Monday, 30 March 2015

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Deep Blue Eternity by Natasha Boyd




Deep Blue Eternity by Natasha Boyd
(Deep Blue Eternity #1)
Publication date: March 26th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Livvy is on the run. And she’s escaped to the one place nobody will ever find her.

But the isolated cottage isn’t empty. Her refuge is home to a troubled stranger, Tom, there for reasons of his own.

In the intimacy of the abandoned cottage, and the remote wilderness of the island, the electrifying connection between them is impossible to ignore. Both running from their histories and shielding dark secrets, their pasts catch up with them and collide in an unimaginable way.

Deep emotions and powerful chemistry face a painful battle with the tangle of lies, and scars of the past. When the truth emerges, hearts will be shattered.

"A captivating, heart-wrenching, beautifully written story about those who scar us and those who help us heal. I could not put it down and am still thinking about it!" - Mia Sheridan, New York Times Bestselling author of Archer’s Voice.

"Boyd skillfully navigates the scorching physical desire and personal insecurities of her protagonists, crafting a relationship that is tense, torrid and sure to keep the pages turning." ~ RT Book Reviews.

“Fans of the Sea of Tranquility or Mia Sheridan will absolutely love this story.” ~ MissIngrid’s reviews.

“I can’t recall ever reading a novel that made me laugh, smile, cry… just, feel as much as this one did.” ~ Books over Bros Reviews.




Purchase:









Excerpt:

He made me feel like such a stupid little girl. He had no idea what it was like for me. None. I wanted to yell at him and slap him, but more than anything, I wanted him not to disapprove of me, and I couldn’t understand why. I’d never cared what anyone thought of me before. In fact, I’d gone out of my way to inspire less than comfortable thoughts in people. It was the way I operated. It was the way I’d survived the last few years in high school.
I realized with a start that I’d begun feeling comforted by his presence. We were building some form of quiet friendship. And the thought that he was disgusted with me caused shame to burn through my gut. But with that came anger. How dare he make me feel this way? Who was he to pass judgment on me? And pulling out what Abby would think had been such a low blow.
I was pacing back and forth, coming up with the words I would hurl at him to get even when I’d caught sight of him through the small kitchen window and stopped dead.
Tom was ripping his shirt off over his head. He flung it angrily, his bare chest heaving. Jesus, he was ripped. Picking the ax back up, ribs arching, he swung it over his head, bringing it down with such force that every muscle and sinew bulged and flexed with the power of it.
I sucked in air, realizing I’d been holding my breath. Emotion rolled off him, the air electrified. Wind I couldn’t feel tossed his hair. It was raw and almost painful to watch. He was part wild animal and part insanely beautiful human.
His body was a blur of motion, and he seemed oblivious to the icy air. A strong working body. A man’s body, not a boy’s. So much man. No muscle unused.
I’d been living with this huge, larger than life, virile male for almost two weeks.
Old fears skittered down my spine.
And then his chest wasn’t just heaving with breath, his whole body was shuddering and curling in on itself. His knees folded, hitting the ground so hard, I winced. His arms wrapped around his middle as if he was trying to hold his body together. It was at once both shockingly strange and also familiar. I knew the kind of feeling that made one’s body do that.
Pain.
The kind of pain that threatened to tear your soul in two.




AUTHOR BIO

Natasha Boyd is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author with a background in marketing and public relations.  Her debut novel Eversea was a finalist in the 2013 Winter Rose Contest for Contemporary Romance and won the 2014 Digital Book Award for Adult Fiction.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers and Island Writer’s Network in coastal South Carolina where she has been a featured speaker on book marketing.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and lives with her husband, two sons and the cast of characters in her head. 

 
Author links:








Blitz-wide giveaway

Open internationally




Sunday, 29 March 2015

Showcase Sunday #30


Showcase Sunday is a feature created and hosted by Books, Biscuits, and Tea.



Read:




 Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3) by Marissa Meyer - 4/5 stars.

A Magic Dark and Bright (The Asylum Saga, #1) by Jenny Adams Perinovic - 3/5 stars - Review to come.

Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5) by Marissa Meyer - 3.5/5 stars.

Nowhere by Jon Robinson - DNF 





For Review:



 Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and Hachette Children's Books!





Bought:



The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - Kindle freebie!





Currently Reading:



Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone, #1) by Lori M. Lee




Posts you might have missed:



Top Ten Tuesday - Top 10 Books From My Childhood/Teen Years That I Would Love To Revisit






Saturday, 28 March 2015

Blog Tour + Interview - Fairy, Texas by Margo Bond Collins



Fairy, Texas Blurb:

Laney Harris thinks there are monsters in Fairy, Texas.

She's right.

When her mother remarried and moved them to a town where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that "boring" would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough. But when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious. Especially since he had wings that only she could see. And then there were Josh and Mason, two gorgeous glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Not to mention that dead guy she nearly tripped over in gym class. Boring took on an entirely new dimension in Fairy, Texas.

If she's going to survive, she'll have to learn to wing it.



Be sure to add Fairy, Texas to your Goodreads bookshelves!



Buy Fairy, Texas:

Amazon (Kindle)




Character Profile

Character: Laney Harris

Book: Fairy, Texas

Age:
16

Physical description:

Laney has brown eyes and straight brown hair. A few freckles are dusted across her nose, but she often brushes powder across it to hide them.

Quote that fits her personality:

My life sounded a little bit like a word problem: Josh and Mason both want Laney. Mr. Bartlef has mostly invisible bat wings. They all hang out at John Hamilton’s ranch. Assuming that Laney isn’t a total moron, calculate her chances of survival. Have I mentioned how much I hate math?

Best quality: Underneath her surface-level snarkiness, she’s actually kind and loyal.

Worst quality: She often acts without thinking first and ends up in trouble.




Excerpt:

Fairy High could have fit into one wing of my old school. The three-story, red brick building looked like it had been around for at least a century—it actually had carvings over two of the doorways that read “Men’s Entrance” and “Women’s Entrance.” I was glad to see that none of the kids paid any attention to those instructions.
“Counselor’s office,” I muttered to myself. At least I wasn’t starting in the middle of a term—though given the fact that there were fewer than 500 students in the entire high school, I didn’t think I was going to be able to go unnoticed, even in the general bustle of the first day back from summer vacation.
I walked through the door marked “Men’s Entrance,” just be contrary, and faced a long hallway lined with heavy wooden doors. The spaces in between the doors were filled with lockers and marble staircases with ornate hand-rails flanked each end of the long hallway.
Students poured in behind me, calling out greetings to each other and jostling me off to the side while I tried to get my bearings. None of the doors obviously led to a main office; I was going to have to walk the entire length of the hallway. And people were already starting to stare and whisper.
God. I hated being the new kid.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I made it halfway down the hall without seeing anything informative—all the doors had numbers over them and many of them had name plaques, but neither of those things did me any good since I didn’t know the name or office number for the counselor. I was almost getting desperate enough to ask Kayla, but of course she was nowhere to be seen.
I turned back from scanning the halls for her and caught sight of the first adult I’d seen—and almost screamed. As it was, I gasped loudly enough for a guy walking past me to do a double take. The man standing in the open doorway was tall, over six feet, and way skinny—so emaciated that it looked like you ought to be able to see his ribs through his shirt, if his shirt didn’t hang so loosely on him. He had white hair that stuck out in tufts, thin lips, a sharp nose, and pale blue eyes that narrowed as he watched the kids walk past—and all the kids gave him a wide berth without even seeming to notice that they did so. He stood in an empty circle while students streamed around him in the crowded hallway.
But none of that was what made me almost scream.
For a moment, just as I’d turned toward him, I could have sworn that I’d seen the shadow of two huge, black, leathery wings stretched out behind him.







When did you start writing?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making up stories. The first story I remember actually writing down was basically fan-fiction of The Wizard of Oz. I wrote it in long-hand in a yellow
legal pad. I’ve been writing ever since. But about ten years ago, a friend suggested I join in National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org). Until then, I had always written short stories.
That year, I finished the first draft of what would eventually become Legally Undead—it will be my third published novel, but it’s the first one I wrote.

I ended up as an English major in college because I was fascinated by the ways stories work. And then I went on to graduate school because I couldn’t figure out what else to do. I ended up with a Ph.D. in literature almost by accident; I just never quit wanting to learn about all the stories in the world!

So now I teach literature and writing in my day job, and the rest of the time, I write, both as a fiction author and as an academic.

 
What makes you want to write?

In some ways, I feel compelled to write. So first and foremost, I write for myself. I write to tell the stories I want to read. And I hope that others want to read them, too!

One of my favorite quotes about writing is from Neil Gaiman; every time I read it, I am reminded of yet another piece of a life of words:

"You write. That's the hard bit that nobody sees. You write on the good days and you write on the lousy days. Like a shark, you have to keep moving forward or you die. Writing may or may not be your salvation; it might or might not be your destiny. But that does not matter. What matters right now are the words, one after another. Find the next word. Write it down. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat." --Neil Gaiman

 

Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it?

I get stuck, like everyone. I hit writer’s block sometimes. But when that happens, I usually switch over to another project or go for a walk. Sometimes I’ll go back and try to work on editing what’s already done. But I loathe editing and revising. I know it must be done, but I hate it with a fiery passion. So that usually prompts me to go back to writing!

 
Do you have a special way of going about writing?

I have an office that I use for all my work: academic writing, fiction writing, editing, and online teaching. My desk is against a window so I can see outside. I’m surrounded by books and papers.
I write directly on my laptop, but when I get stuck, I sometimes switch to handwriting; this seems to shift my brain onto a different track and helps me get over writer’s block. I write something every day, whether it’s academic writing, fiction, or my blog.

But the single biggest thing that I do to write? It’s narrating. I have an internal monologue—and sometimes dialogue—going on all the time. I think in words; when I have a mental picture, I practice translating it into words in my mind. I tell myself stories and I work out plot lines and I figure out arguments to make about literature. I think about the words to use to explain writing to my classes and I practice describing my surroundings. I think in my characters’ voices and in my own voice. When I get blocked, I go for a walk and let my characters take over for a while until I have another scene.

 
Do you have any works in progress?

Several! I'm working on the sequels to Fairy, Texas (entitled Flightless), Waking Up Dead (entitled Playing Dead), and Legally Undead (entitled Crazy, Stupid, Undead). And a few other things!

 
What are your hobbies?

Reading, swimming, spending as much time as possible with my daughter!

 
How did you choose the character names for Fairy, Texas?

Some of them just came to me—Laney's name was easy. But I often check baby-name sites to find appropriate names!

 
Who is your favourite character in Fairy, Texas?

I really love Mason.

 
How did you get the idea for Fairy, Texas?

I was driving through rural Texas near where I grew up and passed the sign for the cut-off to the town Fairy, Texas. I must have driven by the sign hundreds of times in my life, but this time I started wondering what it would be like if the town were actually occupied by fairy-like creatures—not exactly European fairies, but a race that could intermingle with the humans of our own world.  The book developed from there!

 
What was your favourite part of writing Fairy, Texas?

I love getting lost in the worlds I create. 


What are you currently reading?


I'm re-reading the Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold.

 
What is your favourite book?

Ha! Never ask an English professor to discuss books unless you want the multi-paragraph answer! Like most novelists, I am a voracious reader in my field, which means that I read all kinds of urban fantasy and paranormal fiction. But in addition to being an urban fantasy writer, I have Ph.D. in eighteenth-century British literature. This means that any time anyone wants to talk books, I have more than my share to say!

In early British literature, I love the classics—but especially the stories with heroes and monsters: Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Knight’s Tale. I love Shakespeare’s plays, but my favorites to teach are Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream because each is such a great example of its genre. Hamlet’s tragedy seems virtually unavoidable, and Midsummer’s comedy hits all the high (and low!) points.

In my own sub-specialty of eighteenth-century British literature, I love the early novels written by some of the first women to make a living writing in England, such as Aphra Behn, Eliza Haywood, and Delarivier Manley. Behn’s 1688 novel Oroonoko tells the story of a king who became a slave and found the woman he loved in the process, only to kill her and their unborn child to save them from slavery. In Haywood’s Fantomina (1724), a young noblewoman sets off on a sexual adventure full of disguises and intrigue. And in Manley’s The Wife’s Resentment (1720), a young woman takes revenge against her unfaithful husband with a gruesome murder.
These early novels influenced later gothic tales, with virtuous damsels in distress and monstrous villains out to destroy them.

I think these various loves in more traditional literature—monsters, heroes, strong women, and gothic settings—are all parts of what have influenced my love of urban fantasy, paranormal fiction, romance, and horror. I love seeing many of the same tropes and ideas in more recent publications that influenced earlier works, as well.

 
Who is your favourite author?

 There are too many to list! I tend to have lists of favorite authors according to genre and to time period. But at the moment, here are a few: I love books by Neil Gaiman, Lois McMaster Bujold, Faith Hunter, Stephen Graham Jones, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, Richelle Mead, Rachel Vincent, Holly Black, Janny Wurts, Jennifer Estep, Rachel Caine, Patricia Briggs, Janet Evanovich . . . and those are just the ones who come to mind immediately!

 
What is your favourite film?

At the moment? Guardians of the Galaxy.

 
What is your favourite TV show?

The Walking Dead, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (still!).

 
Quick-fire questions:

Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate.
Paperback or ebook? Ebook.
Dogs or cats? Cats.
Go out or stay in? Stay in.
Summer or winter? Summer
.




About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them.


Author links: 

 

Book Blitz + Giveaway - The Secret Diamond Sisters Series by Michelle Madow




The Secret Diamond Sisters (The Secret Diamond Sisters #1) by Michelle Madow
Release Date: 02/25/14
Harlequin Teen
381 pages 

Summary from Goodreads:
 
Savannah. Courtney. Peyton. 

The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching abreak. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel
suite.

Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

 

Buy Links: 





"Sexy and often electrifying ... Gossip Girl meets The Princess Diaries in a city that never sleeps." --Booklist 

"This quick and entertaining read is filled with glitz and glamour ... get ready for one crazy and fabulous ride." --RT Book Reviews 

 


  Book Two

Diamonds in the Rough (The Secret Diamond Sisters #2) by Michelle Madow
Release Date: 10/28/14
Harlequin Teen
448 

Summary from Goodreads:
 
All-access doesn't mean no problems. 

The three Diamond sisters survived the summer in style after coming to live with their long-lost billionaire father. But making a place for themselves at their exclusive new Las Vegas private
school is throwing them any number of gold-plated curves. Savannah's YouTube stardom turns into a Sweet Sixteen reality show extravaganza—with complimentary enemies on the side.
Dangerous flirtations don't keep Peyton from a gamble that will risk far more than she planned to bet. And when Courtney and the sisters' archenemy, Madison, uncover tw o explosive secrets, it will rock even this town of glittering illusion—and turn their lives upside down all over again. 

Sisterhood, first crushes, and scandalous secrets explode in book two of Michelle Madow's riveting series, The Secret Diamond Sisters.
 


Buy Links:
 





Excerpt:

COURTNEY DIAMOND

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas … but that doesn’t matter when you live there.”  

The fireworks started before either of them could say anything more, bursts of light shooting into the desert sky, bigger than any firework show Courtney had seen in Fairfield. It was impossible
to ignore the electricity bouncing between the inches of space separating her and Brett, dancing across her skin with each boom overhead. She couldn’t stop glancing at him from the corner of
her eye. He looked lost in thought, although sometimes sheswore she caught him watching her, too. This went on for twenty minutes, and then came the finale—shot after shot of fireworks
exploding, without a second’s break between them. Some sored into their air like comets and others spread like meteor showers, filling up miles of sky.
When it was over, Courtney was sitting so close to Brett that their arms were an inch from touching.
“How did you like it?” he asked, not making an effort to move away.
“I loved it,” she replied. “Thanks for bringing me.”
Her head felt fuzzy, and she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her arm brushing his. She stilled at the touch, and he looked at her with more intensity than he had the entire night.
“Are you two ready to leave?” Dawn destroyed the moment, standing up and brushing invisible dust off her jeans.
Courtney jerked backward, torn out of her trance. If theothers hadn’t been there, what would have happened between her and Brett? She’d never kissed a guy before, but from the way he was
looking at her, she felt like he’d wanted to kiss her. And if he had, she wasn’t sure she would have stopped him.
She shook her head at the thought. Courtney had never broken a rule in her life.
Whatever had just occurred between her and Brett could never happen again.





About the Author 

Michelle Madow wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college. Remembranceis the first book in The Transcend Time Saga, a three part series about reincarnation and true love that Michelle successfully self-published. The series was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. Michelle's latest YA series, The Secret Diamond Sisters, about three sisters who discover they are the secret heirs to a Las Vegas billionaire casino owner, was published in March 2014 by Harlequin Teen. The second book in the series, Diamonds in the Rough, released in November 2014, and the third book, Diamonds are Forever, will be coming out in November 2015. A tireless promoter of her work, Michelle is
active on social media networks and has toured across America to promote her books and encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing.
 
Michelle lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling the world, shopping, Disney fairy
tales, Broadway musicals, and loves talking with fans onFacebook (/MichelleMadow), Twitter (@MichelleMadow), and Instagram (@MichelleMadow).
 
To chat with Michelle and other fans about her books, join Michelle Madow's Street Team on Facebook

 
Author Links: 







The Secret Diamond Sisters swag pack that includes: The Secret Diamond Sisters lip balm, The Secret Diamond Sisters pin, postcards for each of the Diamond sisters, a signed bookmark, and a The Secret Diamond Sisters sticker.





Book Blitz Organized by: 

 

Friday, 27 March 2015

Blog Tour + Guest Post - Riddle of Fate by Tania Johansson


Find the tour schedule here.





Riddle of Fate by Tania Johansson
Publication date: May 29th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Khaya’s life, a life the Order say was never meant to be, is thrown into turmoil when she discovers she has a second ability. The Company who employs people like her – with rare and special abilities – insists that having more than one inevitably leads down a dark spiral into madness. So they are watching and waiting, ready to terminate her at the first sign of trouble.

Now, on the run from the Company’s agents while trying to prove her sanity, Khaya realises they are not the only ones she should fear. Angels are working towards her demise as well.

The question that haunts her is this: What did she do that was terrible enough to elicit the wrath of angels? And can she trust the mysterious Derrin, or is he the cause of all her tribulations?



Purchase:









10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer.

Becoming a better writer is something that I am obviously constantly striving for. I think any author who has stopped this process needs to have a good look at their motivations. I know there are many areas where I can still improve, but I’ll try to share what I’ve learnt on my journey so far. 


1. Write!

This might seem an obvious thing that goes without saying, but I think as authors we can become so embroiled in the daunting idea of having someone read what you’ve written you can become frozen to the spot. Even if you discard half of what you’ve written, that still means you have words on the page.


2. Read.

I believe most authors love reading long before they discover their love of writing. There is great value in reading what’s out there and taking inspiration from others. Sometimes if you have a lull in your writing, reading a good book can be enough to reignite your passion for stories and help kick you back into gear.


3.  Rewrite.

I don’t believe anyone can write the perfect story the first time round. You can always improve. It might be a bit of a pain, but even if it means rewriting entire chapters, it will be worth it in the end. I’ve heard Brandon Sanderson say that being a writer is a bit like being a magician: No one sees you making mistakes while you are practicing, they only see the final flourish. The first draft of your favourite book was no doubt not nearly as good as the final product.


4. Google is your friend.

There are so many resources out there that you can find the answer to pretty much any question you have. You are highly unlikely to be the first person to ask, so the answer will be out there somewhere. I listen to a few writing podcasts and Brandon Sanderson also allows his lectures on creative writing to be posted online. These have been invaluable.


5. Use Social Media.

This is definitively an area where I can still do a lot better, but I know the importance of creating an online presence.


6. Have a website.

Just having twitter or a facebook page is not enough. To have a space where you can have all your information about your books and events is a must. Having a website that is all yours gives you a great deal of freedom in what you want to share and what you want to draw attention to. It is a great place to communicate with your readers.


7. Get yourself a good editor.

An editor’s advice and services is not optional. As an author you are so close to your project that it can be very hard to gain proper perspective and those pesky little spelling and grammar mistakes can slide away from under your gaze. My editor, Janet Philip, has been amazing.


8. Try new things.

I am still refining the way I plan my novels. It is a learning curve and with each of my books, I have used different techniques. I used to think I am a discovery writer, but I have come to realise that this is a sliding scale and I’ve found that I need elements from both discovery writing and outlining in order to be most effective and to draw as much enjoyment out of writing as I can.


9. Listen to critique.

It is very easy to a.) take offence and b.) brush it off as ‘just their opinion’, but listening to what your critics have to say can help you. It’s never easy to hear someone doesn’t think the work that you’ve slaved over is perfect, but when you actually look at what they are saying, you may just find some merit in there. Of course, sometimes, you will listen to what they have to say and decide it is merely a difference of opinion, but make sure you make that decision with a clear head rather than defensively, in the heat of the moment. And never respond to someone’s review of your book to try to tell them why they are wrong. In fact, never respond.


10. Enjoy it!

With the stress of writing, editing and trying to get published, it is easy to lose sight of why you started writing in the first place. If you haven’t been traditionally published and you want to be (like me) then perhaps ask yourself the question, ‘If you never get that publishing deal, would you still be writing?’






AUTHOR BIO

I grew up in a small town called Ficksburg in South Africa and moved with my family to England aged fifteen.

I then completed my schooling through a correspondence course from South Africa. This challenging time taught me a lot of self-discipline and determination. Qualities that have been invaluable while writing my first novel.

In 2004 I started studying optometry at Aston University in Birmingham, UK and currently I live and work as an optician in Kent.

In 2008, I married my wonderful husband, Tor. He has been such an amazing support and wealth of internet wizardry from when I started writing through to designing a cover for Book of Remembrance, to publishing my book on amazon as well as setting up this website. I cannot thank him enough.

Reading has always been one of my passions. I have fond memories of trawling through the library aged five (yes I was a geek from a young age!). More recently, I found myself wondering about the process writers must go through to complete a novel. I started thinking about how they would go about planning out a story and keeping track of all the various aspects of it. Finally, I decided to try my theories out. I have not looked back since!

I started writing Book of Remembrance end of May 2011 and finished it in December 2011. Since then, I have self-published it as an e-book on amazon. I have also started writing the follow up novel, which is untitled at the moment.


Author links:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website