Home Excerpt and Giveaway

Image

11

Home
by Eleni McKnight
Genre: YA Dystopian
Release Date: November 22nd 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Knowledge is a Dangerous Commodity

HOME – the last bastion of civilization in a corrupt and fallen world. Outside dwell the reanimated dead, cannibals, and scavengers; remnants of a once great race. Inside, the commune is ruled with an iron fist by Deacon, and administered without mercy by the Elders.

Everyone knows their place in HOME. Everyone is safe in HOME…as long as you follow the rules.

Handmaiden Suzannah Commons is content with training to be a wife and mother, the only occupation open to women in HOME. But her world is turned upside-down when she tastes the forbidden knowledge contained in outlawed books.

Suzannah discovers a new way of life is possible, but that knowledge comes at a high price. It could cost her life. Or the life of the boy she loves. 

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

I sat up and spotted something else. More stars hanging over a large, long desk. Is this more medicine? Did they leave a second package? I pulled the fabric out and beneath it was a light-colored box. It was more medicine. I was sure of it. Feeling proud to have discovered this second package, I decided to open it.

My eyes flew open wide. Instead of medicine there were more of those beautiful heart-shaped cookies. I picked one up. It felt soft and fresh. I broke it apart and popped a piece into my mouth. I literally melted in my mouth, the sweet taste making me feel like I was floating. I moaned softly.

“Suzannah? Where are you?”

“Here,” I answered.

Silas appeared in the empty doorway. “Did you find something?”

“Yes,” I said, holding out the box for him to see.

“And you’re planning on keeping them all for yourself?” Silas asked. I saw him grin in the moonlight.

“Maybe,” I grinned back. “I just ate one.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Silas said, “But you have to give me one.”

“Here,” I reached the box toward him, but he didn’t take it.

“Put it in my mouth for me,” he said. “My hands are dirty.”

“And mine aren’t?”

He opened his mouth and I realized he was serious. This was not like when Morris commanded me to feed him. This was something…different. This was…exciting. I broke off a piece of the pastry, and held it out to him, placing it on his tongue. His lips closed around my fingers. I jumped back and pulled my hand away. It felt like lightning had shot through my fingers, up my arm and straight down into my abdomen, setting my nerves on fire. I tingled from head to toe.

“Silas!” I giggled. “You can’t do that.”

But why can’t he do that? I liked it. I liked the feeling of his lips on my skin. Was this what a kiss felt like? Kissing was forbidden except for married people. I imagined Silas kissing me and a fire exploded in the base of my stomach, an unfamiliar and exciting feeling that made my heart race. I realized I wanted him to kiss me; to kiss me full on the mouth.

About the Author:

Eleni McKnight is a Murfreesboro, Tennessee native. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Literature and a wild passion for creating clothes and doing make-up. She’s also an avid reader and loves music and theatre. She started writing at age eight when she had read all the Baby-Sitter’s Club books that were out and wanted something new to read. It’s never quite left her over the years

These days, you can usually find Eleni working backstage or costuming in local community theatres, reading a book, walking (that FitBit is addictive!), at a concert, drinking a craft beer with friends, knitting, embroidering, or taking a dance class.

Author Links:

Email | Goodreads | Facebook 
Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter 

GIVEAWAY:

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

Blog Tour Organized by:

Foy: On the Road Video Guest Post

Image

Reply
FOY:ON THE ROAD
TO LOST
by
GORDON ATKINSON
  Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Material Media LLC
Facebook  I  Twitter
Date of Publication: March 1, 2017
Number of Pages: 194

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Gordon Atkinson, of the popular blog RealLivePreacher, brings us Foy, a recently- divorced, recently-resigned pastor in the midst of redefining personal meaning. As Foy travels to New Orleans, hoping to find a new identity separate from the church, he keenly observes the everyday, rendering ordinary moments unexpectedly significant. Atkinson’s own background as a preacher and blogger inspires Foy’s confessional voice, the voice which characterizes this story about how our own experiences impact the universal search for meaning. 
 ***

 

 

PRAISE FOR FOY: ON THE ROAD TO LOST:

“If the magnitude of difference between the stars and humankind is the purest of religions, reminding us of our insignificance (so thinks Foy), then that magnitude is collapsed in the hands of Atkinson, whose words elevate the most insignificant of objects, acts, and characters to startling heights. A key shifted on a desk, a communion cup offered to an old woman despite a philosophical mismatch, a baby’s bottle first ignored and then retrieved for a frazzled stranger on a bus. Each commands, each arrests, each persists. And we suddenly remember that what we create with mere words can be as lasting as the luminaries.”
— L.L. Barkat, author of Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing, twice named a best book of 2011

“Few writers can match Gordon Atkinson’s ability to tell stories about the sacred in our everyday lives. Foy is a work of power, beauty, and clarity–I saw myself and the world more clearly after reading it. I think you will too.”

— Greg Garrett, author of The Prodigal and Entertaining Judgment

“I really, really like Gordon Atkinson’s Foy. I like the character Foy himself. He’s Everyman and he’s me and he’s Gordon, all at the same time. Nice trick. I like Gordon’s writing — straightforward, but with a simple elegance. But what I really like is the no-holds-barred honesty. This feels real because it is real. Foy at his worst, Foy at his best, Foy at his most wonderful/awful. It’s an on-going series, just like life. I look forward to the next chapter.”
— Robert F. Darden, author of Nothing but Love in God’s Water, Volume II: Black Sacred Music from Sit-Ins to Resurrection City
Atkinson is the author of the books RealLivePreacher.com (Wm. B. Eerdmans), Turtles All the Way Down, and A Christmas Story You’ve Never Heard.  He was a contributor for the magazine Christian Century and founding editor for the High Calling website, which brought together hundreds of independent writers and featured their work. 
His writing career started on Salon where he was among the most read bloggers on the site.  One of his essays was chosen to be included in The Best Christian Writing 2004 (Jossey-Bass) and his book RealLivePreacher.com won the Independent Publisher Book Award in the creative non-fiction category.
  —————————————
GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY! 

Grand Prize: Signed Copies of Foy: On the Road to Lost, Turtles All the Way Down, and A Christmas Story You Never Heard
2nd Prize: Signed Copy of Foy: On the Road to Lost

3rd Prize: Signed Copy of RealLivePreacher.com
(US ONLY)
March 1 – 15, 2017

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

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

CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

3/1
Video Guest Post 1
Hall Ways Blog
3/2
Review
Momma On The Rocks
3/3
Excerpt 1
CGB Blog Tours
3/4
Video Guest Post 2
Syd Savvy
3/5
Review
StoreyBook Reviews
3/6
Author Interview 1
Kara The Redhead
3/7
Review
Forgotten Winds
3/8
Video Guest Post 3
The Page Unbound
3/9
Excerpt 2
My Book Fix Blog
3/10
Review
Margie’s Must Reads
3/11
Video Guest Post 4
Chapter Break Book Blog
3/12
Author Interview 2
Missus Gonzo
3/13
Review
Book Chase
3/14
Video Guest Post 5
Texas Book Lover
3/15
Review
Reading By Moonlight

 

 

 

 

blog tour services provided by:

Curse of Stars Excerpt and Giveaway

Image

8

Curse of Stars
Donna Compositor
(Diamond Crier #1)
Publication date: February 19th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Sabi Perez is the last Diamond Crier, only she doesn’t know it. Not until a crazed ruler from another world comes to collect her priceless tears and won’t take no for an answer.

Living in New York, Sabi’s seen some nasty things, but the lengths to which her captor will go to keep his crown are things found only in the darkest nightmares. Afraid and alone, Sabi finds solace in her cellmate, Anya, and Cabal, a fellow Crier who also has powers, a rare combination that buys his favor from the ruler. Only it’s a favor he doesn’t want.

In a fit of rage, power erupts out of Sabi, the same power Cabal has, and a spark of hope ignites. Together they may have a chance at escape, something no other Crier has done. Except a ruler hellbent on draining them of every last diamond tear isn’t their only hurdle. If they escape they’ll be hunted to the ends of the earth, if they survive the trek to safety. If they stay the ruler will leech them dry. Sabi would rather die trying than lie down and die, even if that means running away into even more danger.

“. . . vividly imagined and deftly plotted dark fantasy . . .” BookLife Prize in Fiction

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

Excerpt:

Fingers dug into her arm and she was yanked to her feet. She grunted as her skin pulled under the man’s grip and she stumbled when he dragged her along the corridor.
“Where are we?” she asked, her voice echoing on the dark stone around her. A well-worn carpet laid under her feet, track marks running the length of it.

“What do you want with me?”

“Normally I wouldn’t have the patience for stupidity,” he said without looking at her. “But seeing as how you haven’t lived in Raydin for more than a decade I’ll abide you this.”

“You’re so kind,” she said as she tried to jerk her arm free.

No dice. Instead the man swung her around and slammed her back into the stone. Precious air rushed out of her lungs and panic made her gasp, wheeze, scramble to bring the air back in.

“There is no escape, Sabina. Rest assured, you’re here for life. However long that may be.”

“Why?” She sneered at the immaculate face in front of her. Not a hair out of place. Not a blemish anywhere on his skin. She wanted to rake her nails across his perfection. “Why did you kill my papa? Why did you chase us out of our home?”

He smiled then, a look that crawled up his face and failed to reach his eyes.

“Your home, little Crier, is here. Far south from this castle. That’s where your parents ran from the first time. Alas, they couldn’t run forever.”

Sweat broke out on her forehead. She didn’t understand, but Papa said the same thing. They weren’t from a world that had New York. They were from somewhere else. Nausea swirled in her stomach.

“I have all the powers of the stars,” he said as he brushed a piece of hair from her face. She jerked away from his touch.

“Well, not all. Most. Most my family took from the Giver when they deposed him centuries ago. He was such a pacifist. It was almost too easy. All that power he just gave away to filth in this kingdom. Such a waste. We stopped that, though. We just couldn’t get diamond tears.”
Sabi’s head spun. “I don’t understand.”
The man frowned and leaned away from her. He yanked her off the wall and continued walking down the corridor.

“No, I imagine you wouldn’t. We couldn’t throw a successful coup without money. Lots of money. We had it, of course, but not enough. Not enough to sustain us. With the Giver’s powers, especially diamond tears, our problem would be solved. Instead we were still at his mercy, the decrepit old man.”

No, she wanted to say. That’s not what she meant. She understood why power-hungry people wanted power and money. What she didn’t understand was this Giver, his powers. What this all had to do with her. Her back throbbed. Bruises formed knots along her spine and she already felt their ache.

“It worked out for us and for him. While he’s stored away, nice and safe, he keeps doling out diamond tears and we merely collect those with the power. If he stops, the slaughter of his people would be on him. You understand? Sabina, I asked you a question.”

Sabi choked on the answer and finally said, “Yes.” It was a lie, but this man didn’t seem like someone who was used to hearing no.

Author Bio:

Donna has been writing since she was in the single digits when she first realized she needed to do something about all the thoughts in her head. After a stint with bad poetry she finally found her way to novels, mainly of the young adult fantasy variety. When she’s not cranking out more stories she works a regular 9 to 5, reads anywhere from 2 to 3 books a week, drinks copious amounts of tea, eats way too much, and makes her own beauty products because her skin turns into a sentient hive if she uses anything else. This is mostly because she lives in the desert where the air siphons water clean out of her. She lives with a man named Steve and several quadrupeds: three cats named Renfield, Sam, and Dean; and a MinPin named Malfoy.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

XBTBanner1

Awakening: Bloodline Review

Image

5

Awakening: Bloodline Book One 
by Tiera Rice 
Publication date: October 12th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

Book Synopsis

Antanasia knows better than anyone that being royal comes with lots of expectations. Born into war as a Vampyre Witch, she has to battle the ultimate enemy: her own blood. When she has a terrifying Vision, Antanasia fights harder than ever to prevent it from coming to pass. Will she succeed? Or does she die trying?

∞

Nadia is an average teenager celebrating her nineteenth birthday. But her day turns upside down when she starts developing unusual abilities that make her question everything she knew. Searching for answers to her predicament, she finds herself trusting Nicolae, a stranger with a familiar presence. Why does she feel so drawn to him? Will Nadia find answers to the questions about her past and take on her new role willingly? Or will she choose to remain in the dark and deny her destiny?

Purchase
My Review
I don’t usually admit it but the cover is what really first appealed me to read Awakening. It turned out to be a great decision as this book navigates through the perspective of two appealing characters. Nadia, a girl in present day who just celebrated turning nineteen and falls into a completely different world. Then there is Ananstasia who lived centuries ago and also happens to be a Vampyre with magical abilities.
From reading the summary, I had my own sort of theories about how these characters connected but there were plenty twists I didn’t expect. While the idea of such a drastic time jump between characters would seem confusing, Rice structured the elements of each time to keep the reader entertained. You’re thrown headfirst into this chaotic world. I really appreciated the amazing history you sensed in this story. References and subtle details were revealed that easily tempted you into wanting more.
The changing course of past and present was something I haven’t often experienced before and was really impressed with. Not only was the personalities of our two leading ladies an interesting constrast but so were the very different times. Magic, war, folklore, and family drama were just part of a blended mixture to this story. Overall, Awakening was a thrilling and suspenseful read that was an great beginning to this series. This is best for a mature audience that enjoys a fast-paced and action filled novel.
About the Author
Tiera Rice was raised in Rockland County, New York and is a realtor in Rockland, Westchester, and Orange Counties. She earned her degree in criminal justice from Temple University, is the founder of Laughter and Lemonade: a project that focuses on motivational posters for those experiencing a chronic illness, and co-founder of #26forTiera: a foundation that provides financial resources to single parents battling life-threatening illnesses.
A creator of poems and short-stories for many years, Tiera challenged herself by leaping into the world of novels. Having recently survived a battle with cancer, Tiera decided to use her writing to entertain and motivate her readers. When not writing or selling houses, Tiera can be found spending time with her friends and family, especially her young daughter, fish, and kitty cat. Her other interests include singing, drawing, and dancing.
Author Links

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

Book Tour Organized By

Bulletins From Dallas

Image

Reply

BULLETINS FROM DALLAS

Reporting the JFK Assassination

By BILL SANDERSON

 Genre: Biography / Journalism

Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing

Date of Publication: November 1, 2016

Number of Pages: 280

Scroll down for Giveaway!

Thanks to one reporter’s skill, we can fix the exact moment on November 22, 1963 when the world stopped and held its breath: At 12:34 p.m. Central Time, UPI White House reporter Merriman Smith broke the news that shots had been fired at President Kennedy’s motorcade. Most people think Walter Cronkite was the first to tell America about the assassination. But when Cronkite broke the news on TV, he read from one of Smith’s dispatches. At Parkland Hospital, Smith saw President Kennedy’s blood-soaked body in the back of his limousine before the emergency room attendants arrived. Two hours later, he was one of three journalists to witness President Johnson’s swearing-in aboard Air Force One. Smith rightly won a Pulitzer Prize for the vivid story he wrote for the next day’s morning newspapers.

Smith’s scoop is journalism legend. But the full story of how he pulled off the most amazing reportorial coup has never been told. As the top White House reporter of his time, Smith was a bona fide celebrity and even a regular on late-night TV. But he has never been the subject of a biography.

With access to a trove of Smith’s personal letters and papers and through interviews with Smith’s family and colleagues, veteran news reporter Bill Sanderson will crack open the legend. Bulletins from Dallas tells for the first time how Smith beat his competition on the story, and shows how the biggest scoop of his career foreshadowed his personal downfall.

***

PRAISE FOR BULLETINS FROM DALLAS:

“So much of what we know about any story depends on how reporters do their work. Bill Sanderson takes us through every heartbreaking minute of one of the biggest stories of our lifetime, with sharp detail and powerful observations. As you read the book, you’ll feel all the pressure and adrenaline rush of a reporter on deadline.” —Neal Shapiro, former president of NBC News, current president of WNET

“The life and work of a noted White House reporter…. Focusing on [Merriman] Smith’s reporting of the Kennedy assassination, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize, Sanderson conveys the tension and confusion after the event, as Smith and other newsmen scrambled to ascertain facts.” —Kirkus Reviews

“To read Bulletins from Dallas is to touch the fabric of history, through Sanderson’s artful weave of many voices, from presidents across the decades to the last words uttered by J.F.K. Swept back through the corridors of time, we hear the urgent bells and clatter of the teletype machine: Merriman Smith’s first report to the world, ‘Three shots fired at President Kennedy’s motorcade today in Downtown Dallas.’ This compelling narrative takes us to that moment when our whole nation cried, and, even now, to tears of primal sympathy that never seem to end.” —Allen Childs, author of We Were There: Revelations from the Dallas Doctors Who Attended to JFK on November 22, 1963

CLICK TO PURCHASE 
* Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indiebound *

Video Interview

NY1 “Inside City Hall”Interview:

Errol Louis interviews Bulletins from Dallas author Bill Sanderson on NY1, New York City’s premier cable news channel.

“58 Washington reporters on the trip – one mobile telephone” fist fight.

Bill Sanderson spent almost two decades as a reporter and editor at the New York Post. His work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Observer, and the Washington Post. Sanderson lives in New York City.

Connect with Bill:

Facebook

Twitter

Website

  

—————————————

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY! 
TEN SIGNED COPIES! 
(US ONLY)
February 21 – March 2, 2017

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

CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR

2/21 Scrapbook Page StoreyBook Reviews
2/22 Review Hall Ways Blog
2/23 Author Interview Texas Book Lover
2/24 Book Trailer Forgotten Winds
2/25 Review Kara The Redhead
2/26 Video Interview The Page Unbound
2/27 Review Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books
2/28 Guest Post Byers Editing Reviews & Blog
3/1 Excerpt Books and Broomsticks
3/2 Review Reading By Moonlight


blog tour services provided by

State of Allegiance Blitz

Image

Reply

State of Allegiance
By Summer Lane
(Collapse #9)
Publication date: February 24th 2017
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult

Synopsis

Be brave. Be vigilant. But above all, be loyal.

In the wake of a dangerous but successful mission to Yukon City in Alaska, Cassidy Hart now finds herself back in California, at the naval air station in San Diego. Together, she and Chris now face their most terrifying threat yet: nuclear destruction.

Surviving in a world gone nuclear is easier said than done. Faced with the prospect of being wiped off the face of the earth by Omega’s nuclear arsenal, Cassidy, Chris and their fellow rebel friends stage an incredible, daring journey into the Pacific Rim with the hope that they will be able to seize a weapon that could turn the tide of the war in the militia’s favor.

The clock of the apocalypse is counting down.
Choices must be made. Relationships will be strained. True love will be put to the ultimate test.
It’s militias versus Omega. Hope versus destruction.

Where does your allegiance lie?

Choose carefully.

 

Purchase

Interview with Author Summer Lane

How does it feel to publish the 9th installment of the Collapse Series – and your 16th overall?

It feels unreal! When I was a kid, I always pictured myself as an author, sharing my stories with readers, but I admit I didn’t really think that would materialize until I was much older than I am right now. I’ve been really blessed – and I’ve worked really hard!

What’s a typical day in your life like?

I do manage a business, so while I do a lot more than simply write manuscripts, writing certainly is the base of everything that I engage in. I just got a German Shepherd puppy named Kona, and she gets me up early in the morning (earlier than usual, haha!), and I’ll start work then. If I have a good day, I’ll be done with work around 2:30 or 3. If it’s a long day, I’ll be working until 6.

What is State of Hope going to be like – and is it the last book in the series?

State of Hope is going to be long, intense and flushed with adrenaline. There are so many secrets to be revealed, so many character plots to be tied up neatly, and most importantly: Cassidy’s conclusion in this apocalyptic war. While Hope is indeed the final installment in the Collapse Series, it is not the last book in the Collapse universe. I certainly do have some plans for Cassidy in the future – they may not be as huge as Collapse, but trust me: I have plans.

How do you stay motivated and healthy in your career as a writer?

I stay motivated by keeping my eye on the prize: I remove negativity from my life, because nobody needs that. I try to surround myself with people who really care about me and support what I do. Staying healthy, for me, at least, is actually really difficult. My profession requires a lot of sitting, so I have to make an extra effort to get up, walk and move. It’s also tempting to snack on junk food working in an office (am I right?). I try hard to indulge only with healthy snacks: I have celery sticks and apples in the fridge, I like cheese, and any gluten-free cracker in combination. I also just discovered baked parmesan crisps. Oh, my heart!

Advice to aspiring authors?

Don’t let anybody bring you down. Never take no as a final answer. Work hard, and it will pay off, one way or another.

About the Author

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of the Collapse Series, Zero Trilogy, Bravo Saga, Collapse: The Illustrated Guide and the adventure thriller, Unbreakable SEAL.

Summer owns WB Publishing. She is an accomplished journalist and creative writing teacher. She also owns an online magazine, Writing Belle, where she has interviewed and worked with countless authors from around the globe.

Summer lives in the Central Valley of California with her husband, where she enjoys reading, collecting tea, visiting the beach and the mountains, and counting down the days until she has her very own puppy (if you’ve read Bravo: Apocalypse Mission, you’ll understand).

Author Links

 

Giveaway

Grand Prize: Collapse Prize Pack; $20 Amazon Gift Card, Collectible Collapse Tote Bag, Magnetic Cassidy Hart Calendar, Collapse Tee-Shirt, Special Edition Pen, Autographed Copy of Bravo: Apocalypse Mission, Bravo Plush and Wristband, and Personal Note from Summer Lane, the author.
Runner-Up 1: $10 Amazon Gift Card
Runner-Up 2: $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

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

Book Tour Organized By

The Piper’s Price Book Blitz and Giveaway

Image

5

Book & Author Details:
The Piper’s Price 
by Audrey Greathouse
(The Neverland Wars #2)
Published by: Clean Reads Publishing
Publication date: February 21st 2017
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult
Synopsis:

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper.

Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she’s nearly home and meeting with Jay again.

The Piper isn’t the only one hiding from the adults’ war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she’ll have to confront one of Peter’s oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

 

Excerpt:

            Gwen closed her bedroom door behind her, but other than that, she did not touch her house. With Foxglove’s diffused light from the purse, she flew through the hall and down the stairs, slow and silent. Eerie nostalgia crept up her spine as Gwen floated by, an intruder in her own home.

            A moaning mew startled Gwen, and she almost fell out of the air before she caught herself. Out of the darkness, a tabby cat came padding toward its estranged owner.

            “Hi, Tootles,” Gwen whispered, reaching down to pet the orange house cat. He purred as she scratched him behind the ears. Foxglove stayed safely in the pixie purse, out of the feline’s reach. Gwen shushed the purring cat, but felt as though she should apologize for her absence. Poor Tootles probably had no idea what had happened to the two happy girls who used to shower so much love on him.

            Gwen continued downstairs, but didn’t put her foot down on the carpet until she had closed the door behind her in her father’s office.

            She clicked the light switch on, acknowledging Foxglove’s buzz of concern. “If we don’t find something in five minutes, we’ll get out.” Her voice stayed hushed. “He works for the Anomalous Resources division. He might have information that’s valuable to us.”

            At no point in her life did Gwen think she would ever steal from her parents. However, whenever she conceptualized the idea, it looked like sneaking money out of her mother’s purse or raiding the wine shelf for an experience getting drunk. She had never imagined she could—much less would—try to steal information about fairylands from her father’s office.

            She scanned the papers on his desk for anything of significance, but didn’t dare touch them for fear of adjusting them in some noticeable way. After that, she went to the file cabinet between his two massive bookshelves. If he had brought anything interesting home from work, it would be safely tucked away.

            She opened a metal drawer and started paging through the folders, most of them organized by date. After a minute of this, it became apparent that magic was a very small part of her father’s job. Magic was just another line item integrated into adult reality for him. Nothing interesting in his work folders appeared until she came across a file with a single document: a fifteen-page report titled Proposed Distribution of Neverland’s Resources.

            Gwen pulled it out and laid the unstapled pages on the floor. Too excited and apprehensive to read it, she only noticed a variety of keywords that seemed pertinent to her interests. She whipped out her phone and began snapping pictures of the pages, effectively scanning the document to read through later. Foxglove snickered from the purse, thrilled with this find. She tucked it back in its unmarked folder and continued searching to the back of the file cabinet. She found another document, Planned Resource Use for The Invasion of Neverland, and snatched it out of the file. Before she could start photographing it, the office’s phone started to ring.

            Foxglove screamed; it was a tiny noise, overpowered by the phone’s ring. Gwen shoved the document back into the file cabinet and closed it, less worried about noise now that the phone was ringing. She turned off the office light, trying to figure out where she could hide. The office was right underneath her parent’s bedroom… they would certainly hear the phone. They still had a home line and a telephone console capable of conference calls for when her father telecommuted. This was a work call, at three in the morning.

            She heard groggy footsteps hurrying down the stairs. Where could she hide? There was no furniture that could effectively cover her from any angle.

            The door opened, but Gwen was already above it, her back pressed against the ceiling.

Purchase Links:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks / Kobo

AUTHOR BIO:

Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University’s online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com
Author Links:
Book Blitz Organized By:
GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box

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

Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas Interview and Giveaway

Image

Reply

Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas (Creative HeArts #6, Willa & Finn #2) by Emily McKay
Publication Date: February 13, 2017
Publisher:  Entangled Teen Crush

Book Summary:

Falling in love with the best man wasn’t on the program.

Willa is happy to be the maid of honor in her dad’s upcoming wedding to uber-celeb Mia McCain. Not as happy about the best man being her soon-to-be stepbrother, the infuriating—and infuriatingly gorgeous—Finn McCain. Every time their paths cross, the attraction simmering between them grows a little harder to ignore. Willa knows all about guys like Finn—they only want what they can’t have. What’s between them isn’t real.

Finn has never felt anything more real than what’s developing between him and Willa. Sure, her dad warned him to steer clear, but it’s not just about forbidden temptation. He’s determined to prove to Willa he’s not going anywhere—and that happily-ever-after will always be worth the risk.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a wedding so crazy it’ll make you laugh, a stepbrother so hot he’ll make you swoon, and a heroine so real she’ll make you cry.

Purchase Links:

Google Play | BAM | Indies | Amazon
B&N| Kobo | TBD | iBooks

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains an unbelievably hot bad boy, an unbelievably famous actress, and all the drama that comes with adding both to your family. Oh, and a forbidden flirtation with a soon-to-be stepbrother. 

When Willa Schofer’s father comes home from a business trip with an über-famous new fiancée, Willa’s senior year blows up in paparazzi-fueled flames. Overnight, she has a new house, a new car, and a new soon-to-be stepbrother—the unbelievably hot, unbelievably arrogant, Finn McCain. Thank god he’s constantly pushing her buttons, or she might do something irresponsible. Like fall for the jerk.

Just when Willa’s decided to avoid him for, oh, ever, Finn lands in the center of her senior project team. Seriously—how hard is it to shake a guy? At least her work on the project snagged the attention of the (second) hottest guy in school. He might only be into her because of her famous stepmom, and he’s not quite as exciting as a certain annoying housemate, but at least she’s allowed to crush on the guy.

Because crushing on your annoying stepbrother? So not cool.

Author Interview:

 

 

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

I have just always wanted to be a storyteller. Since I was eight.
As for what inspires me … everything! I get ideas from everywhere!

 

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

Well, this is a series of YA books, but I have a lot of adult readers who like all the YA emotions. Or just want love a light, fun read.

 

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

Well, I wasn’t the only one working on this series. There were four authors total (Tera Lynn Childs, Shellee Roberts, Tracy Deebs and me.) And I honestly don’t remember who came up with the idea to call it Creative heArts. But it’s a fun series name.

 

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

It just came to me from Entangled! They did a fabulous job and I loved it immediately.

 

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Finn, the hero. He’s not super-angsty, but he does have a lot of trouble letting people in—for good reason. His mother is a super-star actress. And all his life, people have wanted something from him. Now he’s got this stepsister (who he is way too into), and he really wants to save her the heartache he’s had. He’s just a great guy.

 

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

The heroine, Willa, has another boyfriend for part of the book. And he turned out to be way more of a jerk than even I suspected. I mean, I knew he wasn’t “the one” for her, but jeez … He really went downhill fast.

 

If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

There are always things I want to change. With every story. And I do mean always. I can pick up a book I wrote a decade ago and think, “I wish I’d phrased that better.” Or “I rushed that moment” … with this book, I wished I’d had more time for them to live together in the house. I think that would have been fun.

 

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

In the books (both this one and the first in the series), Willa is writing a web series for her senior project. So I watched a lot of web series. I mean … a lot. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Classic Alice … those two were my favorites. But I watched hours and hours of the good, the bad, the weird.

But, if you’re new to webseries, start with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Classic Alice!

 

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

I can be found at EmilyMcKay.com or on twitter at @emily_mc_kay or on FB at https://www.facebook.com/emily.mckay.52

 

What can we expect from you in the future?

Right now I’m working on a super fun urban fantasy YA. It’s been my mammoth project for several years now, so I hope I can get it into the hands of readers soon. After that, I have a couple of adult romance projects.

 

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

Tell their friends to read them! Seriously, word of mouth is important.

 

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

Read good books. Study your craft. Good stories are important. And, remember, you are the only person who can write the stories inside you. Only you. So get writing!

 

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Nope!

 

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

I’m not prepared to be friends with Finn. I’m not equipped for it.

I’m sure there are some girls out there who can casually be friends with super-hot guys who also live across the hall from them. Those are the girls who are used to hanging out with hot guys. Who are used to guys flirting with them carelessly, as though it means nothing. I know my limits. I am not one of those girls.

No, I am the girl who keeps tattered copies of Twilight next to my collection of Austen and Bronte. I am the girl who’s watched Ryan Gosling catch Emma Stone approximately one thousand and forty-two times. I am the girl whose insides utter every time I walk past Finn’s bedroom and hear his shower running. My imagination runs deep.

I can’t be friends with Finn. Because I will always want to believe there is more depth to him than there really is.

 

About the Author:


Emily McKay is a life-long fan of books, pop-culture and anything geeky. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and baking cookies. When she’s not kicking-ass and scooping cookie dough, she’s watching videos from Screen Junkies (her favorite Youtube channel) or Pemberly Digital or Classic Alice. Okay, she has a Youtube problem! She’s seeking help. Really. Though, she may also have a slight problem with procrastination.

When the internet is down and there are no chocolate chips in the house, she does write books – everything from Harlequin romance novels to post-apocalyptic YA. Though her interests may appear broad, the common denominators are swoony heroes and snarky humor.

Author Links:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway:

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

Blog Tour Schedule

Blog Tour Services Provided by:

Memortality Blitz

Image

1

 

Memortality 
by Stephen H. Provost
Publication date: February 1st 2017
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

 

Book Summary

Minerva Rus can raise the dead. And it might get her killed.Minerva’s life has never been the same since the childhood car accident that paralyzed her and killed her best friend, Raven. But when the long-dead Raven reappears in her life, now as a very attractive grown man, she discovers that her photographic memory has the power to bring the dead back to life … heal her paralysis … and shape reality itself.

Pursued by a rogue government agent who wants to eliminate her and her talents, Minerva must learn to control her powers to save herself and Raven. Because if she dies, he dies as well―again.

 

 

Buy Links
Book Excerpt

 

Minerva (2016)

“The accident is a lie.”

“What do you mean? You keep saying that.”

The face staring back at her was the same one she remembered from all those years ago. Kind, caring, patient. But older now. The playful smile the boy had once worn had vanished behind a mask she couldn’t seem to penetrate now that he was a man. She hadn’t seen him for years, but this was how she’d always imagined he’d look all grown up: the soft brown eyes, the pale complexion just brushed by a touch of sunshine, the auburn hair unkempt and uncut, cascading down across his left eye. She’d always stared at that; it distracted her. And he’d always noticed, brushing it back the moment she became aware of it.

His brow lowered slightly, as if to say, “You’re staring.” But he said nothing. Even the words he did speak seemed silent to her somehow, as if she were in a dream …

She moaned in her sleep and tried to turn her body, but the vice grip held her, the paralysis that had been with her since the accident.

In her dream, concern flitted across his face, apparent even in the dim glow of the candle that burned beside her bed. Its light had always comforted her, and at times, she’d stared into the flame as it flickered for moments on end, imagining she was a part of it. The thought of that soothed her, one of the few things in this world that did.

“Stay with me,” he said, his tone resolute.

“I can’t move,” she protested.

“Yes, you can. All you have to do is remember how you felt before all this. Before the accident and the lies it’s telling you.”

“You’re the liar,” she whispered, her voice whispered venom.

He looked hurt now, and pulled away from her, that resolve appearing to evaporate at the sound of her voice. In the same moment, he seemed farther away, the reflected candlelight that had danced in his eyes a few moments earlier now a fading glow that illumined little more than his forehead and the tip of his nose.

“I’m telling you the truth,” he said, but she could barely hear him. A part of her wanted to believe what he was saying. Not a part – all of her. But in the instant she acknowledged that desire, she was aware it could not be.

She tried to turn her body again.

Nothing.

Her jaw clenched tight, and she began to tremble with the effort.

“Not that way,” he said.

“Then … how!” Her voice was louder than she intended, and he pulled away further into the shadows.

“Wait,” she said, softening her tone. “Don’t go. You have to tell me … about the accident.”

“It’s not important now,” he said, moving forward slightly again, into the candlelight.

“Not important? Then how do you explain this?” She nearly spat the words at him, and he averted his eyes.

“See?” she said. “You can’t even bear to look at me. If the accident didn’t happen, how did I get like this?

He sat up straighter and held her gaze again, his eyes locking on hers so that, this time, it was she who wished to glance away. But he held her there by force of will. “Min, you’re beautiful.”

No one ever called her that but him.

Book Trailer
About the Author

Stephen H. Provost is an author of paranormal adventures and historical non-fiction. “Memortality,” his debut title on Linden Publishing’s new fiction imprint, Pace Press, is due out in February 2017 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.

An editor and columnist with more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, he has written on subjects as diverse as history, religion, politics and language and has served as an editor for fiction and non-fiction projects. His book “Fresno Growing Up,” a history of Fresno, California, during the postwar years, is available on Craven Street Books, and his next non-fiction work, scheduled for release in June of 2017, will examine the history of U.S. Highway 99 in California.

In addition, the author has published several books as Stifyn Emrys, beginning in 2012 with “The Gospel of the Phoenix” and also including the nonfiction works “The Way of the Phoenix” and “Undefeated.” He also has published three works of fiction: “Feathercap” (children’s); “Identity Break,” (young adult science fiction/adventure) and an accompanying novella, “Artifice.”

The author served as editor of four young adult novels: the “Mad World” series by Samaire Provost – “EPIDEMIC,” “SANCTUARY” and “DESPERATION” – and the award-winning “Lorehnin: A Novel of the Otherworld,” Volume 6 in the Otherworld series by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson. He has worked in journalism as a news editor, sports editor and reporter for four daily newspapers in California, and is currently managing editor for an award-winning weekly, The Cambrian. He has worked as an educator and has been featured at occasional speaking engagements.

He lives on the California coast with his wife, stepson, cats (Tyrion Fluffybutt and Allie Twinkletail) and dogs.

Author Links

 

Giveaway
Book Tour Organized By

Frost Promo and Giveaway

Image

1

Frost (Midnight Ice Book One)
by Kaitlyn Davis
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Release date: January 26th 2017

Summary from Goodreads:

Even the hottest love can turn a girl cold-blooded…

Life’s tough for a vampire thief on the run—just ask Pandora Scott, she knows. Four years ago she ran away from home after everyone she loved betrayed her. But now her annoyingly grown up (and handsome) ex boyfriend is stalking her, begging her to return. A mysterious vamp with a particularly dangerous (and sexy) stare keeps popping unexpectedly into her life. The extremely powerful head vampire of New York is hunting her down because she may or may not have broken into his highly-secure, highly-secretive personal vault. And the fate she’s been trying to outrun? Well, it’s about to catch up. Because even a super-speedy vamp with the ability to disappear can’t escape her own destiny.

A brand new spinoff to Midnight Fire, a bestselling series with over 200,000 copies sold and over 5000 5-star reviews on Goodreads! Fans will enjoy special appearances from Kira, Luke and Tristan while falling in love with the new characters and new adventure of Midnight Ice.

*Please note, you do not need to read the books of Midnight Fire to enjoy Frost (Midnight Ice Book 1). They are two standalone series with character crossover.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Apple | B&N
Google Play  | Kobo | Smashwords

Excerpt:

All she wanted to do now was forget. Forget Jax, forget everything he’d stirred up, forget her birthday. So, she downed another bloody cocktail, this time O-negative. And another after that. She let the feeding frenzy take over, let the high of fresh life wash through her.

She drank.

And danced.

And lost herself in the blood and the music and the touch of other cold bodies just like hers, searching for that little spark of life, reveling in it.

“You look good enough to eat,” a sultry voice whispered in her ear.

Pandora whipped around lightning fast, flashing her fangs. “I bite.”

The man smiled, lips practically dripping with sin. “Me too.”

Normally, this was when she’d punch and run. Seduction wasn’t really her thing. It just made her think of another boy and another time she’d never get back. But tonight was different. Tonight she wanted to be free. Tonight she was determined to move on, to move forward.

So she grinned back, taking the stranger in. And really, a girl could do worse, much worse. He was tall, broad, with bright golden hair that seemed almost aflame in the darkness of the club. His vampire-blue eyes were just as bright as hers, flashing with unabashed hunger, brazen want. His skin, though, was what really caught her eye. It was sun-kissed and bronzed, not pallid, not washed out by his ebony shirt. Somehow he looked almost warm to the touch.

Before she could stop herself, Pandora lifted her fingers, stretching for the triangle of hard skin at the base of his throat, exposed between two sets of open buttons.

He stepped swiftly to the side.

The darkness seemed to follow, wisps of ebony clinging to his frame, undulating with his every movement.

“Not yet,” he murmured, never once taking his eyes off her.

The longer he held her gaze, the more familiar it seemed to become, as though she’d seen those eyes before, as though this wasn’t the first time they had caressed her body.

“Have we met?” she asked.

His smile deepened, filling with secrets she could tell he had no intention of spilling. “Not like this.”

“Like what then?”

But he looked away without answering, sweeping his stare down to her lips, to every inch of exposed skin, lifting back to her throat, pausing there. She didn’t move. There was a dangerous sort of confidence about him, but against her will, she found it alluring, intriguing in a forbidden way. She’d always been drawn to things she wasn’t supposed to have. Usually, she took them anyway.

She reached out again, trying to touch him.

He moved deftly away, almost made of air as he circled behind her.

“Pandora,” he whispered into her ear, breath like a kiss against the soft skin of her neck, making her shiver.

And then the word he spoke registered.

Her name.

He knew her name.

“How…?” She spun around, trailing off when she realized there was nothing there, no one there.

A ghostly finger brushed against her elbow, tracing a burning path up her arm. “You’re not the only one who knows how to disappear.”

Pandora spun again.

But he was gone.

If you haven’t read the bestselling Midnight Fire series, you can get the first two books free when you buy the entire series at once!

~~~

**Over 200,000 Copies of the Midnight Fire Series Sold!**

**Over 5000 5-Star Reviews on Goodreads!**

Kira Dawson has the power to burn vampires to a crisp. The problem is, she doesn’t know it yet. The even bigger problem is, she’s dating one.

When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they’re keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan’s lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.

From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes a paranormal romance perfect for fans of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Books included in this bundle:

Ignite – Book One
Simmer – Book Two
Blaze – Book Three
Scorch – Book Four
Burn – An Anniversary Novella

 

Rave Reviews for the Midnight Fire series!

“The writing is effortlessly mind-blowing. I could not put this entire series down.”

– Happy Tales and Tails Blog
“Read the books. Do it.”

– Urban Girl Reader 
“Some of the best action scenes I have come across in a young adult book.”

– Reflections of a Bookworm
“I was riveted throughout … there was drama, danger, action and romance that was wonderfully detailed and described.”

– Obsession With Books 

“You’ll make friends with Kira, choose sides with Tristan and Luke, and fall in love with the story at heart about a girl with so bright a future…even shades aren’t gonna cut it.”

 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers


Purchase Links:

Amazon  | Apple | B&N

Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords

 

 

About the Author

Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

To stay up-to-date with all of Kaitlyn’s new releases, sign up for her new release newsletter here: TinyLetter.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Instagram

Youtube│Tumblr│Wattpad│Pinterest│Amazon


GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours