Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Cover Reveal: Outside, Inside by Cindy Helms




Children's Book (4-8)
Date Published: August 25, 2015


Have you ever felt like all of your friends had forgotten about you?  Have you ever felt left out?  This is exactly what happens to Birdie in Outside, Inside.  When Birdie does not see his friends around, he decides to go out and look for them.  He quickly finds that something strange is going on.  Birdie’s friends are really planning a super fun surprise that gives Birdie a change of heart.  Outside, Inside is a simple story about the joy of friendship and giving.  Using 35 easy words and vivid, colorful characters, this story is enchanting for the youngest of readers.





EXCERPT





About the Author


Cindy Helms is a visual artist, author and illustrator known for designing unusual projects. For Cindy, art is created from curious and whimsical combinations of shapes, textures and colors.  In her unique and simple children’s books, Cindy’s art work comes to life in characters that enchant children and adults alike. Cindy lives in the Denver, CO area with two artistic boys and two fat black cats.  She loves road trips, camping and discovering new places.


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Monday, July 27, 2015

Tour Kick Off: Two Outta Three by @sbrioneslim



New Adult Contemporary Romance
Date PublishedJune 2, 2015


Jesse Tyler is the perfect mix of sweet prince and bad boy… 

He is also my best friend—and I’m hopelessly in love with him. 

Unfortunately he didn’t feel the same way about me, and to make matters worse, he moved away in the middle of our senior year, completely cutting me off. 

Now after a few years (and did I mention a new guy?) I am hit with the biggest bombshell of all—Jesse is moving back to town! 

I know I should be happy, but I can’t help but feel a bit nervous about our reunion, especially since I never once stopped loving him. 

Will things be weird between us? 

Will we struggle to reconnect? 

But even more importantly… 

Will he finally feel the same way about me?




#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?
I would love to make writing my career. It’s actually my dream to be able to write stories full time. As the saying goes: “Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”


#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?
I usually answer revisions, but at this point in my life I’ll answer finding the time to. I have two books I’d love to finish and am so close to finishing, but trying to squeeze the time to do so is just difficult.

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?
My friend Jayne Thurber-Smith helped me out a lot! She’s a writer as well and has also beta-read and edited some of my past work. There’s something fun and educational about bouncing my ideas off with another writer.

#4 – What is next for your writing?
I am currently finishing book #2 to the Two Outta Three Series called “One and Done” as well as finishing up book #3 to the Caught Inside series which is called “On the Outside.”
I have a habit of jumping between multiple books at once :)

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?
YES!! In fact, my love for writing stemmed from my obsession for reading. I’ve been a bookworm basically before I could even read! My mom used to read me stories and I couldn’t get enough of them. I’m currently reading “Blue” by H.J. Bellus

DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:
Friends-to-lovers, unrequited love, & evrythng in between #newadult #romance

This or That?

#1 - iPod or Mp3?  iPod

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries? French Fries

#4 – Comedy or Drama? Comedy

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks? Nicholas Sparks

#6 – Fantasy or Reality? Fantasy

#7 – Call or Text? Text

#8 – Public School or Home School? Public School

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate Coffee

#10 – eBook or Paperback? eBook



Thanks to her Mom’s unwavering devotion to read a bedtime story to her every single night throughout her childhood years, S. BRIONES LIM’s love for books began before she could even speak.
Raised in Southern California, Author S. Briones Lim initially dreamt of becoming an artist and/ or Book Author. A Psychology Degree (Summa cum Laude), a stint in Art School, and a career in Advertising/Media later, she is finally delving back into her first love – books. As a self- renowned bookworm, S. Briones Lim’s love for books has inspired her to pen her own novels and hopes her readers will fall in love with her stories as much as she enjoyed writing them.
Author of the Amazon Bestselling novel, Caught Inside, S. Briones Lim’s other obsessions include time with family, POPCORN, watching movies and her dogs, Tobi and Roscoe. She currently lives on the East Coast with her husband and continues to write every day.

Contact Information
Twitter: @sbrioneslim








July 27 - Author B.L. Blair - Excerpt
July 29 - Chosen By You Book Club - Excerpt
July 30 - Literary Musings - Guest Post
August 1 - Satin's Bookish Corner - Guest Post
August 2 - Books, Authors, Blogs - Excerpt
August 3 - The Book Dragon - Interview
August 4 - BB's Book Reviews - Review
August 5 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
August 6 - Jessica Cassidy - Review
August 7 - Young Adult Book Madness - Review
August 8 - Book Reviews and Authors - Review


August 9 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up


Tour Kick Off: Fever by @TonyaPlank #giveaway




New Adult / Contemporary Romance
Date Published: June 10, 2015


Rory’s once promising ballet career was destroyed by family tragedy and illness. She turned her life around and became a lawyer. Now at the start of her legal career, she lacks passion in her work and self-confidence in her abilities. But when she meets gorgeous, mysterious Russian ballroom dancer, Sasha, at a firm holiday party, her passions for life and dance are immediately re-kindled.

Since being torn from his Siberian family as a child, Sasha’s life ambition has been to be world ballroom champion, a path he was destined for until his former partner pulled the plug on their partnership. She went on to win the world title, leaving him, without a partner equal in ability, forever in second place. The instant he lays eyes on Rory, he recognizes the depth of her passion and talent, and falls hard for her in more ways than one.

But she also reminds him of great pain from his past. He must not only overcome his own demons but convince her to leave her demanding law career, and all that she has worked for in her adult life, to train with him full-time in order for their partnership – both on and off the dance floor – to work.  

This is part one in a continuing three-book series.











#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?

Yes, definitely. I’m still working at my day job, doing contract-based legal work, but I would love more than anything to write full time.


#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

Having the time to do it. I work at my day job sometimes ten or more hours a day, staring at a computer. So, it’s hard to come home and look at a computer some more! Fortunately, I do contract-based assignments, so sometimes I have months between projects. That’s when I get most of my writing done. I just write, write, write for eight or more hours each day when I have time off like that.


#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

I met a really wonderful writer when I first moved to Los Angeles named Robena Grant. She was assigned to be my mentor in the LA chapter of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and she went far and above her duties with me! She really helped me, carefully reading the entire first drafts of all three manuscripts that formed the Fever series, and making both line edits and suggesting substantive changes. She’s super knowledgeable in romance writing and was incredibly helpful to me. I am so grateful for her support!

#4 – What is next for your writing?

I am working hard on the next romance novel in the Infectious Rhythm series. It’s set in the same Hollywood studio in which Rory and Sasha’s story is set, and involves some characters readers have met in the Fever series.


#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?

Yes, definitely! I recently got back from the RT Booklovers Convention in Dallas and I came home with about 70 books! It’s so hard to decide which to begin first. So, I’m currently reading three of them at once: Emma Chase’s Overruled, Christina Lauren’s Sweet Filthy Boy, and Sylvia Day’s Captivated by You.


DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:
Passions soar, hard career decisions are made, and competitors attempt sabotage when shy lawyer Rory meets tantalizing Russian dancer Sasha.



This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3?

MP3

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?

Chocolate!

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?

French fries. I like the shoestring ones, with a really delicious, garlicky dip.

#4 – Comedy or Drama?

That’s hard. Depends what I’m in the mood for. How about Dramedy?

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?

Danielle Steel.

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?

Fantasy! I like escape J

#7 – Call or Text?

Text

#8 – Public School or Home School?

Public School

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate. With whipped cream.

#10 – eBook or Paperback?
I have to go with eBook. As much as I love holding a physical book in my hands, with its fun, colorful cover, I ultimately value being able to change the font and brighten the screen and carry all my books with me on one small device. 


After working for many years as a criminal appeals attorney in New York, Tonya Plank now lives and writes in Southern California. A former amateur ballroom dancer, she wrote the dance blog, Swan Lake Samba Girl. Her first novel, Swallow, won several awards, including gold medals in the Independent Publisher and the Living Now Book Awards, and was a finalist in ForeWord’s Book of the Year and the National Indie Excellence Awards.

When not writing, she enjoys taking road trips with her rescue dog, Sofia, devouring Mexican food and Cadillac margaritas, sweating to dance-based workouts, cuddling up with her cats and a good book, and seeing dance performances of any kind. Her favorite places in the world are Lincoln Center in New York City, the Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach to San Francisco, and the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

To connect with her, please find her at www.tonyaplank.com where she tries to blog regularly.


Contact Information





July 27 - Chosen By You Book Club - Excerpt
July 28 - Jody's Book Reviews - Excerpt
July 29 - BB's Book Reviews - Interview
July 30 - Satin's Bookish Corner - Excerpt
July 31 - Penny For My Thoughts - Review
August 1 - Mythical Books - Interview
August 2 - Caught Up in Books - Review
August 3 - Vicki Vaught - Excerpt
August 4 - Author Karen Banes - Interview
August 5 - Busy Bumblebee Reviews - Review
August 6 - Reily's Point of View - Excerpt
August 7 - A Life Through Books - Review
August 10 - Book Groupies - Excerpt
August 11 - Author B.L. Blair - Excerpt
August 12 - Texas Book Nook - Review
August 13 - Coffee Book Mom - Excerpt
August 14 - Queen of the Night Reviews - Excerpt
August 15 - Book and Ink - Review
August 16 - Jazzy's Book Reviews - Excerpt
August 17 - I Am MoLaShae - Review
August 18 - Jessica Cassidy - Review
August 19 - XOXO Book Blog - Excerpt
August 20 - The Indie Express - Excerpt
August 21 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up







Tour Kick Off: Purified by Elizabeth S. Sullivan




Thriller / Noir
Date Published: November 27, 2014


When a mutilated body of an African American girl is found in a park sandbox, the media shows no interest. Instead, their attention is riveted on the disappearance of Olivia Safra, a college student and only child of the powerful and dangerous Richard Safra. Suspended ADA, Beck Oldman, demoted to a rookie PI is assigned her first cases to find a missing teenager and Olivia Safra.

Leads connect the murders to the Safra case. The investigation into her client's private life reveals a dark side in the relationship between a father and daughter and exacts his wrath against Beck. More girls are found murdered, putting Beck in a race to stop a serial killer and stop her own client from destroying her.

PURIFIED is a thrilling story that explores many dark subjects, including what it does to those who have to live in the world of killers in order to stop them.









Elizabeth S. Sullivan was born in Chicago and grew up in the LA area. Impassioned by social justice issues, inspired by her parents, she pursued teaching and earned a law degree. She has written five screenplays, one short. Her screenplays have placed or won such as: Nicholl, Austin, Page, and American Zoetrope. These recognitions garnered her a manager, Alexia Melocchi, Little Studio Films. Her first novel, PURIFIED, portrays a strong female protagonist in the genre of a noir thriller.  Sullivan explores issues of race, gender, privacy in the cyber age. She has written several blogs on of women in fiction featured on Venture Galleries.  She is busy working on the sequel to PURIFIED and a new screenplay.







July 28 - Mallory Heart Reviews - Review
July 29 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
July 30 - My Reading Addiction - Interview
July 31 - Chosen By You Book Club - Excerpt
August 3 - A Life Through Books - Interview
August 5 - Texas Book Nook - Review
August 6 - The Indie Express - Review
August 7 - Steamy Side - Excerpt
August 10 - Mythical Books - Guest Post
August 11 - Loves All Things Books - Excerpt
August 12 - Indie Writers Review - Excerpt
August 13 - The Bookish Ailurophile - Review
August 14 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
August 14 - IEquals Alissa - Guest Post
August 15 - Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass - Excerpt
August 15 - The Book Diva's Read - Guest Post
August 16 - Bookie Monster - Review
August 17 - Coffee Hobby - Review
August 18 - Reily's Point of View - Excerpt
August 19 - Author Shyla Wolff - Excerpt
August 20 - Genuine Jenn - Review
August 20 - Readsalot - Excerpt
August 22 - Satin's Bookish Corner - Guest Post
August 23 - Jody's Book Reviews - Excerpt
August 24 - Coffee Book Mom - Excerpt
August 25 - J Bronder Book Reviews - Review
August 26 - Queen of the Night Reviews - Review
August 27 - I Am MoLaShae - Review
August 28 - Bloody Bookish - Review
August 29 - Literary Musings - Guest Post
August 30 - Nerdy, Dirty, and Flirty - Review
September 1 - Cheeky Pee Reads - Review
September 2 -  British Bookworm - Review
September 3 - Book Reviews and Authors - Review
September 4 - Genre Queen - Review
September 4 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up



Friday, July 24, 2015

Tour Kick Off: A Time for Everything by @MystiParker




Historical Romance
Date PublishedJuly 7, 2015


After losing her husband and only child to the ravages of the Civil War, twenty-five-year-old Portia McAllister is drowning in grief. When she sees an ad for a live-in tutor in another town, she leaves everything behind in hopes of making a fresh start. But as a Confederate widow in a Union household, she is met with resentment from her new charge and her employer, war veteran Beau Stanford. 

Despite their differences, she and Beau find common ground and the stirrings of a second chance at love—until his late wife’s cousin, Lydia, arrives with her sights set on him. Burdened with a farm on the brink of bankruptcy, Beau is tempted by Lydia’s hefty dowry, though Portia has captured his heart. 

In another time and another place, his choice would be easy. But love seems impossible amid the simmering chaos of Reconstruction that could boil over at any moment into an all-out battle for survival. Will Beau and Portia find their way into each other’s arms, or will they be swept away by raging forces beyond their control? 








#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?

Most definitely. Especially this year. I had a one book per year output from 2010 to 2013, when I was diagnosed with clinical depression. I sought treatment and spent all of last year bouncing back by publishing a couple of novellas and a children’s book.

This year, I’m back with a vengeance, determined not to let depression hold me back. I set myself a 4 book goal. One was another children’s book, then a short sequel to my romantic comedy series, and then my first historical romance in July. Late fall will see the publication of the 4th book in my Tallenmere fantasy romance series.

Add to that some flash fiction stories published in magazines, the production of 3 audiobooks, and attending a slew of book events, all while taking care of home, husband, three kids and too many pets, and I’ve been one busy chick. If that’s not a career, it’s one dang hectic hobby!

#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

Everything! LOL The first draft is always the hardest. You’re basically creating something out of nothing, building a foundation, and it has to be strong enough to hold the final structure of the story. For an impatient gal like me, it’s hard to handle the bumps along the way while figuring out how to fit all the pieces together.

This particular book actually began in 2010, back when I was still pretty green. I got about 2/3 of the draft written when I decided I wasn’t quite ready to finish it. I didn’t have the experience or time to research that this novel demanded. So I put it on the back burner and worked on my Tallenmere series until 2013, when I got it back out and used NaNoWriMo to rewrite it from scratch. I spent the winter revising, began submitting in spring, and now I’m happy that I waited. EsKape Press is wonderful, and readers are already loving it.

There is something to be said for patience, after all. 

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

I had several, actually. I’m lucky to have a wonderful network of writers who beta read and exchange critiques with me. All of them contribute something different and useful to the writing process. I cannot express my gratitude for them enough. *GROUP HUG!!*

#4 – What is next for your writing?

I’m currently working on Book 4 of my fantasy romance series and praying I get it all done so it can be published this fall. I’ve kept fans of the series waiting long enough, since it’s been two years since the last book. I’ve also got plans for another children’s book, another contemporary novella, and the third part of my romantic comedy series. Oh, and another historical which I’m chomping at the bit to research and write.

In the meantime, my inner Jiminy Cricket is reminding me to keep my head down and finish Book 4 (No Place Like Home). Do not pass go, do not collect $200, but don’t forget to breathe and eat. Got it.

PS: You can read a dark and sensual sneak peek of No Place Like Home here:  http://mystiparker.blogspot.com/p/coming.html

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?

Yes, though lately I haven’t read nearly enough. I’m reading “Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children,” http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Peregrines-Home-Peculiar-Children-ebook/dp/B004FGMDOQ which is weird and creepy and right up my alley. I’m also enjoying audiobooks as of late—they’re great during workouts and during my kid chauffer duties. The latest is a collection of creepy doll-themed stories called “The Doll Collector.” http://www.amazon.com/The-Doll-Collection/dp/B00VF1R6K0 I’ll be reviewing it for SQ Mag in July.



DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet: #MustRead Can a Confederate widow and a Union veteran find love amidst the turmoil of Reconstruction? http://tinyurl.com/ot4wyoc 


This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3? Mp3 (what the heck is a iPd?)

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla? Duh, chocolate!!!

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries? French fries, unless it’s my mama-in-law’s mashed potatoes. *drool*

#4 – Comedy or Drama? Comedy—why not laugh when you can?

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks? Nicholas Sparks except for the tear-fest at the end.

#6 – Fantasy or Reality? Fantasy!!!

#7 – Call or Text? Text. I hate talking on the phone. I’d much rather text, email or talk face to face.

#8 – Public School or Home School? Public

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate?   Coffee, believe it or not. ‘Tis the fuel of writers.


#10 – eBook or Paperback? Love the feel of a good paperback, but eBooks are so convenient for traveling!




Mysti Parker is a wife, mom, author, and shameless chocoholic. She is the author of the Tallenmere standalone fantasy romance series and The Roche Hotel romantic comedy series. Her short writings have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Her award-winning historical romance, A Time for Everything, will be published this summer by EsKape Press.


Other writing pursuits include serving as a class mentor in Writers Village University's seven week online course, F2K. She has published two children's books (Quentin's Problem & Fuzzy Buzzy's Treasure) as Misty Baker.

When she's not writing fiction,Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.


Contact Information





July 25 - Wanderbook
July 26 - V's Reads
July 27 - Book Nerd


July 31 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up