The Giveaway Goodies:

$100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 PayPal Cash from Author Brenda Pandos 

Enter the Rafflecopter form HERE for your chance to win!

*You don't need to enter your twitter name for each entry.  Simply enter it when you follow Brenda and leave the others blank.







Author Brenda Pandos:  

Brenda Pandos lives in California with her husband and two boys. She attempts to balance her busy life filled with writing, being a mother and wife, and spending time with friends and family. Working formerly as an I.T.
Administrator, she never believed her imagination would be put to good use.

After her son was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder her life completely changed. Writing paranormal romance became something she could do at
home while tending to the new needs of her family, household, and herself.

Three years later, Brenda now has five books published, The Talisman Trilogy: The Emerald Talisman, The Sapphire Talisman, and The Onyx Talisman, and Mer Tales: Everblue and Evergreen. She is currently working on the third book of Mer Tales, Everlost, coming February 2013.


LINKS:
Website * Blog * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook 







Open to anyone 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's permission. 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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



Monday, October 22, 2012

SMP Halloween Hop - 3 Grand Prizes #giveaway


Howdy folks!
One of my publishers, Still Moments Publishing, is hosting a Halloween hop where three grand prizes are up for grabs. They will include a beautiful piece of handmade jewelry and a SMP ebook title of your choice!
Here’s how to enter:
Comment your thoughts on my Halloween flash fiction below & leave your email address - for contacting purposes ONLY. All entries will be sent onto SMP who will be drawing the three winners on October 26th.
Click on the image above for pics of the jewelry and the list of the other participating SMP authors. Some are offering additional prizes, so be sure to swing by their sites!
Thanks for stopping in & best of luck!




Haunted Visions


He showed up at my sister’s Halloween party. With her. Ever since the second grade I knew I would be the one showing off the glittering two-carat diamond.

Choking on a cracker loaded with a pile of dried beef cheese ball, I pushed through the crowd and out the kitchen’s back door. Scantily clad in my Minnie Mouse costume, I hurried into the back yard. The light of the full moon guided my wooden steps across the browned grass. Dust and dry leaves scattered from my path with each gust of wind.

It was supposed to be me.

How many times had he told my sister he wanted to ask me out? Four? A dozen? I had waited for him to ask me. I was too shy—too young to go out with an older boy. I had waited too long. Now my chance vanished in the crisp cold air.

I settled on top of a crumbling stone wall and tucked my legs beneath me.

Too late. The love of my life is marrying another.

Hot tears stung, but I growled, willing them away. I swore to wait forever, for there was no other. I’d dreamed of our wedding—seen our two sons in my Visions.

How? How could this have happened?

I peered across the harvested corn field. Ashen clouds spread along the horizon, threatening the clear October night. An uprooted tree rested a hundred or so feet away, brittle cornstalks cut to knee height surrounded it and whispered their death woes.

“I’ll end up the same.” The words tore through the thickening in my throat.

Mist the color of a headstone rose from beneath the upended roots of the old oak, swirling and taking shape.

I blinked and blinked again, trying to stifle the fear creeping up my spine.

A woman dressed in a black, high-necked gown floated on the wind, the material draped around her legs fading into the mist. Long sleeves hugged her arms, their ends caressing bony hands. Hair parted in the middle and pulled back into a severe knot, she looked like a Civil War widow. A bit of wispy gauze clung to the bun and cascaded to her trim waist.

My heart pounded. I couldn’t move. A trick? Hallucination? One of my Visions?

Haunted, hallow eyes the color of a dark weeping sky met my gaze as she stopped before me, a breath away.

“Too long ….” she whispered.

I exhaled the breath I’d been holding in a puff of fog. “W-who are you?”

“A woman who waited. Who loved and lost.”

Waited—as I had. “Who did you wait for?”

Sadness filled the smile she offered. “My Yankee soldier. He went off to war and returned with a wife.”

Tears pricked my eyelids again.

“My broken heart crushed me. Smothered me.” She clasped her hands over her breast. “He was all I ever wanted.”

The fractured remains of my own heart ached. “I … I understand.”

“Don’t waste away as I did.” Empty eyes lifted to the house beyond me. “He’s found another—his fate does not match yours.”

Fate. I used to believe in it.

“And you should still,” she replied to my unspoken thought, gaze returning to me.

A tear slid down my painted cheek. I hugged myself tighter. “But I saw our sons.”
Her gaze bore into me. “You saw your sons.”



“W-what?” I swiped away the dampness from my face.

“You’ve the Sight, do you not?”

I nodded. Once I’d entered middle school I stopped speaking of the things I saw. Everyone I told thought I was crazy.

“Then you’ve seen your sons.” Another smile lifted her lips and she reached a hand to caress my blonde curls.

Understanding rushed through my mind. “They’re not his.”

She moved back and whispered, “No.”

“But they have his blue eyes. His cleft chin.”

“There are many such men walking this earth.”

She’s right. Peace washed over me as a rain-scented gust of wind fluttered her billowing gown and pushed the clouds closer.  “Please … won’t you tell me who you are?”

“Your aunt, too many greats to count.” She raised her face to the pale moon. The mist crept upward, swallowing her torso. “I must go, but I will return on this night next year. Things will be different.” Her gaze returned to me. “Meet me here?”

“Yes.”

She faded from sight and a Vision flashed through my mind—dressed as Lucile Ball I would climb onto the crumbling wall, a baby bump resting on my crossed legs.

I gasped and the first rain drops in over thirty days splattered on the stones beside me. Closing my eyes, I lifted my face and let nature’s shower cleanse my heartache away.