Autumn Rising Blog Tour

Posted on August 17, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Autumn Rising Blog Tour

Title: Autumn Rising

Author: Seth King

::Synopsis::

Autumn Mahal and Hank Basara know they should stay away from each other. Both recovering from the loss of a mutual friend, and each bearing scars of their own, they know their love would look like a worn cliché, a trite romance novel for teens, some crappy made-for-TV movie languishing on your great aunt’s DVR. But as summer gives way to September and flirtation leads to something deeper, they learn there are some types of love you cannot run from, no matter how hard you try to flee.

Hilarious, heartbreaking and hopeful, Autumn Rising is a novella about the happiness we ruin for ourselves, the truths we can’t hide with a filter, and that elusive and victorious moment when we let love rush in and carry us to the sky. In a world of constant TMI, prepare to feel a story worth sharing – a story that will stay with you long after the summer fades to autumn.

::Purchase Links::

Amazon

Autumn rising teaser 2

Low Key Shot of a Young Couple Embracing

:: REVIEW ::

:: Author Bio ::

Seth King is a twenty-six-year-old American author. He enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with his family.

:: Other Books by Seth King ::

::: Synopsis :::

The Summer Remains

Publication Date: February 14, 2015

*This is a full-length standalone romance*

Twenty-four-year-old Summer Johnson knows two things. The first is that due to a quickly worsening medical condition, she faces a risky surgery in three months’ time that may or may not end in her death. The second is that she would like to fall in love before then.

As spring sinks into her namesake season on the Florida coastline, Summer plays the odds and downloads a new dating app – and after one intriguing message from a beautiful surfer named Cooper Nichols, it becomes clear that the story of what may be her last few months under the sun is about to be completely revised. All she has to do now is write something worth reading.

Tender, honest, devastating and triumphant, The Summer Remains explores a very human battle being waged in a very digital age: the search for a love that will outlast this temporary borrowing of bones. In an era when many feel compelled to share and re-share anything about everything, prepare to feel a love so special, you will want to hug it close and make it yours forever.

:: Purchase Links ::

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1C8ih0M

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1CVUEfi

Add it to your TBR: http://bit.ly/1EnqOQq

:: Stalker Links ::

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1bqUGQh
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1EOH1fG
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1bqUZdU
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1GQO4EL
Instagram: @SethKingBooks
The Summer Remains Support Group (for those who have already read TSR)
I Survived The Summer Remains: http://on.fb.me/1EEObjQ

Friday Reveal: Chapter One of Strange Country Day by Charles Curtis

Posted on August 14, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing THE FIRST CHAPTER of

Strange Country Day by Charles Curtis

presented by Tantrum Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Strange-Country-Day-Cover

Alexander Graham Ptuiac, the son of an inventor, wants to play for the school’s football team. During tryouts, and under the watchful eye of the team’s coach, he suddenly manifests mysterious superhuman powers. Alexander makes the team, but not before the some ill-intended adults take notice, putting his life in danger.

Alex struggles to suppress and control his strange new abilities, worried about exposing his secret and being kicked off the football team. Then he befriends Dex, a diminutive classmate who can somehow jump as high as ten feet in the air. Seems Alex isn’t the only one at school with a secret.

As the school year unfolds, Alex will find himself the target of bullies, holding hands with his first crush and discovering the shocking truth about himself and his parents.

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

CHAPTER ONE

You always hope your first day of school is uneventful. You lay low, you blend into the background, and you make it through without doing something that’ll get you tormented for an entire year.
That didn’t happen in my first few hours at Strange Country Day.
Here’s what did happen: just as I was about to be demolished by an elephant-sized bully named Flab, some superhuman power possessed me and I bloodied his nose. Another new kid named Dex escaped an ancient initiation ceremony by clambering up a bookcase like a mountain goat. That night, I played catch with a football-hurling robot.
That was Day One. A week later, I started crushing on the prettiest girl I’d ever seen.
Wait. I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start from the beginning:
I stood at the front gates to Vance M. Strange Country Day School, staring up at the name of my new school, the letters set high above a set of iron bars that looked as if they had been there for centuries. The curlicues and script looked just as ancient.
It was Orientation Day, so I wouldn’t have to sit through any classes until tomorrow. After a tour given by an upperclassman, my new prep school brought the seventh graders to our state-of-the-art auditorium, where we listened to the headmaster lecture all 110 of us about Strange Country Day’s policies. It’s exactly what you’d expect—no gum in class, no graffiti, no lateness. But there were also some weird ones, like the ten-page booklet on “uniform violations.”
Oh, the uniforms. I couldn’t believe my parents made me go to a school with a strict dress code. I looked down at what I was wearing and winced: a button-down white shirt with a yellow tie—not a clipon, so we had to learn to tie a Double Windsor knot, whatever that was—that felt like it was choking me. I also sported tight khakis and brown, shiny loafers. The whole thing wouldn’t be complete without the navy blazer with the school emblem, a griffin—the mythological lion with wings—and words displayed below “Vance M. Strange Country Day School, est. 1904” above the front gate: In Via Incipit Hic.
I used my phone to look up the meaning: “The Road Starts Here” in Latin. My new school was some rich kids’ academy past presidents had attended, where future Wall Street barons first learned the quadratic equation and where I’d now start myself on the supposed road to greatness.
That road was real—it weaved through the gigantic campus. The school consisted of a dozen ivy-covered buildings spread out over a campus that spanned what looked like miles. Walking from the art building to where I was supposed to take history would take at least ten minutes, or so our tour guide warned us. I could see different trees planted everywhere with plaques describing them and what seemed like acres of neatly trimmed grass. My old school back home had been one small, cramped brick building with a slab of concrete out back that we played on during recess.
With the half-day orientation over, we headed for the front gate, where the buses would pick us up. I looked at the other kids in their uniforms and saw them joking around and greeting each other with complex handshakes, as if they were a basketball team after a playoff win. I heard nearly everyone entering seventh grade had graduated from Strange Lower School, so they all knew each other already. I wanted to introduce myself to someone, just so I wouldn’t feel awkward, but they passed me as if I were invisible. I turned back around to confront those iron gates, realizing that they were a jail from which I couldn’t escape.
I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder. I turned around to look up at a big kid wearing a maroon and yellow jacket with a giant version of the griffin on it. I could see a jersey with the number 77 underneath.
“Come with me—with them,” he said, pointing at a group of seventh grade boys.
We were led down a walkway, ushered inside one of the buildings and into a classroom. When the big guy opened the creaky windowless door, I saw most of my other male classmates. They all had the same fear written on their faces. We were surrounded by bigger guys—ninth graders, probably. Some of them were football players. A few more kids were squeezed in, and the “guards” shut the door. In front of the room, standing over us, was another player in a maroon and yellow jacket. He was the biggest guy in the room, hefty, but you could see it wasn’t all fat.
“Welcome to Fresh Meet Friday!” the enormous kid announced. The other ninth graders whooped and hollered. “Boys, since you’re about to join the Strange brotherhood, you can call me what everyone calls me: Flab.” That’s the worst name I’ve ever heard for someone that size.
“This is all about tradition, boys. Strange Country Day is filled with tradition. For starters, you are standing in the oldest building on campus, built in 1904. Three years later, this tradition began right here in the Roger Basil Thayer Room.” Strange alumni donated heaps of cash to have a room, a library desk, a water fountain, anything, named after them.
“Here’s how this works: you will stand in front of the room and pledge allegiance to Strange Country Day. Only then will we tell you the next step.” Flab paused for dramatic effect, and his classmates asked, almost in unison, “And what’s that?”
“ … You’ll find out soon enough,” he said, with a big grin.
We seventh graders exchanged looks but stayed silent. Flab explained the rules of the mysterious tradition: in exchange for our participation, they would agree to stay out of our way the rest of the year. Violations of this pact would result in punishment to the violator(s) and random acts against other classmates throughout the school year. We were not allowed to breathe a word of this to our parents, teachers, advisors, bus drivers, or otherwise at school. “We went through the same thing you’re about to go through, and not one of us retaliated,” he said as the mob nodded approval. One of the other ninth-graders interjected and pointed out that he’d heard of a kid decades ago who rebelled.
“And he had to transfer two months later.”
“Fight back and you’re fighting against Strange’s hundred years of tradition,” Flab finished with a grin. He picked up a book from the nearby desk and opened it. “Let’s start with … ” he trailed his chubby fingers over the pages. My heart nearly leapt through my crisp white shirt. “ … Dex Harrison.”
No one reacted. Flab looked up. “Dex. Get up here. Now,” he said.
The seventh-grader sea parted, and a kid emerged who looked to be about five feet tall. His skin was pale, an almost grayish color, and his pointy ears appeared to be higher up on the sides of his head than usual. His eyes were like slits. I never saw anyone who looked like that. There were some snickers among my classmates as he walked slowly to the front of the room. He stood there, surrounded by four ninth graders.
“Dex, do you swear to uphold the traditions, honor, and virtue that those before you have also sworn to defend?” Flab recited.
A barely audible, high-pitched “Yes” came out of Dex’s mouth. He scrunched up his eyes. “You have now joined the brotherhood of Strange Country Day,” Flab said, as he leaned back to watch the action.
As the quartet of ninth-graders began to move toward him, Dex jumped away. They tried stepping closer, but Dex kept backing away. The entire room, seventh and ninth graders alike, gasped. Some of us started laughing.
“Shut up!” Flab yelled. He slammed his fist down on the desk and marched over to Dex. “Don’t make this harder on yourself. You took the vow; you have to fulfill it.”
Flab and the others reached out to grab him, but Dex somehow eluded their grasps. He backed away as some of the seventh graders began to root him on. The others yelled for Dex to stop, knowing we would all suffer if he messed up the tradition. The noise in the classroom got louder. Dex backed into a bookcase filled with dusty volumes; he looked like he was about to be trapped. Just as Flab was ready to pounce on him, Dex darted up the bookcase with lightning speed. The roar was huge.
Dex had a weird way of celebrating his victory—he bared a set of sharp teeth and hissed at his pursuers, who grabbed books off the shelves and threw them at him. With incredible dexterity, he dodged every one of them, repeatedly displaying his spiky teeth at the ninth graders. That brought the room to a fever pitch.
The older kids began to shove some of us to stop the cheering. It was the beginning of a riot … and I was stuck in the middle of it. I tried to push my way back to the door.
There was no way that was happening—I felt shoves from behind. Sweat began pouring down my face as I saw Flab turn his attention away from Dex, who looked down at the action with a mix of horror and fascination. “Everyone stop!” Flab shouted. The seventh graders didn’t listen, pushing every kid in a football jersey they could see. I was shoved into Flab’s expansive back and stumbled back. As he turned to look at me, something, well, strange happened at Strange. Something that had never happened to me before today.
My vision got blurry, and my head began to pound. I smelled toasted marshmallows. Then it was like someone poured water through my veins, and it rushed through my arms, down to my feet and into my head, which stopped pounding. I couldn’t hear any of the noise of the chaos around me. Instead, a highpitched whistle took its place.
Squeeeeeeeee
Then it disappeared—the marshmallows, the water in my veins, the blurry vision … everything.
I watched as if detached from my body as my fist flew toward the behemoth standing before me and connected with his nose.
The entire room stopped moving. Silence. Shock. I looked down at my fist and back up at Flab, who stumbled and touched his bleeding nose. He couldn’t believe what I had done and neither could I.
“What the heck is going on in here?” The entire room turned its attention to the door, where a young man wearing a tie and a white shirt stood.
The man glared at us. “Anyone want to take a trip to visit Headmaster Hoyer?” It sounded like he was a teacher.
More than a hundred Strange students shook their heads in unison.
“Good. Then I’ll wait here while you clean up the mess you made, and maybe I’ll forget I saw anything.”
Silently, everyone started picking up books, papers, and uniform jackets. When we finished, the ninth-graders filed out, followed by my classmates.
“Thanks.”
I looked down at Dex. I was surprised to hear him talk. His voice was squeaky, like he’d swallowed a balloon full of helium.
“For what?”
“If you hadn’t hit him, they would have gotten me,”
“Now, it’s your turn to save me when they come to beat me up,” I said. I wasn’t kidding, either.
“Anytime,” he said with an odd grin. Up close, his teeth were even weirder, as if they were a little too big for his mouth.
“You did a pretty good job in there,” I replied. “Alex.” I offered my hand, and he shook it vigorously. His palm felt clammy.
“Dex.”
We figured out that we lived near each other, and that he was new, like me. But there was something else I was itching to know.
“How did you get up the bookcase so quickly? That was amazing!” Dex didn’t answer. Instead, his eyes got wide as he peered around me. I turned around to see Flab and a few other yellow and maroon jerseys headed our way.
Flab looked around to see if anyone was watching and then got close to me. I could see some dried blood near his nose.
With every word out of his mouth, he poked me in the chest. Hard. “You.” POKE. “Got.” POKE. “Lucky.” HARD POKE. He glanced down at his notebook.
“Alexander Ptuiac,” he growled, pronouncing what was supposed to be a silent “P” as he pushed his way past me, as did his fellow football teammates. I turned around to see what they would do to Dex as they brushed by him.
But Dex was gone.

About-the-Author

Charles Curtis

Charles Curtis is a writer and journalist based in New York City. He has reported and written for publications including NJ.com (where he is currently the site’s sports buzz reporter), The Daily, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, Bleacher Report, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Charles has covered the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, golf, tennis and NASCAR. He has also written about television, film and pop culture.
In addition, Curtis has also written, produced and was featured in videos for ESPN.com and The Daily. He has made radio appearances on stations including 92.9 The Ticket in Bangor, Maine, WLIE 540 AM in Long Island and on morning shows across Canada via the CBC.
He can be reached on Twitter: @charlescurtis82.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

The book will be sent upon its release.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Friday Reveal: Author Spotlight – Charles Curtis with Giveaway

Posted on July 31, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are spotlighting

Charles Curtis

author of

Strange Country Days

a Middle Grade title from Tantrum Books, coming August 2015!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Charles Curtis

Twitter or Facebook?
I use both, but I’m plugged into Twitter every day for eight hours (I swear, it’s for my job as a sportswriter! – http://connect.nj.com/staff/CharlesCurtis/posts.html).

Favorite Superhero?
I was hooked on Wolverine as a kid. Who doesn’t love a sarcastic hero with a murky origin tale, claws and all the best one-liners?

Favorite TV show?
Current: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. All-Time: Seinfeld. Guilty Pleasure: Food Network Star

Sweet or Salty?
I will eat something sweet like a peanut butter cup and follow it up with a salty snack. It’s a yin/yang thing I started doing as a teenager.

Coke or Pepsi?
Coke and it’s not even close.

Any Phobias?
Three words: Big hairy spiders.

Song you can’t get enough of right now?
I just discovered an artist named Jacob Collier who does these incredible, mostly a cappella arrangements of songs and I’m hooked on his take on the jazz standard “Fascinating Rhythm.” Amazing! [link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K28H04Y2IdE%5D

What are you reading right now or what’s on your TBR?
I just started “The Maze Runner” and plan on reading Andy Weir’s “The Martian” next.

Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to?
I’ve watched the Star Wars trailers about 80 times each and geek out. Every. Single. Time.

Charles Curtis is a writer and journalist based in New York City. He has reported and written for publications including NJ.com (where he is currently the site’s sports buzz reporter), The Daily, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, Bleacher Report, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Charles has covered the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, golf, tennis and NASCAR. He has also written about television, film and pop culture.
In addition, Curtis has also written, produced and was featured in videos for ESPN.com and The Daily. He has made radio appearances on stations including 92.9 The Ticket in Bangor, Maine, WLIE 540 AM in Long Island and on morning shows across Canada via the CBC.
He can be reached on Twitter: @charlescurtis82.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Strange-Country-Day-Cover

Alexander Graham Ptuiac, the son of an inventor, wants to play for the school’s football team. During tryouts, and under the watchful eye of the team’s coach, he suddenly manifests mysterious superhuman powers. Alexander makes the team, but not before the some ill-intended adults take notice, putting his life in danger.

Alex struggles to suppress and control his strange new abilities, worried about exposing his secret and being kicked off the football team. Then he befriends Dex, a diminutive classmate who can somehow jump as high as ten feet in the air. Seems Alex isn’t the only one at school with a secret.

As the school year unfolds, Alex will find himself the target of bullies, holding hands with his first crush and discovering the shocking truth about himself and his parents.

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

Title(s) will be sent upon release.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Fall Books Preview

Posted on July 24, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are sharing the

Month9Books Fall Books Preview!

Check out these amazing titles coming from Month9Books this Fall!.
They look amazing!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

SerpentineEbook

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.

“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | Mysterious Galaxy

About-the-Author

cindypon_highres-200x300

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

Nameless_450x675

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

“Jenkins brings edge-of-your-seat adventure to this intriguing new world. I can’t wait to read more!”~ New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George

“Wow….WOW, WOW, WOW! I have no words to describe how much I love this book. Jenkins writes characters who are just so easy to love, and when you love a character it makes the book so much better. And I loved all the characters. Zo, Tess, Joshua and Gryphon. Gryphon is definitely my favorite – but who wouldn’t love Gryphon? Of course I do have a soft spot for our heroine, Zo.” ~Bri, Blogger @ Once Upon A Twilight

“Nameless destroyed me in the best way possible. The romance was subtle, but written beautifully. The plot was very intriguing and the pacing was spot on. I loved the entire cast of characters, every single one of them added to the story. Trust me when I say you should preorder it, add it to your TBR, request it from your library, do whatever you have to do to get this book in your hands because if you are a YA fantasy fan like me you need this book in your life!” ~Bridget, Blogger @ Dark Faerie Tales

“NAMELESS is epic storytelling at its best. My mind is still reeling from the world that I have just been immersed in and I don’t want to leave it. Can I please have the sequel NOW? Because I need to know what happens next but in the meantime I’m just going to re-read it again and again. Is it that good, you may ask? Hell yes!!! And you will think so too. Trust me.” Nancy, Blogger @ Tales of A Ravenous Reader

“To say that I love this book is an understatement. It completely blew me away! I am so happy that I took a chance on it. NAMELESS is one book that you can re-read over and over again and it will still feel fresh! I cannot wait for the world to read it and fall under the NAMELESS spell. Because that’s what I feel like I am under, a spell that has me trapped in Zo’s world and won’t let me out! I don’t want out!“~Damaris, Blogger @ Good Choice Reading

About-the-Author

Jennifer Jenkins

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at jajenkins.com

Minotaur.v3

“Where shall I start?” asked Minotaur.

Ovid made an expansive gesture with both hands. “Where else but the beginning of course.”

Minotaur nodded his huge head. “Yes,” he said. “Yes,” his eyes already glazing over with the weight of thousand year old memories. And then he began.

So begins the story of Asterion, later known as Minotaur, the supposed half bull creature of Greek legend. Recorded by the famous Roman poet, Ovid, Asterion tells of his boyhood in Crete under the cruel hand of his stepfather Minos, his adventures with his friend, Theseus, and his growing love for the beautiful Phaedra.And of course what really happened in the labyrinth.

This is the true story of the Minotaur.

“Lovers of mythology will enjoy this coming-of-age adventure and be surprised by the believable, “true story” of the Minotaur.”~ School Library Journal

About-the-Author

Phillip W Simpson

Phillip W. Simpson is the author of many novels, chapter books and other stories for children. His publishers include Macmillan, Penguin, Pearson, Cengage, Raintree and Oxford University Press.
He received both his undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Archaeology and his Masters (Hons) degree in Archaeology from the University of Auckland.
Before embarking on his writing career, he joined the army as an officer cadet, owned a comic shop and worked in recruitment in both the UK and Australia.
His first young adult novel, Rapture (Rapture Trilogy #1), was shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for best Youth novel in 2012.

He is represented by Vicki Marsdon at Wordlink literary agency.

When not writing, he works as a school teacher.
Phillip lives and writes in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Rose, their son, Jack and their two border terriers, Whiskey and Raffles. He loves fishing, reading, movies, football (soccer) and single malt Whiskeys.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

Title(s) will be sent upon release.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Queen of Tomorrow Excerpt

Posted on July 24, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Queen of Tomorrow (Stolen Empire #2)
by Sherry D. Ficklin
Release Date: 07/14/15
Clean Teen Publishing
280 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Sophie—now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia—had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things are finally looking up. As a new day dawns, she thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces trying to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Sophie soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia, and her new empire. But even as she navigates the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace.

When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, she glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it lost in a moment at the hands of those who still seek to end her life—and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Sophie will have to sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation, and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.

Book Excerpt:

As soon as I turn the corner into the great hall I know something is terribly wrong. The stewards are watching from around the corner and a line of red and blue guard uniforms obscure Peter from my view. In the chair nearest the wall, the court physician is tending a guard who has a long wooden arrow protruding from his shoulder. I can tell he’s trying not to make a sound even as the doctor pushes on the shaft, driving it through the wound so it can be removed from the other side. As I pass by they both give me a look that’s a mixture of relief and pity.

I pass the line and nod to the valet who stands and loudly announces me.

“Her Grace, The Grand Duchess Catherine.”

The guards shift, allowing me to pass. Peter is standing several paces away, resplendent as always in a deep blue tunic adorned with diamonds and sapphires, while one of the uniformed men stands in front of the hay target, a bright red apple on his head. The poor boy can’t be more than fourteen and he looks like he’s about to vomit.

“Husband,” I offer warmly, gliding over to him. “What interesting amusement you’ve discovered.”

I pause, waiting for him to acknowledge me. But he releases the arrow before answering, narrowly missing the boy’s neck. Behind me the guards clap half-heartedly and the young boy shuffles back into line.

“A test of wills,” he says, turning to face me with a wide smile. “If a man can stand without fear before death, only then is he worthy to be in my service.”

Licking my lips I try to think of a solution.

“Of course, but surely this is not such a test. I mean, your skill with the bow is legendary. They must know you would not purposely shoot them, and so there is no risk.” He looks at me and blinks in confusion. I continue, “I mean, there’s no way you would hit them deliberately, so it seems there is no danger at all.”

I swallow. Truthfully, Peter’s aim leaves a great deal to be desired and most of his guards are well aware of the fact.

I clap my hands. “I know! What if I take the shot? Surely there is a good chance I might miss, then the risk of death would be much higher. What say you, Husband?”

I try to keep my expression playful. Finally, he nods.

“Yes, you are quite right. Who among you is brave enough to allow the Duchess to take a shot at them?”

In the line of men, a few raise their hands. Peter hands me the bow and moves to select my target. He chooses the tallest of the men and walks him to the target. Then he digs around in the basket for the smallest apple he can find, only half the size of my fist. He takes a bite before setting it upon the guard’s head and making his way back to me, a merry jaunt in his step.

Taking one of the arrows from the basket, I take a deep breath. Beside me Peter clutches his hands to his chest, giddy with the prospect of me missing and accidently shooting the poor guard in the face. I draw the bow slowly until I feel my hand almost touch my cheek. I exhale, closing one eye to focus on the small, red target, and release the arrow. It flies true and in less than a heartbeat there’s a thud as the impaled apple lodges itself into the wall behind my target.

This time the applause is genuine. Everyone looks elated and impressed.

Everyone, that is, except Peter, whose face falls into a disappointed frown.

I hold up my hands for silence, “How fortunate for you that The Grand Duke taught me how to shoot!” I say with a laugh, then I curtsey to Peter who looks only slightly mollified.

“True, true,” he says to the crowd. “But I tire of this. How about a new challenge?”

The guards clap again, probably in relief.

Peter takes the bow from me and glares at me with his ice blue eyes.

“Go stand in front of the target,” he demands.

I hesitate for a heartbeat only, knowing that to refuse would incur his wrath. So I nod and slowly glide down the hall, replacing the guard whom I have just spared. I clasp my hands behind my back and hold my chin high. Even at this distance I can see Peter’s mind churning. He could kill me, here in front of all these people. An accident. A game gone terribly wrong. It would leave him free to marry his mistress Elizavetta who—much to her credit—is nowhere to be seen at the moment.

A shocked murmur ripples through the onlookers. I smile widely and take an apple from the basket, resting it on my head, just behind my diamond tiara.

“Calm down, you silly people. The Grand Duke would never hurt me. What kind of king accidentally shoots his queen? He would be a laughingstock! Have faith in your future king!”

A nervous laugh reverberates through the crowd at my words.

Peter glares at me as he considers my words. When he draws the bow, I see something flicker in his eyes, and I wonder if he cares what people would think, or if being rid of me might just be worth it to him.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Other Books in the Series:

Queen of Someday (Stolen Empire #1) Links:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.

She is the author of several YA novels and in her spare time she co-hosts Curvy Writer Radio.

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Book Tour Organized by:

The Dragon of the Month Club: Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted on July 3, 2015 by The Page Unbound

The Dragon of the Month Club
by Iain Reading
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: February 2015
Genre: Young Adult/ Fantasy/ Adventure

Synopsis:

The Dragon Of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club – The Dragon of the Month Club.

On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons – not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.

But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler’s messy bedroom. Travelling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.

Drawing inspiration from some of literature’s most memorable stories – from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes’s London – the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.

Book Excerpt:

Chapter 2 – The Book

Following their most unlikely of beginnings, the friendship of Ayana and Tyler grew quickly, and before they knew it, they were the best of friends, meeting up with each other almost every day. Sometimes they met up with Ayana’s mother after school at the downtown Dairy Queen for ice cream. Other times they climbed the edges of the coulee behind Ayana’s school and went to Tyler’s house where they did their homework together in his room. But most of the time, they just agreed to meet up at the place where they’d both accidentally bumped into each other on that very first day—amongst the dusty old bookshelves of the old library at the row between the history of the anatomy of earthworms and the illustrated guide to the indigenous mosses of Iceland.

It was on just such a day that Ayana and Tyler first discovered THE BOOK—a name that would be forever capitalised in their minds whenever either of them dared to utter the phrase aloud.

It was a magical book. That much was clear almost from the outset, so perhaps the manner in which these two unlikely friends happened to come across it was magical as well.

It all started on a typical Friday afternoon. Ayana and Tyler had agreed to meet at the library right after school. Tyler had a dentist appointment and would either be a few minutes late or a few minutes early, depending on how long that took. Not surprisingly Tyler was a few minutes late. This could have been expected since Tyler took dentist appointments very seriously. For weeks ahead of time he would be sure to brush his teeth five times every single day—once when waking up, once after breakfast, once after lunch, once after dinner, and once again before bed—which was two more times a day than he usually did. (He normally deemed the wake-up and after dinner steps unnecessary.) All of this was in addition to flossing, rinsing, and otherwise generally trying to keep his teeth in the best possible shape for the check-up.

To Tyler, going to the dentist was like studying for a test in school. Failure was not an option. So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that once he was actually in the dental chair, he expected the dentist to be every bit as thorough as he was, a process that required a bit more time than it normally would with less fastidious patients.

So Tyler was late.

And so, when he finally arrived, he hurried down the stairs and quickly navigated through the maze of shelves at the back of the library and found Ayana sitting there, crouched on the floor, sobbing her eyes out.

Tyler sighed heavily. He could already guess what must have happened: Heather van der Sloot… again.

He took off his backpack and set it on the floor. Folding his legs under him, he lowered himself down until he was sitting next to Ayana, not too close, of course, but as close as he dared to.

“What happened this time?” Tyler asked.

Ayana sobbed and buried her face even deeper in her hands. After a moment her left arm shot out, pointing an accusing finger toward a stack of soiled and dishevelled papers lying in a heap on an empty space on the shelf opposite them.

“That,” Ayana cried, her voice thin and cracking.

Tyler stared at the papers, and it took him a moment to realise what they were.

“Your poems,” he gasped.

Tyler had to take a breath and swallow. Ayana’s poems were a work of art, neatly written in careful flowing script, one to a page. Ayana carried them with her sometimes in a stiff green cardboard folder with trees on it that had little strings that you used to tie it shut.

Ayana nodded, still sobbing.

“She threw them all over the playground,” she said, her voice raspy. “She grabbed my tree folder away from me and threw them everywhere. I… I ….”

Ayana stuttered and couldn’t speak for a second.

“I don’t know if I got them all back,” she finally said, finishing her thought. “I think I lost some.”

Tyler nodded and crawled over on one knee to pick up the chaotic stack of papers. He sorted through them, one by one, trying to put them back into some kind of order. They were smeared and scratched and crumpled. One even had a dirty footprint stamped squarely on it.

Normally Ayana wouldn’t even let Tyler glance at one of her poems, so he was surprised that she wasn’t bothered by his looking through all of them now. She clearly wasn’t thinking straight, so he tried to make as neat a stack out of them as possible and set it down on the carpet in the middle of the row of shelves.

“There are a lot there,” he said, sitting close to her again. “Maybe you did get them all.”

Ayana shrugged her shoulders hopelessly.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, staring blankly at the pile of papers. “I don’t care.”

Tyler felt a sudden squeeze around his heart. He had no idea what he was supposed to do to make Ayana feel better.

But as his mind was racing, trying to think of something, the universe intervened.

“I hate her, Tyler,” Ayana said. “I HATE her!”

On this second last syllable, Ayana kicked at the opposite shelves with the heel of her shoe, making the wooden frame shudder and some of the books rattle around. One particular book—a small, thin one high up on the very top shelf—tipped forward as if in slow motion until it was hanging precariously at an impossible angle, almost as if it was levitating, before tumbling end over end to the floor.

Tyler tried to catch it but he was too slow, and instead it crashed into the stack of papers, scattering them slightly, before it fell flat on its back, right side up right in front of them.

how to conjure

your very own dragon

in six easy steps

…read the front cover of THE BOOK in bright yellow letters against a wavy blue background.

Tyler frowned and Ayana stopped crying for a moment. They both stared at THE BOOK with wide-open eyes, neither of them quite able to believe what they were seeing.

“How to conjure a dragon?” Ayana asked, kneeling forward to grab THE BOOK.

Tyler crawled next to her as she opened the front cover.

THE BOOK was very thin—more like a pamphlet, really— with no table of contents, no copyright page, no dedication page. There wasn’t even an indication of who the author might be. It just went straight into the first chapter, which was entitled:

the water dragon

“A water dragon?” Tyler read over Ayana’s warm shoulder.

Underneath the chapter title was a brief list of the various characteristics of the water dragon.

category: lesser dragon

difficulty: medium

classification: common

Below that was a basic introduction and explanation of the dragon followed by some advice to those who might want to conjure one:

this spell is a relatively simple one, but be forewarned that the water dragon is a damp and clumsy creature, prone to making messes and causing trouble. It is recommended to have plenty of towels at hand when undertaking this conjuring.

Underneath this brief introduction was a list of materials needed to actually conjure the dragon.

required material(s): water, towels (optional)

And last but not least came the instructions, six simple steps to conjuring your very own dragon. Tyler could hardly believe what he was reading. The steps were so simple. Just a series of strangely specific hand gestures performed by two people simultaneously. The instructions even had little helpful sketches to help you understand what to do.

It reminded Tyler of IKEA assembly instructions when his parents bought new furniture and let him put it together for them. But that was furniture made of wood and fabric and those little IKEA screws that needed a special tool to screw them in. This was supposed to be a dragon, whatever that meant. How could such simplistic instructions possibly result in assembling anything, much less an actual dragon?

“We have to try this!” Ayana said excitedly.

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Contest:

There is an ongoing contest for readers to win a one-of-a-kind hardcover version of The Dragon of the Month Club with their artwork as the cover.

“Draw a picture! Write a story! Take a photograph! Bake some cookies! Mold a dragon out of clay! Knit one out of yarn! Make one out of LEGO! Whatever you want! Just let your imagination run wild because anything goes – the more creative the better! Send your dragon in and then on the 13th day of every month one entry will be chosen at random and featured on the official Dragon Of The Month Club website. Each month’s lucky winner will also receive a free one-of-a-kind personalized hard-cover edition of The Dragon Of The Month Club book featuring their winning artwork (or other creative content) on the cover or inside the book itself,” says Iain.

To learn more, go to http://www.dragonofthemonthclub.com/

About the Author:

Iain Reading is passionate about Root Beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian, but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations.

Iain writes young adult novels. He is the author of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, The Wizards of Waterfire Series, and the dragon of the month club. To learn more, go to http://www.amazon.com/Iain-Reading/e/B00B0NGI6Q/

Connect with Iain on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY:
This giveaway is opened internationally!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Excerpt and Giveaway Organized by:
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

A Matter of Time Blog Tour: An Interview with Lisa M. Basso

Posted on June 13, 2015 by The Page Unbound

This is our stop on the blog tour for A Matter of Time by Lisa M. Basso! To read more reviews and posts on Lisa M. Basso check out the A Matter of Time blog tour schedule here!

A Matter of Time (Angel Sight #3) by Lisa M. Basso

Publication date: eBook June 9, 2015 / Paperback August 18, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Summary from Goodreads:

Rayna entered Hell to save Kade. Kade entered to protect Rayna. Both have failed.

Centuries of Kade’s demons are unearthed when he is brainwashed and used as a Fallen pawn.

In the freezing pits of Hell, Ray is beaten and tortured, pushed to her breaking point. She takes a stand, firing back at her attackers though she’s only begun to understand the true strength of her wings. A strength she will need once she uncovers the evils that await on Earth.

Together they find solace, alone they will fight.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Author Interview:

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing? What inspires you to write?

I first began writing in my early teens, when all the feelings were too much to handle. I picked it up again in High School when an English teacher assigned the class to write a short story then provide feedback. Mine got pretty decent feedback. In my early twenties, after not being able to decide on a career path that satisfied me, I started to notice how, when things got hard, I returned to writing. So, return to writing I did, and have been writing full-time ever since.

Q: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

I write for people who love to read. Of course, the Young Adult genre is intended for young adults, but so many people read YA these days, including adults just looking for a great story. So, I write for people who love to read YA.

Q: How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The first book in the series, A SHIMMER OF ANGELS went through several title changes before it was published. Angel Sight was one of them. The Angel Sight series begins with A SHIMMER OF ANGELS in which the main character, Rayna, thought her hallucinations of the men with wings were a thing of the past until an angel appears in her class and her classmate turns up dead.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

It’s no secret that I have been blessed by the cover gods. Have you seen the trilogy of covers together? Stunning! In truth, I didn’t have much to do with choosing the cover art, all that credit goes to my publisher, Month9Books, and the cover designer, Stephanie Mooney.

Q: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Hands down, Kade, the Fallen angel with oil-slick wings and a smart mouth is my favorite not just to write, but to read, too. His mood swings keep the readers on their toes. And who doesn’t love a handsome guy with a hard exterior and a (somewhat) less iron-like interior?

Q: Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

Fun Fact One:

The first draft of A SHIMMER OF ANGELS was written well over five years ago.

Fun Fact Two:

The ending to A SHIMMER OF ANGELS was completely rewritten at least four times.

Fun Fact Three:

A MATTER OF TIME is the first series ending book I’ve ever written. Earlier drafts of the story were very different than the book you’ll see today.

Fun Fact Four:

If I had the time, I’d write fan fiction about all the secondary characters in the series I love (Lee, Ray’s best friend, Gina, his girlfriend, and Laylah, Rayna’s bratty little sister).

Q: How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

Blog: http://Lisa-Basso.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LisaMBasso

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-M-Basso/340213186037936

Instagram: http://instagram.com/lisambasso

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/lisambasso

Q: What can we expect from you in the future?

I have several irons in the fire, as they say. YA is always my first love. I’ve been experimenting with a particularly intense YA Sci-Fi that I hope you all get to read soon.

Q: What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Nothing compares to the glorious love readers have for books. Literally nothing. The best part of my job is getting a message from a reader who enjoyed one of my books. So, thank you. You guys make me all kinds of mushy inside.

The best thing readers can do–for any author or book they’ve loved–is to leave a review. Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, or all of the above, it doesn’t matter. The more places the review posts, the better. Every review helps us get the word out to possible fans. You guys are the voice that is strong and loud and keeps publishing alive, don’t forget that. Your voices matter.

Q: Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Read. Write. Work hard. See rejection as a stepping stone not a deterrent (we’ve all dealt with it). Never give up–and eat lots of chocolate. 😀

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you so much for having me today. A MATTER OF TIME will be available in ebook and audiobook June 9th and in print August 4th.

Q: And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

(*Spoiler warning* This excerpt comes from the very first chapter in A MATTER OF TIME. If you haven’t read A SHIMMER OF ANGELS and A SLITHER OF HOPE, I would advise skipping over this clip.)

Trapped.

Tortured.

Alone.

The walls no longer closed in the way they once did. Now they only screamed; the jagged, shattered sound of souls and wills being ripped away.

I used to cover my ears. Now, even when the screams stopped, they never truly quieted.

About the Author:

Lisa M. Basso was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is a lover of books, video games, animals, and baking (not baking with animals though). As a child she would crawl into worlds of her own creation and get lost for hours. Her love for YA fiction started with a simple school reading assignment: S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. When not reading or writing she can usually be found at home with The Best Boyfriend that Ever Lived ™ and her two darling (and sometimes evil) cats, Kitties A and B.

Connect with the Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Blog Tour Organized by:

Descent Book Promo

Posted on June 8, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Descent (Kissed by Death #3)
by Tara A. Fuller
Release Date: 06/02/15
Entangled Teen
320 pages

Book Summary (Goodreads):

He’ll destroy everything and everyone to save her…including himself.

Easton doesn’t believe in love. He believes in death. Darkness. Sin. As a reaper for Hell, it’s all he’s known for more than four hundred years. So when he gets slapped with the job of training the boss’s daughter, an angel that knows nothing but joy, he knows he’s in for a world of trouble.

Though he’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with her outside of work, Gwen will do whatever it takes to get close to the dark and wounded reaper—even taint her angelic image and become a reaper herself. But in all her planning, she forgot to factor in one thing—how far the demons Easton doomed to Hell will go for revenge.

When the dangers of the Hell threaten Gwen, Easton will destroy everything and everyone to save her. But as the darkness closes in, will he be able to save himself?

Book Excerpt:

The room seemed to settle into a dangerous calm as we entered, and at least a dozen sets of eyes followed our progress.

“Why are they all looking at me like that?”

“Because most of them have never seen anything like you,” I said. “Put on all the black leather you want, Red, but you’ll never be able to cover up what you are.”

“And what am I?”

My gaze coasted over the soft curve of her cheek, the slender arch of her neck. She was beautiful, a warm sunrise in a world that had only ever known a cold, unforgiving night. To think I’d even tried to hide what she was from the filth here showed how foolish I really was. There was no hiding the goodness in Gwen.

“Pure,” I finally said, tearing my gaze from her. I had to stop looking at her like that. I had to stop wanting to touch her. I had to stop… I just had to stop. Giving in to that desire wasn’t going to do either of us any good.

“Then maybe I should do something to make them think I’m not,” she said, voice small and unsure.

I laughed. “Like what? Murder someone? News flash. Everyone here is already dead, sweetheart.”

“I don’t know,” she said, looking around. “What about that?”

She gestured to a man and succubus on the dance floor. Lips locked together, dancing so close you couldn’t tell where he ended and she began. A group of pain demons closed in on them, waiting for her to deplete and release the drained soul. They’d drag him away and finish him off once she’d had her fill. That was the real dance here.

Feed. Punish. Pain. Repeat.

As much as the thought of having Gwen pressed against me like that scared the shit out of me, she was right. We needed to blend in. I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against me, telling myself I was only acting. That I didn’t care. She gasped and her hands landed on my chest. She was stiff in my arms, staring at my throat. A table of demons pushed their drinks aside to watch us with suspicious, glowing eyes.

“Gonna need to come a little closer than that, Red,” I whispered against her hair. “Are you a succubus or an angel? Quick survival tip…you want to be the succubus.”

She inched forward and buried her face in my neck, releasing a shaky breath against my jaw. Her mouth pressed against the serpent tattoo on my neck, and I could feel the brand of ink writhe, basking in the pleasure of her purity. My heart kicked a painful rhythm against my ribs. Without permission, my hands slid down to her hips. She felt so warm under my palms, perfectly clumsy, trying to find a rhythm to match mine. I’d never really danced before, but in a place like this, I figured there was no right way. Not when everything was so wrong. Gwen peeked out from under my jaw, looking at the others dancing.

“Should we…kiss?” she asked. “L-like them?”

I stopped swaying and forced my hands to loosen their grip on her hips. My blood felt too hot, my body tense and unfamiliar. My gaze dropped to her mouth, and my mind went places it had no business going.

I wanted to kiss her.

I’d never wanted to kiss anyone. Almighty knows that’s all it would take to soil her. One touch from my lips and she’d never be the same.

Other books in this series:

About the Author:

Tara Fuller writes novels. Some about grim reapers. Some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Blog Tour Schedule:

Blog Tour Hosted by:

Secret of the Sevens

Posted on June 8, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Secret of the Sevens
by Lynn Lindquist
Release Date: 06/2015
Flux Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend of the Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite students murdered the school’s founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or so the story goes.

Talan Michaels doesn’t care about Singer’s past. He’s too focused on his future and the fact that he’ll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysterious invitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens.

He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead, he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles about the school’s history. Even worse, he’s now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.

“At the end of the day, it’s Talan and his endearing combination of bravado and vulnerability, coupled with the crackling chemistry he shares with Laney, that will keep readers turning the pages. A satisfying read for secret-society fanatics and romantics alike.” – Kirkus ReviewsBuy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Book Excerpt:I cut across the quad toward the oldest building on campus. Why would they want to see me here? Except for the Pillar thing, I can’t think of anything I’ve done wrong recently. That they know of, anyhow.I open the front door and flash my pass at the security guard. He reads the note over a couple times as I sign in. “Room 07? I don’t see a lot of passes for rooms in the basement.” He hands it back and points to a doorway. “Take that stairwell there.”The muscles in my shoulders stiffen as I ramble down the rickety steps into a dark corridor. The air is humid and musty. There’s a single dim bulb hanging from the ceiling in the center of the long hallway.Unnerved, I squint to read the faded numbers on the old wood doors. The darkness in the narrow hall is starting to trigger my claustrophobia. When my shoes squeak like a bad speaker, I twist around, thinking someone’s behind me. What am I freaking out about? There’s no one else here. I’m alone.Alone.In a strange building.

For a meeting I knew nothing about.

In an empty hallway… in a dimly-lit basement… that no one ever uses.

The hairs on my arm stand up. My eyes shift around, searching the walls for anything familiar.

“Hello?”

No answer.

All the classroom lights are off except for one at the very end of the hall. A strip of light glows from under the door. I drift toward it like an insect to a bug zapper.

The door to room 07 creaks as I open it and wander inside. The room is empty, except for a chalkboard on one wall with a message:

Yes, Talan. The letter is for you. And it’s real.

My breath catches in my throat. What letter? What’s going on? I look around the room and then peer out into the hallway, but there’s still no one around.

Scanning the room again, I spot a black velvet envelope with a red wax seal sitting on the ledge of the chalkboard. I go over and grab it, just as a cold sweat starts to collect under my shirt.

Inside is a card printed with fancy writing:

Master Talan Michaels,

You have been chosen for membership in the resurrected Society of Seven. Participation in The Society requires absolute loyalty, a lifelong oath of silence, and a commitment of sacrificial service to the true purposes of our brotherhood. In return, pledges are bestowed the secrets of The Society, including access to fraternal wealth and wisdom. Upon final initiation into The Society, each member is assigned the Great Responsibility and awarded the Great Reward—the use of society resources to fulfill your greatest desire.

Choose or refuse, you will have until midnight tonight to decide. If refusing, destroy this card and speak of it never, lest ye choose to invite misery upon yourself. Be warned: Do not take this vow lightly.

If accepting, return this invitation by way of the mausoleum of Mary Harper Singer, behind the Chapel ruins in the cemetery off Rucker Road. Slide this card under the palm of the weeping angel that watches over our beloved matriarch.

Noblesse Oblige: “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

About the Author:

Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite things in life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way. She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Book Blitz Organized by:

The Violet Hour Book Promo

Posted on June 5, 2015 by The Page Unbound

This is our stop on the blog tour for The Violet Hour. You can find the blog tour schedule here!

Summary from Goodreads:

Secrets.

Allegra Teagarden, a musical prodigy, flees her father’s dominance and abuse while touring in pre-civil war Charleston, South Carolina. Plagued by depression over her mother’s suicide during their previous visit, she escapes in an effort to piece together the details behind her mother’s mysterious demise.

Secrets.

Down to her final coin, Allegra happens on Charleston’s Fancy, the first southern amusement park, which is searching for musicians for its orchestra. At first, the park seems her salvation; but she quickly realizes she has traded the dominance of her father, for the even more terrifying madness of the owner, Silas.

And more secrets.

Allegra meets the dashing Brighton LeFroy, Fancy’s engineer and pyrotechnics master. His shabby clothing cannot conceal the brilliant mind beneath. The musician’s whisper he is a witch, is obsessed with storms, and is rumored…to fly. And despite the danger, despite her own misgivings, Allegra is inexplicable drawn to him.

She ventures to his reclusive home on Fire Isle during a thunderstorm and together they seek to unravel an ancient mystery.

Buy Links:
Amazon

Exclusive Excerpt: Friend or Foe?

A shrill shrieking erupts from the barn, thickening my blood with fear. Animals screaming for mercy.

In his haste, Jonesy has left the barn door open, allowing the noise to escape onto the night air. Brighton steps in the doorway, slamming it shut, muting the sound of their pain.

I slide the cats from my lap, fighting to control my rapid breath as I slink toward the window. Was Marietta right? I don’t want to know. I don’t want to know.

“You must.”

I move slowly toward the barn, and the world seems to slow as I swallow hard.

I drag my hands up the bumpy fieldstone to grasp the windowsill and stand on tip-toes to peer inside. Two large balls, attached to rods, sit on a wooden table, ridiculously reminding me of metallic dandelions.

However to blow on one of these might mean an electrified-death. Bolts of light leap between the two heads, dancing back and forth, green and red, green and red, as if Brighton somehow captured the lightning from the night sky.

-Brynn Chapman, The Violet Hour (Kindle Locations 788-797).

After that excerpt I can’t help but ask what you think about Brighton. Is Brighton a good guy? Or is he a villain?

About the Author:

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Brynn Chapman is the daughter of two teachers. Her writing reflects her passions: science, history and love—not necessarily in that order. In real life, the geek gene runs strong in her family, as does the Asperger’s syndrome. Her writing reflects her experience as a pediatric therapist and her interactions with society’s downtrodden. In fiction, she’s a strong believer in underdogs and happily-ever-afters. She also writes non-fiction and lectures on the subjects of autism and sensory integration and is a medical contributor to online journal The Age of Autism. Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook GIVEAWAY: a Rafflecopter giveaway Blog Tour Hosted by: //widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js