Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: The Burning City by @morgan_romance

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Urban Fantasy
Date Published: July 5, 2016


Book #3 of the Siren Song series:

When the smoke clears, who will be left standing?

Tattoo artist June Coffin has another, more hidden talent: she’s a Siren who can influence people with the sound of her voice. But in the wake of a murder and shake-up at the Institute of Supernatural Research, her own powers are starting to kill her. The only chance she has of saving herself—as well as her kidnapped brother and best friend—is to become a vampire. But joining the ranks of the vengeful vamp, Occam Reed, is the last thing June wants to do.

Occam isn’t the only danger June needs to worry about. Power hungry telepath Robbie Beecher will stop at nothing to gain control over Chicago. He’ll destroy anyone who gets in his way—and June’s lover, Sam, is high on the hit list since his bid for Mayor. With the city and June’s heart being pulled in different directions, it’s only a matter of time before the powder keg explodes…and time isn’t something June has much of left. With a city on fire, can she rise from its ashes?



EXCERPT


Like a bored, despondent child, she dragged around the house, on the verge of throwing a tantrum because there was nothing to do. She walked out on the front porch. Night had fallen, the stars out. She trudged down the long set of stairs from the porch to the driveway. Dipity plunked down the steps after her.
“Don’t run away,” June told the cat as they reached the bottom. “I’m not digging through the bushes to find you. You’ll be sleeping outside tonight.”
June sat down on the bottom step. Dipity walked around the yard, sniffing things. Lightning bugs flickered in the darkness, little yellow pulses of light. The driveway was packed with cars.
She picked at her fingernails, trying to shake the looming sense of awkwardness hanging over her, the loneliness of being an outsider, of being that left-out kid she once was. She’d vowed she would never be that girl again, yet here she was.
A nearby sound startled her. She jerked her head up.
What she’d heard was strange and alarming—the sound of leaves rustling and a weird, heavy thump.
Dipity shot back over to the stairs and stopped next to June, tail in the air, staring across the yard.
June got to her feet. She squinted into the shadows under the line of trees across the yard. The trees weren’t too far away, maybe fifty feet, but it was so dark now she couldn’t make out anything.
“Hello?” she called. Maybe one of the guards was patrolling the grounds.
Silence.
She was tired of being spooked, of hearing bizarre sounds and not knowing their source. She crossed the yard toward the trees, the grass prickling her bare feet. Dipity sprinted back up the stairs to the porch.
“Hello?” she called again. “Is someone there?”
As she drew closer to the trees, the shadows lessened in density, and she could make out something—a shape—lying on the ground. She slowed, holding her breath. She didn’t want to be attacked by a nervous possum or sprayed by a skunk.
However, the shape was much too big to be an animal. In fact, it looked like a person.
She stopped, about ten feet away, standing beneath the overhanging branches. She tried to convince herself she wasn’t seeing clearly.
“Hello?” She considered using her power. “Hey, can you hear me?”
The shape didn’t move. It couldn’t be a person. What the hell would a person be doing lying underneath the trees in Sam’s yard?
Unless he wasn’t alive.
Then came the unmistakable soft swish of someone walking through the grass behind her. Before she could turn around, someone whispered close to her ear.
“For you, darling. Come home soon.”
She spun around, a scream catching in her throat.
No one was there.
“Occam!”





About the Author

Megan Morgan is an award winning urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and erotica author from Cleveland, Ohio. RWA member, bartender by day, and purveyor of things that go bump in the night, she’s trying to turn writing into her day job so she can be on the other side of the bar for a change. Hailing from the often-wintry shores of Lake Erie, she lives with an attention-seeking cat and her adult son, both of which shed too much.


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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Tour Kick Off: Surrender of Trust by @mariel_grey #giveaway




Historical Romance / Regency
Date Published: April 15, 2013

Lucy Goodwin knows more about horse breeding than a proper young lady should. Her brother’s thoroughbred business has given her purpose and independence, but when an accident leaves her solely in charge, despair and destruction threaten her every move. Trapped in an impossible position, Lucy must do the right thing and watch their dreams crumble, or save their livelihood at a cost too great to bear. 

Lord Philip Lyton, Marquess of Chalifour is a member of the prestigious Jockey Club, dedicated to eliminating cheating in horse racing. Trouble raises its ugly head when his business partner falls foul of an accident and he’s suddenly forced to deal with the man’s sister, who seems alarmingly out of her depth.

Chalifour respects Lucy’s steely resolve, but knows that single-mindedness can be the most dangerous trait of all. She might be beautiful and beguiling, but Lucy Goodwin is keeping secrets and Chalifour is determined to find out what they are.









From the moment she could put pen to paper, Mariel Grey knew she wanted to be a writer. Like all good adventures however, it didn’t happen overnight; it was after several decades of working in litigation that the desire to create dramatic worlds and characters became too great to ignore. Her first foray into historical romance, Surrender of Trust, explored the grime and glamour of regency horse racing, following the determined but impoverished Lucy Goodwin and upright Lord Chalifour. Her second novel, A Gentleman’s Surrender,  released in January 2016,  introduced the innocent Lady Monique and tortured Mr. Stanton, both struggling to find love in a world filled with deceit.

Though entirely at home in the ballrooms and street alleys of London past, Mariel Grey is currently working on a contemporary story set in Florida, a landscape dear to the author’s heart. When she isn’t conjuring words on her computer screen, Grey can be found on the water fishing, snorkeling, and enjoying the incredible natural beauty of her home.

Mariel has a wonderful husband (the hero of her own romantic story) as well as a mischievous cat (who seems happy to play the role of villain). In addition to being a dutiful wife and animal wrangler, Mariel is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Ancient City Romance Authors chapter.


Contact Links
Twitter: @mariel_grey




June 21 - Authors That Rock
June 22 - A Writer's Journal
June 23 - Texas Book Nook
June 24 - The Indie Express
June 27 - Corrine Rodrigues
July 2 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up




Monday, June 20, 2016

Tour Kick Off: Infinite Time by @hjlawson1 #giveaway




Young Adult Sci-Fi
Date Published: June 1, 2016

Save the girl. 
Save the day. 
Save yourself. 

The mission sounds easy enough, but it is anything but easy for Parker Jenkins. Yesterday, ordinary, poverty-stricken Parker was an ordinary high school kid, getting bullied relentlessly and trying to get by. Today, he's a time traveler with gifted powers expected to carry out the extraordinary. Teaming up with another time traveler, Scarlet, they must save an innocent girl on the run before the villains kill them all. If they don't, their present-day selves will die. But can the ordinary perform the extraordinary? 


HJLawson is an English author who currently resides in New York. When she's not writing, she spends her watching movies and hanging out with her family. She is the author of the following young adult books: The War Kids Series and The Sanction Series.

Contact Information
Twitter: @hjlawson1

Check out HJ Lawson's novel Anonymous on Kindle Scout:




June 20 - Don't Judge Read
June 21 - Texas Book Nook
June 22 - Authors That Rock
June 23 - The Indie Express
June 25 - The Avid Reader
June 26 - Recipe Fairy
June 27 - Insatiable Readers
July 1 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up 





Tour Kick Off: Death at Dawn by @farmerwainwrigh




Crime/Mystery
Date Published: July 22, 2015


Giles Etherington, is shot in the morning of August 12th (the glorious 12th). Do the reasons for his death hinge on his personal life, his political allegiances, or his past? His wife is Edith Horton’s best friend and Edith, along with Inspector Greene and Sergeant Brown, finds herself, once again, immersed in crime and mystery in her Yorkshire dales village.








Noreen is the author of three crime mystery novels in the Edith Horton series and the fourth is now ready for submission. She is a freelance journalist who has had many articles and features published. She lives on a dairy farm with her husband and dog, Vicky.

 Contact Information
Twitter: Noreen Wainwright @farmerwainwrigh




June 21 - The Indie Express
June 22 - Texas Book Nook
June 27 - Steamy Side
June 28 - Novel News Network
July 1 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up




PROMO Blitz: A Sharia London by Vinay Kolhatkar




Suspense / Thriller
Date Published: April 28, 2016

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“Sometimes, fiction digs deeper and further into the truth.”
“This novel is a rarity these days: plotting, imagery, dialogue, scene-setting, characterization -- all masterfully done. I couldn't put it down.”—P. Cresswell, Editor, Not PC
“A Sharia London elevates a great thriller into literary Romanticism.”—W. Donway, Founder, Romantic Revolution Books
“Expect to be upset by this book, to be shocked, to be excited - and to enjoy every minute of the experience.”—M.M. Lewis, Entrepreneur Coach



A forbidden love draws the Mafia into fighting Radical Islam

An affair between Marlon, a politically correct history teacher, and Jamila Khan, his young student, must be kept a secret. Jamila works covertly toward liberating women oppressed by radical Islamism.

As Marlon awakens to the dark underbelly of orthodox Islam, a turn of events leads to Marlon becoming a fugitive charged with murder. Jamila’s testimony can free him, but her eyewitness account could incur a death fatwa from the Islamic orthodoxy. Marlon won’t let her risk herself.

Hunted by Scotland Yard, and betrayed by England, Marlon must now work with the men he once loathed—his Sicilian uncles. Jamila’s life, and his, depend on it.



About the Author


Vinay Kolhatkar is the author of A Sharia London, a romantic thriller in which a forbidden love draws the Mafia into fighting Radical Islam, and The Frankenstein Candidate, a literary fiction novel about a billionaire who runs in a U.S. presidential election as an independent. Vinay studied screenwriting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and The Story Department in Sydney and at ScreenwritingU (LA) and has written screenplays for film and television. He likes to merge screenwriting techniques such as cliffhanger scene endings and sub-textual dialogue, with character transformation and literary prose, to accomplish a cinematic novel.

Vinay is the Editor-in-chief of, and a columnist at, Savvy Street (www.thesavvystreet.com), an e-zine dedicated to furthering Individualism. He obtained a Masters degree in Journalism with High Distinction from UNSW.

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Purchase Link


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Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Release Blitz: Mystery Man in the Leather Hat by @Apocalipstick_ #excerpt



Middle school mystery
Date Published: June 15, 2016

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Three days of vacation. Two stepsisters. One mystery involving a ghost dressed in a leather hat, suit, and boots. 

Dominique and Jessica had no idea what awaited them during a weekend vacation with their parents. They expected fun and excitement, but instead ran into a ghost and a mystery. 

Long ago in Connecticut, a man in a patched leather suit and hat roamed the countryside, living in caves for more than thirty years. Carrying a sack, pipe, and prayer book, the man came to be known as the Old Leather Man. His death came with the blizzard of 1889, but who could have guess that he would return to haunt the stepsisters. 

A stolen wallet, a threatening anonymous letter, and a ghostly visit force the stepsisters into late-night sleuthing, all to uncover the history of the Old Leather Man. Can these teen detectives find the truth before the Old Leather Man’s ghost returns for good? 


EXCERPT

Dominique shivered outside the bookstore, feeling alone, tired and battered by a negative wind chill that was normal for Connecticut in October. Her tingling, numb fingers agreed. 

This sad bookstore situation was a waste of time and revealed to Dominique how little her stepsister, Jessica, understood the idea of family love and bonding. Dominique was not a reader. Didn’t Jess recognize that more than ten minutes inside a bookstore was much, much too long? 

Twenty minutes earlier, Dominique had entered the store with Jess. The walls were colorful, lined with every type of reading material imaginable. She had followed Jessica to the teen section, standing idle. 

“I’m leaving,” Dominique said after ten minutes of complaining. 

“Five more minutes,” Jess had begged. “Look, they have the next book in the series I’m reading.” 

“I’m so happy for you, but you’ve used your five minutes plus some.” Dominique’s brown eyes flashed with annoyance, the light in the store highlighting the green flecks in them. Spinning around, her long dark hair whipped against her shoulders as she executed a neat turn and walked quickly through the store. She made a happy whistling sound as she exited the front door. 

Twenty minutes was a long time in the cold. Outside, becoming more frostbit every moment, Dominique’s frustration leaked into her not so nice thoughts. For anyone other than Jessica, her rapid exit would have been a huge hint to hurry up and follow, but Jessica remained inside reading. 

Dominique wanted to open the front door again and scream, “Stop looking through the dumb books,” but yelling might not have gone over well with all the quiet, bookworm type people. Judging by the constant ticking of seconds echoing from Dominique’s bright orange Timex watch on her wrist, she was reminded how long she’d been left waiting in what felt like sub-zero temperatures. It didn’t matter much what Dominique did or said. Her stepsister, as usual, ignored her. 

To occupy herself, she eyed the books on display in the front window of the bookstore, skimming the titles. She ignored most of them, until an ugly face on the cover of a book of Connecticut Legends looked back at her. She couldn’t help but stare. The man pictured was round and his bulky brown leather suit made him seem monstrous. Eyes peeked out from under a large, round leather cap, focused on something beyond the photographer. A hand rested at his mouth, as if he might be shy. Fascinated by his odd appearance, she wondered who he was. 

Long overdue, Jessica came out the door, a smile playing on her lips, blue eyes shining with happiness. “That was so fun,” Jess told Dominique. “I got the next series I’m reading and found a great book on dating and love. You have to read it after I’m done.” 

Boys flocked to Jess, who had already started dating at the age of thirteen. 

“Yeah, sure,” Dominique preferred horses to boys and could not imagine that ever changing. 

Even with Jessica’s company, Dominique could tell this was going to be a long, dull weekend filled with the boring events her parents called culture and entertainment.



About the Author

Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and adjunct instructor at the college level, holding an EdD in Educational Leadership. This is her fourth novel. In addition to writing fiction, she has contributed to local newspapers, news and travel blogs including The Patch and Hollywood Scriptwriter. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two daughters, three cats, dog, and horse.

Contact Links

Twitter: @Apocalipstick_ 

Purchase Links

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Monday, June 13, 2016

Tour Kick Off: Synchronicity by @KTjebbenAuthor



YA supernatural romance novel with NA and contemporary fantasy appeal
Date Published: April 2016

“Hayden is alive.” Those three words hurl Kate and her friends towards a mission unlike any other. While honing Kate’s Asteri powers, Kate and Alex delve deeper into their relationship as they untangle Kate from Sarah’s past. Zoe and Evan are entrusted with the task of destroying a magical ring and finding a cure for a poison that threatens their existence. And Nick is determined to locate and free Hayden from whatever monster imprisons her. Working together, their success will ensure that Hayden will no longer be a ghost sketched on paper, but a woman reborn to thrive in Nick’s arms. 








#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?

Of course! Although writing is not your typical career - there are no salary guarantees or health plan coverage - it can be very rewarding. Being a writer means that in all places and at all times you are gathering experiences that you can use in your work.

The good times and the bad times can be rich sources that a writer can draw from and sow into her work, opening people’s minds to new ideas or by simply providing them an escape from reality. So writers, like teachers, do not work tirelessly for the money, they do it for love. Love of the characters, the escape, and the desire to bring joy to others.

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

That’s a difficult question to answer. Each stage has its own simplicities and challenges. I love the rough draft stage because I’m working out the bones of the story, sort of “setting up the framework.” Nothing has to be perfect, which is great, but at the same time I don’t want it to sound rough. So instead of flying through the rough draft and getting my ideas down as quickly as possible, I think about everything and dwell on individual words much more than I should. I love the revision stage because I can read and reread the story in order to strengthen and tighten a paragraph or plot point. The challenge comes when, at some point, I have to just say I am finished editing and move on to publishing.

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

I have to give my husband credit. He’s always willing to help me when I have a question about word choice or some other detail. However, I have a few good friends (Melanie, Emily, and Michelle) who are always there for me. I hand over my babies (rough drafts) to them, and they graciously give me their advice. Their help is invaluable because it’s so difficult for a writer to know how a reader will perceive the events in a book.

#4 – What is next for your writing?

I’m so excited to wrap-up the Scintillate Series with Synchronicity. It was fun creating another dimension and conjuring up unique characters. It allowed me to experiment with creativity and think outside of the box, but now I’m thrilled to be entering the romance genre. Blood Kiss is the title of the first book in the Savage Security series. It was published in June of 2016.



#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing?

Yes! I do a lot of reading when I’m at the pool with my girls or taking them to their after school activities. I also listen to books on my iPhone as I do my chores around the house. Then at night I snuggle under the sheets with my iPhone and read until I can hardly keep my eyes open. This means that I always have at least two books going at a time. At this pace, I can read a book within a day or two. Right now I’m focusing on romantic/psychological thrillers.

DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet: SYNCHRONICITY

“Hayden is alive.” Three words hurl Kate and her friends into danger. Together, they will free Hayden from the monster that holds her.

This or That?

#1 - iPod or Mp3?
I love the iHeartRadio app on my phone. My love of music is pretty broad. My playlist ranges from Taylor Swift and Evanescence to Ed Sheeran, Top 40 songs, and rock songs from the 80s and 90s.

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla? 
Chocolate. There is no competition. And if there’s caramel with sea salt – Watch out!

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries? 
Fries with burgers. Mashed Potatoes with every other meat.

#4 – Comedy or Drama? 
Comedy if my kids are around. Drama if I’m by myself.

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks? 
Nicholas Sparks makes me cry – always. So I have to go with Danielle Steel.

#6 – Fantasy or Reality? 
Can I go with realistic fantasy? Something along the lines of GAME OF THRONES. It feels realistic, but then there are some fantastical events that cross the line of reality.

#7 – Call or Text? 
Text if I’m not in a hurry. Call if I’m under a time crunch or just want to hear someone’s voice.

#8 – Public School or Home School? 
I taught in the public school for 10 years, and my girls go to public school now. So I have to go with Public.

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate? 
Love hot chocolate, but it has too many calories. Coffee with creamer and a little Kahlua is almost as good.


#10 – eBook or Paperback? 
eBook. Just can’t beat the convenience.



Karen Tjebben lives in central North Carolina with her encouraging and supportive husband, twin daughters, and two hamsters. When her girls left for kindergarten, Karen discovered that she needed to fill her days with something, and that was the beginning of her new career in writing. She loves to create worlds filled with unique creatures that she hopes will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and seeing the world through her daughters’ eyes.   

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June 13 - Recipe Fairy - Review
June 14 - For the Love of Books - Interview
June 15 - Tammy's Tea Time - Review
June 16 - Satin's Bookish Corner - Excerpt
June 17 - Mythical Books - Excerpt
June 18 - Hearts and Scribbles - Excerpt
June 19 - Bound 2 Escape - Excerpt
June 20 - Chosen By You Book Club - Excerpt
June 21 - Texas Book Nook - Review
 June 22 - J Bronder Book Reviews - Review
June 23 - The Indie Express - Review
June 24 - Literary Musings - Excerpt
June 24 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up