Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Silence of the Wolves by Hannah Pole ~Promo~


Silence of the Wolves - Release Day PROMO
By Hannah Pole
Urban Fantasy
Date Published: 6/26/2013


Fate is calling…

After a strange encounter in a dark alley, journalist Tamriel’s life is turned upside down. She’s missing days, developing odd new abilities, and being followed by mysterious Leyth.Leyth’s determined to teach Tamriel about her new life – as a werewolf! 

And just as intent on keeping their relationship strictly business.bond grows, Tamriel and Leyth face a bigger challenge; Tam may be their kind’s strongest weapon against the Circle, a deadly group of paranormal creatures gone rogue. That is, if she’s ready to give into her destiny and put up the fight of her life...

Dark, dangerous – and too gorgeous for his own good –But as their simmering

EXCERPT

Slowly, carefully, Tam moved. Only an inch as she lowered herself to the ground and, in one painstaking movement, she knelt before the wolf.
Her knife was clipped to the side of her bra and her hands itched to reach for it, but she knew it was a bad idea. Currently the wolf was showing no signs of aggression and she didn’t want to spook him again.
As she looked into those beautiful grey eyes, she saw no anger, no malice. She saw fatigue, pain and confusion. She could read the emotions behind them like a book.

As she watched him, it seemed as though he was being as careful as she to move carefully. It was almost as if it were he who didn’t want to spook her rather than the other way around. He lowered his back end to the ground, shuffling a little awkwardly around his back leg. He then proceeded to lie down completely, resting his head on his paws, keeping his eyes still locked onto hers. It was as if he’d visibly given up.

 Tam slowly edged forward. She must be absolutely crazy, knowing this was a vicious wild animal and that it could tear her apart easily. Yet her gut told her the wolf wasn’t going to hurt her.

She must be going mad. She was going to end up being that weird woman that was nearly killed by a wild wolf because she thought she could be friends with it.

And yet, this moment, this intense, terrifying, incredibly special moment, was one she would treasure for the rest of her life; one she would write about and talk of over and over again to friends, family and, maybe, one day her children.

The day mommy made friends with a wolf.

Hannah Pole
I am a born and bred wild child. (Or I like to think so anyway!)

I moved to sunny Folkestone UK to escape and find my feet as, well whatever I was destined to be! But alas, my short attention span made finding that destiny a little difficult! One day I came across a diary entry that made me laugh so hard; I actually fell off my chair. (Yes, this can happen!)

I decided that the entry was so funny; it needed to be shared with the world! So I started writing, and attempted to turn it into a novel. Though to this day, that novel remains unfinished, it will always be the novel that got me started, and showed me what I was passionate about.


Honestly? I have aspired to be everything from a Private Investigator to a Zoo Keeper with my career; my interests change so quickly that I could never stick with one! Writing gives me the freedom to choose; I can be a cold-hearted assassin in love with a poet one day and the secret lesbian lover of a politician the next!

All my life, I have had a strong, unwavering passion for anything supernatural, spiritual and slightly unexplainable, I love the idea that there can be something completely fantastical lurking beneath the confines of normality. So of course, mythical creatures of all shapes and sizes dominate most of my work!

In a nutshell, I am a creative crazy bean, living with my lovely husband and a house full of too many animals! I've always secretly wished I were a werewolf of some description, but have come to realise that I will have to settle for writing about them instead! I'm happiest in the sun with my head in a good book!

All I can say from here is I hope youth like what you read!

Author Links
public email -    hp@hannahpole.co.uk


Link to Buy

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Live Long and Prospero By Scott Pixello

YA Humor
Date Published: 5/17/2013

This darkly comic YA novel, set on a lighthouse in 1983, introduces us to the deeply dysfunctional Captain Church and his crew of social misfits, whose well-ordered universe is turned upside down by the arrival of a marine biologist, who has come to study the local puffin colony. This in turn leads to an encounter with a nasty gang of drug dealers, a surprising undersea discovery and a hamster called Steve.

My Opinion
If you want a good laugh and Characters that totally go beyond, this is the book for you.
The story takes off from page one..
Naked man singing....Yep you read that right...Air Guitar too!
Then you have the appearance of Chris and things really start to get better.
Mr. Pixcello has create a world of characters that are down right fun to read about. Their on goings at the "Rock" are quite the funniest.
Love the "Dead Body" (too funny)...the way Capt. Church interacts with his misfits is wonderfully creative.
It's amazes me what can come ashore in this story.....but then again this story is full of fun little sides to split your sides.
A great read for anyone that has a humor bone!!!
"Hasta Lasagna. Over and out."

BUY your own copy

About the Author
(as stated on Goodreads)
I’m a moderately-disturbed Brit. I’ve had seven books of non-fiction published with three different publishers under another name but as Scott Pixello, Luke I am Your Father came out last year and now I’m promoting Gothic Girl, Live Long and Prospero and Rainbow. I could tell you my real name but then I’d have to kill you and no-one wants that. I’ve got ideas for about another dozen novels so I’m pretty busy. 
I love writing (and reading) but hate the self-promotion part of being a writer. I am painfully shy and don’t blog or tweet, I have no website and there are no pictures of me on the Net. I don’t even have a mobile phone (shock horror!). I do have a Facebook page (see www.facebook.com/scott.pixello).

I’m not a total hermit but for me, the words are the key things, not who produces them. I long to give up my day-job and write full time but for that I need to generate more sales online, which means readers, like you, need to spend some (but not much) of your hard-earned pocket money on Pixello products. I'm trying to write books that could not be written by anyone else. I plan to release about 3-4 books a year until I run out of ideas, which sadly could be some time (I’ve got about 12 manuscripts at various stages of readiness). Watch the skies.

*Disclosure of Material Connection:No payment was received by me in exchange for reviews. There was no obligation to write positive reviews. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of these reviews. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*

The Parts I Remember by A.K. Mills ~Tour~


 Act first. Think never. Remember nothing.

Welcome to Kelly Rockport’s existence at Haysville University, where responsibility is just an elective. After all, fake IDs, alter egos, and one-night stands are all part of the college experience, right?  So what if she blacks out from time to time?  Memory is overrated.

When freshman year lasts about as long as a one-night stand and is quickly followed by the Year of the Blackout, Kelly projects junior year to be nothing shy of amazing. But as shots, beer, cocaine and men mesh together in an intoxicating haze, Kelly’s reckless ways get her into serious trouble. The only problem is, she can't remember what happened.

As she hovers along the edge of consciousness, Kelly forces herself to think past her pain to piece together the shards of her life. This is her story, told in her words: The Parts I Remember.

My Opinion
Wow, I can say I've NEVER read anything quite like this.
The story is so strong and real, that during some parts I could actually relate to Kelly, the main character.
Kelly is by far reckless...who gives a damn attitude. Some of her decisions are very questionable. 
Drinking until you pass out....sex with whoever....Drugs....Not remembering any of it!!!!!
Not exacatly what you go to college for.
Definitely a what you shouldn't do in life and if in fact you do....this could totally happen to you.

Fair warning this book will take you on a emotional roller-coaster and no it doesn't stop with the ending. It says with you after you're done reading it.

Ms. Mills did a wonderful job with writing her characters and the story is beyond words at this point.
I would recommend this is all those entering college, in college or "can't wait" to go to college.

BUY YOUR COPY
Amazon   

About the Author
"I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." 
- Julia Roberts, Notting Hill

To put it simply...
"I'm just a writer, standing in front of the world, asking it to enjoy her stories."


Past: Reading has always been a passion of mine. I remember as a child getting lost in Nancy Drew mysteries late at night with a flashlight long after bedtime, unable to sleep until the story was done. Summer vacations didn't properly start without first visiting the bookstore and selecting a fresh story. Unfortunately, I could never read in the car because of motion sickness. Writing was something I did mostly in private.

Present: I still can't read in the car, but my love of books hasn't diminished. I recently opened a time capsule that was buried in 1999 and my hope for the year 2010 was to have published my first novel. Three years later, that dream is coming to fruition as The Parts I Remember will be published on March 1, 2013.

Future: My husband asked me if nothing else mattered, what I would want to do with my life. The first and only thing that came to mind was writing. And that is exactly what I plan on doing.

Connect with A.K. Mills

*Disclosure of Material Connection:No payment was received by me in exchange for reviews. There was no obligation to write positive reviews. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of these reviews. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*





Saturday, June 22, 2013

Templand by Jill Elaine Hughes ~Review and Giveaway~

New Adult Contemporary
Date Published: 5/25/2012

The heroine, Melanie Evers, is a plucky young working-class woman from Akron, Ohio struggling to support herself in Chicago in the post-9-11 economy. TEMPLAND follows Melanie's journey through the temporary employment world from a college student on "just a summer job" to a 28-year-old woman with a lot of intelligence (and a heap of student loan debt to match) through multiple layoffs and a series of ever-more-wacky temp assignments, as she struggles not only to survive, but also to find romance and always remain true to the honest, working-class values instilled in her by her beloved grandfather.

In her long, solitary journey through Templand, Melanie encounters adventure and romance on her search for that always-elusive Permanent Job---which she finally gets, along with her man. TEMPLAND is a highly entertaining, wickedly funny social satire, contemporary romance, and mystery novel all rolled into one.


MY OPINION
(Just an honest opinion)
I try hard not to give  bad reviews and I'll do the same with this book.


We travel along Melaine Evers life of jobs and her own opinions of the what's happening in the world. She goes from temp job to temp job, striving for a permanent position. It's really lack luster. She has problems paying her bills (some of the letters from Citibank were cute). Her food consisted of potted meat and noodles, yup life was rough.
It really was disheartening with her first impressions of the first plane hitting the trade center on 9/11, I couldn't fathom someone could be so down right HEARTLESS. 

She condemned people who worked so hard and thought for sure her education was going to give her the world. After reading some of the rejection letters, it no wonder why they turned her employment down. Wholly Hell.  Then in the end she was willing to "sell her soul" to keep her new found temp job. Thank heavens she had Dave.

The whole side story with Phil (the ex) wasn't that interesting. The best part had to be   Papaw and Dave. 
Papaw was a hard working man with a lot of advice...some which Melanie did take (if maybe a little out of context). 
Dave was one character I really enjoyed. I can't see why he was so strongly attracted to Melanie. Then again he did know her before she got out of school. Dave was honest and caring. 

If you're into a "I'm better than you" main character, a bunch of filler, a wonderful "Papaw" and a few guys in between then go for it.

Buy Links

Author
Jill Elaine Hughes

JILL ELAINE HUGHES is a journalist and playwright  
as well as a New Adult fiction novelist.  As a reporter, 
 
she has contributed to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago 
 
Reader, Washington Post, New Art Examiner, Cat 
 
Fancy magazine, and numerous other media outlets. 
 
Her plays have widely published and produced in 
 
New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, 
 
and many other U.S. cities, as well as in the UK and 
 
Australia. Before self-publishing New Adult fiction, 
 
she published many erotic romance novels under the 
 
pen names “Jamaica Layne” and “Jay E. Hughes” for 
 

publishers like Ellora’s Cave, Virgin Books, Decadent






*Disclosure of Material Connection:No payment was received by me in exchange for reviews. There was no obligation to write positive reviews. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of these reviews. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*




Thursday, June 20, 2013

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop


Let's get this Summer started!
I am a Reader, not a Writer, sent me an email this morning and thought a SPONTANEOUS GIVEAWAY HOP was just what everyone was needing!!!
So here it is.....You can win either
$10 to Amazon (Emailed) or A book (up to $10) from the Book Depository.
Easy Peasy, just fill out the rafflecopter and BAM you're entered!
After entering mine make sure to visit the other blogs hopping in the giveaway...




Have a great time....and GOOD LUCK!!!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Cassie Scot-Paranormal Detective by Christin Amsden

Cassie Scot banner
Join Christine Amsden, author of the paranormal mystery novel, Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective, as she tours the blogosphere May 13 - August 16, 2013 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book! This tour is part of a huge Kindle Fire HD Giveaway. If interested in signing up for a review, interview, guest post, or book spotlight, please let us know by contacting Tracee at tgleichner (at) gmail.com or leave a comment below along with your contact information.
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CassieScot_medABOUT CASSIE SCOT: PARANORMAL DETECTIVE

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
  Purchase at: barnes and noble amazon amazon

ABOUT CHRISTINE AMSDEN

Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone. At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. (You can learn more here.) In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children. Her latest book is Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective
 

WATCH THE TRAILER!

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Pump Up Your Book and Christine Amsden are teaming up to give you a chance to win a new Kindle Fire HD!

Here's how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. If your blog isn't set up to accept the form, we offer another way for you to participate by having people comment on your blog then directing them to where they can fill out the form to gain more entries. This promotion will run from May 13 - August 16. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email and announced on August 17, 2013. Each blogger who participates in the Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective virtual book tour is eligible to enter and win. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog for the duration of the tour. If you would like to participate, email Tracee at tgleichner(at)gmail.com. What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments too! Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

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Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

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Monday, May 13 - Book reviewed at Sara's Organized Chaos
Tuesday, May 14 - Book trailer reveal at Margay Leah Justice
Wednesday, May 15 - Book spotlight at The Busy Mom's Daily
Thursday, May 16 - Character interview at Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
Friday, May 17 - Book reviewed at By the Broomstick
Monday, May 20 - Interviewed at Review From Here
Tuesday, May 21 - First chapter reveal at Offbeat Vagabond
Wednesday, May 22 - Book reviewed at Offbeat Vagabond
Thursday, May 23 - Guest blogging at You Gotta Read
Monday, May 27 - Book reviewed at My Cozie Corner
Thursday, May 30 - Guest blogging at Miki's Hope
Monday, June 3 - Guest blogging at Janna Shay
Tuesday, June 4 - Guest blogging at The Book Connection
Thursday, June 6 - Book reviewed at Miki's Hope
Friday, June 7 - Book reviewed at Repeat Reads
Monday, June 10 - Interviewed at From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, June 11 - First chapter reveal at By the Broomstick
Wednesday, June 12 - Book reviewed at Waiting on Sunday to Drown
Thursday, June 13 - First chapter reveal at Butterfly-o-Meter Books
Friday, June 14 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
Monday, June 17 - Book reviewed at Carol's Notebook
Tuesday, June 18 - Book featured at Naturally Kim B
Wednesday, June 19- First chapter reveal at Inside BJ's Head
Thursday, June 20 - Book reviewed at Quilted Reviews
Friday, June 21 - First chapter reveal at Literary Winner
Monday, June 24 - Interviewed at The Writer's Life
Tuesday, June 25 - Guest blogging at Janna Shay
Wednesday, June 26 - Book reviewed at From the TBR Pile
Thursday, June 27 - First chapter reveal at As the Pages Turn
Friday, June 28 - Interviewed at American Chronicle
Wednesday, July 3 - Book trailer reveal at Pump Up Your Book
Friday, July 5 - Book reviewed at Inside BJ's Head
Monday, July 8 - 5 Things at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, July 11 - Book reviewed at Mary's Cup of Tea
Friday, July 12 - Interviewed at Digital Journal
Monday, July 15 - Interviewed at Broowaha
Friday, July 19 - Book featured at By the Broomstick
Monday, July 22 - Book featured at Book Marketing Buzz
Tuesday, July 23 - Interviewed at Examiner
Wednesday, July 24 - Book reviewed at Naturally Kim B
Thursday, July 25 - Book reviewed at Review From Here
Friday, July 26 - Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
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Pump Up Your Book

Chapter Reveal
My parents think the longer the name, the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie. I've been called a lot of things in my life: normal, ordinary, and even a disappointment. After the Harry Potter books came out, a couple of people called me a squib. Since I haven't read them, I have to assume it's a compliment. Personally, I prefer normal, which is why the sign on my office door reads: Cassie Scot, Normal Detective. You have to understand that around here, when your last name is Scot, people are easily confused. Not only are my parents powerful practitioners, but I have six talented brothers and sisters. Plus, my family hasn't always been known for its subtlety. When weird stuff happens around here, the people who are willing to believe in magic are prone to suspect the Scots. The day I opened for business I got a call from an old woman who swore her cat was possessed by the devil. She also swore she'd read my web site, which clearly stated the types of work I did and did not do. Exorcisms were on the No list, and while I hadn't specified pet exorcisms, I would have thought it was implicit. After that auspicious beginning, things went downhill. It seemed people weren't entirely convinced an associates' degree and six months as a deputy with the local sheriff's department was quite enough to fly solo. I did receive three calls from people asking me to cast spells to look for lost items, two from people in search of love potions, and two from a pair of neighbors who each wanted me to curse the other. I thought I'd hit bottom, when a ten-year-old boy wandered into my office one afternoon and asked me to help him summon Cthulhu. It was a near thing, but I managed to rein in my sarcasm long enough to explain the difference between the real world and horror worlds created by early 20th century authors. He seemed more or less convinced until my brother, Nicolas, came in and started juggling fireballs. Kind of walked all over my point there. He's a terrible showoff; thinks it helps him with women. For some reason, it does. Sheriff David Adams, my old boss, stopped by once every couple of weeks to "check in on me" and offer me my old job back, but I always turned him down. It's not that I disliked working for him. In fact, he was a great boss and a good person, albeit in a little over his head. Eagle Rock, Missouri and the surrounding areas have more than their fair share of strange and unexplained cases. I would even say that I took the job hoping to use my better-than-average knowledge of the paranormal to help protect the innocent, but in the end, those cases only served to remind me that despite my magical connections, I, too, was in over my head. So I quit. I got my private license, rented an office, and installed a frosted-glass door like in the old movies, then I furnished it with the sort of busted up furniture that costs an arm and a leg to make look just right. The old wooden filing cabinets behind the desk and the office chairs in front came from estate sales, but I finished the desk myself. It was a beautiful piece of lacquered mahogany before my hammer and screwdriver got through with it. I did that just after the cat exorcism call. It was rather therapeutic. By the door stood an old wooden hat and coat rack, while a nearby table held a coffee maker, compliments of my father. I don't actually drink coffee, but Dad told me to have some for my customers, so I brewed a pot every morning while I waited for my tea to steep. It was June seventh, a Monday. I'd spent six months in that office, going in to work at eight o'clock, breaking for lunch at noon, then going home at five. That day started like all the others. I updated my Facebook page to say that I was at work and feeling happy, though that last was a lie. I checked a few of my favorite blogs, posted a couple of comments that I'm sure were witty and insightful (though I suspect no one read them), and twittered that I'd just posted the comments to the blogs. After that, I picked up my kindle and buried myself in some mystery novel I'd already solved by page thirty seven. When the door opened, I was sure it would be Sheriff Adams, in for his bi-weekly chat. As the months wore on with no sign of a client, it was becoming harder to politely turn him away. In recent weeks, my replies had become more blunt, bordering on rude. I'd really hoped he wouldn't come around that day, on my half year anniversary, but just in case he did, I had come up with a story about a statewide convention I was sure would help me find work. The convention part was true–the certainty less so. All I can say is, it was a good thing my parents were rich. I lowered my kindle and raised my eyes to the door. The words, "Hi, Sheriff," started to spill from my mouth when I realized it wasn't the sheriff at all. It was Frank Lloyd, from Lloyd and Lyons, a man I knew more by name and reputation than anything else. My boyfriend had a summer internship with his firm, and a good friend of mine worked there as a receptionist. Lloyd and Lyons specialized in family law, especially divorces, and the gist of the reputation was that if your marriage was over, you'd better get to Frank Lloyd before your soon-to-be-ex did. He looked impressive. His head nearly touched the top of the door frame, while his broad shoulders aimed for the sides. He wore an expensive dark gray suit that had been tailored to fit his athletic frame. His face was long and handsome, featuring deep, dark eyes and a wide, curving mouth that formed into a friendly smile. It was the sort of face that commanded trust. Lightning flashed outside, brightening the room for the space of a few seconds, and I couldn't help but smile. All the best stories started in a thunderstorm, didn't they? I had no idea what the day would bring, but one thing was for certain–Frank Lloyd was not there to ask me to exorcise his cat. He laid a long, black umbrella carefully against the wall near my coat rack, and strode confidently inside. "Hello, Ms. Scot." "Cassie, please." I wound my way out from behind my desk and offered him my hand. He took it, his grip firm and self-assured. "Cassie, I'm Frank Lloyd." He released my hand but held my gaze as if he could take the measure of me by looking through them to my soul. Some practitioners can do that, actually, but I've never met one. "Yes, I know." I did not lower my eyes. Something told me that would be a sign of weakness. "What can I do for you?" "I've got a small job for you, if you have the time." It was very diplomatic of him to say it like that, since I'm sure he knew I had plenty of time. "What's the job?" "Serving a subpoena," Ok, so it wasn't sexy, but it was a job, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with magic–or so I thought. In any case, at that precise moment, I couldn't have been more excited if he'd dropped some line out of a movie about someone trying to kill him. "I can do that," I said in a calm, measured tone. "Who am I serving?" Frank broke eye contact and stepped around me to the desk, where he laid his black briefcase down and opened it. On top of a large sheaf of papers lay a plain white envelope with the name, "Belinda Hewitt" written on it in a long, slanted handwriting. Hewitt was another name that many people in town associated with magic, though few were diplomatic where the Hewitts were concerned. Even my mom called them witches, and she normally wouldn't call a woman a sorceress. (She thinks it's sexist.) Belinda was a gifted herbalist and an expert potion maker. A gift is, well, it's a special power tied to the soul in such a way that it can be performed almost without thought, and it has a strong influence over the bearer's personality. Most sorcerers possess a gift, as well some seemingly ordinary people, though in the latter case you can usually find magic in their family tree. Belinda's gift was growing things, but to say she had a green thumb would be like saying a diva could sing. Belinda could grow things, anything, anywhere, and under conditions that would starve farmers out of business. She sold a lot of her plants and herbs to local practitioners, though my parents refused to buy from her because of the other thing she liked to do–brew potions, especially love potions. At any given time, she would have two or three men under the influence of powerful love potions that made them hopelessly devoted to her. She would play with them for a few months or a few years, depending upon how interesting they were, and then cast them aside. She'd torn families apart. It was mind magic. My dad liked to say that magic itself is never black; only the uses to which it is put, but mind magic is already tinted a deep, dark gray. As far as I knew, though, Belinda had never been married, so I wasn't sure what Frank Lloyd would want with her. "Belinda Hewitt?" I raised an eyebrow at Frank in question. "My firm is filing a class action lawsuit against her on behalf of a number of men who feel her love potions have caused them irreparable harm." "Gutsy move." I approved. I whole-heartedly approved, but going head to head against a practitioner could be dangerous, to say the least. For the most part, they did what they wanted to do and suffered no interference, not from other practitioners and certainly not from the law. I wasn't entirely sure what Belinda would do to me if I showed up on her doorstep with a subpoena. Probably, nothing, since she'd have to answer to my parents for anything she did to me. That may even have been why Frank chose me, but I wasn't too proud to take advantage of my connections when it suited me, as long as the job itself was normal. "Belinda is going to curse you for this," I said as I took the envelope from Frank. He just smiled. "I appreciate your concern, but it's about time the sorcerers living in our community learn they are not above the law." What a beautiful sentiment. I used to think that way, back when I'd first dreamed of becoming a cop. Fat chance, though. The sorcerers in our community owned this town, whatever most of the regular folks thought. Everyone else was tolerated, and that included me. For a minute, I wondered if I should try to talk him out of it. As much as I loved the idea of putting an evil witch in her place, Belinda wasn't someone to mess with. That either meant he didn't believe in magic, didn't understand it, or he had an ace up his sleeve. I lifted my eyes to his and saw the confident, calculating expression there. He was still sizing me up, and in that moment I took the measure of him as well. He wasn't insanely successful because he walked into anything blindly. "You have an ace," I said. It wasn't a question. Frank just smiled. "I'll run this over to Belinda's this morning," I said. "I'll give you a call when it's done." Frank reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "If this works out, we may have some more work for you." I took the card from him, letting a genuine smile touch my lips. Lightning struck again and thunder rumbled. "Thank you." He packed up his briefcase and left without another word.

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Warlord's Concubine by J.E. & M. Keep ~Promo~




The Warloards Concubine - PROMO Blitz
By J.E. & M. Keep
Paranormal Romance (Explicit Sex)
Date Published: 6/1/2013


Mirella often wonders what her life would've been like had she been born a princess, rather than the property of one.

When a dark warlord from the north conquers her princess' kingdom, however, he has plans for the dainty young future-queen. It makes the question all the more poignant, because now, more is at stake than just her rough treatment, but love and lust as well.

As an indentured servant and handmaiden to the princess for much of her life, the middle-aged Mirella sees the conquest of the land as an opportunity to elevate herself. Though as she earns the trust of their conquerors, she finds her own nature challenged as well. A life of callous disregard has made her hard, but as she battles the princess' will for the first time and finds new allies and friends, does she have what it takes to win the love and favour of the brutal warlord? Will love and friendship be her downfall? Or will her station in life yet again be her undoing?

Caution: The Warlord's Concubine is a dark fantasy novel that contains explicit scenes, and a twisted romance between a handmaiden and a God.


EXCERPT

A great table filled the center of the tent, and upon it was heaped food. A mix of the rich pantry of the palace with the flavours of the harsh tundra, making for the oddest banquet Mirella had ever seen.
But at the heart of it stood a statue, carved from obsidian stone. It was unmistakable though the craftsmanship was not as refined as that of the courtly artists who decorated the millennia old palace. The presence of the mighty man, albeit nude and holding a great scimitar that was lodged into the spine of some defeated foe, inspired all the other women, even the guards, to fear. Mirella could tell they—unlike her—knew much greater terror of the God-King, even in his lifeless representation.

It was curious to her why the man of such taste would be so destructive, but it didn’t matter. She barely glanced to the other women. The evening prior she might have been a handmaiden, but now she was on equal footing with all of them, and it filled her with a strange sense of righteousness. Her eyes worked over the statue as she left the princess to recover on top of some pillows, her gaze one of wonderment and a lingering, heated desire.

His power radiated from the stone and she briefly wondered at what the more skilled artisans could do for him.

She couldn’t recall at how long she might’ve been staring at that statue when she was disturbed, her gaze lost on that harsh stone depiction, entranced by the generous proportions of his muscles and loins. It was, as far as she could tell, true to form, but lacking in the expert subtleties a court artisan would bring to it.

“Most don’t even dare to look at it,” came that otherworldly voice, so richly masculine, irradiating such strength and command in a manner she’d never heard before.

In the torchlight of the tent she could make him out all the clearer. His charcoal skin was smooth and flawless. His face so chiselled and handsome. Hair long and perfectly shiny. Her first guess only seemed all the more right; a god. Though the dark clothes he wore, looking a blend of velvet and leather, mixed with his piercing dark gaze and skin, it didn’t take much guessing to place as what kind of deity he might be.

J.E. & M. Keep

J.E. and M. Keep have a passion for all things sci fi/fantasy, and a desire to see what characters do when others fade to black. They set out to explore the most sexual, titillating and sometimes terrifying encounters. The plots are contemporary, fantasy, or science fiction, but they all have one thing in common: they’re hot.
From dark and taboo smut to coming-of-ages lust, from twisted love stories to tragic tales of self-destructive needs, they explore the fact that not all ‘Ever Afters’ are happy, and not everyone’s idea of happy is the same.

Come explore the limits of erotica and discover new desires from the smutty minds of J.E. & M. Keep. They can be found on their website at http://www.darkfantasyerotica.com/.


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Friday, June 14, 2013

OCD, The Dude and Me By Lauren Roedy Vaughn

*Due to the wonderful (Yeah Right) power outage here in NC this review is totally posting LATE*

     Seventeen-year-old Danielle Levine is your typical high school teen-ager – if you count having OCD and ADHD as typical. Danielle’s “special” conditions lead her to a school for students with learning disabilities, and, even here, she struggles to fit in.
How Danielle navigates her status as a “learning-challenged” teen pariah is told, with equal parts pain and hilarity, in Lauren Roedy Vaughn’s debut Young Adult novel, OCD, THE DUDE, AND ME, which Kirkus Review has hailed as a “must-read.”
Told through a mélange of Danielle’s class assignments, journal entries, emails, texts, and letters to the school psychiatrist, OCD, THE DUDE, AND ME chronicles Danielle’s efforts to fit into a world that, to her, can be as alien as a distant planet. Yet, Danielle will be recognizable to her readers, with her body-image issues, her crush on an unattainable boy, and her feelings of insecurity over the rigid social code of high school life.
Just as things seemingly couldn’t get worse for her, Danielle meets a new friend, Daniel, who turns her on to the Coen Brothers’ classic cult film THE BIG LEBOWSKI and its indelible main character, the ever-cool, ever abiding Dude. Daniel and Danielle end up going to the prom together and to Lebowski Fest, an annual event celebrating the Dude and his Buddha-like philosophy, which says that things will work out if you “abide.”

My Opinion
This has proven to be a very entertaining read.
Danielle is a wonderfully crafted character. She isn't so much fun but enjoyable. She's very witty.
I found myself reading page after page...the essays were in themself a coming to terms in Danielle's life, just brillant!
I am a full "Team Daniel", Jacob can SUCK IT!
I loved what Daniel did for Danielle's self worth.
The Lebowski fest did have me laughing. I really loved the priest part. (You'll have to read the book to understand that...LOL)
The whole story is by far well constructed, the characters are what you would think senior high school students would in fact be, and the ending, well yea.
A great and I mean GREAT read for any young adult. I would see any young person learning a lot about their own self by reading these page.
Well Done Lauren Roedy Vaughn!!!!

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AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND | BOOKPASSAGE

About the Author

Ms. Vaughn is especially equipped to write Danielle’s story. She has been a special education teacher and a writer for nearly 20 years. In 2005, she received the Walk of Hearts Teaching Award, and she serves on the Board of the International Dyslexia Association’s Los Angeles Branch. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, when she was in elementary school. She came to California for college, met her husband at the University of California, Irvine, and they have lived in Southern California ever since. Together, they share a love of The Big Lebowski. When not teaching, reading, or writing, Lauren is usually on a yoga mat.

Her latest book is the contemporary humorous young adult fiction, OCD, the Dude & Me.

You can visit Lauren Roedy Vaughn’s website at www.laurenroedyvaughn.com


*Disclosure of Material Connection:No payment was received by me in exchange for reviews. There was no obligation to write positive reviews. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of these reviews. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*