How to Be a Texan

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HOW TO BE A TEXAN: THE MANUAL
by
Andrea Valdez
Illustrated by Abi Daniel
Genre: Texas Customs / Social Life / Humor
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Date of Publication: May 3, 2016
# of pages: 208, 58 B&W Illustrations

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Synopsis

There are certain things every Texan should know how to do and say, whether your Lone Star roots reach all the way back to the 1836 Republic or you were just transplanted here yesterday. Some of these may be second nature to you, but others . . . well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a few handy hints if, say, branding the herd or hosting a tamalada aren’t your usual pastimes. That’s where How to Be a Texan can help.

In a friendly, lighthearted style, Andrea Valdez offers illustrated, easy-to-follow steps for dozens of authentic Texas activities and sayings. In no time, you’ll be talking like a Texan and dressing the part; hunting, fishing, and ranching; cooking your favorite Texas dishes; and dancing cumbia and two-step. You’ll learn how to take a proper bluebonnet photo and build a Día de los Muertos altar, and you’ll have a bucket list of all the places Texans should visit in their lifetime. Not only will you know how to do all these things, you’ll finish the book with a whole new appreciation for what it means to be a Texan and even more pride in saying “I’m from Texas” anywhere you wander in the world.

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about the author

A native Houstonian who has worked for Texas Monthly since 2006, Valdez is the editor of texasmonthly.com. She has written on a wide range of subjects, including more than forty columns on activities every Texan should be able to do, which provided the inspiration for this book. She also helped Texas Monthly launch The Daily Post and TMBBQ.com. FOLLOW ON TWITTER

GIVEAWAY! FOUR SIGNED COPIES!
May 3 – May 17, 2016

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The Colony Review and Giveaway

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Book & Author Details:

The Colony by Kathleen Groger

(A Rasper Novel, #1)
Publication date: April 5th 2016
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Trust no one.

Never go out in the dark.

Always have a weapon.

Sixteen-year-old Val lives by these three rules etched on her arm. Her rules and her gun are the only things standing between her and assimilation by hordes of human-looking aliens she calls Raspers.

By day, Val gathers supplies. By night, she hides and wishes she could go back in time…before her family died…before the annihilation…before the Raspers began stalking her and demanding she join their collective.

But when the Raspers attack in broad daylight, the truth becomes startlingly clear.

They’re evolving.

A fellow survivor crashes into Val’s life. Adam’s full of charm and promises—like rumors of a safe haven—but there’s something wrong. He’s survived with no supplies, no weapons…no plans. Time is running out. With the formula for survival shifting around her, Val must decide how many rules she’s willing to break to escape the Colony.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00004]

Purchase:

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My Review:

The Colony is about a post-apocalyptic world where the scientist have drilled the biggest oil deposit the world has ever seen. But instead of it provided wealth and resources it unleashes a plague on the world. Many people die from this plague, other are infected. And those few that survived are hunted by Raspers. The story follows Val. She had lost her parents and is doing all she can to survive. She doesn’t trust anyone, that is until she meets Adam. When Val turns 16 she breaks into a house where she finds Adam. And Adam knows something she doesn’t. Adam knows of a place that will keep them safe. Together they set out to find the safe place. It’s non-stop action from there on end. It’s an adventure that’s filled with suspense and action. And let me tell you, those Raspers are creepy!

I think the plot of the story is truly gripping. It isn’t your average “zombie apocalypse” story. There’s so much that makes this story what it is. It’s truly enticing! And the characters wonderful. They have so much depth to them. Val is a little stuck on caution mode, while Adam is mysterious and doesn’t mind taken risks if it means he’ll survive. Together they make a formidable team, and their journey to a safe place is not easy. But together, together they pretty much rock. 🙂

The Colony is a great survival story! The world the author has created is truly fascinating. If you enjoy survival stories with great characters and an amazing plot, filled with action that’s nearly non-stop, then be sure to check out The Colony. It won’t disappoint!

About the Author:

Kathleen wrote her first story in elementary school about a pegasus named Sir Lancelot. It had no plot or conflict, but it sparked a dream. After serving a fifteen-year sentence in retail management, the bulk in big box bookstores, she turned her love of reading into a full-time career writing dark and haunting characters and stories.

She lives by the mantra that a day is not complete without tea. Lots of tea. Kathleen lives in Ohio with her husband, two boys, and two attention-demanding dogs. When not writing or editing or revising, you can find her reading, cooking, spending time with her family, or photographing abandoned buildings.

Author links:

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Embattlement Excerpt and Giveaway

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Embattlement (The Undergrounders #2)
by Norma Hinkens
Genre: YA Dystopian/Sci-fi
Release Date: February 21st 2016

Summary (Goodreads):

Against all odds, Derry and a handful of survivors have escaped the malevolent Doctor Lyong’s clutches, but victory proves bittersweet. No one knows if Owen is dead or alive. The shaky plan to rescue him falls apart when the Council splits over rumors of Owen’s ties to the Craniopolis.

Forced to find new recruits Derry makes the treacherous journey to Shoshane City, home of the mysterious riders. Behind the imposing barricade the city’s leader, Jerome, is hiding secrets. Mutiny and sabotage is afoot and Derry finds herself caught up in a desperate struggle to save the city from being destroyed by The Ghost, a man who swears allegiance to no one. Time is running out to save Owen, and tensions are rising between Jakob and Sven, who may turn out to be a deadly distraction.

Will Derry emerge victorious from the showdown at the Craniopolis, or will the price of freedom mean sacrificing the man she loves?

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Buy Links:
Amazon

First book in the series:

Immurement

Excerpt:

I trace the trigger housing on my gun and count the remaining clones congregated around the room. We’re grossly outnumbered. And Owen is weaponless. This can’t end well if we don’t comply.

“You have thirty seconds to accept my terms,” Lyong says, a nettled edge to his voice.

I shiver, picturing his one-eyed tic appraising me in a monitor somewhere as he talks, his papery skin rippling with the effort of speech. I can’t see a way out of the situation that gives me any chance of saving Owen, other than to negotiate. Hesitantly, I raise my arms and step forward.

“My brother’s injured,” I yell. “If you give us your word you’ll help him, we’ll turn over our weapons.”

My heart strains in my chest. I’m counting on Mason and Sven to hold their fire. I wait for what seems like forever, steeling myself for Lyong’s response.

The intercom crackles to life, but Lyong’s words are drowned out in a barrage of gunfire. I pitch sideways beneath a conveyer belt and huddle in a ball, shaking. Debris pelts me from every angle; chunks of seat cushions, shredded medical tubing, shards of glass from exploding computer screens. A pungent chemical smell fills the air.

All over the room, disoriented Schutz Clones fly backward. I stare in disbelief as they writhe in death throes, ossifying before my eyes. Mason bolts across the floor and rolls under the belt beside me. His eyes gleam like cat’s eyes in the dim light. “It’s the Council,” he yells, between breaths. “They’ve penetrated the Craniopolis!”

I blink as I digest what he’s saying, my ears roaring.

Mason slams a fresh cartridge into his gun, his knuckles bleeding profusely. “They must have triggered the explosion. They’ve been planning an attack for months.”

My brain slowly wraps itself around the information. There’s still a chance of getting out of here alive. I unload my pack and roll over into sniper position. “Then let’s finish this.” I lock eyes with Mason. “For Owen.”

About the Author

norma hinkens

For news and special offers join Norma’s VIP Reader List at http://eepurl.com/bDGdIX.

Travel junkie, former professional globetrotter, legend lover, idea wrangler. Norma Hinkens has lived, worked and visited her way across continents, soaking up stories along the way. Her writing is influenced by the resilient characters she met along the way; everyone has a story!

Norma grew up among vibrant storytelling traditions in her native Ireland. She’s a legend-loving author who takes a fiendish delight in pushing reluctant characters over cliffs to find out what they’re made of. Epic odds, seemingly impossible missions, pasts that haunt, intrigue and misadventure. She’s happiest when wrangling provocative big picture ideas that are never black and white when you turn them inside out. It’s all about the tension in the journey.

She currently resides in California with her husband, three children and Chihuahua extraordinaire. She is the author of the YA post-apocalyptic Undergrounders Series: Immurement, Embattlement and Adjudgement.

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Prayerful Passages

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PRAYERFUL PASSAGES

Asking God’s Help in Reconciliation, Separation, and Divorce

by Jack H. Emmott

Genre: Religion / Spirituality / Devotional

Publisher: Outskirts Press

Date of Publication: February 9, 2016

# of pages: 64

The power of asking God for help while struggling to save a marriage, separating, divorcing, or rebuilding life is the driving force behind Prayerful Passages: Asking God’s Help in Reconciliation, Separation, and Divorce by Jack H. Emmott. The fifty-six prayers are practical, touching on all shades of difficulty. They are specific and short; accessible and comforting; inspiring and inspired.

In Prayerful Passages, Jack has opened the doors of comfort and healing to guide a Christian struggling with the anger, loss, and grief that inevitably arise during the separation, divorce, and reconciliation stages of a marriage in peril. Open the doors of your own heart to God’s grace and healing. These prayers will aid you in your journey.

PRAISE FOR PRAYERFUL PASSAGES:

In Prayerful Passages, Jack Emmott, with profound clarity, helps faithful people struggling in their marriage to find not only the words they need to pray, but also the Divine Presence and power they need in challenging life circumstances. — Rev. Stuart Bates, Rector, St. Francis Episcopal Church, Houston

****

This book will make an ideal gift for a friend or family member going through divorce. I wise the families I’ve seen in family court had been able to make their difficult passages with these eprayers in their hearts and on their lips. This book would have alleviated their anguish.— Frank Rynd, J.D., Former Family Law Judge

****

A compelling sharing of compassion—this book shows the impact a prayerful, Christ-centered life can have on the human spirit. What a powerful read . . . I was wowed by its wisdom. — Larry R. Cook, CPA

****

All you have to do is open to the table of contents to see the brilliance of this wise voice that pushes us all to see the world as a more inclusive, loving place where we are all perfectly imperfect children of God. Jack offers his reader empathy, wisdom and redemption for the human spirit. Don’t miss the wisdom of a man who has lived into surrender at an early age as his polio left him trapped in an iron lung to survive. But, he didn’t just survive; he blossomed and thrives today, venerating the love of the Divine for all of us. This is a must-read for all of us who want to live more fully into our loving relationships.— Micki Grimland, LCSW, Owner and Chief Psychotherapist, Southwest Psychotherapy Associates

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Prayer for the Best Words to Tell Our Child/Children about the Divorce Almighty Father, the time has come for us to tell our child/children that we are divorcing. In prayer, please give us the best words to tell our child/children about this difficult decision. As parents, please give us the patience to wait until we can tell the child/children together.

Heavenly Father, please help our child/children understand that the divorce is not something he/she /they caused. Please give us the words to reassure our child/children that the divorce is not his/her/their responsibility to fix or repair. After the divorce, may our child/children live in two separate, happy homes with parents who love them dearly. Let our child/children know that we will never abandon him/her/them, just as You never abandon anyone who truly believes in You. Amen.

©Jack H. Emmott III

What makes Prayerful Passages: Asking God’s Help in Reconciliation, Separation, and Divorce appealing is the courage, calling and faith of its author Jack H. Emmott. In 1954, just as the Salk vaccine was entering massive medical trials, Jack was stricken with polio and paralyzed from the neck down. With faith in God and selfless help from his parents, educators, healthcare providers, and later his wife

Dorothy and his close-knit family, he became a successful lawyer, civic leader, volunteer, inspirational speaker, author, and song writer. Though today confined to a motorized wheelchair, he has long navigated as a full member of society.

As a member at Gray Reed & McGraw in Houston, Texas, with over thirty-five years working in family law, Jack primarily focuses on collaborative law, a resolution option for divorcing couples. In collaborative process, couples mutually agree to voluntary disclosure of relevant information, which is much faster and less expensive than formal discovery. The children are protected and shared, not divided like property.

His life experience and abiding faith in God led Jack to write Prayerful Passages: Asking God’s Help in Reconciliation, Separation, and Divorce. Jack says, “The exact words of the title Prayerful Passages literally came to me one night during evening prayer. I felt, at that very moment, I had received an invitation from God to write a book of prayers to help others and to please the God who had always accompanied me in the darkness of disability.”

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The Neverland Wars Book Blitz and Giveaway

Posted on May 9, 2016 by The Page Unbound

The Neverland Wars by Audrey Greathouse
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: May 9th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That’s what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.

However, Gwen doesn’t know this. She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn’t know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she’ll discover she’s in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.

She’ll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won’t be the only one. Peter Pan’s constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she’s going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she’s going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.

Excerpt:

A flash of lightning electrified the sky, shooting light through the forest with a jarring pang. The boom of thunder followed immediately after. The sky was grey and the clouds shifted like a swarm of dark fish in a pond. Gwen feared she would be caught in a storm, but not a drop of rain had fallen yet.

All at once, Gwen found herself in a meadow. She had never been here before; she knew that. Wildflowers cropped up in sporadic clumps, and the long, green grasses were uncut at her calves. The tree line had suddenly broken. One minute, she was racing through the forest, the next, she was floating here. Pausing to catch her breath, she ironically felt safer in this open area than in the claustrophobic security of the forest. She landed gently, unthinkingly. Turning her head to the sky, she saw the faint grey clouds blowing and rolling away. Darker clouds seemed to be coming to take their place.

On the other side of the meadow, Peter burst into the clearing. Bramble was leading him, guiding the boy to poor, lost Gwen. If Gwen had understood the fairy language, she would have already known that.

“Gwenny!”

“Peter?” Gwen shouted. She ran to him, and between her bounding strides and his quick flight, they met in the middle of the meadow, cornflowers and lilacs growing up around them. Perhaps if he had been on the ground initially, she would have hugged him. Peter lingered in the air for just a moment though, and by the time he landed, the impulse to hug each other had melted away into urgent discussion. “What are you doing out here?” His voice carried the sort of anger that only accompanied concern.

“I got lost in the woods; I was trying to come back. Is something wrong, Peter?”

Bramble flitted back and forth, pacing in the air, objecting to Peter and Gwen having this conversation now, rather than when they were safely underground.

“The opposition, they’ve launched an attack. We’ve got to get to cover.”

“What? No, it’s just a storm.” Gwen didn’t understand what Peter was telling her, but she had already made up her mind that she didn’t believe it.

“Gwen-dollie, we’ve got to go. There’s—”

The sky was suddenly drained of light. The thin, grey clouds that had blocked the sun were eclipsed by darker, brooding storm clouds, and as the daylight faded, small, grey flecks began to rain down. As they drifted softly, Gwen knew it wasn’t rain. Her attention was as captivated as Peter’s was, but she did not understand what it was the way he did. “Snow?” she asked quizzically, looking at the grey and dirty powder as it started to fall around her.

Peter held out his hand and caught a flake of it, crushing it in his hand. It left a smoky residue on his palm. “Ash.”

The winds picked up, and more of the ash furiously fluttered down. It became larger, and Gwen could hardly comprehend the charred flecks of paper that were plummeting down. Peter zipped up into the air, jumping more than flying, to grab a large square of it. He came back down immediately, a look of horror on his face.

“Peter, what is it?” Gwen pled, hoping that her fear was born of her unknowing, that if she only had answers she wouldn’t be afraid, but from the look on his face, she knew that answers would only bring more fear.

The invisible hand of the wind grabbed the paper from out of Peter’s hold. It blew straight to Gwen. Catching it, she realized it was a page from out of a newspaper; the title read—ISIS ATTACK ON ERBIL; HUNDREDS DEAD.

She had seen newspaper headlines before, but this news did not belong here. Not in Neverland. It was too dark, too terrifying of a thing to read amid the lilacs and cornflowers. Again, she begged, “What is this, Peter?”

The page was torn out of her hand by the vindictive wind. Peter answered her, with a word she had never feared so greatly. “Reality.”

Purchase Links:

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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

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Her One and Only Promo and Giveaway

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HER ONE AND ONLY
(Porter Family #4)
by
Becky Wade

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Publisher: Bethany House
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Date of Publication: May 3, 2016
# of pages: 368
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Synopsis

After ten years in the NFL, superstar Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt–none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she’s determined to find Gray’s stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they’ll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives—and their hearts—to one another.

Praise for Her One and Only

“Down-to-earth, in-depth characters give the story an authentic feel. Dru, being the youngest Porter, is headstrong and sympathetic, and when she matches wits with Gray, their connection is as electric as their budding romance is sweet. A delightful read.”—RT Book Reviews

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PURCHASE LINKS:

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GuestPost

Why Fictional Heroes Wouldn’t Make Good Real-Life Husbands

I was recently thinking about romantic heroes—in fiction and in real life. Yes, there’s a difference…and that’s not always a bad thing. Some of my readers joined me to come up with 10 reasons why fictional characters wouldn’t make good husbands.

Limited Dialogue. Fictional heroes are restricted to the words printed in their books. And sure, some of their words are yummy. Here’s a speech given by Bo, the hero of my Undeniably Yours. “I can’t do many things,” he said fiercely, “but I can love you, Meg. I can love you every hour of every day for the rest of my life. I swear to you I can. I want to earn the right to try.” The pad of his thumb rubbed her cheek. “I love you so much I can hardly see straight. I can’t concentrate. I can’t sleep. I can’t make myself care about anything on earth except for you.”

Let’s fast-forward ten years into the married life of Meg and Bo….

“Hey, Bo?” Meg calls while sweating over the fourth load of laundry that day. “Would you mind running to the store for some eggs?”

Bo answers, “I love you so much I can hardly see straight. I can’t concentrate.”

“Yep. Got it. Thanks and all but I’m really in need of some eggs for breakfast tomorrow. And it probably wouldn’t kill you to vacuum the living room carpet.”

“I can’t make myself care about anything on earth except you,” Bo says.

Trust Issues. “My favorite type of fictional hero is the flirty, charming kind but in real life I don’t think I could trust a devastatingly handsome flirt, who’s rich and athletic…or maybe I just can’t trust women around him.” -Cynthia M.
Baggage. “I will finish a book with a flawed or damaged hero and think, ‘Oh, honey. You have no idea right now, but if you were not actually fictional, you would be dealing with that issue for the rest of your life with that man.’”- Heidi D. A fictional hero’s sad backstory that includes a drug addicted father, a mother who’s a prostitute, and a three legged dog arouses our sympathy. But none of us desire to spend Thanksgiving dinner across the table from those in-laws.
Cougar Town. Heroes are usually around the age of thirty. It’s well and good for a man to be thirty. But when you’re sixty and you have to bring your fictional thirty year old hero to a party where he meets your real life thirty-five year old son — it’s awkward. It no longer feels romantic. Things have now crossed over into creepy land. “My biggest problem with the heroes is that most times they are quite a bit younger than me. Not happy to be a cougar!” – June H.
We’d be rendered useless. If we were married to a romance novel hero “we wouldn’t get any ‘real life’ done for sitting around drooling over our husbands all day long.” – Carrie S. It’s fairly impractical to marry a fictional hero. If we’re incapacitated with adoration and infatuation who’s going to pack lunches and load the dishwasher and call to schedule orthodontic appointments and give the dog a bath?
Suffocation. Jessica W. says, “We all love that heroes constantly think about the girl in their life, but in reality….” that would grow extremely tiresome. Yeesh! Quit hovering, fictional hero man. Just go play golf already. Think about making par and let me have some breathing room to read some other guy’s romance novel.
Procreation. Well? It’s not possible to ‘go forth and multiply’ with fictional heroes and some of us would like to become mothers to non-make-believe children.
Limited Actions. “Fictional heroes only make appearances for the big stuff–first dates, first fights, first kisses, weddings… Real life heroes are there for the real stuff. Going to the store to buy tampons when you’re too tired. Changing the baby in the middle of the night. Cleaning up vomit. And a whole lot more.” -author Leslie G.
Perfection. “He needs to have some flaw I can complain about, right?” – Darcy S. “If our husbands were perfect, then we would be worshiping them instead of God.” – Tonya R. “They are prettier than us! Who wants that??”-author Jill B.
Broody-ness. You’re at a church function and you’re laughing with one of the men in your Sunday school class when you happen to glance across the room and see that your fictional hero (dressed in a Regency cravat and tailcoat) is staring at you. His mouth is a thin line. His eyes are burning like turquoise coals. You groan. He’s jealous. Good grief! Again?! Which means he’ll remain silent for the rest of the evening and spend lots of time stalking around looking anguished.

So there you have it! As much as I enjoy reading and writing romance novels, I’m very pro real life husbands.

about the author

Author Pic

Becky’s a California native who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and settled in Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market before putting her career on hold for several years to care for her three children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. She loves writing funny, modern, and inspirational contemporary romance! She’s the Carol Award and Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award winning author of My Stubborn Heart and the Texas-set Porter Family series: Undeniably Yours, Meant to Be Mine, and A Love Like Ours, and Her One and Only.

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GIVEAWAY! TWO WINNERS WIN COPIES OF

ALL 4 BOOKS IN THE PORTER FAMILY SERIES

May 3 – May 13, 2016

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Supernatural Freak Blog Tour and Giveaway

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Supernatural Freak
by Louisa Klein
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: January 30th 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

When paranormal expert Robyn Wise is offered an outrageous sum of money to cure a boy who is turning into a dead tree, she’s very sceptical. A politician ready to pay that much to make his son stop growing branches instead of hair? Come on! She’s more likely to be abducted by aliens. This is a trap. Or much worse. And, of course, it’s much worse.

The child is turning into a dark portal, created by a powerful entity determined to absorb Fairyland’s power. This means that not only queen Titania and her court are in danger, but the very balance of the magic fluxes.

Robyn’d rather stick a pencil in her own eye but, to learn how to destroy the portal, she has to sneak into the Wizardry Council, a place full of wizards who are hiding something—though it’s certainly not their dislike of her.

There, she discovers a terrible secret that could help to overthrow Fairyland’s enemies for good, but puts her in the midst of an ancient and deadly war, and not as a bystander, but as the main target.

Excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

Stood up by the shaman

Faced with being alone in the middle of nowhere at night, the true Londoner doesn’t lose her head but takes a deep breath, smoothes her jacket, and goes in search of a bobby or a black cab. Only foreigners freak out in such circumstances. Londoners, on the other hand, being the most British of all British people, never ever freak out. Still, when you are a paranormal expert who’s in a deserted area of the Docks and are supposed to heal a werewolf with the aid of a shaman who hasn’t shown up, I’m afraid the only reasonable reaction is to…

“Run!” Mr Wilson growls, getting worryingly hirsute. He has a point. A skinny girl in her twenties is no match for a werewolf, and I don’t think that telling him I’m a dog person would make much of a difference. Trouble is that he’s standing between me and my car, so my only option is to run in the opposite direction. My feet sink into the sand of the Thames’ shore, the river a creepy black ribbon untouched by the full moon’s rays. It takes what looks like ages to cross the sand and reach the building site a hundred yards away. I should have never trusted that damn shaman. How could I have been so stupid? A long howl fills the air. My client has now fully transformed. In a second he will pick up my scent and hunt me down.

Buy Links:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Louisa Klein lives in the UK but was born in Germany and brought up in Southern Europe by a German dad and an Italian and French mum, which made her a little confused at first. She has a degree in Medieval Studies and a postgraduate one in Marketing. She’s been working in publishing on and off since she was 17 and currently is a freelancer and an Urban Fantasy writer. At night she puts on a mask and fights British crime. She gets very little sleep.

Author Links:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Blog Tour Organized by:

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Infinite Dolls Review and Giveaway

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Infinite Dolls by Emalynne Wilder
Publication date: May 3rd 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Rating: 4/5

Book Summary:

Born to be the best.

Head of his class.

No strings attached.

The third year of medical school is supposed to be the hardest, but Callum Trovatto has no idea what he’s about to face when Everly Anne Brighton stands between him and a passing grade, shaking up his world with her secrets, and digging into his dark past.

Hopeless.

Trapped by her father’s rules.

Longing for freedom.

Expected to die before her twenty-first birthday at the hands of a rare medical condition, Everly Brighton begins to defy the carefully crafted routine her father enforces to keep her alive, despite the fact that it could kill her.

INFINITE DOLLS is an emotionally charged love story about finding faith, coping with loss and living in the preciousness of Now.

Purchase:

Amazon | iBooks | B&N

My Review:

Infinite Dolls is a charming romance about Callum whom is on his third year in medical school, and a girl named Everly that just happens to be his differential for the rest of the year. The entire class is told they have to diagnose Everly for their semester grade. Callum is instantly drawn to Everly. She isn’t like most girls, and he seems to bump into her in other places outside of school. He only get’s 5 minutes a day with her during class, but soon that time isn’t enough and he starts offering to walk her home, take her out to dinner, and just wants to spend more and more time with her. But the longer he’s around her, the more he is drawn to her, the more he realizes he can’t possibly let her go a day without him, no matter what her illness is.

The overall plot of the story was incredible. I loved the fact that Everly was the differential and that was how they met! It was a concept I haven’t read in a single book so far! I loved their meet cute. It was adorable. Callum is so put off his game when it’s his turn to ask her questions that he doesn’t even ask very good questions. I also especially loved how their love story transpired. A good portion of the book was spent on them falling in love and it made it seem just so real!

Another thing I loved about the book was that the adult scenes weren’t overdone, and they don’t even happen until their love is already definite. Some NA authors these days throw in alot of adult scenes, but it takes away the meaning of the story and the power in their love. Infinite Dolls was just pure beauty.

Callum and Everly were both well defined characters and you can’t help but love them right from the start.

There were only two things I didn’t like about the story and one was that I felt it was a little drawn out. I understand that the author wanted to give us everything about their story and leave us with a sense of closure, but it still felt a little long. The other had to do with Anemia from nutritional deficiencies. I just think that if a person had this kind of Anemia, they would go to certain lengths to change their diet to make sure they were getting the proper nutrients in their body, no matter what. Perhaps I misread or misunderstood what was happening at this point in the story, but this is how it felt to me. Other than that, I loved this book!

Infinite Dolls is fun, charming, romantic, and simply beautiful! If you enjoy a good love story with some tears then be sure to check out Infinite Dolls and grab a tissue! 🙂

About the Author:

Emalynne Wilder is the voice of the Broken-Hearted. The Forgotten. The Unheard. Painfully shy in person. Unapologetic on paper. She’s the girl listening to your dirt from the corner of the room as she plots how to turn tragedy into triumph.

Author links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Of Brine and Blood Book Blitz and Giveaway

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Of Brine & Blood by B. Longino Smith
(Brine Series, #1)
Publication date: May 1st 2016
Genres: Adventure, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

In 1700 century England, a women’s purpose is only served in a home. But Kitrina Harvey has no home and the only place she feels will keep the memory of her father alive, is at sea. However, when she inexplicably finds herself on the ship of the infamous female pirate captain, Charlotte de Berry, she may have counted her good fortune too soon.

While Kit may have found a family among the motley crew of outlaws, and perhaps even a special interest in a particular pirate named Gage, is she ready to be a pirate herself?

Kit must ask herself what she is willing to do to please the pirate captain, made even more complicated when she finds out that her life is much more entangled in Charlotte’s than she originally believed.

Can she kill even when she discovers that she and Charlotte share a common enemy?

Set atop the planks of the great Athena, Of Brine & Blood is a fictionalized retailing of one of history’s infamous female pirates, through the eyes of a girl coming of age among the contrasting themes of love, revenge and power. Liberally sensationalized, Of Blood and Brine, follows the twisting trail of Kitrina Harvey’s life, as she recounts Captain Charlotte de Berry’s own story of love, loss and murder.

Excerpt:

Thomas adjusted his spectacles again and lowered the parchment to look at me. I nodded letting him know that I had understood and agreed to the articles. With that, he produced a quill from his breast pocket and handed it to me. He then laid the parchment on the railing of the deck and held it open so the wind would not catch it. I quickly scripted my signature and then held out my hand to return the pen. Thomas received it with his right hand but then made to grab my still extended arm with his left. He continued to hold my wrist as he replaced the quill in his pocket.

Holding my palm close to his face, he reached to his belt with his unoccupied hand, unsheathing a small blade. I automatically took a step back, tugging my hand as I went. But Thomas pulled me abruptly back to him, and in one fluid swipe, he pricked the flesh on my thumb.

As he let go of my wrist and went to replace his dagger, I stared in astonishment at the small drop of blood beginning to pool on the pad of my finger. Now, Thomas held the parchment out for me again, but this time I was confused. Reading my misunderstanding, he again took my hand and directed my thumb to the scroll pressing it next to my name. When he let go, I retracted my hand, but left behind was the red, wet smudge of my thumbprint in blood.

I looked up at Thomas with wide eyes. He seemed amused by my expression and continued to look smugly at me for a moment more before he turned to the captain. She had been watching us and her dimpled smile had returned.

“Do you have any questions, Kitrina?” she asked. I shook my head more in habit than in directly answering her question, feeling the accelerated beat of my heart in the flat of my thumb. “Alright then, Mr. Hamilton, please show Kitrina to a bucket and brush to swab the main deck,” she directed.

Thomas made for the stairs, and I followed, but soon spun back towards her. “Aye, yes, I do have a question, Captain,” I stammered trying to get out my question, as it formed in my mind.

She looked down at me, her dark eyes appearing to peer intrudingly deep into mine, waiting for me to go on.

Sheepishly I asked her, “What is our trade, Captain? Where is this ship destined?” I was suddenly, and embarrassingly, aware that I did not know the nature of our voyage.

At this, she threw her head back laughing. She lifted her grip on the helm, and it began to spin, slowly at first, but gradually it picked up speed sending the boat in a wide turn. Her laugh, growing from a small chuckle in correlation with the speed of the helm, echoed into a maniacal cackle.

Sails shifted, and men upon the deck rushed to account for the change of direction, pulling lines and adjusting the riggings. Smaller objects tumbled from portside to starboard and crashed into the rails. Thomas and I both made a grab for the deck railing to steady ourselves.

When she finally angled her chin back down at me to speak, her eyes were dancing. “Why, where ever the wind may take us!” she howled. She grabbed the helm again, at last pulling the ship out of its turn, but threw her head back and continued to snicker. The sound was ominous.

As Thomas pulled me towards the steps, I could feel that shock had frozen my face into a mixture of bewilderment and terror. I hurried to rearrange my features but leaned into Thomas as we walked to retrieve a pail and brush.

“Is she mad?” I whispered, unable to hold in my inquiry, seeing the wild look in her eyes again, though my back was now to her. He turned his head sharply, and I immediately regretted asking it, for I was sure to be punished for speaking ill of the captain. When he spoke, his expression settled into something less severe but still stern.

“I have been sailing with Charlie for five years and have been at sea for twelve before that. I have never seen her equal at sea. She hears the call of the ocean as if it speaks directly to her. She has an unparalleled intuition and knows what ships to run towards and which ones to run from. She is fair with her men and I hold her at the highest respect,” he said before pausing and setting me with a firm look again to convey that I should understand he meant every word.

Then he continued, “But mad you ask? Yes, in that regard too, I have never met her equal.”

Purchase Link:

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

Brittany lives with her husband and daughter just two miles away from the beach on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. The backdrop serves as a constant reminder, and motivator, in her nautical historical fiction projects.

Her current series in progress, the Brine Series, has been a story that she has ‘picked at’ for over five years. In the beginning, Brittany only had the undeniable compulsion to bring the vivid characters in her mind, to life, by recording their story on paper. However, only more recently have her characters become increasingly disgruntled by not having their story shared with others. Brittany’s husband sided with her characters.

In the winter of 2015, after the first installment of the Brine Series, Of Brine and Blood, was complete; the second book, Of Bitter and Brine, was written and being revised; and the third installment, Brine: The Beginning, was outlined, Brittany’s husband had had enough of talking about characters that were only real in the Smith household. As a Christmas present, Steven sent Of Brine and Blood off to a (fabulous) editor, unbeknownst to Brittany until Christmas morning.

With the overwhelming encouragement from Victoria (fabulous editor extraordinare), and the unwavering support from her husband, Brittany began her publishing journey. She is indescribably excited to be sharing her characters and their adventure with others.

Brittany also feels as though this brief bio does not adequately include the recognition of her daughter, mother, father, sister and all others who have been invaluable sources of motivation, inspiration, and support.

To get updates on new releases in the Brine Series please visit: www.blsbooks.com

Author Links:

Twitter / Website / Facebook / Goodreads

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Happy Mother’s Day Kindle Fire Giveaway!

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Mother’s Day Kindle Fire Giveaway

An awesome group of bloggers and authors have joined with me to bring you one fabulous prize!

One lucky winner will receive…

A Kindle Fire + Amazon Gift Code to fill it will ebooks ($250 Value)

Alternately the winner can choose $250 in Paypal Cash

Thanks for this fabulous group of authors & bloggers who have sponsored this giveaway!

Sponsor List
I Am A Reader
Simple Wyrdings
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Cynthia Luhrs Author
Laurie Here – Cont Fiction and More
Heather Boyd, Historical Romance Author
Krysten Lindsay Hager author
Diana’s Book Reviews
Every Free Chance Books
FLYLēF Book Reviews
Tamara Gill
Love. Without You
The Page Unbound
Glistering Bs Blog
Joshua David Bellin
A Leisure Moment
Toi Thomas
Helen Smith
Megan Tayte (romance author)
My Crazy Bookish Life
The Serious Reader
Cool Cat Mysteries
Barefoot by the Sea
inspiredbooksguide
Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf
Author Mary Ting
Lori’s Reading Corner
Beth M. Honeycutt
Jennifer Bardsley
Heather Gray
The Candid Cover
Author Dorothy Dreyer

Giveaway Details

Kindle Fire + Amazon Gift Code ($250 value) or $250 in Paypal Cash

Ends 5/7/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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