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Friday, October 26, 2012

The Legends of Regia: Forbidden Forest by Tenaya Jayne Blog Tour Book Blitz!!


Title: The Legends of Regia: Forbidden Forest
Author: Tenaya Jayne
Pages: 236
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Synopsis:
Born in shame. Cast from society. Shape Shifter/Elf hybrid, Forest must fight for any respect she can get. Targeted in her youth by a vampire noble who placed an illegal slave mark on her, she is forced to obey him, no matter what. Slipping the grip of her master and abandoning the prejudice of Regia, her native world, Forest takes a job on Earth, guarding the portal, using her skills as a warrior to enforce Regia's laws. Now, called home for a black ops mission, Forest must put aside her own prejudice to transport the vampire prince, Syrus, through enemy territory in a time of war. Prince Syrus, mage and master of the Blood Kata, wants Forest more than he's ever wanted anything. In spite of their mutual mistrust, their attraction cannot be denied. Through the danger of their mission, and the secrets they both keep, it doesn't matter what they feel. Forest is forbidden.



Excerpt:
Forest pressed her back against the cool concrete wall, wanting to remain aloof from the entity of the crowd. She chose her position in the shadows, out of the paths of the roving, multi-colored spotlights. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the undulating human pheromones flying around on the air. At the beginning of every shift, she allowed herself a few minutes of this alien/human experience, though she didn't fully comprehend the combination of dancing, drinking, and ear-breaking sound waves. They loved it, however, and never seemed to deviate from the recipe.

These were the people she was sworn to protect. She had developed a light affection for the human race and considered them a benign, if not slightly silly, bunch of creatures. Her religious passion for her job was rooted in hatred of that which harmed the humans, not a superhero tendency to protect the weak.


Forest opened her eyes and focused all her senses to sniff out the illegal suckers that tried to sneak through the portal. She was in the zone tonight, and not for the first time did she feel that hers was the best job in existence. It was a shame she couldn’t legally kill suckers in her native world.


Over the next two hours, Forest didn’t move from the wall. She monitored the light traffic through the portal: two shifters and one elf, each of which nodded to her respectfully as they passed. Yawn. The shifters left the club to enjoy the delights of Austin’s nightlife elsewhere.


The elf would have been breaking Regia’s law had he left the club, but he dutifully seated himself at the bar and ordered a fuzzy navel. He wore a plaid, porkpie hat, pulled down over the tops of his pointed ears. Forest didn’t know him personally, but she had seen him in here before. The bartender surveyed him with narrowed eyes as the elf nervously tugged his hat down further and ordered a few more girly cocktails.


Intent on making sure that not one sucker was able to sneak past her, Forest was blindsided by the drunk bubba who had been trying to catch her eye for the last twenty minutes. He had finally decided to stagger over to hit on her.


“Hey babe, you’re too beautiful to look so lonely. How’s ‘bout I buy you a drink?” 


“How’s ‘bout I call you a cab instead?” Forest mimicked his drawl.


“Only if you share it with me, Darlin.” He leaned in closer, and Forest’s throat began to sting from the noxious fume of booze mixed with his natural musk.


“While I appreciate the offer, Jethro, It seems only right to inform you that I’m not actually attractive at all. If you leaned in a little closer, you’d see that you’ve fallen victim to the effect of beer goggles. A hag like me can’t take advantage of a stud like you.”


As he leaned in, Forest instantly enlarged her nose, pockmarked her skin, evaporated her front teeth, and added a large black mole with a long hair sprouting from it for good measure.


“You’re no hag, baby! You’re the sexiest little thing in…I…uh… ” He stumbled backward. “Good grief! Sorry, sorry…” he stammered, retreating. “I’ve gotta quit drinking,” he mumbled as he turned away.


Forest chuckled to herself once he absorbed back into the crowd. Being a shape shifter sometimes had unusual perks.




About Tenaya Jayne:
Hello. My name's Tenaya and I'm an addict. I mean author. When I was growing up, writing was just something I played at from time to time. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I was one of those people who could never finish anything. When my eldest son was diagnosed with Autism, I began to write seriously. Writing became a necessity for me in the midst of my heartbreak. It was either that or take up drinking. I'm thankful I chose writing as my escape because I discovered it truly is my thing. I want to be swept away when I read. That's what I want my books to do for you.The main goal of my writing is to entertain you. I want to help you escape everyday life for a little while. I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy sharing them with you! I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful sons. I'm an advocate for Autism awareness, and women trapped in abusive relationships. I try to always look on the bright side and help others do so too. I've lived many places but I currently reside in Missouri. I love reading, indie and foreign films, gardening, and moody music.


Author Links: 

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Traveling Vlog: Special Halloween Edition

Welcome to my special Halloween edition of the Traveling Vlog!!  I'm terribly sorry you've had to wait an entire week, but unfortunately the weather here in Arkansas was uncooperative last week.  When the rain finally cleared, the kids were busy.  I'm sure you know how that works. ;)

This week I'm not talking about books or featuring authors.  I decided to bring you along with us for a Cross family bonfire complete with s'mores and ghost stories.  Some of my children were in attendance as well as a few of their friends.  The stories they told gave me the chills, hopefully you'll get a few goosebumps as well!!

Turn off the lights, light a candle, and join us around the fire....







If you are interested in more ghost stories, check out Haunted and Haunted II.





Happy Halloween from our house to yours!!!!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Afterlife Blog Tour

Today the blog tour for Afterlife begins right here on my blog.  Take a look at the photo below and keep watch on the fan page for info each day on where to go.  Each blogger has different reviews, interviews, and even some special info in some cases.




Afterlife is a short story about how Angie and William (Birthright) met and became friends.  It was written solely due to the questions I'd been receiving on the fan page about their relationship and is meant to be a companion to Birthright.

Afterlife is absolutely FREE everywhere and a good way to decide if you'd be interested in the rest of the series.

Now here's some of that special info I talked about earlier:
The character of Angie is based on a real live girl.  (Two girls actually, both of which are my daughters.)  I took the personality of one and blended it with the physical appearance of another.  Due to this, I'm terribly fond of Angie.  She feels like one of my children.  (Of course!)

DISCLAIMER:  Neither of my daughters are 300 year old vampires.  Just thought I'd let you know. ;)


You can download Afterlife:

and many other e-book retailers.

Participating Bloggers


A very special thank you to all my blogger friends who are participating in this blog tour!!!  You guys ROCK!!! 


Giveaway!!!  
For everyone that follows the Afterlife tour, you have a chance to win a signed print copy of Birthright.  Some of these can be done daily to increase your chance of winning!!!





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Phantom by Laura DeLuca Blog Tour Guest Post



Synopsis:
The “Phantom” was a musical phenomenon that Rebecca had always found enchanting. She had no idea that her life was about to mirror the play that was her obsession. When her high school drama club chooses “Phantom” as their annual production, Rebecca finds herself in the middle of an unlikely love triangle and the target of a sadistic stalker who uses the lines from the play as their calling card.

Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.

Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed.


Guest Post:
What are the differences/similarities between your High School setting in Phantom and your actual High School experience? Did you draw some from your High School experiences for this book?

It’s been almost twenty years since I was in high school, yet strangely enough, it still influences me a lot in my writing. Not only because I write young adult books, but because this is such an important time in life. A time when you begin to learn who you really are. I actually attended a Catholic high school, complete with blue cardigans and plaid skirts that came down to our knees. Aside from that, my school was very much like the high school in Phantom. Located at the Jersey Shore, my school was filled with boys that would have matched Tom’s physical description. Blue eyed, blonde haired surfers were a dime a dozen, and I dated my fair share of them, including one who was the star of all the drama club productions. He was my first love, and he was the inspiration for the character of Tom. But lucky for him, there was no handsome Goth around to give him competition.

The drama club is also something I had firsthand experience with, though my situation was the opposite of my heroine, Rebecca’s. I mention that she was hiding in the orchestra with her “mediocre violin ability” for the first three years of school. Then she comes out of the closet with her amazing singing voice. Well, I was in the orchestra and that was where I belonged. I could listen to a song once and play it completely by ear. So I was a savant violinist, where Rebecca had the miracle voice. I still play occasionally, but due to carpal tunnel, my fingers aren’t as dexterous as they once were.

I might not have been part of the actual cast, but even watching from the orchestra pit gave me a good understanding of how the stage works. I could sing along with all the songs, I knew all the lines, and I watched the rehearsals progress from awful to amazing in the course of just a few weeks as lines were learned, scenery was brought in, and finally dress rehearsals began. Most of my descriptions of rehearsals in Phantom were pulled from these distant memories. We never performed The Phantom of The Opera, but it was being a part of these high school performances that started off my love of the stage. I still go back with my own children every year to see by old alma mater perform their annual stage production. Of course I also make it a point to drop off a copy of each of my books to my favorite teachers. It might be twenty years later, but my high school and its drama club, will always hold a special place in my heart.


About the Author:
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years.

Buy Links:
Amazon
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble

Media Links:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Wisteria by Bisi Leyton Blog Tour



Synopsis: 
Sixteen year old Wisteria Kuti has two options—track the infected around the Isle of Smythe or leave the only known safe haven and face a world infested with flesh eating biters. But even with well-armed trackers, things go wrong and Wisteria ends up alone facing certain death, until she is rescued by the mysterious Bach. Uninfected, Bach is able to survive among the hordes of living dead.

Seventeen year old Bach, from a race known as The Family, has no interest in human affairs. He was sent here to complete his Great Walk and return home as a man—as a Sen Son. The Family regard humans as Dog People, but Bach is drawn to this Terran girl, whom he has never seen before, but somehow knows.

Hunted by flesh eaters, cannibals, and the mysterious blood thirsty group called Red Phoenix, Wisteria and Bach make their way back to the Isle of Smythe, a community built on secrets and lies.


About The Author: 
Bisi Leyton was born in East London in 1978. She grew up in London, Nigeria and the States, listening to the stories life and love from aunts, cousins and big sisters. As a fan of the Sweet Valley High Series, she started writing fan-fiction at eleven, will never reveal under pain of death.

Currently, she lives in London, but has worked around Europe including France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium and the Czech Republic. She has a fondness for reading graphic novels, and cracked.com.

You can email Bisi on bisileyton@gmail.com as she would love to hear from you. You can also follow her on twitter at @bisileyton or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Bisileyton2 or http://bisileyton.wordpress.com/




Author Links:
Amazon
New Release Mailing list: (this is only to notify you when I have a new book)
Facebook Page
Blog
Goodreads
Twitter: @bisileyton


Tour Schedule:
10/8/2012 http://sprinklesofbooks.blogspot.ca
10/9/2012 http://mymiscellaneousbookshelf.blogspot.fi
10/10/2012 thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.com
10/11/2012 http://almybnenr.tumblr.com
10/12/2012 http://aliaaelnashar.blogspot.com
10/13/2012 willowcross.blogspot.com
10/14/2012 http://ginger-read.blogspot.com

Friday, October 12, 2012

The Modified by C.A. Kunz Release Day Blitz!!!




What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?


Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.

As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.
With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

About C.A. Kunz
The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoys writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter!
You can purchase the book all these places!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 8, 2012

Weaving Magic by Mindy Hardwick Cover Reveal!!



Synopsis: 
He loves magic. She loves romance. But the biggest illusion is the one Shantel and Christopher perform together.  Sixteen- year- old Christopher fights to stay sober while fifteen-year-old Shantel struggles in the aftermath of her mother’s death and seeks refuge in a fantasy world. But the unacknowledged roots of their problems refuse to stay buried and soon, the two are headed toward a deadly magic trick. Can Shantel and Christopher move beyond magical illusions to find love?



About the Author: 
Mindy Hardwick enjoys writing romance for teens and tweens including; STAINED GLASS SUMMER and WEAVING MAGIC.  Sometimes, you can catch Mindy writing contemporary, sweet romances including: LOVE’S STORMS and LOVE’S BID. Mindy runs a poetry workshop with teens in a juvenile detention and credits the teens for the inspiration behind WEAVING MAGIC.  You can see some of their poetry at: www.denneypoetry.com. Mindy is included on the Washington State Teaching Artist Roster and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. She lives in Seattle and is hard at work on her next romantic tale. 


Social Media Links: 
Twitter: @mindyhardwick

Buy Links: 

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Dead Perfect by P.G. Shriver Blog Tour Excerpt


Author P.G. Shriver has stopped by today with an excerpt for the Dead Perfect Blog Tour hosted by Young Adult Novel Reader.

SYNOPSIS: 
MEL: My lifelong dreams never included falling in love. Graduating top of the class, going to college somewhere far away and starting a life in a place where my alcoholic mother could never find me were the first three goals on my list. Then the unexpected auto accident with Mother, after her regular doses of vodka, altered all of that. With her gone, my life and my perspective changed forever. 

DAVIS: Desperate to find Joanie so I could break free, I returned to my old school. The search led me to her, my Aphrodite, a familiar lost look in her soulful eyes. Fantasies of her forced reasoning from my mind. I had to meet her! Once fallen, would her love for me survive the ghostly secrets haunting us? 


Excerpt:
"You want that? We could have that now, if we had some bread," she teased. I couldn’t help myself, running over to her I grabbed her around the waist and swung her playfully in a circle until she broke free, running a few paces before my arms found her again and we fell over on the ground, rolling downhill the opposite direction from the lake and out of view of the passersby. She squealed as we rolled. I laughed, my deep voice contrasting her high pitch. She couldn't believe I tackled her, the surprise evident in her eyes, her rounded mouth. I couldn't believe I had either. But there we lay, side by side on our backs, our hands barely touching, laughing and huffing, trying to catch our breath, staring at the blue sky through the branches of trees above us. "Where did you come from?" she joked. "I could ask the same of you," I rolled onto one elbow, bracing my head with my hand so I could see her perfectly flushed cheeks.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
P.G. Shriver was born in Buena Park, California. She is the author of two young adult novels so far. P.G. has been writing since the age of seven when her poem won the opportunity of publication in the local newspaper. She discovered that people were affected by her writing; it made them happy, sad, hopeful. Readers easily interpret her writing moods and fall for her well developed characters.

P.G. currently lives in Texas with her husband, daughter and several animals. She works as an instructor at a local college.

P.G. enjoys reading, writing, cooking, walking, horseback riding and spending time with her family and friends.

Author Links: 

Blog 
Twitter  


Tour Schedule:
10/1/2012 http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/
10/2/2012 http://zoneoutmode.blogspot.com/
10/3/2012 http://thebooktomyheart.blogspot.co.uk/
10/4/2012 http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com/
10/5/2012 http://www.dedicatedreadersonly.blogspot.com/
10/6/2012 willowcross.blogspot.com
10/7/2012 thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.com
10/8/2012 http://thebookloversreport.blogspot.com/
10/9/2012 http://nightowlreads.org/
10/10/2012 http://www.booklovinmamas.blogspot.com/
10/11/2012 http://pinkindle.blogspot.com/
10/12/2012 http://www.selfpublishordie.com/
10/13/2012 http://michelleshoutsrandom.blogspot.com/
10/14/2012 http://aliaaelnashar.blogspot.com/
10/15/2012 http://fromthebootheelcottonpatch.blogspot.com/
10/16/2012 http://thereadingdiaries.blogspot.com/
10/17/2012 http://littlehyuts.blogspot.com/ 

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Awaken by Kristen Day Release Day Blitz!!!

Today is the release day of the second installment of the Daughters of the Sea series, Awaken by author Kristen Day!

Title: Awaken (Daughters of the Sea 2) 
Author: Kristen Day
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 2, 2012

Blurb:
The sacrifices we make have the power to shift the very fabric of who we are, and ultimately who we are meant to be…

After learning of her true destiny as the intended Leader of the Tydes, Anastasia Whitman must now embark on a perilous quest to the Underworld before the age of eighteen in order to plant the seed of immortality and complete her essence to become a true Sea Goddess. But before she can make her legendary journey, an unexpected new student transfers to Lorelei; initiating a sequence of events that will unravel Stasia’s new life, and test the boundaries of her relationship with the mysterious, dark, and sexy Finn Morrison. The line between the Underworld and the Living begins to blur as gruesome ghosts, morbid reveries, and pure evil haunt her waking hours as well as her sanity. Once the details of Finn’s own startling destiny are revealed, the dangerous secrets he’s been hiding will threaten the very love Stasia believed to be indestructible. As time begins to run out, she will be forced to choose between the one she loves and the destiny she cannot escape.

Prologue:
The familiar call of seagulls diving for fish amongst the crashing waves pulled him from his restless slumber. His tired, bloodshot eyes opened and gazed upon that same weathered stone ceiling looming above. As they roamed down the sloped wall where he kept count, he pushed back the agonizing hopelessness encasing his heart. Another long night behind him simply meant another long day before him. He swung his legs over the side of his cot and gently placed his worn feet on the stone floor. It was always bitterly cold in the morning. He shivered as he glanced down at his too-skinny legs and the dirt that clung to his calloused feet. His ragged, cotton shorts now hung low around his emaciated waist and his faded blue shirt had been discarded long ago; traded for a sunken-in, bare chest. He smoothed down his gray hair and thick beard; wondering if today would be the day. 

Sighing, he stood and collected the conch shell he kept hidden within a crack in his counting wall. He found the last mark and bent down to add yet another. He never counted days; only nights. The darkness always brought out his worst nightmares and he was continually amazed he had made it through so many. Thousands of marks littered the wall before him; a diary of solitude and sheer will captured forever in stone.

As he did every morning, he padded over to the window and looked out over the rolling sea. The lone window of his small room faced east, allowing him one pleasure amidst the hell that had become his life. Sunrise. At first each sunrise brought only tears to his eyes while the slow ache in his chest grew, threatening to rack his body with a sadness no man should bear. What those brilliant colors dancing across the sky stood for only served as a reminder to his unending loss. Another night bereft of her loving arms. Another day without her magical presence. Over the years the pain had receded, but her memory never faded. Neither did the seed of hope she had planted so long ago. It grew every day, branching out and becoming the only thing that kept him alive. Many nights he had peered out of his window at the white sand far below. He thought of how easy it would be to end this torture and return to her. But he knew he had a bigger purpose and he would not let her down. He would endure and wait until his heart beat no more.

Once a week he was allowed to stroll along the beach and speak to the others. But it was only a brief illusion of freedom. They could feel the eyes that watched their every move. The others had become his only companions. For years there had only been seven. But a couple of months ago, a newcomer had arrived. He could hear her anguished cries at night and her deep despair was evident in the scratches along her arms; the victims of her own fingernails. She too finally succumbed to the seclusion and hopelessness; becoming void of emotion and as hollow as the rest of them. His thoughts moved back to the present and the brilliant ball of light inching its way above the horizon. This is when he felt closest to her. He closed his eyes and called upon the memory of her ever gentle, loving eyes.

“My love, I have lived to see yet another dawn cast its light upon this retched spit of land. Thankfully, this dawn brings new hope for my weary soul. You appeared to me in my dreams once again last night, but for the first time I heard the sweet melody of your voice. You spoke to me and breathed life back into my withered heart. You told me to be patient; to remain steadfast. You assured me the hour is growing near and I know the words you speak are true. Indeed, it is almost time.”

Kristen DayAbout Kristen Day:
Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?).

She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances. She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember. Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began. She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay.

When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001.

Author’s Links
Goodreads
Blog
Twitter
Facebook