Life After Juliet Guest Post and Giveaway

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Book Title: Life After Juliet

Author: Shannon Lee Alexander

Release Date: July 5, 2016

Genre: Contemporary YA

Synopsis:

Becca Hanson was never able to make sense of the real world. When her best friend Charlotte died, she gave up on it altogether. Fortunately, Becca can count on her books to escape—to other times, other places, other people…

Until she meets Max Herrera. He’s experienced loss, too, and his gorgeous, dark eyes see Becca the way no one else in school can.

As it turns out, kissing is a lot better in real life than on a page. But love and life are a lot more complicated in the real world…and happy endings aren’t always guaranteed.

The companion novel to Love and Other Unknown Variables is an exploration of loss and regret, of kissing and love, and most importantly, a celebration of hope and discovering a life worth living again.

 

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Excerpt:

I’m not sure how long I’ve been back in school. I don’t really do days anymore. Time is measured in pages. I’ve read 3,718 pages since Dad dropped me off on the first day. It’s been 108,023 pages since Charlotte died. I’ve read 150 pages since I stepped on the bus this morning. It’s been ten pages since I thought of Charlotte.

She’s not coming back, and I don’t know what else to do, so I keep turning the pages.

However long I’ve been back at Sandstone High, the advanced literature and composition teacher, Mrs. Jonah, informed me yesterday that I am no longer allowed to “sit like a bump on a log, reading books” in her class. I find this strange, but then, I don’t understand the real world. I’ve given up trying to make any kind of sense of it. Today in class, I am sitting like a bump on a log, staring out the window.

Sandstone is a typical high school, unlike the fancy math and science school on the other side of town that Charlie graduated from last spring. It’s the kind of building that’s been pieced together—add a wing here, convert a gym there, dump mobile units here—throughout the decades as the town’s population grew and it had to be quickly expanded. There’s no one defining style. It’s a mishmash. The kids who go here are also diverse, so it’s not hard for me to fade into the background.

Lit and Comp is a junior course. The guidance counselor signed me up for it at the end of last year. She described it as a lively class full of opportunities for personal and artistic growth. In other words, it’s my worst nightmare. I’ve decided growth is overrated.

Mrs. Jonah’s classroom is long and narrow, with a wall of windows down the side. She’s decorated the wide windowsill with spindly spider plants, stacks of books, empty vintage Coke bottles that catch the sunlight, and a bust of Sir Isaac Newton, which is strange since she’s not a science teacher.

Mrs. Jonah raps on her desk now to get our attention. She stands and brushes invisible lint off her black pencil skirt. Tall and unafraid of wearing high heels, she towers over everyone in the school, even the basketball coach. Her pixie haircut and makeup are always perfect. She’s the most with it human I’ve ever seen.

“Time’s up,” she says. “Please, pass your quizzes forward.”

I’ve been done with my quiz for what would have been about twenty pages, if reading were still allowed in Lit class. I pass my paper to the boy in front of me. He runs his hand through his choppy black hair and smiles. His lips are chapped, and the smiling pulls the raw skin too tight. It makes me wince. I instantly feel bad, because I remember this guy.

Max. He was in Mr. Bunting’s World History class with Charlotte and me last year. He was the only student at Sandstone who spoke directly to me after Charlotte died. He came right up to me in history, cleared his throat so I’d look up from my book and said, “Sorry for your loss.”

I remember I got up and left the room. It was either that or start crying.

He’s still looking at me now. I should say something, something nice, like “Thank you for your condolences.” Instead, I look out the window again.

Max sighs, soft like the riffle of book pages, as he turns around and passes our quizzes forward. I’m used to that sound. It’s the sound of my father when I refuse to put my book down and come join my mother and him. The sound of my mother when she realizes I’ve been listening to the book characters in my head instead of her. Lately, I’m really only safe lost in the pages of a book. Outside, in the real world, it’s like I’m walking around with no skin. Everything hurts.

 

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Purchase Links:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.ca / Entangled Publishing

Guest Post – Character Development and Outlining 

As a reader, I read stories for the characters. A good plot is a nice addition, but I’m really pulling up my comfy chair and mug of coffee for the characters. So when I began writing my own stories, I naturally gravitated to creating full and meaningful characters.

I’ve always had voices in my head. As a kid, I didn’t know this was weird. I thought everyone lived in a world where the insides of their brains were bursting with people and places and adventures. It came as a shock to me, as an adult, to learn from my husband that this isn’t true. He’s never heard voices having a funny conversation or arguing or anything else in his head before. He gave me a look like maybe he shouldn’t be leaving me alone with the children anymore, but I explained that it wasn’t like the voices talked to me. They talked amongst themselves and I just listened.

Later I discovered my husband is constantly counting and doing math equations in his head. Now that’s shocking, if you ask me!

So, I come from a world of characters and the trick for me is to listen carefully. Eventually someone (or a group of someones) gets louder than the others, and then I’ll start writing down what I’m seeing and hearing in my head. Once I understand who I’m working with, I have to actually start doing some work.

I’m not a planner when it comes to writing. But I will use the character template in Scrivener to start collecting characters for a new story. I don’t fill it out fully, but will note things like physical description, quirks and tics, favorite sayings, and most importantly, I try to sum up in one sentence what each character’s internal desire is. External goals are easy to change as I write, but it’s impossible to go back and change a character at his/her core.

Next, I start writing. I write lots of scenes, placing my characters in as many situations as I can create within their world. I’ll have them try on different emotions and explore their world through their own eyes. Most of these scenes will never make it into the final draft, but they help me understand my characters from the inside out. And if I understand them that well, then I can write them well, too.

For my latest work in progress, I actually took the time to find photos of teens online that reminded me of my characters. I printed the photos out on index cards and then on the back I filled in the following information: emotional need, desire, controlling belief, stakes, strategy, and outcome. By doing this for each character (including secondary characters), I had a quick reference to go back to whenever I needed reminding about what makes my character real.

I’m still not sure it was worth my time to make the Character Cards, but I’m always up for learning new things and improving my craft, so we’ll see how it works! What kinds of things do you all do to help you develop characters?

Thanks for having me on the blog, today! I love getting to make new bookish friends!

Shannon Lee Alexander

Shannon

About the Author:

Shannon Lee Alexander is a wife and mother (of two kids and one yellow terrier named Harriet Potter). She is passionate about coffee, books, and cancer research. She spent most of her time in high school hiding out in the theater with the drammies and techies. Math still makes her break out in a sweat. She currently lives in Indianapolis with her family.

Author Links:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Newsletter sign up

Blog Tour Organized by:

Chapter By Chapter Blog Tours

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Giveaway Information:  Contest ends May 27, 2016

Open internationally, but prize packs ship only to US. International winners will receive Amazon gift cards (listed below).*

  • Grand prize: Hyperboles are the best EVER! tote bag, a 4oz. Novelly Yours Antique Books candle, Toe-meo and Juliet Shakespearean socks, Life after Juliet poison and dagger necklace, Velveteen Rabbit note card, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate*
  • 1st Runner Up: Hyperboles are the best EVER! tote bag, a 4 oz. Novelly Yours Antique Books candle, Toe-meo and Juliet Shakespearean socks, Life after Juliet dagger earrings, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate*
  • 2nd Runner Up: 2oz. Novelly Yours Antique Books candle, Life after Juliet dagger earrings, Velveteen Rabbit note card, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate*
  • 3rd Runner Up: 2oz. Novelly Yours Antique Books candle, Life after Juliet dagger earrings, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate*

*All contests are open internationally, but international winners will receive the following:

  • Grand prize: $25 Amazon gift card, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate
  • 1st Runner Up: $20 Amazon gift card, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate
  • 2nd runner up: $15 Amazon gift card, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate
  • 3rd runner up: $10 Amazon gift card, signed Life after Juliet bookmark and bookplate

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Set Me Free: Author Interview and Giveaway

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Book & Author Details:
Set Me Free by London Setterby 
Publication date: July 8th 2016
Genres: Gothic, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:

Miranda Lewis is desperate to get away from her controlling ex–so desperate she leaves him in the middle of the night. She ends up on a remote island off the Maine coast, where she befriends a bubbly shopkeeper, Claire, and becomes fascinated with Claire’s son, big, brooding Owen Larsen, a woodworker who keeps to himself. Even the friendliest locals here are secretive–and Owen is at the center of their secrets.

Still, Miranda loves the salt air, the craggy coastline, and, most of all, the work of the island’s beloved local painter, Suzanna White. Miranda wants to stay–to claim a life of her own, to paint again. But the longer she stays, the more her fascination with Owen increases. Why is there a painting of his stern, handsome face in the art gallery by the beach? And why is everyone so afraid of him?

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Purchase Links:

Amazon / iBooks

Author Interview:

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

I started writing and illustrating “books” in first grade or so, usually about girls who were given magical ponies for their birthdays. So, as you can see, I write in part as wish fulfillment (sadly I never did get that magical pony). But mostly, writing is just how I process. Sometimes it seems like I can’t write fast enough to keep up with all of the processing I need to do.

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

Well, of course, I’m hopeful that lots of people can enjoy Set Me Free. If you like either romance or mystery, you will probably find something to like here. But Set Me Free is also a story for abuse survivors written by an abuse survivor. I wanted to write a engaging, hopeful, and fun story for us, about how strong we are, and about how we, too, can find our happily-ever-afters.  ❤

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

I’m actually super thrilled you asked me this, because the title of Set Me Free is a majorly nerdy Shakespeare reference and I’ve been dying to spill the beans about it for ages. So: this book is loosely inspired by The Tempest. And, at the very end of that play, the sorcerer Prospero breaks the third wall, turns to the audience, and asks that they set him free from the island he was stranded on through applause. (“But release me from my bands With the help of your good hands . . .  As you from crimes would pardoned be, Let your indulgence set me free.”)

Which is not to say I’m begging for your approval. 😉 The concept behind Set Me Free is that we can free each other from our burdens through trust and openness; writing the book was freeing for me, and I hope it can be freeing for some of my readers, too.

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

 The very sweet and wonderful Ida at Amygdala Designs created my cover. Since I first came up with the idea for Set Me Free, I wanted a cover with my heroine wearing a white dress and standing by the sea, as a callback to classic Gothics. I was really happy with Ida’s design, which kept that Gothic flavor but with a contemporary spin.

 Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Gosh, you know, it feels a bit gauche to admit this, but I actually really like my heroine, Miranda. I think she’s brave as hell. If it helps, I’m not much like her. 😉

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

I’m not sure I have one. I tend to empathize to some degree with even my most evil and horrible characters. Which can be a little worrying.

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

I always try to remind myself of that quote (alternately attributed to Da Vinci or Picasso) that art is never finished, only abandoned.

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

Set Me Free is a standalone, but I have some tie-in short stories on my Wattpad profile (@elsetterby), which might eventually be made available elsewhere, too. There are scenes from Owen’s point of view, and I’m currently writing a short story/novellette about two side characters, Andy and Kaye. I’ve also been toying with the idea of writing a wedding scene, a bit like an epilogue. So readers, if that’s something you guys would like, let me know!

What other books are similar to your own? What makes them alike?

It’s pretty hard to find contemporary Gothics, which makes me sad. Certainly the book draws on the classics quite a lot, like Rebecca and Jane Eyre. A few people have told me that Set Me Free reminds them of Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven, but I’ve never read it, so I don’t know.

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

You can reach me at my website anytime! londonsetterby.com You can sign up for my newsletter there. I’m also on tumblr, Twitter, Pinterest, and Wattpad, and would love to chat with you.

What can we expect from you in the future?

This fall, I’m hoping to release the first book in my gritty erotic romance series (writing as L. Setterby). It’s called Breathe and is currently available on the brand-new Radish app (radishfiction.com), where it’s a trending story and one of the top Radish reads.

Meanwhile, I’m writing a new romance called Heart of Stone, which I hope to start putting on Wattpad soon. It’s a romcom about a statue that comes to life and becomes his sculptor’s couch guy.

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

Leaving a review would be a huge help, on whichever site you like! Telling a friend is always good, too. Word of mouth is the best advertising there is!

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

Well, I’m an indie author, and it’s a bit different for us. I would just say: writer, know thyself. I spent a long time agonizing over pursuing traditional publishing, but it’s just not for me. I just don’t enjoy playing someone else’s game. I want to play my own. 🙂

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks so much for hosting!

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

 It wasn’t like we’d discussed it. Maybe he’d expected a chaste kiss and goodbye promptly after dinner. Instead, I’d unzipped my dress on his kitchen counter. We’d only just met; we’d only gone on a few dates, if you could call them dates. And yet it had all felt so right. What he’d said to me afterwards had been so sweet… I’d thought he might be falling for me. Even though I knew better.

I slid out of bed and almost stepped on my dress, which was folded neatly on the floor, on top of my shoes. My handbag sat beside the little bundle. He must have gotten my things together before he left for work, so I wouldn’t have to go hunting around his house. He was being nice. He was definitely not trying to get rid of me.

Really.

I pulled on my clothes and tiptoed across his plushy beige carpet. On the landing, I hesitated, staring at the door to the opposite room. The brass doorknob gleamed against the dark wood. Before I realized what I was doing, I’d turned the doorknob as hard as I could.

The door popped open, and I stumbled inside with a gasp. There was no way I could’ve broken it, and he was too careful to ever leave this room unlocked. I jiggled the knob, but it wouldn’t turn. It was locked…still? Again?

I shouldn’t go in. Even though he’d shown me what he kept in here, going into this room without him violated his trust. It was wrong. Beneath me.

Still, I stared into the empty room, biting my lip. The heavy curtain hid all signs of morning light. It was so cold in here I half-expected to see my breath, as if I’d opened a door to the night sky.

 

London

Author Bio:

Hello! I’m London, a writer, lawyer, and life-long New Englander. I write all flavors of romance, from surreal fantasy romances to raw gritty contemporaries. I also write across the gender and sexuality spectrums. Everything I write is a little bit funny, a little bit sad, and probably kind of strange.

You might know me from Wattpad–my Wattpad Featured Read, Set Me Free, a Gothic romance, will be released as an ebook and in print in summer 2016.

My gritty erotic romance, Breathe, is currently being serialized on Radish, a free app. It will be released in ebook/print as well sometime after Set Me Free.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Blog Tour Organized by:

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Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (US/CAN)
2x signed copies of Set Me Free

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West Texas Middleweight: Author Interview and Giveaway

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WEST TEXAS MIDDLEWEIGHT
The Story of LaVern Roach
(Sport in the American West Series)
by
Frank Sikes

Genre: Biography
Publisher: Texas Tech University Press
Date of Publication: June 30, 2016
Number of Pages: 288

Scroll down for Giveaway!

Synopsis

LaVern Roach, a skinny kid from the small town of Plainview, Texas, rose from obscurity to become one of boxing’s most popular figures during the 1940s. Roach’s rise to prominence occurred during an era when boxing shared the spotlight with baseball as the nation’s top two professional sports. As a result of Roach’s death—which marked the first nationally televised fight during which a boxer died from injuries received in the ring—the sport of boxing came under closer scrutiny by the general public than ever before.

West Texas Middleweight is the story of Roach’s all too brief journey from a West Texas amateur, to enlistment in the US Marines, where he captained the nation’s most successful military boxing team, to becoming a Madison Square Garden main eventer. He received the distinction of being named The Ring Magazine’s “Rookie of the Year” for 1947 and was considered a top ten contender for the middleweight championship of the world. This book chronicles Roach’s road to his final fight—and it explains why, as noted by legendary boxing trainer Angelo Dundee, “boxing changed because of LaVern Roach.”

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PURCHASE FROM TEXAS TECH PRESS:
http://www.ttupress.org/
email: ttup@ttu.edu
phone: 800.742.2982

AuthorInterview

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?  How does that affect your writing? 

I am a part-time writer wanting to be a full-time writer.  Being a part-time writer limits your total concentration and focus on writing.

 

Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured if your book? 

We all too often see sports figures as only celebrities without realizing that there may me much more to them other than their athletic achievements.  They too have personal lives that often mirror our own ups and downs in life.

 

What did you enjoy most about writing this book? 

Getting to know the main character through his letters and the interactions with his family members and friends. This happened to the point that I now feel I am part of his family.

 

From the time that you first got the idea to write this book, did you ever doubt that it would actually turn into a published book?

No, not really.  Not because of any writing skills that I may or may not have possessed (most of which were acquired while writing the book with the assistance of so many people), but because of the subject matter – it was a story that needed to be told.  I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time.

 

Who would you cast to play your characters in a movie version of your book?

LaVern – Scott Eastwood if I could get Clint to direct it.  Evelyn – Emma Stone.

 

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it? 

The female mind.

 

What do your plans for future projects include?

I have a couple more sports biographies in mind then perhaps will look at fiction writing — perhaps another Catch 22 type of story.

 

What is something you want to accomplish before you die? 

Live long enough to see this book in print.

 

What do you want your tombstone to say? 

He did it his way.

 about the author

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Frank Sikes, a third-generation West Texan, grew up in Plainview, where LaVern Roach, along with Jimmy Dean, were hometown heroes.  Sikes graduated from Texas Tech in 1967, then was a US Navy Officer proudly serving aboard the USS Little Rock stationed in Gaeta, Italy from 1968-1970.  He attended the University of Houston School of Business, from 1973 to 1975, and got his master’s degree in religion from Wayland Baptist University in 2011.

Frank and his wife Nancy have been married for 50 years and have two grown children out of the house, and two Boston Terriers, Molly and Maggie (or as some suggest Boston terrorists) who rule the house. Lubbock has been home for the past 30 years with stops in Newport, RI; San Francisco, CA; Gaeta, Italy; Houston, TX; and Albuquerque, NM.  West Texas Middleweight is his first book.

Connect with the author on FACEBOOK.

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3 WINNERS:

 Each Wins a Signed Copy of the Book 

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2 GRAND PRIZE WINNERS: 

Each Wins a Signed Copy of the Book PLUS a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

(US ONLY)

   June 1 – June 10, 2016

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

7/1       Country Girl Bookaholic  – Review

7/2       My Book Fix Blog – Author Interview #1

7/3       Forgotten Winds – Guest Post #1

7/4       Margie’s Must Reads – Review

7/5       Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books – Promo

7/6       StoreyBook Reviews  – Author Interview #2

7/7       Book Chase – Review

7/8       The Page Unbound – Author Interview #3

7/9       Missus Gonzo  – Guest Post #2

7/10    It’s a Jenn World – Review

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Wings of War Book Blitz and Giveaway

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Book & Author Details:
Wings of War Series by Karen Ann Hopkins
Genres: Dystopian, Paranormal, Young Adult
Blurbs:

Embers

There are descendants of angels walking among us. Ember is one of them.

Embers is an epic paranormal adventure/romance about a seventeen year old girl who discovers that she’s immune to fire and any other injury when she’s in a horrific car crash that kills her parents. Following a violent episode with her aunt’s boyfriend, Ember flees Ohio to live with an old relative in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Ember’s exuberance at escaping a bad home life soon turns to trepidation when she learns that she’s a Watcher, a descendant of angels.

While Ember is instructed about her heritage and the powers that go along with it, she strikes up friendships with two teenagers who live in a frightening walled compound in the forest. Inexplicitly drawn to one of the young men in particular, an impossible romance develops. But it’s cut short when Ember discovers that her new friends are fighting on the opposite side of a war that’s been raging between two factions of Watchers for thousands of years. When the compound’s inhabitants threaten the townspeople, Ember takes action, sealing her fate in the ancient battle of good versus evil, and the grayness in between. Ember is up to the challenge, until she realizes that she isn’t only fighting for the lives of the locals and the souls of her new friends. She may be one of the few champions willing to make a stand for all of mankind as the rapture approaches and the end of days begin.

Embers is the first novel in the dark and gritty YA paranormal romance series, The Wings of War.

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Excerpt

Ivan spoke with an excited voice. “Do you hear it, Ember?”

I tilted my head and listened. It was faint, but there was a low rumble in the distance. As we walked forward the sound grew.

“Yes. Is that the falls?” I asked.

He nodded his head. “We’re almost there.”

Soon the noise was a deafening roar, vibrating in my ears. When we stepped out of the cover of the trees, I was astonished. Raven Branch Falls was much larger than I expected. The water dropped from nearly seventy feet into a dark pool. Giant boulders jutted out below the pool to create smaller falls, which led into a rapidly flowing rocky creek bed.

My gaze was drawn to a tree leaning out from the side of the falls where a large grey owl was partially hidden in the foliage. There was something familiar about its eyes, and the way it was looking at me gave me the distinct feeling that I knew the bird. Could it be the same owl I saw racing through the air the day of my arrival?

Ivan grasped my arm and tugged me closer to the falls. He held my arm tightly as we stepped onto the boulders beside the deep water hole. Spots on the enormous rocks were wet and slippery from the spray of the falls and I was grateful for his help. He led me out to the farthest point we could go, where a carpet of soft moss blanketed the surface of a particularly large boulder. Ivan gestured for me to sit, which I did, and then he bounded off, climbing along the boulders until he was a little ways downstream.

I watched him go, thinking what a nice boy—or wolf, he was.

Without looking, I knew Sawyer was behind me. The movements of my stomach and heart gave him away.  He sat down very close.

“Where did you come from?” he coaxed softly.

For a second I saw the boy from my dream.

The breath caught in my throat. I gazed at him.

He doesn’t seem evil to me.

Gaia

Watchers and Angels are at war. Which side will Ember choose?

Humankind is on the precipice of the apocalypse.

As the Demons grow bolder and the walls between the planes of existence weaken, Ember is forced to develop her powers as quickly as possible, and she seeks out a powerful earth Watcher to continue her supernatural lessons. Her glimpse of the future demands she fight the dark forces spreading across the earth.

But her new mentor has his own agenda, making her question everyone and everything she ever trusted.

When Ember is thrust into the world of the Watchers, she learns of their plans—ones that defy the scripture and make them enemies of the Celestial Host. Ridding the world of evil gets complicated when it becomes impossible to take sides.

As Ember struggles with morality, she soon discovers that there’s something more frightening than anything she’s faced before.

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Tempest

Ember must stop the apocalypse from happening, but at what cost?

The Angels of destruction have arrived, and only Ember stands in the way of their mission to carry out God’s wrath and annihilate His enemies.

When the barrier between celestial creatures and humans beings is broken and Angels descend to Earth, Ember soon learns there’s a fine line between good and evil. As she faces a world full of monsters and magic, a terrifying darkness rises and threatens to destroy everything she’s fighting for.

In the riveting third installment of The Wings of War series, Ember and her friends embark on an epic journey, where unlikely allies are forged and age-old beliefs crumble to dust. And just when Ember accepts love in her life, it’s ripped away from her in the most terrifying way possible.

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Purchase:
(Embers will be 99c during the blitz!)

Author Interview

Where/how did you come up with the idea for your story? Did it suddenly pop into your head or were you brainstorming?

Embers was a daydream of mine for many years before I wrote the story. It wasn’t until after I published the Temptation series was published with Harlequin Teen that I felt confident enough to make it real.

Did you start with the main character, the world or the overarching concept?

I envisioned creatures and people with unusual powers living in the secluded mountains of eastern Tennessee. The forest, rugged terrain and mountain people set the stage for the rest of the story.

Panster or Plotter? Or in between?

I’m more in between. It’s important to think a story out thoroughly before diving in and I do that by picturing the scenes running through my mind as if they were on a movie screen. I take notes and set up a basic timeline before I begin writing. The process of preparation might take a month or many months of having the story floating around in my mind before I’m ready to commit to it to the page. Once I get started, I don’t stop to edit or revise. I continue writing with a stream of consciousness until the book is finished. Then I go back and fix the mistakes and any issues that popped up along the way. Too many writers get stuck on a certain page, trying for perfection early on. I’ve found that once you get further into the story, it begins to tell itself and the flow is smoother and steadier.

Are you a fan of writing contests?

I’ve never entered one, so I guess not. 😉

How did you find your agent? How many query letters did you send?

My first novel, Temptation, was rejected about thirty times before I was finally offered representation by Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency in New York. But to be fair to the first agents I submitted the story to, the manuscript evolved through the process, getting much better along the way. It was eventually worthy of representation by the time it reached Christina. Many of the agents who rejected it offered me sound advice, which I took. I incorporated their suggestions into the story, making changes and revising until it was in great shape. I always had a unique story. It just needed work to make it marketable.

What’s the best marketing tool you’ve found so far?

Bookbub. Definitely. I’ve been lucky enough to land two promotions with the company, one for Lamb to the Slaughter and the other for Embers. These sales resulted in tens of thousands of purchases and downloads of my books. My fan base grew, as did my online review numbers, and my placement in the rankings rose. No other promotion or marketing strategy I’ve done has come close to a Bookbub promotion.

What do you like best about your mc?

Ember is a strong young woman who is kind, loyal and loves animals. These are all traits that I admire.

What do you like best about your main antagonist?

In Embers, the antagonists were Garrett and his demon followers. They were pretty scary characters and I was satisfied that they were great representatives for the evil rising up in the world. In Gaia, I like that it’s more a question of WHO are the antagonists in the story.

Anything else you like to share about your journey or your upcoming launch, including links to giveaways or ways people can help spread the word?

The Wings of War is an epic young adult fantasy/paranormal that I believe readers of all ages will enjoy. I ask that fans let their friends know about it, and it greatly helps the cause when you post your honest ratings/reviews on Amazon. This is the most important place to give a shout out for your favorite stories and authors.

I love to connect with readers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or at http://www.karenannhopkins.com. Please be on the lookout for the release of ETERNITY, the fourth installment in the Wings of War series in December! Thanks for reading!

Karen Ann Hopkins

Karen Hopkins

AUTHOR BIO:

You can visit Karen Ann Hopkins at her website: www.karenannhopkins.com.

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats. Karen’s main job is home schooling the kids, but she finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her first book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lived in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah.

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse bug at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, was rewarded with her first horse at the age of eleven. The feisty horse’s name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen’s steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, she found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Karen is currently working on her Amish mystery series, Serenity’s Plain Secrets, along with the YA paranormal/fantasy series, The Wings of War, and the continuation of the Temptation series. Karen is also excited to announce the Temptation series has been optioned for TV by Pilgrim Studios and is available on Audible.

“I loved joining Rose and Noah during their journey in the Temptation series by Karen Hopkins.”-Katie McGarry, acclaimed YA author

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Winning Texas Guest Post and Giveaway

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WINNING TEXAS
by
Nancy Stancill 

Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Date of Publication: April 26, 2016
# of pages: 230

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Synopsis

When a female body is found floating in the Houston Ship Channel, Annie Price, an investigative journalist for a struggling Houston newspaper, is propelled into a dangerous web of intrigue. She must solve a complex mystery that includes a corrupt strip club empire, a ruthless human trafficking scheme, and deadly competition between two separatist groups seeking to impose their twisted visions on the Lone Star State. As two murders hit close to home, Annie and a fellow reporter risk death to expose the hidden secrets of a Texas ranch.

PRAISE FOR WINNING TEXAS:

“Sex traffickers and guns-for-hire meet in a nefarious plot to see Texas secede and America shaken to its core. Witty, gritty and filled with brilliantly realized characters, this book is a pure delight for lovers of suspense as the ever-dogged Annie Price risks life and limb to uncover the truth.”

– Tony D’Souza, author of Mule

Winning Texas is a moody thriller, an ode to people with outsized dreams and the ones they prey on; to those who populate the city by day, and those who rule the night. In the wake of L.A.-noir and Florida glare, Nancy Stancill gives us Bayou City grime. In her pages, Houston seduces and leaves us breathless, begging for more.”

– Stefan Kiesbye, author of The Staked Plains

Nancy Stancill “captures a newsroom’s camaraderie and angst . . . while her descriptions of Houston and the whole of Texas make you feel the heat and see its beauty.”

— Mary Cornatzer, The News & Observer

Winning TX lo res cover

  PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BLACK ROSE WRITING

 

GuestPost

From Nancy Stancill

 

Hi bloggers and readers,

I hope you enjoy my suspense novel, Winning Texas. I wanted to share with you how I came to write it and my first book, Saving Texas.

I was a newspaper reporter and editor for more than thirty years. I had so many interesting and sometimes disturbing experiences during my reporting years. For part of that time, I was an investigative reporter at the Houston Chronicle. I was often harassed, threatened and a few times, felt my life was in danger. One time, a community college president who feared exposure of his dirty dealings even made up a “wanted’ poster with my picture on it!

Luckily, I worked for a newspaper with editors who supported me in our mission to tell the truth and try to serve the public good. That president later resigned in disgrace and the community ended up with a leader who finally served their interests — instead of his.

I vowed that someday, if I ever had time, I’d write books about an investigative reporter and her adventures. I truly believe that investigative reporters are modern-day detectives with a cause. They are in a position to ask the questions that members of the public have a right to know. I wanted to create a female protagonist who’s not a superwoman, just a flawed human being who tries to summon up her courage and do the right thing.

That’s how my heroine, reporter (and later) editor Annie Price came to be. I’ll admit that she’s based in part on me and my experiences. Like Annie, I’m nearly six feet tall, a bit shy and worry a lot about doing the right thing (and what the right thing is!) But Annie has a much more provocative — and sometimes tumultuous — personal life. She’s a problem drinker and has quite a few love interests, but can’t seem to find the right man. My personal life is much calmer — I’ve been married to the same man for forty years.

I love creating characters and setting them in recognizable, authentic settings. I’ve traveled all over Texas, in my life there in the 1980s and 1990s, and since then on many visits. The place I know best is Houston — and I consider Winning Texas my love letter to Houston. Everyone who lives in a big city has a love-hate relationship with it — and so it is with me and Houston. For instance, I hated the heat and humidity when I lived there, but found that I missed the sultry climate after I left.

The people in the fictional Houston Times’ newsroom are very much like the newspaper folks that I knew and loved over the years, but like most writers, my characters tend to be composites. Newspaper reporters tend to be very smart, dedicated, perhaps a bit cynical at times, but they mostly love what they do. They know it’s a noble quest to represent the interests of the public and they worry about the growing threats to journalism. I tried to accurately portray the financial challenges of today’s journalism, which I personally feel is a threat to our democracy.

Secession is a big theme in both Saving Texas and Winning Texas. I originally got the idea to focus on secession when I heard some comments from Governor Rick Perry a few years ago. He said, in effect, if Texas didn’t like how the federal government treated the state, it could leave. At the time, his comments drew a lot of headlines, but weren’t really taken seriously. I researched secession and found that Texas has always had a secessionist movement of sorts, primarily because it was a republic for about ten years after winning its freedom from Mexico. Secessionist sentiment has waxed and waned over the years, but in the last few years, has become stronger and more visible. There’s a faction in the state that wants to go it alone — and thinks Texas would be better off.

I enjoyed researching the Texas Hill Country and its German roots and thought it plausible that a German-Texas movement might exist. As far as I know, there is no tangible interest in creating a German Texas, but people who live in that area seem to really value their German heritage. So it was easy to imagine people working toward such a goal. I think the most effective fiction is something that you can imagine being true, even though it isn’t!

I hope that readers can find a blend of things to enjoy in Winning Texas — the twists and turns of an interlocking political plot, the drama of relationships in Annie’s love life, an unvarnished look at today’s newspaper world and Houston and Texas in all of its glory and grime.

Enjoy the book and I thank you for reading with all my heart!

With love,
Nancy Stancill

about the author

Stancill Pic

Nancy Stancill spent more than 30 years as a newspaper reporter and editor before she began writing fiction full-time. She was an award-winning investigative reporter at the Houston Chronicle and the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer and worked as a reporter and editor at other newspapers in Texas, Virginia and California. Stancill is a journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and received her master’s in creative writing from the University of Tampa in Florida in 2015.  She and her husband lived in London for three years before moving back to the United States in 2012.  She has a son in Virginia and she lives in Charlotte, N.C. with her husband, Len Norman, and black cat, Spud. Saving Texas was her first novel. Winning Texas is her second.

author links

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS
TWITTER | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

TWO WINNERS EACH WIN:

* Signed Copies of Winning Texas and Saving Texas *

* $15 Starbucks Gift Card * 

(US ONLY)

  June 30 – July 9, 2016

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Check out the other great blogs on the tour! 

6/30    Texas Book Lover  – Promo

7/1       The Librarian Talks – Review

7/2       Margie’s Must Reads – Excerpt

7/3       A Novel Reality — Promo

7/4       Country Girl Bookaholic  – Review

7/5       The Crazy Booksellers  – Promo

7/6       The Page Unbound  – Guest Post

7/7       Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books – Review

7/8       Forgotten Winds – Author Interview                    

7/9       StoreyBook Reviews  – Review

 

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Guardians in Blue: Glossary of Terms Used

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GUARDIANS IN BLUE
by
Ken Bangs 

 Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Date of Publication: March 31, 2016
# of pages: 382

Synopsis

A fatherless boy growing up in a small Texas town is taken under wing by the local lawmen. They work with the town leaders to provide his basic needs and help him escape the shame and poverty of his circumstances. One in particular becomes his guardian.

He teaches the boy about life, how to face his fears, that honor is more important than comfort and that defending those who cannot defend themselves is the highest duty of a man.    

The boy learns the lessons well. He hears the call and his heart opens to it. He too becomes a Guardian.

 This is the novelized story of the authors’ thirty-seven years service in law enforcement and public safety. It is unique in that the reader is given an inside look at what motivates one to the calling and the process of becoming a police officer.

It is told from the first person perspective of one who walked a beat in downtown Dallas at the age of 19, answered the calls as a radio patrol officer and worked the cases as a detective.

It gives an inside look at the understanding of not only the criminal act but the issues that lead to criminality and the processes by which criminal justice professionals identify and apprehend those responsible for given crimes.

Drawing on interviews/interrogations of criminals the author provides an exposé of the experiences, the anger, and the fantasy that captures the mind and controls the will of those who rape, rob, and kill.

PRAISE FOR GUARDIANS IN BLUE:

“As a man who was privileged to work the streets with Ken Bangs, I can tell you that he was the Guardian.  If you want to understand police work at the base level, then The Guardians is a must read.  It goes beyond the violence and the sensationalism and gives you a window into the hearts and souls of those men and women who ride toward danger when everyone else runs away.”

— Doug Sword, Captain of Police (Retired), Dallas Police Department

“Guardians In Blue is an action packed book about actual crimes from the Dallas Police

files.  These cases as retold by Ken bangs come alive in a format that makes you feel

like you are at the location and involved in the investigations.”

— Gary Holly, Retired Police Officer

“The story is so realistic; it so reveals the rawness of life experienced by a police officer that any who have ever worn the badge will be drawn in as they see themselves in the Guardians.” — G. David Payne, Lieutenant of Police (Retired), Dallas Police Department

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  PURCHASE LINKS:

  AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BLACK ROSE WRITING

 

Excerpt

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN GUARDIANS IN BLUE

 

10-4                                                                       Received and will comply

40-Roger                                                              Agreed

.410 guage                                                          Small bore shotgun

.12 guage                                                             Large bore shotgun

#4 shot                                                                 Largest pellets available for .410

#7 shot                                                                 Smallest pellets available for .410

00 Buckshot                                                        Largest pellets available for .12 guage

CAPERS                                                                Crimes Against Person; crimes committed

                                                                                against an individual as in an assault

Clear / In-service                                             Ready for calls

Clear one man                                                  A one officer unit ready for calls

Clear two man                                                  A two officer unit ready for calls

Code 3                                                                  Proceed to call using red lights and siren

Code 4                                                                  Cancel further response              

Copy That                                                            Message Understood

CSS                                                                         Crime Scene Search (for evidence)

DRT                                                                        Dead Right There

ETS                                                                         Estimated time of separation

FTO                                                                        Field Training Officer, one who trains rookies

Guardian                                                             One who is dedicated to the safeguarding of 

                                                                                another

Hi-Jacker/Jacker                                              Armed robber

Indict                                                                    Grand Jury action finding probable cause to

                                                                                Proceed to trial

Minor 7                                                                Motor vehicle accident with no injuries

No-Bill                                                                  Grand Jury action finding no probable cause

                                                                                Proceed to trial

Parole                                                                   Release from prison before full sentence

                                                                                is served

Posse                                                                    Street language for criminal gang

Probation                                                            The suspension of jail sentence following

                                                                                conviction

Rabbit                                                                   Electronic tracking device

Red Ball Express                                               Transportation unit in WWII staffed by 

                                                                                African American troops

Red Birds/Yellow Jackets                             Slang term for Barbiturate depressants

Signal                                                                    Classification of call, i.e. minor 7

Signal 30                                                              Code used to inform dispatch that an officer

                                                                                has a prisoner in custody

Signal 41                                                              41 proceeds felony in progress calls

Smack                                                                   Slang term for the drug heroin

Snitch                                                                   Informer

Speed                                                                   Slang term for Powdered Methamphetamine

Traffic                                                                   Stopping a vehicle for a traffic law violation

Tush Hogs                                                           Particularly brutal criminals

 about the author

Author Pic

Ken spent 35 years in public safety. A veteran of the United States Army, he was with the military police in the Alaskan Command.  He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University, M.S. in Human Relations / Business Management from Amberton University, and a Doctorate of Ministry in Christian Counseling from Jacksonville (Florida) Theological Seminary.  Ken and his wife, Trudy, have been married 46 years. They live in McKinney, Texas.

author links

FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Check out the other great blogs on the tour! 

6/28    My Book Fix Blog – Review

6/29    Books and Broomsticks – Excerpt #1

6/30    Missus Gonzo  – Review

7/1       The Crazy Booksellers – Promo

7/2       StoreyBook Reviews  – Author Interview #1

7/3       The Librarian Talks – Review

7/4       It’s a Jenn World – Guest Post

7/5       The Page Unbound  – Excerpt #2

7/6       Country Girl Bookaholic  – Review

7/7       Margie’s Must Reads – Author Interview #2

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Clanless Cover Reveal

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Today Jennifer Jenkins and Month9Books are revealing the cover and first chapter for CLANLESS, book 2 in the NAMELESS Series which releases October 4, 2016! Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to be one of the first readers to receive a paperback of NAMELESS or an eGalley of CLANLESS!!

Here’s a message from the author.

Clanless is Gryphon’s story in the way Nameless was Zo’s. It encompasses the struggle of self discovery and taking the hard road to find happiness. At its heart though, this book is a love story, with two people determined to fight overwhelming odds, even death, to be together. Clanless provides readers a view of the world outside Ram’s Gate, exploring both the Raven and Kodiak Clans in more depth. 

I LOVE THIS COVER. I love the way Gryphon is depicted and the symbolism of of the white background in contrast to the black of the Nameless cover. I personally think the series only gets better with every book, and I hope readers agree.On to the reveal!

Title: CLANLESS (Nameless #2)
Author: Jennifer Jenkins
Pub. Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books
Format: Paperback & eBook
Find it: Amazon | B&N | TBD | Goodreads

Book Summary:

Striker Gryphon has lost his position of honor among the Ram, and is now a hunted man. A traitor.

Zo, the object of his affection, was murdered by members of his former clan. To honor her memory, he journeys to the highly secretive Raven “Nest” to warn strangers of their impending demise—though it could cost him more than just his pride.

He doesn’t know that Zo is very much alive and in another part of the region assisting Nameless refugees over a mountain swarming with wild men known as “Clanless.”

As each struggle to make sense of what their lives have become, they fight and claw to reach the Allied Camp, their last hope in bringing peace to the region.

But the road back to one another is treacherous and uncertain. And freedom will come with a price.

 

Exclusive Excerpt

Chapter 1

Gryphon never thought he’d die at the hands of the Ram. Of course, he never thought he’d become a traitor to his clan, either.

He awaited a likely public execution, sitting in a patch of mud outside the walls of Ram’s Gate, his clan’s stronghold, as rain filtered through the trees overhead. Bristled ropes rubbed raw his bound ankles. Iron manacles secured his wrists behind his back. Gryphon clutched the hidden key to his restraints inside a bloody fist and glared at a man he never thought he’d call an enemy.

Zander, Gryphon’s captain, stood at attention as the rain rolled off his brown hair and banked along the harsh angles of his cheekbones and jaw. He held a seven-foot spear like a walking stick, the blunt end buried in the mud at his feet. His short sword was sheathed at his hip, his round shield slung across his back. The perfect Ram warrior, and one of the best swordsmen Gryphon had ever known.

The fifteen members of his mess sat like stones in a field, unmoving but hard and very present. Most of Gryphon’s former mess, including his best friend, Ajax, kept their backs to him, as if his treason were contagious. Some slept under thick wool blankets that repelled the rain while others stewed with the restlessness that plagued so many warriors.

No one bothered to light a fire. Whether they were too impatient to find something dry enough to burn or felt they deserved the cold, Gryphon didn’t know. Ram were experts at self-discipline—not to be confused with self-control.

Inside Ram’s Gate, Gryphon grew up training every day until his body ached. On days he struggled to do everything his leaders asked of him, he would sentence himself to mountain sprints until he literally passed out from exhaustion. Like every other Ram boy, he willingly walked into scheduled yearly beatings that were meant to train his body to block pain, making him nearly invincible on the battlefield.

A little rain was nothing.

Sitting cross-legged in the mud with his hands chained behind his back, Gryphon let the rain muffle the sound of his struggle to insert the small key into the unseen lock of his manacles. Each metallic scrap wound his nerves that much tighter. His wrists burned from bending at an awkward angle and his shoulders strained as he struggled to keep his face a mask of indifference.

Zander watched him, barely blinking. Gryphon needed to distract him—to break his intent focus.

“Why do you think they haven’t let down the rope ladder?” Gryphon asked, speaking as though his impending execution meant little to him.

Zander’s lip raised in a snarl. “Barnabas has the Raven invasion to prepare for, the gate to repair. He will deal with you in his own time.”

Gryphon adjusted his grip on the key to approach the lock from a different angle.

“It seems Barnabas is content to let you sit out in the cold for the night. Do you think you’ll lose your command over this?” Gryphon raised his chin and smiled.

Zander drew a knife so fast Gryphon fumbled with the key.

“Barnabas ordered you brought back alive, but I don’t think he’d mind if I took out your tongue.”

Gryphon had been trained to use the emotions of his enemies against them. People made mistakes when they weren’t stable. Plus the conversation muffled the sound of the key scraping futilely against the metal lock behind his back.

A few of the heads in the wet camp turned to watch the exchange.

Zander leaned back, battling with his composure. “I might lose my command, but I’ll return to my bunk with our brothers of the mess and rest well after seeing your body hang from a noose.” He shook his head. “I knew you had a strange fascination with that slave—that Wolf. I just didn’t realize your treason extended to all the Nameless inside the Gate.”

Just yesterday, Gryphon had inadvertently helped hundreds of Nameless slaves flee the massive walls of Ram’s Gate. To slow the Ram pursuit, he disabled the only exit—a gate so large it required forty Nameless to open it. Even though only a fraction of the Nameless slaves escaped, it would be days before the chain connecting the gate to the counterweight could be repaired.

The key finally slipped into the lock. Gryphon let his head fall back, just a fraction, and closed his eyes in relief. Zander’s hate-filled gaze greeted him as he opened his eyes, but that didn’t stop him from turning the key. The lock clicked open, the sound lost in the rain.

With one hand free, Gryphon still kept both hands behind his back, though he relaxed his shoulders some to alleviate the ache from being bound. The metal key in Gryphon’s hand was warm. The grooves pressed uncomfortably into his palm, but Gryphon didn’t loosen his hold, refusing to let go of the hope Ajax had given him.

Not only was the key his only chance of escaping the certain death that awaited him inside the giant walls of his clan, but it also represented a dim hope that Zo was still alive. That Ajax—Gryphon’s best friend—hadn’t followed through with Zander’s order to find and kill her and the others after Gryphon’s capture.

The vivid scenes of the morning replayed in Gryphon’s mind again and again. Everyone asleep under the tree, except Zo and Gryphon. Ram circling the perimeter of the giant fir like bloodhounds sniffing out prey. Zo taking his hand, pretending to be brave even though her eyes—they were always so easy to read—proved it a lie. Her warm lips. The feel of her body pressed against his . . .

A shudder that had nothing to do with the cold ran up Gryphon’s back. He’d been captured not far from the tree, trying to lead the Ram away from the people he cared for most.

If only he could ask Ajax if they were alive, though the chances were as likely as staying dry in this storm. Ajax had a family to protect, and the penalty for deceiving his captain was as deadly as deceiving Chief Barnabas himself. Dangerous.

Lightning struck not far away, brightening half of Zander’s face in the fast-approaching darkness.

“Come back to me,” Zo had said, just before she’d leaned into him, touching her soft lips to his.

Gryphon slid the key into the second lock.

He chewed on the inside of his lip until he tasted blood. He fought the urge to spit in Zander’s face, to unlock the chains binding his wrist and strangle him with his bare hands. He was sure he could finish the job before he took a spear to the gut. It felt like the only way to quench the hungry blackness that consumed his insides.

Gryphon hung his head, remembering the promise he made to Zo before they separated. Whether Zo was alive or not, he needed to survive to warn the Raven Clan of an impending attack. Countless lives would be spared if the Raven had time to flee the Nest before the Ram arrived. Getting himself killed wouldn’t serve them, even if it meant an escape from the overwhelming ache in his chest.

Thunder rolled again. Zander stared. Gryphon prayed for a miracle . . . and hoped he deserved one.

He turned the key.

The lock clicked open.

But his manacles clattered to the ground before he could catch them.

 

 

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

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

 

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a paperback of NAMELESS, US Only.

3 winners will receive an eGalley of CLANLESS, International.

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The Outlaw Excerpt and Giveaway

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The Outlaw: Origins
by Alan Janney
Genre: YA Sci-fi/Superheroes
Release Date: February 26th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

A masked vigilante stalks the streets of downtown Los Angeles, disrupting crime and rescuing movie starlets. After being spotted on security cameras and thrust into the national spotlight, he is pursued by both the media and powerful new enemies. Little does the world know the Outlaw is just High School junior Chase Jackson wearing a mask and wondering why his body is suddenly…extraordinary. 

The story continues in Book Two of the Outlaw Series. ‘Infected’.

My Thoughts:

Doesn’t that just sound amazing? Anyone that is a fan of superheros will probably enjoy this read!

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Buy Links:
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Check out this awesome book excerpt!

Prologue of Outlaw, Book One

Los Angeles Times. March 1st. 2018.

“My Night with the Outlaw.” By Teresa Triplett.

 

The man in the mask is late.

And then he is here without warning and, despite myself, I gasp. I am forbidden to disclose the location of our rendezvous, but it is dark, it is the middle of the night, and I’m terrified.

Superheroes are, of course, fake. They do not exist in our reality outside of a movie screen. I am skeptical and even offended by the growing legend surrounding the Outlaw. It’s ludicrous. However, even if he is a fraud, it’s still the story of the year, maybe even of the decade. Although that doesn’t explain why I’m so scared I can barely breathe.

I don’t know why he agreed to meet me, this man the entire world wants to interview. In fact, I never even asked him and perhaps that is why I was chosen, when ranks of more celebrated and prestigious reporters have already been rebuffed. The Editor-inChief of the Times is holding the front page, waiting on this story you’re reading, even though I’m not a writer for the paper; I am a television reporter, but the Outlaw wanted the story out immediately. I’m trembling now as we regard each other in silence. I’ve already decided that I won’t ask him, ‘Why me?’

I can feel him more than I can see him. Witnesses claim he is a big man, and that doesn’t do him justice. He takes up the whole sky. CNN aired an Outlaw special and their experts were able to measure him using various photographs, so I know he’s not as immense as the naked-eye perceives.

“Hello,” I say, timidly, pathetically. He nods in reply, and it is at this moment I realize how woefully unprepared I am. In my defense, the Outlaw only gave me an hour’s notice but I cannot think of a single thing to say. As the silence between us lengthens and the conversational burden on me increases, I relent and betray myself. “So why me?”

He shrugs and he says, “I don’t know that many reporters.”

He knows me? We’ll be pouring over that tidbit for weeks because his identity is still a mystery. But you know this, and if you’re like the rest of us then you don’t even have an educated guess.

His voice is deep. Darth Vadar deep, although I can tell he’s masking his voice somehow. His words are slow and the vowels are elongated, and the mask falsifies it even further. Oh yes. He’s wearing the infamous mask that covers his mouth and holds his hair back from his furious eyes. Like every other eye-witness, I’m struck by the eyes. His gaze is hard to return and I find myself fidgeting.

I make a few more feeble attempts at small talk, trying to gauge his reactions (of which there are none), and then I wonder how Natalie North has maintained a relationship with this stoic dark mystery man. Not only has she withstood his unnerving stare and imposing presence but according to the stories she has fallen for him and vise-versa, making them the most unlikely couple and hottest gossip column topic…ever. Beauty and the beast. Of course it could be a publicity stunt, and rumors persist that there’s another girl in his life. A real girl, and a real relationship beyond the mask. I imagine that topic’s off-limits tonight.

“I have to ask a question which will sound absurd even to my ears. Are you able to

do things physically that I can’t? That no one else can?”

He doesn’t answer, but I can tell he’s turning the question over in his mind.

“Like a super hero?” I press further.

“No,” he scoffs. “There’s no such thing. In fact, I’m sick.”

“You’re sick?”

“Very. Possibly fatal.”

“Fatal?” I repeat stupidly, incredulously. “How…from what?”

“That’s not why I’m here,” he says. He growls his words and he waves my question away with his hand.

“Then why?” I ask.

“I need you to pass along a message. To everyone.”

“What message?”

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Zero Book Blitz and Giveaway

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Zero

by Morgan Dark

Release Date: June 28th 2016

Rubiños 1860

Summary:

Kyle Bradford is the envy of Drayton College, but everything takes a turn when a dangerous shadow, hidden in the darkness, starts to stalk him. From then on, his life falls apart. Unjustly accused of being the main suspect behind the robberies terrifying high society, he is forced to prove his innocence. And to do so, he has to find the real culprit: Zero, an infallible criminal who keeps his identity hidden under a silver mask. What Kyle does not know is that his enemy is keeping a secret. A secret he would sacrifice everything for.

COVER-ZERO-MORGAN_DARK

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE

The police were the last to arrive. Five patrol cars. They got out of their vehicles, some of them with pistol in hand, and quickly regrouped on the stairs leading to the Los Angeles Opera.

By that time, the curious onlookers were already there. Most of them were upper class. Exclusive spectators who, just half an hour earlier, were watching the world premiere of Macbeth, and were now chatting amongst themselves, speculating on the incident that had just taken place.

The journalists were there, too. As soon as the news leaked, on-call editors came out charging and were now banging on the main door, armed with their cameras and microphones. Their group included a young journalist fresh out of college reporting on the occurrence for a local television station.

“It appears that another robbery has taken place. This time, at the Los Angeles Opera. Owned by multi-millionaire Marissa Grossman, the Empress Diadem has disappeared. For the time being, there are no witnesses. The thief’s identity is still unknown, but it is believed that he may be…”

“Look!” shouted someone from the group of curious bystanders. They were pointing toward the rooftop of the Opera.

There he was: dressed in a form-fitting black suit, a hood covering his head and his face hidden behind a silver mask with a smile frozen in place. Like a shadow blending into the dark of night. Not a soul was unaware of who the unknown man with that arrogant gaze was or what he had done over the past few months. Even so, his presence provoked a certain strange fascination that immediately drew everyone’s interest and attention.

“That’s him! Yeah, that’s him!”

Murmurs of alarm quickly rose up from the crowd of onlookers and the journalists pointed their camera lenses toward the Opera rooftop, trying to snap the most perfect picture possible of the mysterious individual. The police were the last ones to react and, at first, the only thing they managed to do was bring order to the impromptu crowd.

The dreaded one-hundred-million-dollar thief. The same one who had spent the last six months stealing objects of countless value. A slippery ghost who committed impossible robberies and disappeared without a trace.

Nobody knew his real name, because his true identity was a mystery. The media had christened him as “Zero” because the name was the closest thing to what they knew about him: nothing. Since they hadn’t come up with anything better, the police kept using the nickname. Now, everybody called the shadow the same thing.

“We need more forces! Tell all units in the area to come immediately. Get moving!” shouted Lieutenant Brown. A hoarse voice came from his throat, annoyed by the humiliation and anger. Once again… Once again, he had managed to slip past them… How was it possible?

The day before, the police station had received a message sent by Zero himself, telling them that his next target was the Empress Diadem: a sparkling 16th-century diamond, ruby and emerald tiara. But he didn’t say when or where the robbery would take place. Like always.

It wasn’t the first time the Lieutenant had received one of these warnings. The only difference was that, this time, he had moved heaven and earth to stop it. He had sent his best men to escort Marissa Grossman to the bank where she kept the diadem and then back to her mansion. He also assigned surveillance patrols and sensors with alarms all over the house. He was convinced that if the robber wanted to commit the theft, he could only do it at the Grossman’s house where, in theory, it would be easier.

But he never showed up. Zero didn’t come. The Empress Diadem remained safe and sound and the officers went back to the station, where they were received with cheers and applause. For the first time, they had prevented one of his thefts… Or at least, that’s what they thought until the Opera director had called them to say that the jewel had vanished from its owner’s head during the second act of Macbeth. Under Marissa Grossman’s seat, they found a silver coin: the robber’s unmistakable signature.

From the rooftop, Zero contemplated the scene unfolding at the building’s entrance. He was totally calm, delighting in the confused look on the police officers’ faces. He hadn’t the slightest doubt that they must be wondering how he had done it and what plan he had come up with this time to take off with the Grossman family’s valuable relic in a place so full of people, without getting caught. They could keep on speculating.

They would never find him out.

Five minutes, he calculated. That was how long it would take the officers to pounce and trap him. He had just enough time to slip away before they surrounded him. After that, Lieutenant Brown and his men would search the city, like they always did. They would go into the surrounding homes. They would search the few businesses that still remained open. They would create quite a stir, trying to find him. When they were finished, Zero would already be far away. Maybe peacefully sleeping in his bed, as if he hadn’t the slightest to do with the fact that he would be the day’s most important news tomorrow.

Just that easy. Just that simple.

Another impeccable robbery. The twentieth one in less than six months. Not too bad. Not bad at all, in fact. He stepped away from the edge of the roof and put the Empress Diadem away inside his suit for safekeeping.

Only then did he realize that he wasn’t alone.

A silhouette stood between him and his only escape route, blocking his flight.

“We finally meet face-to-face.”

They didn’t need to get any closer. Or for the moonlight to illuminate the newcomer’s face, hidden behind a strange shadow. Zero was fully aware of who he was. He would recognize that raspy voice anywhere. His name? Dimitri Cooper. The best detective in Los Angeles and officially responsible for his capture, specifically entrusted with the task by the Government.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Detective,” said the robber, as if their meeting, far from being a setback, was an excuse to have a pleasant chat. Dimitri didn’t answer. He removed his pistol and aimed at Zero.

“I’m afraid this will be our first and our last meeting. I had a hard time finding you, although I finally did.”

Zero was unfazed when he saw the gun was aimed at him.

“We could say that I’m not too friendly with the police.”

“You’ve been stealing from innocent people for half a year, and you still have the gall to make those jokes of yours.” Dimitri motioned for Zero to move toward him, and held his pistol more tightly. “You can come over here so I can cuff you now. And don’t try any funny stuff.”

“What funny stuff would I try?”

“Just put your hands in the air!”

Zero obeyed.

“Now, start walking if you don’t want to get shot.

For a fraction of a second, the robber glanced at his suit’s right-hand pocket. He could see the outline of a small, rounded object inside… He made no move to grab it. He just stared at it, as if thinking about something.

“Let’s get a move on!” brayed Dimitri.

He brought his attention back to the detective and slowly walked toward him, calmly analyzing his rival’s appearance, so different from his own: his emotionless countenance was chiseled in stone, with metallic gray eyes that looked like they could drill through him. He was wearing a trench coat that reached his knees, his police badge hanging from one side of his belt while his pistol holster hung from the other.

He stopped just a few feet away from him.

“Good. It’s over. Finally.”

“I’m afraid not.”

Before Dimitri could move, Zero rushed the distance between them and kicked his pistol. Dimitri couldn’t hang on to it and it was lost in the darkness. In the blink of an eye, Zero rose up like a giant behind the detective and grabbed him by the neck, immobilizing him. He had moved so quickly that it seemed as if time had stopped and he was the only one able to move from one side to the other.

“I think I remember you mentioning something about me being trapped, or something like that.”

“You’re fast.”

“I wouldn’t be the one-hundred-million-dollar thief if I wasn’t.”

“That’s true. But you’ve got a defect that trumps your speed.”

“Oh, I do? And what might that be?”

“You’re too sure of yourself,” Dimitri said while closing his fist and then, forcefully, punched his enemy’s stomach. Zero hissed out in pain and surprise. He doubled over, instinctively releasing the police officer. Now he was the one without time to react.

“Did you really think it was going to be that easy?”

The robber’s eyes gave off a sinister glint that made the hair on the back of Dimitri’s neck bristle. He moved back. They had never been so close. In fact, he doubted that anyone had ever managed to get so close to the legendary criminal. But now that there were just a few feet between them, now that he was right in front of him, he felt like running away and escaping.

He had been on the force for too long to be intimidated by a criminal who wasn’t even armed. And yet…

There was something different about him. His presence. His mere existence. Whoever he was, this robber gave off…a strange aura. He wouldn’t even know how to put it into words. How he moved and the power he held was disturbing, frightening. Attractive… but as gloomy as the Los Angeles nighttime sky.

While Dimitri was lost in thought, Zero took the opportunity to recover from the blow and counterattacked. Just as swiftly as before, he pounced on his rival and grabbed his arm, spinning around and throwing him over his back. The officer fell on his side and, for a few seconds, the only thing he could see were stars dancing around inside his head.

His brief period of reflection had cost him dearly. “You shouldn’t have gotten in my way.”

“My duty is to arrest you. You, and everyone else like you,” Dimitri groaned. His entire body hurt. And he had a broken rib. Or two. For sure.

“I’m not like everyone else.”

“Yeah, I think I’ve realized that tonight.”

“You’d better stop chasing after me. You’ll be the one who ends up getting hurt.”

“There’s an easy solution for that. Stop robbing, turn yourself in, and I’ll quit bothering you.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I…”

Zero’s words were left hanging in the air. Something drew his attention away. A small black object, fallen at the detective’s feet. His gloved hand shot like a lightning bolt to his right-hand pocket. The circular object that was there before had disappeared and, in its stead, there was a remnant of ripped fabric, shredded on the side. His shoulders tensed imperceptibly.

“What’s wrong? Looks like you’re worn out from fighting,” Dimitri mocked him.

He stoically bore the pain and stood up. He couldn’t afford to sit in a corner and nurse his wounds. He had to stop this criminal he had been chasing for months. Moving forward, his heel drew dangerously close to the object under the robber’s gaze.

“No!”

The police officer froze, bewildered. He looked down at the object at his feet. Intrigued, he bent down and picked it up.

“Now what might this be?”

“Don’t touch that.” Zero wasn’t acting as calm as he had been before. One could almost feel the tension emanating from his body.

“Put it down!”

Like a cat, he jumped at Dimitri. He moved too abruptly and the object slipped from the detective’s hand. It arced through the air before plunging to the ground.

It hit the rooftop, cracking like a whip in the air. Almost at the same time, Zero let out a piercing shriek. A metallic taste filled his mouth and something liquid started spilling out over his chin. Blood. He let out a groan and closed his eyes to contain the sudden pain punishing every part of his being.

“Meddling policeman,” he muttered. His head was spinning as he staggered.

Dimitri held him up, not understanding what was happening. The pain he saw shooting from the robber’s eyes was no performance act. Zero was hurt, but how? He remembered banging into him, but not hard enough for him to be in such a state…

No matter what, he had to do something. He wanted to catch him, and that had been his goal for six months now. But he didn’t want his death on his conscience. Not his death, or anybody else’s. He couldn’t leave him like that. He took a radio from his trench coat and started giving orders, never leaving his prisoner for even an instant.

“Attention, this is Officer Dimitri speaking. I need a medical team. I repeat. I need a medical team. I have an unconscious civilian on the Los Angeles Opera rooftop.”

“Who are you calling unconscious?” mumbled Zero. The object that fell from his pocket was just a few feet away. He tried to take a few steps toward it. Dimitri stopped him.

“Don’t even thing about moving.” He held on to his arm more tightly and added, “I already told you that this would be our first and our last meeting.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Have you seen yourself? I highly doubt you can escape with the state you’re in.” Dimitri couldn’t help but appreciate the irony of the situation. Before, Zero had given him the chills.

His presence was almost supernatural. Now, he looked like a helpless, vulnerable kid… His gaze came to rest on the silver mask. It perfectly fit its owner’s factions, hiding his face from the hairline to the chin. After so many weeks chasing him down, so many sleepless nights because of him, he still didn’t know who was hiding behind the disguise.

He hooked his fingers behind the titanium hooks holding the mask to Zero’s face. Zero started to squirm as soon as he understood his intentions.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Are you afraid I’ll find out the truth?”

Dimitri released the titanium locks and the silver mask fell from its place, revealing the famous thief’s identity. They observed one another in the darkness. Two enemies, finally face-to-face after countless chases and escapes. Neither of them spoke a word. They merely regarded one another. The detective couldn’t believe what he saw. As far as he was concerned, Zero felt a wave of anger rising up in his throat, consuming his pain and turning it to fury.

They had found out his secret… They had found out who he was…

“That’s impossible…” whispered Dimitri. “I know you…”

Zero grabbed the tranquilizer dart gun hidden on his leg. Before the detective could utter his name, before he could even say one syllable, he shot him in the neck. The officer immediately dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

The thief bent over and picked up his mask. He put it on again. But he knew full well that it was too late now.

He knows…

Six officers burst onto the rooftop. Lieutenant Brown was with them, anxious to avenge how ridiculous Zero had made him look at the Grossman’s house, at any price. They aimed their guns at him.

“Put your hands where we can see them!”

Zero ignored the order and looked for the circular object that he had lost. It was too close to the police officers. It would be impossible to get it back without getting riddled by bullets while trying. But if he left it behind… If someone touched it… He hesitated. What should he choose? He knew that no matter what he decided, he would regret it. So he opted for the lesser evil.

He took out one of the smoke bombs he only used when urgently needed and threw it to the ground. A gray cloud spread over the rooftop, covering everything under a dense fog.

When it had cleared, the circular object was right where it was before. But Zero had disappeared.

 

ZERO-1

 

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About the Author:

Morgan Dark is one of the most original teenage literature writers. Always enveloped in suspense, as of yet no one knows her true identity. She began writing ZERO after a hooded man robbed her in her New York apartment. Included amongst the stolen items was her favorite ring. After ZERO became one of the most awaited teenage books in 2015, her ring showed up in her

house again… in black envelope with no sender.

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The Ceruleans Print Party

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Hey all! Check this out! The Ceruleans by Megan Tayte has a new, absolutely beautiful covers! And what better way to celebrate than to have a giveaway? Be sure to check the end of this post to enter the rafflecopter giveaway!

Book Summary:

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE.

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books, one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to an isolated English cove with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.

To believe the impossible.

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Megan Tayte bio

Megan Tayte

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write, Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.

Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in the village of Standish, Greater Manchester. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

You can find Megan online at:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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