Monday, May 28, 2012

The House On Blackstone Moor Tour and Giveaway


“They say my father was mad, so corrupted by evil and tainted by sin that he did what he did. I came home to find them all dead; their throats savagely cut. My sisters only five and eight were gone as well as my brother who was twelve. My mother too lay butchered in her marriage bed. The bed her children were born in…”
Young Rose Baines discovers the savage murders of her family by her mad, incestuous father.
She is plunged into a nightmare of hell and is incarcerated in two madhouses after which she is helped to obtain a position as governess at Blackstone House.
The house is located on haunted moorland. Nothing is as it seems for Blackstone House and its inhabitants have hideous secrets. There is unimaginable horror there but there is love too--love that comes at a terrible price.
The story is as haunting as it is terrifying and will remain with the reader long after its disturbing tale has been told.



~Excerpt~
The air was still and somewhat warm. Low clouds hugged the horizon. There was thunder too from somewhere far away. I would have preferred to see the moors in the sunshine, for the moody atmosphere made it look grimly forbidding. Yet I didn’t wish to spoil the children’s fun.
“When you walk to town, go along through there—you see at the bottom of that cliff, there’s an old footpath there—too, you can’t miss it.”
I made a mental note of it, although I didn’t know when I might go.
The children both held onto me. “Mind your step.”
I listened, as they had already frightened me as to the moor’s dangerous conditions.
“And the weather changes so quickly, too.” Simon’s voice was grave. “Sometimes an entire herd of sheep have been known to perish!”
Ada shook her head. “Not so many as that, Simon; don’t be such a liar!”
Simon looked angry. “It’s true, I know it is so.”
“Well,” I said. “Whether it is or isn’t, I’m certain I shall be very careful where I tread.”
Each of them, it seemed to me, was vying with the other for my attention. Ada pointed out rocks and brush and Simon spoke of yet more doom and gloom.
Suddenly, they began to pull me forward. “This is the most fantastic thing you will ever see! Oh do hurry, Miss Baines!” Ada was most impatient.
Simon tapped her. “She will see it in her own good time.”
“What is it, children? What do you wish me to see?”
They exchanged mysterious looks to further dramatize the situation.
“Yonder! Miss! Do you want to see the ancient stone of legend?”
“What legend is that, Simon?”
Ada spoke up. “The legend of Blackstone Moor!”
They began to drag me then toward a rocky mount. “Just in here.”
I was led through a narrow crevice. It quite reminded me of Stonehenge. I wondered what it could be and began to grow excited, too.
Suddenly we stopped as Simon pointed at a large flat rock. “There, that’s it!”
It looked like a ledge that had been deliberately laid down. I went to touch it but Ada warned me. “Touch it only if you dare!”
“I dare!” I cried. The surface was far smoother than I would have imagined.
“See how black it is, Miss?”
“Quite black!” I agreed.
Simon nodded. “It’s as black as the eternal night! And do you know why it’s black, Miss Baines? It’s black with blood!”
“Simon!”
“Yes truly! It has blackened with blood and gore and innards and guts and things that soaked into the stone!”
“What a thing to say! Where did you hear such things?”
“I just know! Ada and I both know!”
I drew him aside. “Simon,” I chided. “You should know better. This is not something either of you should think about, but it’s worse for Ada since she’s younger than you.  You ought to know that.”
He looked down. “I suppose, but Ada’s older than you think!”
“Is she indeed, well I don’t think it appropriate, alright?”
“Yes, Miss Baines.”
“I don’t think it’s a subject for children. Besides, it’s probably not true anyway.”
He was agreeing with me, yet there appeared across his face the most quizzical look. “But there were human sacrifices practiced on these moors once and all manner of dark rites, too. Many people died here.”
This was making me feel sick.
“Who told you this?”
“No one.”
“Don’t lie, Simon.”
“Someone I can’t say…” Ada was watching him wide-eyed. Clearly she didn’t want him to give me a name, but I continued to press him.
At last he cracked. “Dora! It was Dora! Do you feel better now?!”
“It’s not that I feel better, I just wanted to know who told you such things.”
Ada looked at me intently. “Please, you won’t have Dora punished, will you?”
“No, of course not, but whatever do you mean?”
Ada shook her head. “She might be severely punished, that’s all.”
She quite unsettled me with that. But then I took it to mean she might be sacked. “Well, I shall only speak to her then, alright?”
“Oh yes, Miss. Thank you, Miss.”
I took their hands then and we headed back to the house, the children walking just ahead of me, whispering.
And I watching their backs, wondering what they were saying.
*
The perfect opportunity to speak with Dora came about shortly before I turned in, when she came to ask me if I’d care for a hot chocolate.
I went straight to the point. “Dora, the children mentioned ritual sacrifices on the moor—it’s not true, is it?”
She began to cry. Clearly, I had upset her. “I am sorry! I never meant no harm!”
“I know you didn’t but in the future I’d ask you not to discuss serious matters like that with Ada or Simon. Children are children, after all.”
“I shan’t say no more, Miss! But please, don’t tell the mistress.”
“Of course I won’t.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
“I am amazed at this whole thing. Surely it is a fabrication.”
“Oh, but it is true, Miss Baines. So help me. Blackstone isn’t the ancient name. It used to be called Bloody Stone Moor because of all the sacrifices performed there, thousands over the centuries. It’s all true you see, all of it.”
I nodded and watched her leave. Here I was settled into my new position but already something evil had frightened me.
Was evil here, too? Would I be forever troubled by dark forces or would I eventually know peace?

I totally know what you're thinking CREEPY...Right???

This book bundles creepy and freaky all into one really interesting book. It takes you on a trip that has you questioning every character and wondering if any one is a good guy in the whole book. Trust me even the ones you think are helping are far from it. I mean poor Rose she thinks she can trust these people, but really who can she trust....the good Doc? the Dartons...the Vicar? The Gypsy?
I think the worst part of the whole book was the "children"....Not Ada or Simon...creepy little kids (LOL) I can handle, I'm talking about Eco's "children". Now, those still show up in my nightmares! Sometimes I even think the turkey vultures on the side of the road are going to morph into one of them and attack....yep I don't like the "children"!!!!
This story is beyond what one could imagine a nightmare of demons, vampires, and more. A must read for any one wanting more of a edgy tale.

~Buy your own copy~

Author


Carole Gill


I wrote my first story at age 8. It was sci-fi but as both my parents were sci-fi fanatics it wasn’t a surprise.

I continued to write however life got in the way as it often does, and it wasn’t until 2000 that I turned back to writing. I joined a local writer’s workshop and was greatly encouraged to keep up with my writing and to send things out.
Shortly afterwards, I was selected by Northwest Playwrights of England for further development but found I preferred fiction writing.
Widely published in horror and sci-fi anthologies, The House on Blackstone Moor is my first novel. It is a tale of vampirism, madness, obsession and devil worship.
Set in 19th Century Yorkshire, its locales include Victorian madhouses as well as barren, wind-swept Yorkshire moors. The story is a marriage of horror and gothic romance. I think it can best be described as being gothic paranormal romantic horror.
I suppose you could say I want to put the Goth back into Gothic.
Living in the area the novel is set in, was very beneficial. Also, as a great admirer of the Brontes and frequent visitor to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, I found myself nearly obsessed with recreating the gothic romantic narrative.

Having been employed in a hospital which had been historically a workhouse and asylum in Victorian times, I was able to add great realism to the depiction of the asylums as described in my novel.

The sequel, Unholy Testament, is the confession of a demon to the woman he loves. It is nearing the end 
of its first draft and will be released shortly. 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*
Would you like to win a copy of this AWESOME BOOK?

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Special Guest Post By Adrienne deWolfe


Writer’s Relief!   Help for Aspiring Authors
By Adrienne deWolfe

“Is there some deep, dark secret to getting published? Why won’t an editor buy my book?”

As a book writing coach and multi-published author, I’m asked that question a lot.

Believe me, I can empathize with the pain of aspiring authors! Even after I’d achieved success as a business writer and had earned prestigious non-fiction awards, I still couldn’t figure out how to bust through the fiction barrier. It took me 10 years to learn how to write commercial, book-length fiction well enough to get my debut novel, Texas Outlaw, bought by Bantam Books.

For me, the great “A-Ha” that eventually led to the publication of Texas Outlaw came when a published Romance author looked at my manuscript and pointed out, line by line, how to correct a Romance editor's vague criticisms (such as, “There’s not enough conflict in this scene").

I was blessed early in my career to have wonderful mentors. I started writing in Houston, Texas, which was a hotbed for Historical Romance novelists, including Susan Wiggs, Barbara Dawson Smith, and Christina Dodd.

After I moved to Austin, I was invited to join a critique group that included Harlequin authors Patricia Wynn, Cara West, and Pamela Ingram.

I am absolutely certain that I would NOT be published today if these talented Romance writers had not given so generously of their time and knowledge. I vowed that I would someday give back to the writing community the way my mentors had given to me.


My passion is to help aspiring authors live their publishing dream. To that end, I’ve been busy writing how-to books for commercial fiction writers!

The Secrets of Getting Your Romance Novel Published is a series that is being released this summer for e-readers. The series is also available in pdf format for those of you who prefer a hard copy. Book I, How to Write Wildly Popular Romances, features the genre’s 14 bestselling story archetypes, as well as 8 story plot taboos that are prohibited in most Romance novels.


Be sure to drop by WritingNovelsThatSell.com to enter my raffles to celebrate my summer-long book tour!

In the meantime, keep the faith, and keep writing!



About Adrienne deWolfe
Originally published by Bantam and Avon Books, Adrienne deWolfe’s five novels have won 9 awards, including the Best Historical Romance of the Year. She is currently writing her 6th Romance, An Imperfect Angel (Book III in her Naughty or Nice Series,) which will be available for e-readers this Autumn. To learn about Adrienne’s other historical Romances (scheduled for release this year), visit her virtual home, WritingNovelsThatSell.com, or subscribe to her newsletter. You can also follow Adrienne on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.





Thank you so much to Adrienne deWolfe for this wonderful guest post and Reading Addiction for making it possible.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Love In Bloom Winner

I've emailed our winner and will await 48hrs for their response :0)
~Congrats~
Entry #37Maneesha S.
They were our winner of the 

As for what's coming next....
Guest post on Saturday and then another GIVEAWAY coming on Monday.
FUN FUN FUN!!!!

Then starting in June we'll have a Kindle Fire Giveaway Sponsored by Pump Up Your Books, Book Reviews, Guest Posts, Spot Lights and Some more GIVEAWAYS!!!
What the heck....It's Summer :0)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Love In Bloom Giveaway Hop


Awe how sweet love is.......
Even better when you can share it with a Fairytale!

The Sleep Beauty ( Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms)
By Mercedes Lackey

 In Rosamund's realm, happiness hinges on a few simple beliefs. For every princess there's a prince. The King has ultimate power. Stepmothers should never be trusted. And bad things come to those who break with Tradition....But when Rosa is pursued by a murderous huntsman and then captured by dwarves, her beliefs go up in smoke. Determined to escape and save her kingdom from imminent invasion, she agrees to become the subject of one of her stepmother's risky incantations--thus falling into a deep, deep sleep.When awakened by a touchy-feely stranger, Rosa must choose between Tradition and her future between a host of eligible princes and a handsome, fair-haired outsider. And learn the difference between being a princess and ruling as a Queen.





Ok the hard stuff...how do you win.....Simple...fill out the Rafflecopter.
This book will be shipped from the Book Depository, so please make sure they ship to your country....
I'll announce the BIG WINNER sometime on the 24th.
There are over 100 different blogs to visit during this hop so PLEASE try your luck at each one......Complete list is located here

Thank you to I Am A Read, Not A Writer and Portrait Of A Book for co-hosting this wonderful hop.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 11, 2012

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...I Lost My Damn Mind Blog Tour


I figure that if I have to endure the worst parts of bipolar disorder, like psychosis, I get to laugh as much as possible along the way. Somewhere Over the Rainbow, I’ve Lost My Damn Mind: A Manic’s Mood Chart is the story of one Millennial’s bipolar life, with moments ranging from the ridiculous to the terrifying to the hilarious. Blending pop culture references and cyberspeak with psychiatric terms, it combines the funny, conversational tone of Sh*t My Dad Says with a nonlinear narrative structure similar to that of Manic.

The book began as a blog: if you had a delusional relationship with Britney Spears, wouldn’t you brag about it to the entire world? To create the book, I organized the blog entries like a mood chart, a therapeutic tool which assigns colors to states of mind. The entries are divided into three sections, Depressed, Normal and Elevated, and cover the past three years: my psych ward getaways, my vision of fighting alongside Jesus at Armageddon, my attempts to find a woman who accepts that I sometimes lose my mind. 

More than an account of coming to terms with a mental health condition, it’s a story of being young and feeling lost, dealing with heartbreak and still finding plenty to laugh about, no matter what happens.


I honestly have no clue even where to begin with this book.
You shouldn't laugh at mental illness , but darn it....just the way Derek puts things you can't help yourself.
I found it so flipping hard to keep a straight face reading this book.
I should of known right away when  in the beginning the "Glossary de Slang" stated DIA (Denver International Airport) as the "Emerald City".
Lord, Help me I even got the "Super Troopers "Meow"" thing too!

You're walking through moments in Derek's life some good and some bad...His first date to the drive in, to thinking 911 is calling to check on him at San Jose airport. Right to the finish line.

All that aside this book does open your eyes on something very serious....There are people out there that think they can control the rain during football games...think they meet people at airports and heaven forbid think they're at the end of days...
It's nothing they've done wrong and nothing they can control, but have to live with everyday.
Derek just made a lighter more enjoyable read of it all.
Truly a wonderful read!

Ps- Derek...I'm so glad to see that your health is going good for you now :0)


Would you like to read this wonderful story yourself?


Want to know more about the author?

Derek Thompson 

Derek Thompson grew up in South Charleston, Ohio and received a BA in communication in 2005 from Wittenberg University. After graduation he pursued a corporate sales career at AT&T where he excelled in the high paced sales environment. That’s up until he was unexpectedly and rudely interrupted by his first manic episode in 2008 which changed everything; they tend to be real bitches like that. The episode took him back home where he struggled to understand what his new mental health condition diagnosis of bipolar disorder type I was and meant.

To cope with this confusion he began writing a blog as a therapeutic process to deal with his new crazy life and have some fun along the way. He currently resides on one of his family’s farms in rural Ohio.

 Chat with him on-Twitter

Visit Derek at his website
(His posts are very enjoyable)




This book was provide to me by the author for a review. I was in no way paid for any review good or bad.
This tour is part of Pump Up Your Books Blog Tours.





Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Dead And Beyond Blog Tour & Interview

Genre – Young Adult Paranormal
Format – Ebook
Release Date – February 22, 2012

Everyone keeps a dark secret. That's what Amber Reed realizes when her boyfriend Aidan turns her into a vampire against her will. When something goes terribly wrong and her friend disappears, the clock is ticking, the walls are closing in on Amber, and the stakes are getting higher as she finds herself the pawn in an ancient war between three powerful races fighting for supremacy.

Amber is about to find out who Aidan really is...and the secret is nothing she ever imagined.




Creepy good!
One of those books that you just can't put down and then when it's over....you're waiting for the next!


The characters are beyond interesting...Vampires...Lucifer's daughter...Shadows...Where can you go wrong?


The story progresses rather well. It's really nice to see how  Amber and Aidan are still having the same issues as any new couple would. Although, they have have some major stuff to work out ...the ex-ghost, blood lust and a massive war...I think they'll be awesome!


I guess my biggest surprise was towards the end..you think you've got it pegged on who did what and such, but NOPE....You're so FLIPPING WRONG!


Great read for anyone who loves the supernatural! 
~Get your own copy~
Amazon       Barnes and Noble

~About the Author~
Author Bio
Jayde Scott is a psychology graduate and writer most notable for creating the Ancient Legends series. 
She lives in London with her family and is a huge fan of baking chocolate cake and listening to indie music.

~What's in Her Head???~



Where are you from?
I’m British, but I’ve lived all over the world. So I consider myself a bit of a nomad. My home’s wherever my heart is.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Because I used to spend most of my spare time writing, I’ve always considered myself a writer at heart.  When I became published, I just changed my status from querying/unpublished to published.




Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I think it’s always been there. I loved books as a child, particularly their smell, and begged my mother to teach me to read before I started school. Whenever I loved a book, I would reread it countless times to remember the passages that fascinated me. And then I would try to write something similar.


Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Ghosts exist and they’re not always good…or so I believe.

How much of the book is realistic?
The haunting poltergeist parts are based on research, so I’d say that’s pretty realistic.




What are your current projects?
The fifth book in the Ancient Legends series, Forever And Beyond, which follows Amber and introduces a few new paranormal elements and lots of dark magic and betrayal.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Don’t wait for inspiration to find you. Write even when you don’t feel like it.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
See above. Also, continue to work on improving your style and prose.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you so much for reading my books J



*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*









Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Spring Fling Hop Winner

Thank you to everyone that visited during the hop!

I try hard to make the entries as easy as possible, plus I was rather far down the list this time and I didn't think your fingers liked you much...LOL

As for our winner......
A Canadian Girl
is who Rafflecopter chose and I sent out an email...They have 48hrs to respond before I stalk another :0)
*Update*  Our winner has emailed me back and chosen a really cool book from the Book Depository :0)

As for whats up here on the blog.....
Well I have various awesome books that will make their appearance here....

Today, I have posted ...
(You can win an e-book copy of The Teacher's Billionaire)

Tomorrow.....
I'll have Dead and Beyond by Jayde Scott
(Review and Interview)

Friday....
I'll have Somewhere Over the Rainbow, I've Lost My Damn Mind by Derek Thompson
(Review and Guest Post)

Don't forget to enter to win a Kindle 
(If you haven't entered yet... sponsored by Pump Up Your Books)

So, don't be shy, stop by every now and then for a visit...I only bite people I don't like :0)


The Teacher's Billionaire Blog Tour & Giveaway

Genre – Contemporary Romance
Format – eBook
Release Date – March 2012

Callie Taylor's life is turned upside down when she learns the truth about her birth following the death of her mother. Not only is her father alive, but he's none other than presidential candidate Senator Warren Sherbrooke.
Billionaire and confirmed bachelor, Dylan Talbot, is devoted to his family. When his stepfather Warren Sherbrooke receives a letter from a past love telling him they have a daughter together, Dylan is instantly suspicious. In order to keep the media vultures away and protect Warren's political aspirations, Dylan convinces Warren to let him handle the situation.
As Callie and Dylan spend time together, they can't resist the feelings that blossom between them. However, when Callie learns the real reason he has been spending time with her their fledgling romance is put in jeopardy and only complete honesty can save it.



Wow...I really liked it!
It was kept real...you could picture yourself actually there inside the book with the characters.
Truly a fun relax out in the sun on the beach read!
(Don't forget a hottie of your own to rub in some sunscreen!)

The writing was so nice, each scene , each character, worked great.
I think the realism of the places made the book so much better. Being able to pictured yourself on the "not dates" with Dylan and Callie were beyond fun. 
I think being able to connect like that also added to the emotional effect that each character had during the book.
Trust me it was one emotion Roller Coaster!
Heck...why wouldn't it be????
Mom's been lying your whole life, rich daddy wants to meet you, step-bro is a HOTTIE and you think your beneath them.

~Where to get your very own copy~
(should you not win)




Author Bio
I wrote my first story with characters similar to those in the Sweet Valley Twins books at the age of 10
on my grandmother's manual typewriter. As I got older my stories and characters became more mature.
During my freshman year at UMass Dartmouth, I read my first romance novel and fell in love with the
genre. I have been writing romance ever since.
Today I live with my husband, three beautiful daughters and two dogs in Massachusetts. Whenever I
have a free moment you'll find me either reading a romance novel or working on my most current story.




*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*