Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Release Blitz: Like Clockwork by Ali Abbas #excerpt




Steampunk/Anti-Romance/Gothic Suspense
Date Published: February 28, 2017
Publisher: Transmundane Press

Commander Raymond Burntwood of the Royal Navy has returned to England where he meets the reclusive heiress Lady Ariana Grayhart. After the scandal of a night spent dancing together, Ariana returns home to Northumberland. Raymond’s superiors—seeking information about Ariana’s father—dispatch the commander under the cover of courting the heiress.

All is not as it seems in the Grayhart household. Captain Grayhart is an invalid, the servants maintain a monkish silence, and secrets are layered upon secrets. Everyone has their own agenda, from Raymond's friend and confidante Du Bois, to the family lawyer Sir Berwick, and Ariana herself.

In the midst of it all, Raymond must unravel the truth of Captain Grayhart's decline and save Ariana's reputation and fortune. In doing so, he learns dark secrets about himself that could tear his world apart.


Excerpt

I hurried back up the aisle, looking for a break in the foliage where I could step across, but the wall of green was impenetrable. My boots clattered on the stone floor, and I almost lost my footing as I came around the corner. I caught a glimpse of a figure turning past a small forest of bare poles standing in tall thin pots.
            More carefully now, I followed, watching the occasional pools of standing water and mossy patches on the uneven flags. I turned down the same space that the figure had gone and gagged. The stench was foul. I buried my nose in the elbow of my coat and stumbled backwards. My heel caught on one of the tall pots. I grabbed at the pole to catch my balance, but it swayed away under my weight and snapped. I fell heavily on the floor, a length of cane in my hand and the other canes clattering against each other in mock applause.
            I stood gingerly, wincing against the sharp pain of a blossoming bruise. The intake of the foul miasma hit me like a blow. I took a few cautious steps, using the length of cane as a walking stick.
            We had taken a pirate laden with slaves and bound for Port of Spain once. The Thame had stumbled on him by chance on the high seas, and did some damage before a long chase commenced. The pirates had given up looking after their cargo for some days by the time we finally overcame them and boarded the ship.
            In the hold, we had found a hundred souls dead, and only a handful alive. They were barely recognisable as men in their filth and malnutrition, packed into the darkness with death. We took the survivors on board and burned the shattered remains of the ship with its grisly contents. Some nights the smell of that hold haunted me. And now, I had found it once more in a stuffy corner of this oppressive glasshouse.
            My mind reeled between the present and past. Before me, a row of corpses slowly decayed into the boards of a ship’s hold. I doubled over and retched up scalding bile. I spat to clear my mouth and squeezed my eyes shut against the vision. Minutes passed before I dared to look up again.
            Before me were rows upon rows of noxious-looking fungi. They grew in shallow trays of straw-flecked manure, distended stems rising to lopsided caps. The sickly dark-yellow colour was deeply unwholesome, similar to the lantern lit bodies of the dead slaves. The fungi varied from six inches to a foot tall, and the mature ones seemed to be the same across.
            At least eight tables laden were with these trays. Oozing stems showed some had been recently harvested. I reached out my hand in horrified fascination. Something in their vile shape called out to be squeezed. Two soft footsteps fell behind me, and a strong hand gripped my wrist.


About the Author


Ali Abbas is a writer, photographer, and carpenter from London. He has travelled widely but still lives in the suburb where he was born. It's hard to explain what he does for a living, the common term is Policy Wonk.

Contact Links


Purchase Links


 photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png

Monday, February 27, 2017

Tour Kick Off: Realms of Edenocht by DS Johnson







Fantasy 
Date Published: July 2016

Shazmpt has been prepared his whole life to complete the prophecy; however until recently, he was unaware of his true identity as a powerful war wizard.
Hidden on an island in a time realm not his own, he must now search for ancient relics in order to stop the growing evil in the world. All he wanted was to hunt in his beloved forest, but is thrown into a world of sea serpents, dungeons, enchanted castles, miniature men, and air buffs.
Driven by duty and hindered by self-doubt, he is sent on a quest to unite the magical realms once more. He must learn to harness his good and evil powers, but will he survive the shadow…?



 A little about me, first I want to tell you a story, about a young girl who thought she was dumb. Yes, in the first, second, and third grades this little girl, was in the ‘Resource’ program or ‘Chapter 8’ as I have also heard it called. Even though she was then put in the regular class, she knew all too well by then she was not a smart child. All the way through high school this girl struggled. She graduated with a glorious 2.9. Yes, it was heart breaking for those little numbers to reflect the great struggle and all the efforts she had put forth.

She went on to start beauty school, figuring she wasn’t college material. Suddenly, she learned that she wasn’t dumb after all. She was what is called a kinesthetic learner or ‘hands on’ learner. She LOVED it. She went on to do very well, for many years. Until, life got complicated. She had five children, a husband, and a disabled mother who now required constant care. While contemplating how to earn a little bit of extra income, now that doing hair wasn’t an option, a thought came to her, ‘Write a book’ it said.
She replied by looking around and with her finger pointing at herself, she said, “Who me? I graduated high school with a 2.9 remember?”
The little thought came again, “Yes, you. Write a book.”
It so happened, that she had been telling her children nighttime stories for some time, so she did. It took five years to learn from the internet, a few writing classes, some great blogs, a lot of practice, one very good editor and the awesome support of her family. But she did it, and now I bring The Realms of Edenocht Series to you! Yes, that little girl was me, but no longer.



Contact Information





February 28 - Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass - Excerpt
March 1 - Mello and June - Excerpt
March 2 - Books, Dreams, Life - Excerpt
March 3 - Mythical Books - Guest Post
March 4 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
March 5 -  Chosen By You Book Club - Excerpt
March 6 - A Life Through Books - Interview
March 7 - Steamy Side - Excerpt
March 8 - My Reading Addiction - Interview
March 10 - Queen of All She Reads - Guest Post
March 11 - The Avid Reader - Excerpt
March 14 - Quiet Fury Books - Interview
March 15 - 50 Book Challenge - Excerpt
March 16 - Novel News Network - Excerpt
March 17 - The Indie Express - Review
March 22 - On a Reading Bender - Review
March 23 - Evermore Books - Guest Post
March 27 - Texas Book Nook - Review
March 28 - Jazzy's Book Reviews - Excerpt
March 29 - J Bronder Book Reviews - Review
April 1 - Drink Coffee and Read Books - Review
April 2 - Two Heartbeats - Review
April 4 - The Book Drealms - Review
April 6 - Book Likes - Review
April 7 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up  


Tour Kick Off: Worthy of This Great City by @asmikemiller







 Literary / Satire
Date Published: October 2016
 Publisher: JAM Publishing

Ruth Askew, a minor celebrity, is spouting some highly incompetent philosophy about the end of virtue. Con Manos, a journalist, is attempting to uncover a political scandal or two. Add some undistinguished members of City Council, an easy listening radio station, a disorganized charity, a prestigious Philadelphia newspaper, and any number of lawyers and other professional criminals. In Worthy Of This Great City the compelling stories of two stubborn individualists intertwine in a brisk, scathing satire that invites you to question everything you think you think about today's most discussed issues: populism and elitism, the possibility of truth, the reach of profound stupidity, and the limits of personal responsibility in these post-truth, morally uncertain times.







If you know my website and Twitter addresses (asmikemiller.com and asmikemiller, respectively), you must realize Mike Miller is only an author name. It's not a matter of privacy 

or secrecy; anybody can find me with minimal effort. It's about keeping things separate. My writing is about what appears on the page. It's not about my personal politics or religion or history. 

Worthy Of This Great City is a B-game book. I'm ambiguous about this, being interested in money like most people, but I don't want to compete with a slick professional cover or smooth editing so I've stuck to a sort of reasonable, human middle ground. I value those things for what they are, of course, but I see them as artifacts, part of a system of publishing that fought like hell for a week's worth of shelf space, that fought to catch the eye, not the mind or heart. 

As my character Con Manos says: "It's a revolution, isn't it?" I say: Why fight on the side of the enemy? Why imitate and thus perpetuate a business model that stifles originality? Just to show you can? Unless, of course, you're fighting to attract the eye, not the mind or heart.

I've played a joke with this novel - my first, incidentally. Played with the idea of narration and who can be speaking after all. It's all very literary.


Contact Information
Twitter: @asmikemiller




February 28 - A Life Through Books - Interview
March 1 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
March 2 - Mello and June - Excerpt
March 3 - Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass - Excerpt
March 6 - 4 The Luv of Sanity - Review
March 7 - Winning Wife - Excerpt
March 8 - My Reading Addiction - Interview
March 15 - The Indie Express - Review 
March 17 - Texas Book Nook - Review
March 20 - On a Reading Bender - Review
March 21 - Two Heartbeats - Review
March 22 - The Bookworm Lodge - Excerpt
March 23 - Steamy Side - Excerpt 
March 24 - Book Junkie Mom - Excerpt
March 27 - Novel News Network - Review
March 28 - Mello and June - Excerpt 
March 31 - Just us Book Blog - Excerpt
April 2 - The Avid Reader - Excerpt
April 4 - The Flipside of Julianne - Excerpt 

April 7 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up


Release Blitz: Looking Back on Forever by @katharinealex #giveaway




Contemporary Romance
Date Published: February 27th

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

There are moments in time that stand out more than others: your first kiss, a special birthday party, seeing your baby for the first time, an intimate conversation, a first date, even something as little as sitting around a dining room table with friends. This is the story of the moments that stood out after I first laid eyes on Noah Gish. ~ Claire Sawyer

The city, it used to be a place I loved and missed with an ache in my gut. It was home. The place where I grew up, where I had fun, where I had my friends, where life was as good as I knew it to be. Then I was shipped off to a place that begins the story of how I fell in love, just to screw everything up. ~ Noah Gish



About the Author


Literature is my passion. I like to challenge myself and grow in my writings. I have many unfinished books and some that have been published under a different name.

My passions include the arts: music, photography, writing, dance, painting, films, architecture—anything that is creation. There is not much I don't like; and if I don't like it, I at least appreciate the process it took place to create it. This is something incorporated in all my books.

In my spare time, I enjoy being out in nature, travelling, spending time with family, and reading. I read everything, from contemporary to paranormal, and history to science. Learning is something very important to me.

Contact Links


Purchase Links




 photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

PROMO Blitz: Flowers on the Wall


Contemporary Romance
Date Published: August 2016
Publisher: Brook Publications

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

WHAT IS MUSIC WITHOUT SOME HART?

Ryder Hart
Rock God
Brother
Protector
Wounded Soul

Quinn Abernathy
Photographer
Daughter
Healer of Souls

Ryder Hart came up the hard way. From his childhood, to scratching his way to the top of the charts. Every moment was a struggle. Now that he's made it, nothing is taking him down. Not even a secret so dark it invades his dreams and haunts his waking hours.

Quinn Abernathy's hunger for success is no less than Ryder's. If she wants to succeed in the highly competitive world of photography, she can't let anything, or anyone, get in her way. Until Ryder. He makes her long for more than she ever thought possible.

Music is Ryder's life. There isn't room for a woman like Quinn Abernathy.

A woman who asks for nothing but wants it all.

Grab this stand-alone novel now.


Other Books in the Hart Of Rock And Roll Series:





Hart Of Rock And Roll, Book 2
Published: September 2016

Dalton Shaw was on the verge of success when he made a mistake that could have ruined his life forever. He was one of the lucky ones. A prison sentence wasn't the end. His friends stood by him. Waited. Together, they rode to the top of the charts becoming one of the most successful rock bands in the world.

Dalton thought he had left his bad boy past behind him. Unfortunately, small towns--and the people in them--have long memories. Especially when there are secrets nobody wants dug up.

Returning to Midas, Arizona was the last thing Dalton wanted. Given no choice, he is determined to find the truth once and for all. What he didn't expect to find was a woman like Colleen McNamara.
Prison changes a man. It's inevitable. Can she live with that?

Colleen had one goal. Getting out of Midas as soon as humanly possible. Meeting Dalton Shaw didn't change her dreams. He was a distraction. A bit of fun. She wasn't looking to fall for the blue eyed charmer. But fate--and love--have a way of sneaking up on an unsuspecting heart. It wasn't long before Colleen was willing to put herself at risk if it means protecting Dalton from those who want to use him for their own ends--or ruin him trying.

Danger follows Dalton and Colleen as they search for the truth.

Will they make it out of Midas in one piece?

Will they discover in time that love is the most powerful weapon of all?


Hart Of Rock And Roll, Book 3
Published: October 2016

Ashe Mathison has always been the even keeled member of The Ryder Hart Band.

Unlike his friends, he had a stable childhood. Pampered and loved, he grew up wanting for nothing—except the chance to follow his true passion. Music. In order to follow his dream, Ash had to walk away from his family with nothing but a few dollars in his pocket, a guitar slung over his back, and a driving ambition to be the best.

Ten years later, Ashe has it all. Fame. Wealth. And a tight group of people he can count on to have his back—no matter what.

Mending the break with his family had always seemed like an impossible task. But when an opportunity arises, Ashe knows it might be the only chance he will ever get. It's a risk he has to take.
Belle Richards seems to have the perfect life. With a well-paying job and a handsome fiancé her family loves, what else could she ask for? How about love? Or passion. Both are missing from Belle's life. Only one man ever stirred her heart. Unfortunately, he never knew she was alive.

THE BOY NEXT DOOR IS NOW A ROCK STAR

A chance encounter between Belle and Ashe stirs up unexpected feelings they can't control. For Belle, it was meant to be a one night stand. For Ashe, it felt like more. In the morning, when he reached for her, she was gone. Imagine his surprise when he returns home and finds out the woman he can't get out of his mind is engaged to be married.

For Ashe and Belle, passion, once tasted, is impossible to ignore. But is that all there is? Can they have a future when their lives are so different?

An unexpected threat to Belle's life changes everything. Ashe has found the love of his life—and will not let anybody keep them apart.


Hart Of Rock And Roll, Book 4
Published: December 2016

Zoe Hart knows who she is. Sister, friend. And badass lead guitar player for The Ryder Hart Band. A childhood filled with all-to-real monsters and the uncertainty of foster homes left her no choice but to grow up fast. To survive she built a wall that over time had gotten taller—thicker. She didn't let in anybody but her closest friends. And even they didn't know all her secrets. She doesn't need a man in her life to make it better. She doesn't need a man. Period. Especially a cocky, charming rock God who is used to women falling at his feet.

Smith Carson had known Zoe Hart since she was teenager. Pretty. Amusingly snarky. She was more of a girl than a woman. While he admired her as a musician, he always thought of her as Ryder Hart's little sister. In other words, hands off. When that changed, he wasn't certain. All he knew was that one day—in what seemed like a blink of the eye—she was all grown up. Breathtakingly gorgeous. Along with an outer maturity, her snarky tongue had turned from amusing to acid sharp. If Smith wanted Zoe—and he did—it was going to take more than some charm and a smile to win her.

Resisting Smith had been easy when Zoe thought he was a shallow, narcissistic pretty boy. The attraction was there, but that was all. Smith didn't try to hide his intentions. He wanted Zoe. To her surprise—as she got to know him—she found herself wanting him back. Before she knew what was happening, he snuck underneath her well-constructed walls. Smith was on a path to her heart—something Zoe hadn't thought possible.

It was tempting. Smith was tempting. But secrets—no matter how well buried—have a way of digging their way to the surface. Demons—both emotional and real—have haunted Zoe most her life. It's time to face them once and for all.

Can Zoe find a way to open her heart to what Smith is offering? Or will the past destroy what she wants the most? Love.


Author Contact Information


Buy Links


 photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png

Monday, February 20, 2017

Tour Kick Off: Mineran Influences by @pnburows



Sci-Fi
Date Published: Jan 2016 (paperback Dec 2016)


Sam, an ex-soldier who is trying to rediscover himself after twenty years of service, unwittingly stumbles upon a mysterious alien presence in rural Wales. He is drawn into a tangled web of intrigue, pitting him against forces bent on destruction and putting his life in peril. Feeling mentally eroded by his time in the army and having worked hard to overcome this, he is thrust upon an alien journey that will change his life and beliefs in a profound way.
Claims of benevolence are only the beginning of the mysteries he'll have to unravel as doubt and mistrust haunt him. He will have to form unlikely alliances in order to fathom the mysteries at the secret Mineran enclave, where intrigue, deception and imminent danger reside.
His journey for answers will introduce him to pernicious enemies with hidden agendas, as a heinous plot to kill him unravels. Can he defeat his personal demons to secure justice and discover the truth of who or what is behind the nefarious machinations and why?







Born in England and raised in Wales, I started my working life on a farm in the glorious rural Welsh countryside.  I retrained to become an IT Consultant and having spent thousands on Microsoft, CompTIA and Cisco qualifications; I also obtained a contract to run and teach at a Cisco Academy in England.  After this, I became a small business IT Advisor for WCBC and the Welsh Government.  As this funding dried up, I retrained as a Business Advisor and have since helped thousands of people start up their own businesses.
In my leisure time, I work my way through a comprehensive bucket list with my Fiancée, Cath. This has caused us great delight as we have attended various courses and fun days out, such as beekeeping, pottery making, stained glass making, painting course, cooking courses, hawk walks, animal experiences, quad biking, gorge walking and much more. Our favourite one is learning to dance. This activity has remained with us and will hopefully do so for the rest of our lives. We can do a reasonable Waltz, collapse in laughter trying the Viennese Waltz, but it is the 1920’s Lindy Hop that we have fallen in love with. After three years of dancing, we still attend regular dance classes and events.
Strangely, for an ex-geek, my favourite gadget is my Italian Marcato pasta machine. I love real, unprocessed food and my freshly made pasta with a home cooked sauce is amazing.
I have always enjoyed reading, and in my early teenage years, I read authors ranging from Harry Harrison to HG Wells. Later in life, I turned to thriller writers such as the 3 C’s; Clancy, Cussler and Child. Also, I will always have a Pratchett book on my phone for light reading. His imagination was and always will be, inspiring. I have wanted to write the Mineran Series for several years prior to actually starting and with the encouragement from Cath, who has suffered my many varied, imaginative pranks over the years, I have begun.

Contact Information
Facebook: /pnburrows
Twitter: @pnburows



February 21 - Mello and June - Excerpt
February 22 - T's Stuff - Excerpt
February 23 - Evermore Books - Excerpt 
February 24 - Mythical Books - Interview
February 27 - Readsalot - Excerpt
February 28 - Sharing Stories - Interview
March 1 - A Place in the Spotlight - Guest Post
March 2 - Books, Dreams, Life - Excerpt
March 3 - The Antrim Cycle - Excerpt
March 6 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
March 7 - The Indie Express - Review
March 8 - Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass - Excerpt
March 9 - Bookaholic Swede - Excerpt
March 10 - Chosen By You Book Club - Excerpt
March 13 - Introspective Press - Excerpt
March 14 - Jazzy's Book Reviews - Excerpt
March 15 - Books, Authors, and Publishing 411 - Guest Post
March 16 - A Life Through Books - Review
March 20 - Defining Ways - Excerpt
March 21 - Mello and June - Excerpt
March 22 - Texas Book Nook - Review
March 23 - Queen of All She Reads - Excerpt
March 24 - Novel News Network - Review
March 25 - The Avid Reader - Excerpt
March 26 - Audio Audits - Interview
March 27 - On a Reading Bender - Review
March 28 - Two Heartbeats - Review
March 31 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up


PROMO Bliz: Heaven's Oasis by @jeff_horton


Romantic Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Christian Fiction
Date Published:  November 2016

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Claire is dead.

She’s been the love of Kevin Foster’s life for as long as he can remember; his soulmate, and his best friend.

Before she dies, Claire, an archaeologist, goes on an expedition to the Middle East and comes across evidence supporting the existence of a biblical, antediluvian site the ancients called Heaven’s Oasis, and that certain ancient artifacts can lead her to it. Claire believes that finding this site will help prove the Bible's veracity, and provide indisputable evidence of God's existence.

Following her unexpected death Claire's expeditions become public knowledge, and the subsequent assaults against her reputation from the scientific community and the media are both brutal and relentless.

Furious at the public ridicule and to prove she was right, Kevin decides to pick up where Claire left off in her search and to finish what she started. He’s willing to sacrifice everything, even his life, to restore her reputation and to honor her memory.

A billionaire arms dealer named Kain Masterson has also been searching for the Oasis, however, intending to keep what he finds for himself. The deadly competition soon becomes a struggle just to stay alive in the race to find the artifacts, follow the clues, and ultimately to find Heaven’s Oasis.


About the Author

Jeff W. Horton was an Information technology professional for twenty-five years before deciding to pursue his lifelong dream of being a writer. Since becoming an author and screenwriter of family-friendly fiction, Jeff has written two screenplays and eight published novels in several genres including apocalyptic-fiction, science-fiction, religious fantasy, and romance thrillers.

His current list of works includes:

    Heaven's Oasis
    New Beginnings
    Frontiers
    Cybersp@ce
    The Last Prophet
    The Way of Nacor
    The Dark Age
    The Great Collapse

When he's not penning his next novel, Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, going to church, and reading.  Among his favorite authors are many immediately recognizable names including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells,Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, C.S. Lewis, Ted Dekker, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Jeff Horton is a member of the North Carolina Writers Network.


Contact Links


Purchase Links


 photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png