Spirit Warriors: The Burning, Author Interview with D.E.L. Connor

Posted on February 7, 2016 by The Page Unbound

The Burning

Spirit Animals Book 3

by D.E.L. Connor

Genre: YA / Fantasy / Coming of Age

Publisher: Booktrope Publishing

Date of Publication: September 21, 2015

# of pages: 357

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Praise for the books:

“There is something special about a book/series when you feel like you’ve come home to family/friends in the first chapter. That is how I feel when I begin each new book in this series. I find I care more about each character as the series progresses.” – Amazon Reviewer

“I have been a huge fan of this series. After the second book I wasn’t exactly sure how this one would develop. Hands down it is the best book of the series so far.” – Goodreads Reviewer

“The Concealing is one of the best books that I have read in a long time…You will fall head over heels in love with all of the characters and the plot as well in The Concealing.” – The Avid Reader

“I was glued to the book from the moment I began reading it and was sad when it ended, because it ended. I can very easily visualise this book as a film, the descriptions are detailed enough to make it a great opportunity for a film. Amazing.” — Cookie Book Reviews

“A great young adult series along the formulaic values of the “Twilight” series. Also a wonderful book for adults who want to immerse themselves in a world full of youth and American Indian heritage.” — Respect the Books

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Author Interview:

Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured if your book? If so, discuss them. The Spirit Warriors series focuses on the beauty and traditions of the Native American nations. I was born in South Dakota and raised in Montana, where the culture of the Wild West lingers to this day. You can journey in Lewis & Clark’s path, walk in the footsteps of the warriors at The Battle of Little Bighorn, crawl in a tepee, and see artifacts from a world far removed from the one we live in. My hope with this series is to introduce a new generation to a world they never knew existed. Although the books do have a fantasy element to them and the tribe in the books is really a compilation of beliefs of several plains tribes, the magic and wonder of the Native American world gives wings to anyone’s imagination.

What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example. I actually have two days jobs. I am a nursing professor and I practice as a family nurse practitioner. Having been a nurse for a number of years nothing is unusual or off limits when it comes to the human body. When I write I forget this until my editor puts a note similar to this in the manuscript, “ICK! No one cares about what came out or went in. Cut the nurse jargon!” I must confess that I now put in the goriest nurse stories just to see what she will say!

Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)? I love this question! I don’t stand on my head but I do write and edit my books on my Fitbike. In case you haven’t seen one, it looks like an exercise bike but it has a laptop desk attached to the handlebars. I’m trying to be more active when I am writing otherwise I sit for hours just typing away. It does take some getting use and the seat is hard on your bottom.

What book do you wish you could have written? Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I am a huge fan of his! I have a paperback copy of Lonesome Dove that once belonged to my grandfather and it stays by my bedside. I bet I have read it a thousand times. He is a master storyteller and character builder. One day I hope to meet him. Now that would be a dream come true except I would probably stammer and stutter and embarrass myself!

What is something you want to accomplish before you die? How did you know I had an author bucket list? I want to finish the story of my dad’s life growing up in the Depression on the barren prairies of Montana. I have several other stories that I have started that have nurses as the main characters and I am excited to highlight my beloved profession. And I would love to meet Larry McMurtry! If anyone out there can help me with that, well I would be ecstatic!

If you had a spirit animal what would it be?

I would be an eagle. What I would give to soar in the skies and glide on the wind. I would own the heavens!

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Della Connor (D.E.L. Connor) was born in South Dakota and raised in Southeastern Montana where she acquired a keen appreciation for Western and Native American culture. She moved to Texas as a young adult and acquired her honorary Texan status. She became a registered nurse, a nurse practitioner and eventually earned her PhD in nursing. She still works as a nurse educator and as a nurse practitioner. Her nights and weekends, however, are filled with her stories and books. Her first book, Spirit Warriors:The Concealing, was published by Booktrope Publishing in November of 2014. The second book in the series Spirit Warriors: The Scarring published on July 21, 2014 and Spirit Warriors: The Burning rolled out on September 21, 2015.The Spirit Warriors story evolved from a short story she wrote for a college English class in the early 1990s. The professor read it, loved it and asked her to stay after class and discuss it. During this discussion, he told her that a “dark” story like hers, which was written for older children, would be unmarketable and unsaleable. The story kept floating around in her mind. Finally, J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyers and others stepped forward with amazing “dark” stories to create a new genre called Young Adult. The time was finally right for her book. She wrote book 1 in two weeks. It took another year and a half and about a 150 queries all with a “not interested” for her to find a publisher.

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2/7 The Page Unbound – Author Interview

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The Omen Operation Review

Posted on February 6, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Omen Operation

by Taylor Brooke

Release Date: January 26th 2016

Limitless Publishing

Book Summary

After an epidemic spreads through the country, Brooklyn Harper’s high school years come to an abrupt end.

Implanted in a rural camp, Brooklyn and her friends are cut off from their families and the outside world. Each day is filled with combat training to assure their safety against the crazed, belligerent, and deadly— those infected with a mysterious virus.

If the world couldn’t get any crazier, a letter ups the insanity…

After being assured day after day that the world outside their little camp had been compromised, Brooklyn’s cabin-mate, Dawson Winters, finds a letter that turns everything they’d known upside down. There is a world outside the trees that surrounds their camp, and the virus they all feared seems non-existent.

Determined to see it herself, Brooklyn plots with others to attempt an escape…

On the outside, Brooklyn finds the world is as normal as ever. But when they are attacked in the city, they dispose of their attackers far more efficiently than any normal human.. Is there more to Brooklyn and her friends then just being highly trained?

As their exploration continues, the group is faced with impossible feats. Betrayal, love, death, and a powerful sense of camaraderie lead Brooklyn and her friends to fight for their life, their freedom, and most of all, each other.

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My Review

Brooklyn’s life changed forever one night with the attack of woman that seemed to be suffering from a mysterious virus. Since then, her life spiraled to a point where she is taken away from her parents and all that she knew.

While it may not be for everyone, I love books that start from the ground running. From the moment you start, you are taken on a whirlwind of action scenes and amazing tension that gets your heart pumping. I love well written action scenes and this book did not disappoint! I must say that I started biting my nails at some points. This book has so many amazing elements in it. The mysterious virus, intriguing characters, government conspiracies, genetic alterations, and crazy plot twists that had my head reeling.
I enjoyed how well-rounded each character is in this book. Brooklyn’s friends are all very diverse with their own special characteristics and can kick butt. Especially Brooklyn’s best friend Gabriel (who is a girl by the way), who’s interest in cosmetology does not sway her from her adrenaline junkie, butt kicking, bloodthirsty antics. Brooklyn’s love interest, Porter, was a great character as well. Without spoiling too much, his initial motivations are not what they seem. While their affection at times may be a bit rushed, I really liked the dynamic between them and what it meant for the character arc of Porter.

Overall this book was such a triller for me. The way Brooke builds her action and tension in scenes is so great. It really was right up my alley of what I most enjoy. I’m really looking forward to reading the next one after an ending like that. I recommend everyone finds a comfy seat while reading this because you’ll be on the edge of it.

About the Author

Taylor Brooke is the author of the upcoming sci-fi adventure trilogy The Isolation Series. She started out as a freelance makeup artist, and quickly discovered her love of elves, zombies, mermaids, kaiju, and monsters of all kinds. After receiving eight professional certifications in special effects makeup, working on countless projects, and fleshing out a multitude of fantastical creatures, she turned her imagination back to her one true love- books. Taylor has had a knack for writing since she was a little girl, and received recognition for her skills throughout grade school and junior college. When she’s not nestled in a blanket typing away on her laptop, she can be found haunting the local bookstore with a cup of steaming hot tea in her hands, scanning the shelves for new reads, or hiking one of the many mountains that surround her home in Oregon.

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Stormwielder Review

Posted on February 5, 2016 by The Page Unbound

By Aaron D. Hodges

Release Date: December 1st 2015

Book Summary from Goodreads

For five hundred years the Gods have united the Three Lands in harmony.

Now that balance has been shattered, and chaos threatens.

A town burns and flames light the night sky. Hunted and alone, seventeen year old Eric flees through the wreckage. The mob grows closer, baying for the blood of their tormentor. Guilt weighs on his soul, but he cannot stop, cannot turn back.

If he stops, they die.

For two years he has carried this curse, bringing death and destruction wherever he goes. But now there is another searching for him – one who offers salvation. His name is Alastair and he knows the true nature of the curse. Magic.

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My Review

Stormwielder is the fantasy book you want to read. Some fantasy books will have too much information or are too fast paced but this one really takes you along the journey of it’s characters, making you interested from the very beginning.

Literally from chapter one I knew that this was going to be a quick read. The main character Eric is cursed with a power he can’t control. He’s been traveling alone in exile for two years when he decides to venture into civilization once again. However, before he can even adapt to the fast paced bustle of the marketplace, he is tricked and attacked. Only it is not his attackers that cause the real trouble.

I really felt sympathetic from the beginning for Eric. The way he describes his actions and the emotions he cannot control really pulls you in and moves the story along. I also found it really interesting reading the different perspective of Gabriel as well and what has just changed his life forever. Both were very interesting, like mirror opposites, and it was a great addition to pulling you in the story. Eric’s character arc was also a very nice and well paced journey that unfolded. While he has been plagued with guilt since his powers developed, he really begins to gain his confidence and control over his abilities.

Then we have the mysterious Alistair (who I honestly at first pictured as a cross between Gandalf and Wolverine) basically older, slightly grumpy, and determined butt kicker with surprising agility. It fit for some reason. Alistair begins the book in his journey for purpose and living the glory days of his youth.

I most certainly recommend this book. Especially for people that are reading fantasy for the first time. I was really impressed by Hodges ability to world build steadily through this book and had no trouble at all understanding it. The characters really push the story along, the action scenes are great, and even the slower paced scenes do not drag at all. Overall, a pretty good read and I look forward to the next one.

About the Author

Aaron Hodges was born in 1989 in the small town of Whakatane, New Zealand. He studied for five years at the University of Auckland, completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of Environmental Engineering. After working as an environmental consultant for two years, he now spends his time traveling the world in search of his next adventure.

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Slumber Duology Book Blitz and Giveaway

Posted on February 4, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Slumber (The Slumber Duology #1)
by Christy Sloat
Release Date: March 16th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

Not all princesses get their happily ever after…
They tell me I killed my boyfriend Phillip in cold blood. I stabbed him twenty one times. I’m only seventeen years old, and I am serving life in Spindle Ridge Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
I don’t remember killing him, so it’s really hard to believe I’m capable of murder. In fact I don’t remember anything before I came to Spindle Ridge, not even my boyfriend.
I can only grasp onto my realistic dreams while the madness of the asylum threatens to pull me under. I dream I’m a beautiful princess and there is an evil faerie named Maleficent who is bent on my destruction. The dreams are the closest thing I have to memories of my life, except they aren’t real.
I’m crazy. I’m not a princess.
They’re the mad illusions of an irrational teenage girl, right?
They’ve assigned me a new doctor, and she says I can trust her, and that she’ll help me see the truth of who I really am.
When she arrived she brought a new patient, Sawyer, who is everything Spindle Ridge isn’t: exciting, mysterious and beautiful. He promises he’s here to rescue me. Trusting either of them frightens me.
Could it be possible that my dreams are more than just the imaginings of a delusional girl? Could they be truth?

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Awaken (The Slumber Duology #2)

by Christy Sloat

Release Date: November 17th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

“Happily ever after is hers for the taking.”

Once upon a time I found myself locked away in Spindle Ridge Asylum, punished for a murder I didn’t commit. It was all part of Maleficent’s evil plan. I didn’t remember who I was then … now I do. My name is Aurora, and I am the rightful queen of this realm. Armed with my memories, I’m ready to take charge of my kingdom once more. Happily ever after evades me, yet I long to claim it with my true love, Sawyer, beside me. That fairy tale ending seems impossible with him locked in the thralls of a sleeping curse. As much as I’d love to sit by his bedside and eagerly await a cure, I must first travel into the terrifying Dark Woods to stop Raven from stripping me of all that is rightfully mine. I am not only a queen, but a warrior who will fight for her kingdom. Some may die. Blood will be shed. But when this ending comes, I will settle for nothing less than a blissful ever after.

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About the Author

Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother’s loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor’s Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come.

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Burning Bright Book Blitz and Giveaway

Posted on February 3, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Burning Bright
by Chanda Stafford
Release Date: January 25th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Three years ago, Samantha Gray killed her parents.

Haunted by their deaths, she hides her scars behind sarcasm and vintage t-shirts, counting the days until she can escape her foster home in Alegria, Arizona. Then she meets Ben, a California boy whose filmmaker parents constructed a big cat sanctuary outside of town. She’s hesitant to get close, terrified he’ll learn her secret.

When Ben introduces Sam to Solomon, a Bengal tiger on borrowed time whose gruesome history eerily mirrors her own, she must decide whether she’s strong enough to overcome her past and save not only Solomon’s life, but her own. And to do that, she’ll need to tell Ben the truth.

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About the Author

Chanda Stafford teaches middle and high school English. She loves traveling and currently lives in Michigan with her husband and a menagerie of rescued dogs and cats.

When she’s not reading or writing, Chanda enjoys old zombie movies, authentic Italian food, and comic books.
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Marked Book Blitz

Posted on February 1, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Marked
Amy Saunders
(The Birthright, #2)
Publication date: January 31st 2016
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Starting over for Rosamund Brandt is more complicated than it sounds. Especially when the past keeps coming back to haunt her. As she and her mom and brother try to pick up the pieces in a new home, the universe seems determined to tear them apart even more as secrets multiply, and distrust grows.

While new threats and unknowns emerge, Rosamund struggles with her own inner battle. Her new powers are growing whether she wants them or not, and their origins and nature are sketchy at best. The more that’s revealed to her, the more uncertain she feels.

Choosing allies and facing new and old enemies alike may not be their biggest problems. Not if Rosamund’s worst fears come true. Could she be the one they should fear the most?

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Sequel to:

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EXCERPT:

Xavier turned his back to me, disappearing among the students walking in all directions. I gulped down the lump in my throat, and headed toward my locker on autopilot. I walked straight down the middle of the hallway, students veering around me one way or the other. Each step was like the last, until gravel crunched beneath my boot.

I stopped walking and glanced down. Instead of tile, I saw charred black gravel. When I looked back up, I was standing in a virtual field of the stuff. There was nothing else around me except some hills the same color. The sky was gray and wind blew strands of my hair across my face. When I brushed the hair away, I saw something glint among the rocks near my feet.

I bent down, brushing the blackened dirt away, revealing something silver. I grazed the edge of it with my fingertips, then plunged my fingers into the gravel, pulling out the object. I stood again, my hand wrapped around it. When I glanced up, I was back in the hallway, students parting around me.

Another memory. Each one seemed to get more vivid and real.

But then I felt something cold in my hand.

I slowly unwrapped my fingers, and charcoaled dirt sifted between them onto the floor, leaving behind a 3-D silver serpentine object the size of my palm. My hand shook. That wasn’t just a memory. I’d physically done something. Or, more to the point, I’d gone somewhere. And I was pretty sure it wasn’t on Earth.

I covered the object in my hand again. I took a step forward, totally ready to skip class to go have a meltdown in the bathroom, when someone grabbed my arm, dragging me across the hall into an empty classroom. I wrenched away, facing the guy from detention–who didn’t exist in school records.

“What are you doing?” he hissed. “Didn’t you grow up like this? I thought you’d know better.”

Author Bio:

Amy is a sci-fi/mystery addict with a soft spot for humor and romance. She lives in Massachusetts, and loves to bake and watch movies. Learn more about Amy and her books at http://amysaundersauthor.com.

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Desperate for Death Promo

Posted on February 1, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Desperate for Death
A Kelly O’Connell Mystery
by Judy Alter
Genre: Cozy Mystery / Suspense
Publisher: Alter Ego Press
Date of Publication: January 9, 2016
# of pages: 228

Synopsis

Just when Kelly’s life has calmed, she faces yet another of life’s puzzles. Except the pieces in this one don’t fit. First the apartment behind her house is torched, then a string of bizarre “accidents” occur to set her off-balance. Who is stalking her? Where does the disappearance of a young girl and her disreputable boyfriend fit in? And why are two men using the same name? Is the surprise inheritance another part of the puzzle? At a time when she is most vulnerable, Kelly can’t make the pieces fit. Before Kelly can get the whole picture, she helps the family of a hostage, rescues a kidnap victim and attends a wild and wonderful wedding.

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Praise for Desperate for Death

Once again, Kelly is thrust into action when her family and friends are targeted by a deranged convict and this time Kelly has more to protect. I enjoyed this fast-paced and well written drama that continues to get better and better with a strong and determined heroine and a secondary cast that plays a pivotal role in the telling of this tale. It was fun watching this mystery played out with all the key elements that lead to a fulfilling finale and I especially enjoyed Keisha presence in this book. This is by far the best book in this series and I hope there are more to come in this engaging series.—Dru Ann L Love

One satisfying aspect of Desperate for Death which sets it apart from other murder mysteries is its staccato action in which everything happens at once, little seems connected, and life becomes a series of challenges. Fast-paced action keeps readers involved in not only events, but Kelly’s response to them, and in her efforts to keep her head above stormy waters.—Diane Donovan, Senior E-book Review Editor, Midwest Book Review

Judy Alter’s books just keep getting better. Her characters have real growth and the plots get harder to figure out. This one is her best of this genre….David Hartley Burlingame

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What kind of writing do you do?

Over the years I’ve written fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers. For years, my main focus was on the experiences of women in the 19^th-Century West, and I wrote everything from a small “pick-up” book called Extraordinary Women of Texas to longish fictional biographies of such women as Elizabeth Bacon Custer, Jessie Benton Frémont, Wild West Cowgirl Lucille Mulhall, and Etta Place of the Hole in the Wall gang. They are now available online.

When that market dried up or my publisher gave up on me, I began to do work-for hire for companies that published for school libraries. I’ve written state histories, presidential biographies, books on passenger ships, the Santa Fe Trail, mapping the West, vaccines, and on down a long and varied list of topics I never would have investigated on my own.

Now I write cozy mysteries—more about that below—but this spring I will have another historical novel, The Gilded Cage. Set in Chicago (my hometown) it covers the city’s history from the 1840s through the Columbian exposition and focuses on Potter Palmer (of hotel fame) and his wife, Cissie, a noted philanthropist and a fascinating women.

Why did I choose to write in a particular field or genre?

This girl from the Midwest never expected to find herself in Texas, let alone graduate school. But there I was, working on a Ph.D. in English at Texas Christian University. I was fascinated by the literature and art of the American West. My then-husband fancied himself a sculptor, and we studied the work of Remington and Russell at the nearby (and free) Amon Carter Museum. In classes I read works by Elmer Kelton, Benjamin Capps, Wallace Stegner and others. The western was my field, although I never thought I could write fiction. When I first tried my hand at it the novel, After Pa Was Shot, was set in Texas. It sold as young-adult fiction.

My turns to mysteries in the last ten years came about because I’ve been a lifelong fan of mysteries. Finally I said to myself, if so many others can write in this genre, surely I can too. Today I have ten mysteries either in print or about to be reissued.

What I read in my spare time

Mysteries, of course, and a few women’s titles. I just finished Foreign Eclairs by Julie Hyzy, a wonderful tension-filled book with characters you’d love to know. I’m sad it’s the last of the White House Chef Series. On the other hand, I was privileged to read the unpublished version of Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert, exploring the personal life of Eleanor Roosevelt and journalist Lorena Hickok. The book will launch in February. I don’t read much belles lettres or nonfiction though an occasional title will hold my attention. I figure reading mysteries is part of improving my craft.

Projects I am currently working on

Getting ready to launch The Gilded Cage, mentioned above. I also have to format Skeleton in a Dead Space for inclusion in a boxed set of first-in-the-series books. Skeleton is the first in my Kelly O’Connell Mysteries; Desperate for Death is the sixth. And then there’s a half-written sequel to The Perfect Coed—it’s untitled so far but deals with the issue of open-carry. Hope I get it finished while it’s still timely in Texas. And I want to make digital versions of my other mysteries available—they disappeared when Turquoise Morning Press closed, and I am slowly republishing under my own Alter Ego Publishing imprint.

The book I wish I’d written

Wallace Stegner’s Angle of Repose

Speaking with an accent

If I could speak with any accent, it would be Scottish. In spite of my devotion to things western and Texan, my heart is in the Highlands, home of my MacBain Clan ancestors.

abouthteauthor

An award-winning novelist, Judy Alter is the author of six books in the Kelly O’Connell Mysteries series: Skeleton in a Dead Space, No Neighborhood for Old Women, Trouble in a Big Box, Danger Comes Home, Deception in Strange Places, and Desperate for Death. She also writes the Blue Plate Café Mysteries—Murder at the Blue Plate Café, Murder at the Tremont House and Murder at Peacock Mansion. Finally, with the 2014 The Perfect Coed, she introduced the Oak Grove Mysteries.

Her work has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. Judy is retired as director of TCU Press and the mother of four grown children and the grandmother of seven. She and her dog, Sophie, live in Fort Worth, Texas.

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1/28 The Crazy Booksellers — Promo

1/29 Because This is My Life Y’all — Review

1/30 All for the Love of the Word — Guest Post

1/31 My Book Fix Blog — Review

2/1 The Page Unbound — Promo

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Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows Book Blitz and Giveaway

Posted on January 31, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows
by Michelle Madow
Release Date: January 26th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Filled with magic, thrilling adventure, and sweet romance, Elementals is the first in a new series that fans of Percy Jackson and The Secret Circle will love!

When Nicole Cassidy moves from sunny Georgia to gloomy New England, the last thing she expects is to learn that her homeroom is a cover for a secret coven of witches. Even more surprisingly … she’s apparently a witch herself. Despite doubts about her newfound abilities, Nicole is welcomed into this ancient circle of witches and is bedazzled by their powers—and, to her dismay, by Blake—the school’s notorious bad-boy.

Girls who get close to Blake wind up hurt. His girlfriend Danielle will do anything to keep them away, even if she must resort to using dark magic. But the chemistry between Blake and Nicole is undeniable, and despite wanting to protect Nicole from Danielle’s wrath, he finds it impossible to keep his distance.

When the Olympian Comet shoots through the sky for the first time in three thousand years, Nicole, Blake, Danielle, and two others in their homeroom are gifted with mysterious powers. But the comet has another effect—it opens the portal to the prison world that has contained the Titans for centuries. After an ancient monster escapes and attacks Nicole and Blake, it’s up to them and the others to follow the clues from a cryptic prophecy so that they can save their town … and possibly the world.

Excerpt:

Everyone stared at me, and I looked to the front of the room, where a tall, lanky man in a tweed suit stood next to a blackboard covered with the morning announcements. His gray hair shined under the light, and his wrinkled skin and warm smile reminded me more of a grandfather than a teacher.
He cleared his throat and rolled a piece of chalk in his palm. “You must be Nicole Cassidy,” he said.
“Yeah.” I nodded and looked around at the other students. There were about thirty of them, and there seemed to be an invisible line going down the middle of the room, dividing them in half. The students near the door wore jeans and sweatshirts, but the ones closer to the wall looked like they were dressed for a fashion show instead of school.
“It’s nice to meet you Nicole.” The teacher sounded sincere, like he was meeting a new friend instead of a student. “Welcome to our homeroom. I’m Mr. Faulkner, but please call me Darius.” He turned to the chalkboard, lifted his hand, and waved it from one side to the other. “You probably weren’t expecting everything to look so normal, but we have to be careful. As I’m sure you know, we can’t risk letting anyone else know what goes on in here.”
Then the board shimmered—like sunlight glimmering off the ocean—and the morning announcements changed into different letters right in front of my eyes.

Buy Links:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBookstore / Kobo

About the Author:

Michelle Madow grew up in Baltimore, graduated Rollins College in Orlando, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida. She wrote her first book in her junior year of college, and has been writing novels since. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle has toured across America to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Book Blitz Organized By:

YA Bound Book Tours

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Copper Lake Promo

Posted on January 30, 2016 by The Page Unbound

Lone Star Literary Life Blog Tours

presents

COPPER LAKE

Book Three in the Stutter Creek Series

Ann Swann

They call him the Killer Cartographer because he carves the map coordinates of each victim on the femur of the one before. Then he tattoos the information on his skin. Can detective Kendra Dean bring him in or will she become his next tattoo?

BUY LINKS

AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE

KOBO iTUNES SMASHWORDS

Ann Swann was born in the small West Texas town of Lamesa. She grew up much like Stevie-girl in The Phantom Pilot series, though she never got up the nerve to enter the haunted house. Ann has done everything from answering 911 Emergency calls to teaching elementary school. She lives in Texas with her husband, Dude, one rescue dog, two rescue cats, and a part-time box turtle named Piggy. When she’s not writing, Ann is reading. Her to-be-read list has grown so large it has taken on a life of its own. She calls it Herman.

Books by Ann Swann

2011 Stevie-girl and The Phantom Pilot – Cool Well Press

2012 Stevie-girl and The Phantom Student – Cool Well Press

2013 Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge – Createspace

2012 All For Love – 5 Prince Publishing

2013 Stutter Creek (Book One) – 5 Prince Publishing

2015 Lilac Lane (Book Two) – 5 Prince Publishing

2016 Copper Lake (Book Three) – 5 Prince Publishing

2016 Takers: Apocalypse in Eden – coming soon

Short Fiction

“Bamboozled” Alfred Hitchcock Magazine

“Aftermath” Binnacle Magazine

“The Gap” and “In Search of Water” The Rusty Nail (previously published in The Sandstorm)

“Soul Gardener” Timeless: Cool Well Press, Anthology

“The Fee” A World of Terror: Grey Mouse Publishing, (formerly titled The Warning)

“SleepAway Pounds” Seasonal, Sweet, and Suspenseful, Anthology

“Chems” Createspace

BLOG FACEBOOK

GOODREADS TWITTER

Check out all the great blog stops on the tour!

1/28 Books and Broomsticks — Author Interview

1/29 bookishjessp — Promo

1/30 The Page Unbound — Promo

1/31 Missus Gonzo — Review

2/1 All for the Love of the Word – Author Interview

2/2 My Book Fix Blog — Review

2/3 Hall Ways — Promo

2/4 Because This is My Life Y’all — Review

2/5 The Crazy Booksellers — Promo

2/6 Texas Book-aholic — Review

blog tour services provided by

The Girl’s Guide to the Apocalypse Review

Posted on January 29, 2016 by The Page Unbound

The Girl’s Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: August 11th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic
Rating: 3/5

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Welcome to the Apocalypse. Your forecast includes acid rain, roving gangs and misplaced priorities, in this comedic take on the end of the world as we know it, from debut author Daphne Lamb.

As a self-entitled, self-involved, and ill equipped millennial, Verdell probably wouldn’t have ranked very high on the list of those most likely to survive the end of the world, but here she is anyway. Add in travelling with her work addicted boss, her boyfriend who she has “meh” feelings for, and a handful of others who had no businesses surviving as long as they have, and things aren’t exactly going as planned. But despite threats of cannibalism, infected water supplies, and possibly even mutants, Verdell is willing to put in as little effort as she can get away with to survive.

My Review:

What a charming, witty read! It reminded me a lot like the movie Shaun of the Dead, if you enjoy Shaun of the Dead, then I’m more than positive you will enjoy this book. It’s basically about the end of the world happening, people dying, and people that are either clueless to the situation, or just don’t really care and are too worried about every day stuff… and while they worry about those minuscule things, people are trying to kill other people. For instance, over Cheetos! Which is pretty comical!

The story follows Verdell Sonobe, a data coordinator that works for Mitchellwide Industries. Shes stuck in her office building for weeks once the virus hits. Those that are infected are placed in the stairwell. Meanwhile people are killing people over Cheetos. She also has a boyfriend, Bruce, whom she has been meaning to break up with for a long time, but she’s separated from Bruce at first. They are reunited once the people alive from the building are rescued and taken to safety. She finds out then that Bruce was just on a different floor the entire time she’s been stuck in her office building. While at safety people are sorted by different colors, and one of the groups happen to be where the celebrities are. Verdell and Bruce manage to bribe a guard into putting them in the celebrity group. Again, as the story progresses everyone just seems a little detached from what’s actually happening. Eventually Verdell and her comrades are having to fight off all kinds of crazy people. Cannibals, gangs, cults… and the list goes on. It’s an adventure for sure!

The commentary in the book is witty and clever and sometimes you just can’t help but smile or laugh at these people as the world falls apart around them, and some of them just seem so clueless. Verdell is a very delightful character, and I loved her interactions with the others in the book. This book is purely for entertainment and to make you chuckle. It’s funny, charming, and full of adventure at every turn. If you enjoy stories like Shaun of the Dead, that sort of dry humor (I call it the British humor, which I love!) then this book is definitely for you!

GirlsGuide

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Daphne

Daphne Lamb was raised in the wilds of Colorado and now resides in a very different wilderness known as Los Angeles. She is a comedian and award winning writer who has worked in television, film and video games. In her spare time, she enjoys collecting comic books, discussing awesomely bad movies and thinks about what it would be like to own a cat.

She loves connecting to fans and readers, so feel free to connect!

Author links:

Twitter | Website | Facebook

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