Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Release Day Blitz: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT by Dahlia Adler

Once again, we have the lovely Dahlia Adler on the blog for her release day blitz of LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.



Having read her stories, I guarantee you'll like this one. Go out and buy it!




Title: Last Will and Testament
Series: Radleigh University 
Author: Dahlia Adler
Pub date: December 9, 2014
Buy links: Amazon B&N | iBooks | Smashwords | Kobo
Blurb: Lizzie Brandt was valedictorian of her high school class, but at Radleigh University, all she's acing are partying and hooking up with the wrong guys. But all that changes when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, making her guardian to her two younger brothers. To keep them out of foster care, she'll have to fix up her image, her life, and her GPA—fast. Too bad the only person on campus she can go to for help is her humorless, pedantic Byzantine History TA, Connor Lawson, who isn't exactly Lizzie's biggest fan.

But Connor surprises her. Not only is he a great tutor, but he’s also a pretty great babysitter. And chauffeur. And listener. And he understands exactly what it’s like to be on your own before you're ready. Before long, Lizzie realizes having a responsible-adult type around has its perks... and that she'd like to do some rather irresponsible (but considerably adult) things with him as well. Good thing he's not the kind of guy who'd ever reciprocate.

Until he does.

Until they turn into far more than teacher and student.

Until the relationship that helped put their lives back together threatens everything they both have left.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Cover Reveal: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT by Dahlia Adler

So today I get to share a new cover by the amazing and sweet Dahlia Adler. If you've never heard of her, you might want to check out her first book BEHIND THE SCENES. Seriously, it's really good.

Anyway, today I get to share the cover on her latest novel. LOOOVE this cover.

So, here's the lovely Dahlia.


Dahlia Adler is an Assistant Editor of Mathematics by day, a Copy Editor by night, and a YA/NA author and blogger at every spare moment in between. More often than not, you can find her on Twitter as @MissDahlELama, and if you tweet her pictures of macarons, she just might fall in love with you. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves.

And now for the cover....




You'll like this...




It's pretty....





But first....





MACARONS!!!


True fact. I've never had one. I feel empty for this admission.
*stares longingly at picture*






Lizzie Brandt was valedictorian of her high school class, but at Radleigh University, all she's acing are partying and hooking up with the wrong guys. But all that changes when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, making her guardian to her two younger brothers. To keep them out of foster care, she'll have to fix up her image, her life, and her GPA—fast. Too bad the only person on campus she can go to for help is her humorless, pedantic Byzantine History TA, Connor Lawson, who isn't exactly Lizzie's biggest fan.

But Connor surprises her. Not only is he a great tutor, but he’s also a pretty great babysitter. And chauffeur. And listener. And he understands exactly what it’s like to be on your own before you're ready. Before long, Lizzie realizes having a responsible-adult type around has its perks... and that she'd like to do some rather irresponsible (but considerably adult) things with him as well. Good thing he's not the kind of guy who'd ever reciprocate.

Until he does.

Until they turn into far more than teacher and student.

Until the relationship that helped put their lives back together threatens everything they both have left.

Monday, October 6, 2014

SALE: Mortal Enchantment by Stacey O'Neale

ME-Kindle-Countdown

The prequel novella, THE SHADOW PRINCE is still FREE!!!
The Shadow Prince
Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission: 

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Gust Post: LS Murphy On Publishing and Rejection

So today, I have the pleasure of giving you an inspiration post by L.S. Murphy.


Her debut novel, REAPER, came out back in 2013. However, that doesn't mean she didn't wade through her share of rejection getting there.

So, without further ado, I give you L.S. in her own words and gifs...because who doesn't love gifs?


Publishing is hard. I know, duh, right?

When I first set out on this journey for the second time (the first is a long story involving really bad poetry), I wasn’t about to let rejection defeat me. I knew I’d see lots of “No, but thanks” from agents and editors. So I bucked up and prepared for the worst.

Just so you know, you can never prepare for the worst enough.


I got so many rejections I could’ve wallpapered my house with them. TWICE. That includes the floors and ceiling.

But I didn’t give up. And that’s my point.

Oh, I’m sure everyone has heard that before. But it’s definitely easier said than done.

My debut novel, REAPER, (the one with wallpapering ability) found a home at J. Taylor Publishing and released in 2013. It eventually earned Honorable Mention in the YA category of the Eric Hoffer Awards. The yes by J. Taylor erased all the pain of rejection.



Honestly, I was ready to give up and shelve the novel because I had another one ready to query.
While I worked on editing REAPER, I queried my next novel and wrote another one. My second novel eventually heard yes after another bought of rejections, only this time from an agent. And guess what? It hasn’t sold.

But I had another book, PIXELATED, ready for the agent. It will be released in February 2015 through Bloomsbury Spark. While it was on submission, I wrote another book that is currently on submission. And another one that I recently sent to the awesome agent.

Will those two sell? I don’t know. All I do know is I want to keep writing. Which means I’m going to hear a lot of “No, but thanks,” along the way. I’ll allow myself a five minute pity party then move on.
Rejections suck. Publishing is hard. But if this is what you want, then do it.


Friday, September 26, 2014

RUNNING AWAY by Julie Hutchings RELEASE DAY AWESOMESAUCE!

"You eat like a starved bear, and it’s really sexy."
"What every girl wants to hear."
"You’re not every girl."
"If I was every girl, there’d be a lot more stomachs being sucked in around the world."
~Nicholas and Eliza (RUNNING AWAY)

Today I get the distinct pleasure of having Julie Hutchings on my blog for the VERY FIRST TIME!!!

Anyway, we are celebrating her newest book, RUNNING AWAY. And so, here's some stuffs to look at.


Julie’s debut novel, Running Home, giving you vampires with a Japanese mythology pants kicking is available through Books of the Dead Press. Julie revels in all things Buffy, has a sick need for exotic reptiles, and drinks more coffee than Juan Valdez and his donkey combined, if that donkey is allowed to drink coffee. Julie’s a black belt with an almost inappropriate love for martial arts. And pizza. And Rob Zombie. Julie lives in Plymouth, MA, constantly awaiting thunderstorms with her wildly supportive husband and two magnificent boys.

Julie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HutchingsJulie
Julie’s Blog: http://deadlyeverafter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeadlyEverAfterBlog
Julie on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7104966.Julie_Hutchings


I love the imagery!


And speaking of imagery...here's the cover and a blurb.




Eliza Morgan is desperate to escape the horrors of her mortal life and understand why death follows her, leaving only one man, Nicholas French, in its wake. He’s the one she loves, the one she resents, and the one fated to make her legendary among the Shinigami– an ancient order of vampires with a “heroic” duty to kill. He’s also decaying before her eyes, and it’s her fault.

On the ghostlike mountaintop in Japan that the vampires consider home, Eliza will be guided by the all-powerful Master for her transition to Shinigami death god. When Eliza discovers that sacrificing her destiny will save Nicholas, she’s not afraid to defy fate and make it so—even when Nicholas’s salvation kills her slowly with torturous, puzzle-piece visions that beg her to solve them. Both Nicholas and his beloved Master fight her on veering from the path to immortality, but Eliza won’t be talked out of her plan, even if it drives the wedge between Nicholas and her deeper.

Allying with the fiery rebel, Kieran, who does what he wants and encourages her to do the same, and a mysterious deity that only she can see, Eliza must forge her own path through a maze of ancient traditions and rivalries, shameful secrets and dark betrayals to take back the choices denied her and the Shinigami who see her as their savior. To uncover the truth and save her loved ones, Eliza will stop at nothing, including war with fate itself.

Running Away (book #2)
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23263587-running-away
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Running-Away-Julie-Hutchings-ebook/dp/B00NXCDUJK/
Or other fine ebook retailers.

If you are new to the series, start with this book.
Running Home (book #1) on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17977192-running-home

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Cover Reveal: REBORN by Ada Adams

Here it is folks. The last Angel Creek novel. As I've already done a post on my tumblr I'm not going to repeat myself. However, what I will do is put all three covers together so you can oo and ah over them.

I don't know when Reborn will be published. Ada is still working on it, but the cover was read and she wanted to share.


Ada Adams, Author extrodinaire


Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

So there you are. The entire series for you to stare at. Books 1 and 2 are available online at Amazon, etc. You should check them out. I seriously enjoyed them.

'Till next time

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Cover Reveal: HENGE by Realm Lovejoy


cover_reveal_banner_HENGE


I'm excited to share the cover reveal of Henge by Realm Lovejoy. Henge is a YA Fantasy that is a modern spin-off of the Arthurian legends featuring Morgan le Fay as the protagonist. It is due to release this fall. The cover art is by the author, Realm Lovejoy.


LeFay_HENGE_Cover_byRealmL_lowres

About the book:

Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.

Along with the other fire, water, and wind users in Arthur’s Round, Morgan is rigorously trained and tested. The handsome Merlin, a brilliant water user, takes a particular interest in her. Is his friendship to be trusted, or is Merlin simply trying to win the position of Maven for himself? Among the many rivals Morgan faces is the current Maven, Mordred, who seems determined to see her fail.

But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic? Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.



Realm Lovejoy’s modern Arthurian series features one of literature’s most complicated and powerful female figures. Henge is the first book in the LE FAY series, and—like Morgan le Fay’s magic—it is sure to dazzle and amaze.




Add it on Goodreads!
HENGE_author_photo_lowres




About the Author:



Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book. You can find out more about her and her book at www.realmlovejoy.com





Find the Author:
Webpage | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr








Giveaway:
$30 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

Monday, August 25, 2014

Cover Reveal: HALO OF THE SUN by Laura Kreitzer

Hey everyone!

Halo of the Sun is the final book in the best-selling Timeless Series, an urban fantasy series by Laura Kreitzer, set to release this winter.
Summary:
No more waiting. War is upon them. The dimensions between the worlds are open and Earth is in chaos. The dead fight the living, and the humans fight the immortals. The streets are stained with spilled blood, and now Gabriella must lead an army of angels to the battle that will end it all.
She’s experienced the dark and the light. She’s known truth, family, and love. And now she must make a choice that could tear it apart forever. There’s not much time. The clock is ticking. . . .
It all started a year ago in a lab. Is the battlefield where it ends? Find out in the explosive conclusion to Laura Kreitzer’s Timeless Series.

add to goodreads

Here's the cover

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Halo of the Sun for web previewI really do love the colors, and as always, my graphic design artist goes above and beyond.

Sneak Peek

Wind dashed through the void formed by the dimensional rip, devastating the land. Space and time was a vacuum, ravaging Earth, one mountain, one city, one blade of grass at a time. Matter shattered. People were swept into the fray as a tornado of worlds collided. Ghosting in and out, collapsing in on each other.

Refugees fled the Mediterranean, looking to the angels to end the madness as it spread like a disease across the land. But there was no relief. Nowhere to run. Eventually, the dimensions would be one.

Creatures surged forth from places unknown, places unseen. Dragons, horned beasts, and fire spirits. Sea monsters and winged giants. Angels flew overhead, fighting back the onslaught.

Standing at the brink was a woman. Long, caramel hair cascaded in the chaos, eyes bright, wielding a dagger. Her stance remained firm, regardless of the intensity of the maelstrom and the lightning pouring from her blade. Beside her was a man, golden eyes glowing, shoulders tense. The day was warm and dry, the sky a kaleidoscope of swirling colors as space and suns and gases exploded.

Their hands clasped around the dagger, eyes meeting, then she slid the dagger across their palms. Silver blood coated their skin; neither fear nor pain manifested on their faces, only searing desperation. The man produced an ancient key, gnarled, molded into a pearly dragon. Placing it between their bloody palms, they clasped hands and faced the dimensional tear.
What do you think?

Find Laura Kreitzer online:

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

Tumblr

Instagram

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Cover Reveal: Again by Lisa Burstein


We are so excited to share the cover for Again, by Lisa Burstein! We also have an excerpt from chapter one. Be sure to let us know what you think!
Title: AGAIN
Author: Lisa Burstein
Age Group: NA/Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 22, 2014
Goodreads

How far would you go for a second chance?

Eleven years after flunking out of college, Kate has finally hit rock-bottom. Losing her job and boyfriend in one drunken night, she’s determined to fix her life by going back to the moment when she let partying and sex take over and do things right. At twenty-nine, she heads back to freshman year of college, with a catch.

Pretending she's nineteen with a new roommate and full class schedule is easy. When she meets her shy, sexy and seven-years-younger RA Carter, following her self-imposed sobriety and celibacy rules is proving to be anything but.

A senior enduring years of regret, Carter is more than ready to graduate. He’s anxious to move on from the party his freshman year where he witnessed his frat brothers about to commit a sexual assault. Instead of doing the right thing and stepping in, he looked the other way and left. His guilt has made for a lonely four years.

When he meets the new freshman on his floor, spunky and confident Kate, he wonders if his time as an outcast has finally come to an end.

Kate and Carter’s growing friendship and undeniable attraction make it harder to hide the demons from their respective pasts. But when their secrets are finally revealed, will their chance at starting over together still be there?

Excerpt
Chapter One
Kate
College-take-two started with me hiding in the dorm lobby men’s bathroom. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice the urinals until after I ran inside.

I stood with my back tight against the wall gasping air like it was Riesling and I was at an all you can drink happy hour.

How the hell did I think I’d ever pull this off? Pretend to be a nineteen-year-old freshman at twenty-nine-years old?

Going back to college might not have been one of my best ideas—but it was the only one that might finally change my life. I wanted to change my life. I needed to. It was just hard to convince myself of that once I was actually on campus with tons of real freshman all around me.

I guess it’s a lot easier to fantasize about living your life over again than to actually go through with it.

“Are you lost?”

I turned and found a built, blonde-haired hottie washing his hands. He dried them quickly, crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned against the sink.

That was the moment I realized I was in the men’s bathroom. The moment my breathing went from gulping Riesling at an all you can drink happy hour to puking it up into the disgusting toilet at the back of the bar when drinks went back to full price.

My knees went wobbly. My mouth was dry; my head seemingly floating on top of my neck. I couldn’t tell if I was suddenly unbalanced because of how handsome he was, or the realization I clearly was lost.

Minus a penis lost.

“Shit,” I reached for the door handle with sweaty palms. At least I was making the kind of a stupid mistake a real freshman would.

My wide, wild eyes probably made me look as confused by my surroundings as any other student arriving, but honestly I was terrified and not because I’d almost caught this guy with his pants down, because this whole idea was insane.

“It’s okay,” he said, walking toward me, waving his large hands to calm me. “This is definitely not the worst thing I’ve seen someone do the first day back.” He smiled showing teeth that reminded me of toothpaste commercials. It brought out the sweetest dimple the size of an M&M on his chin.

Fuck me. I smiled back.

He paused; eyeing me up and down, perhaps noticing the tight body I was showing off in a desperate attempt to appear nineteen.

“What makes you an expert?” I asked hoping to change his focus, Maybe he wasn’t regarding me for the reason I thought; tight body or no, I was not nineteen. I was twenty-nine. Why the hell would anyone believe any different?

He pointed to his red polo shirt.

Turns out he was doing his job.

The area above his right pectoral muscle read Resident Advisor, Hudson University. There was something I couldn’t identify in his sea-glass blue eyes; almost like he was holding back, putting up a good front.

I knew his look well. It was one I’d mastered. When it got too hard to wear my own everything-is-fine-mask I doused it in alcohol and sex and bad choices, but that wasn’t a solution anymore.

And clearly, everything wasn’t fine.

“I need to get out of here,” I grasped for the door latch again, trying to put out the fire blazing in my neck and face.

He reached from behind me and also went for the door. His hand brushed against mine blistering enough to brand my skin.

My pulse popped like the last minute of popcorn in a microwave. I needed to get away from him. I would have usually chastised myself for even glancing in his direction. Not that I had much choice considering I’d been the one who put us in such close and uncomfortable quarters.

Twenty-nine-year-olds didn’t spontaneously combust from a college kid’s accidental touch. But damn, this guy was fine. My RA back in college-take-one was nothing like this. If he had been I might have made it past the first semester.

I might have passed my actual college-take-one classes.

Of course, I also might have spent it studying what was under his khakis.

“Let me help you,” he said, pushing on the latch as I continued to pull. His voice was a deep vibrato, as deep as his blue eyes seemed.

“I can open a door,” I said, pulling as hard as I could. Nothing happened. Apparently I couldn’t.

He lifted his arms I-surrender-style and stood back stifling a laugh. “It’s a push.”

“I knew that,” I looked down as I finally pushed the door open and we exited the bathroom. Not because I was embarrassed, though who was I kidding?

I kept my eyes away from his. I didn’t want to show him my face. Have him laugh and say, what the hell are you doing here old lady? Or even worse, are you here helping your daughter or son move in?
It was one thing to be told you had a baby-face your entire life. It was another to put it to the test next to actual babies!

That was why I’d run into the bathroom. Too bad my early-onset cataracts had obscured the mammoth M and stick figure dude.

We stood in front of the door, the dorm lobby brimming with students and their parents. I should have just walked away, but I liked the way he was checking me out, his gaze sliding from my just purchased Uggs to my just purchased white winter hat with cat-ears smashed over my recently highlighted blonde hair. I had been doing my best to look student-like.

But I was pretty sure I looked like Hannah Montana.

It had been easy to Photoshop my high school transcript so it seemed like I graduated a year ago. Simple to change my one semester of F’s to A’s, to take the SATs again, to get a fake ID, to dress like any other nineteen-year-old. It took an hour to sublet my rent-controlled New York City apartment.
Being here and acting like a college freshman would clearly be a lot harder.



About Lisa Burstein


Lisa Burstein is the author of the Young Adult Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie, and the New Adult Novels & Novellas: Sneaking Candy, The Next Forever & The Possibility of Us. She is also a contributor to the essay collection, Break These Rules: 35 Young Adult Authors On Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Being Yourself. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats. Again is her self-publishing debut.


Monday, July 7, 2014

Success and Failure in Life

Everything I needed to know about success I learned from the Tortoise and the Hare.

Ok. Not that one.

This one.

It's a classic story and one that has been told to children ever since Aesop "wrote" it centuries ago. Everyone uses it to teach kids that speed doesn't necessarily win the race, that slow and steady wins.

Recently, I started looking at this simple fable and little differently. It's not about speed or steadiness. It's about not giving up. It's about not taking what you have for granted. It's about what one person can do if they put their mind to it. Slow or fast, you will get to the end if you just keep trying and putting one foot in front of the other. Just like the tortoise.

Anyway this all started from a series of tweets back in June.




There were other tweets that day where I waxed philosophically about writing and success and failure, but these three tweets are what it comes down to. If you try to attain your goals, you are succeeding whether you reach them or not. Goals are just the pie in the sky "I want to get there" kind of thing. One of my goals is to be a better person. I will never reach this goal. Not that I can't be a good person, only that I am always striving to be a better person.

At the last Academy Awards, Matthew McConaughey gave an acceptance speech that some people hated and others loved. Whatever your feelings about it, I remember one part of it where he said:
So you see every day, every week, every month and every year of my life, my hero’s always 10 years away. I’m never gonna be my hero. I’m not gonna attain that. I know I’m not, and that’s just fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.

A lot of people thought he was being self-centered. He wasn't. His goal was to always be a better person tomorrow than he was today. I have that same goal in all aspects of my life. It gives me something to focus on. To dream about. To want. To be that person in 10 years that is better than the person I am today. The moment I stop trying is the moment I fail. It's the moment I die.

If I keep striving, I will always succeed. This is why I don't view not reaching an arbitrary goal during the month a failure. Those are just sign-posts on the way to getting better. So whether it's #writemotivation, NaNoWriMo, weight loss, Grad School, or some other goal I've set for myself. I succeed because I made the effort.

These are my #writemotivation goals for the month. I don't have writing on here because I'm writing something under my penname.
  1. Beta reading two revised novels
  2. Cheer on my #writemotivation peeps!
  3. Try to get some real blogging in
  4. Do gradschool homework.

'Till Next Time

Friday, June 20, 2014

COVER REVEAL: WILD by Sophie Jordan

Today, again, I get to host the lovely and amazing Sophie Jordan. This time, a cover reveal for her newest book, WILD. WILD is the third and final book of her IVY CHRONICLES series. If you like hot and steamy NA, this is definitely the series for you.
Sophie Jordan is an international and New York Times bestselling author whose books include historical romances and the Firelight series. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-television shows. She lives in Houston.
Sophie can be found on Twitter and Facebook.








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Image Map

A good girl goes bad in the third and final book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s sexy New Adult romance series—where three Ivy League suite-mates testing their boundaries as they seek higher knowledge of just how far they can go.

Months after her boyfriend dumped her, Georgia can still hear the insults he hurled at her. Boring. Predictable. Tame. Tired of feeling bad, she’s ready to change her image, and go a little wild. What better way to prove her ex wrong than a hot night of adventure at the secret campus kink club?

In the shadowy den of the club, she unexpectedly runs into Logan Mulvaney, her friend’s little brother. A player extraordinaire too hot for his own good, he may be younger, but the guy is light years ahead when it comes to the opposite sex. Now he’s telling her to go home-”good girls” don’t belong here!

Georgia is tired of having others define her. She’s going to teach Logan a lesson he won’t forget-one white hot, mind-wrecking kiss . . . that leads to another . . . and another . . . and. . . . Realizing she’s way in over her head, Georgia runs.

Only Logan won’t let her go. Everywhere she goes he’s there, making her want every inch of him. Making her forget who she is. Who he is. And just how wrong they are for each other.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Cover Reveal : DRAWN TO YOU by Angi Black

Today I get to host the cover reveal for my dear friend, Angi. Angi is awesome, support, and wonderful. And now she's going to be a published author!!! And because she's so freaking fantabulous, I agreed to not only be a part of her cover reveal, I also decided to be a part of her street team!! Because, you know, she's awesome and I want to promote her stuff (and get the inside scoop on all the awesome). <--note the ulterior motive.

Anyway, here's the wonderful Angie
Angi Black is a dancer, a singer, a pirate, a poet. One of those is a lie. She writes New Adult and Adult and owns her own editing business, Wise Owl Words. She also teaches dance and theater all while baking treats and greening up the world around her. She loves music and donuts. She's Team Damon and her muse is Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Gene Kelley. Whedonite. Coffee. Ambassador of Awesome. Bourbon. Beatles. Zeppelin. Mraz. Queen of useless trivial knowledge. Betty White is her spirit animal. Her patronus is a chorus of back-up dancers singing Don't Rain on my Parade. Angi blogs at The Writer Diaries, All The Write Notes, and Indie Ignites. She even has a fancy website.

Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngiNicole722



And now for the cover....











which is amazing.....











and gorgeous.....










Shy Ellie Baylor goes away to college in an attempt to escape her overbearing and zealously religious parents. In between dodging their daily phone call and lugging her oversized art portfolio across campus, she manages to be happy, mostly by avoiding any kind of social interaction. Then she meets River Daniels, the hot guy she's secretly been ogling in her art classes.

River is understanding and sexy, and their connection quickly grows.  However, a lifetime of listening to her parents has left Ellie uncertain not only about herself, but her relationship with River. Their blatant disapproval of River and her choices leave Ellie with the hardest choice she's ever faced- her parents' approval or the love of her life. 

But can Ellie lose either and still learn to live?

DRAWN TO YOU comes out August 19th anywhere and everywhere ebooks are sold.


'Til next time

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Guest Post: BEHIND THE SCENES by Dahlia Adler

So today I have the honor of hosting the lovely, and talented, Dahlia Adler. Her debut novel, BEHIND THE SCENES, comes out June 24th. I have a copy in my hot little hands, so you can all be jealous.

After hounding* her both privately, and publicly, like a paparazzi on the hunt for the latest celeb scandal, I managed to get her undivided attention...

*in the spirit of full disclosure there was no "hounding" per-say, but a couple emails were sent back and forth. Don't tell anyone or it will ruin my street cred.

Anyway, I got to ask her a question.

No. It wasn't "Will you go out with me?" or "If not, maybe we could have some coffee?" or "Ok. You walk down the street and I'll stand over here and talk to myself and not look at you." And it definitely wasn't "What does 'Restraining Order' mean?"

Ok. Seriously?

My question was simple "Where did the idea for this story come from and what steps did you take to research it?" It's always fascinating to hear the story behind the story. What started it and stuff like that. Anyway, she obliged. So here is her answer.

Dahlia Adler is an Assistant Editor of Mathematics by day, a Copy Editor by night, and a YA author and blogger at every spare moment in between. You can find her on Twitter at @MissDahlELama, and blogging The Daily Dahlia, YA Misfits, and Barnes & Noble. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves. Behind the Scenes is her debut novel.

Social Media Links
Website: http://www.dahliaadler.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MissDahlELama
Blog: http://dailydahlia.wordpress.com
Tumblr: http://dahlelama.tumblr.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dahliaaf

Behind the Scenes

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17869397-behind-the-scenes
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Scenes-Dahlia-Adler/dp/1939392977
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/behind-the-scenes-phoebe-adler/1104516606?ean=9781939392978
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781939392978
The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Behind-Scenes-Dahlia-Adler/9781939392978

Where did the idea for this story come from and what steps did you take to research it?
The funny thing for me about Behind the Scenes is I actually have pretty strong memories of the early days of formulation—piecing together bits of the idea, getting up in the middle of the night to type up a query letter that seemed to come into my brain fully formed—but not what prompted the idea itself in the first place. I can tell you pieces of inspiration—the new 90210, definitely, and certain events from my own life—but not where the initial idea sprang from.

Like most stories, though, it got padded with associations and influences along the way. A huge one was Jen Calonita’s YA series “Secrets of My Hollywood Life.” It’s different in many ways—it’s narrated by the celebrity herself, it’s a six-book series, it’s geared toward a younger audience—but it was a great thing to read to get the perspectives of the characters who would be secondary in my own book. Plus, Calonita has great experience in entertainment journalism, and I was still in the early stages of research.

Research is sort of a tricky thing when you don’t have insider access, but it’s amazing the difference the Internet can make. I’ve been to LA, which is where the book is set, but I definitely still needed LA-resident input and Google Earth, and that’s despite making up one of the neighborhoods in the book. YouTube was also invaluable for behind-the-scenes (heh) videos with actors on set. And when you’re writing about celebs being besieged by paparazzi, actually looking through tons of tabloid photos helps too…no matter how dirty it makes you feel!

The truth is that the process of writing any book has so much potential to evolve as you’re doing it, and the more TV I watched, the more tabloids I read, and the more news stories broke, the more I observed Hollywood as an outsider, the more the story changed. And after all that, I’m really excited that the finished product is finally coming out into the world, and hope people love it as much as I do!
---

So there you have it. The behind the scenes to Behind the Scenes. That's very meta.

'Till Next Time

Monday, June 9, 2014

Cover Reveal : CATCH ME WHEN I FALL by Vicki Leigh



It’s cover reveal day for Vicki Leigh’s CATCH ME WHEN I FALL! Lots of awesome stuff going on, including a giveaway! But first, here's a special message from Vicki:







And here's what CATCH ME WHEN I FALL is all about:



Recruited at his death to be a Protector of the Night, seventeen-year-old Daniel Graham has spent two-hundred years fighting Nightmares and guarding humans from the clawed, red-eyed creatures that feed off people’s fears. Each night, he risks his eternal life, having given up his chance at an afterlife when he chose to become a Protector. That doesn’t stop a burnt-out Daniel from risking daring maneuvers during each battle. He’s become one of the best, but he wants nothing more than to stop.


Then he’s given an assignment to watch over sixteen-year-old Kayla Bartlett, a clinically depressed patient in a psychiatric ward. Nightmares love a human with a tortured past. Yet, when they take a deep interest in her, appearing in unprecedented numbers, the job becomes more dangerous than any Daniel’s ever experienced. He fights ruthlessly to keep the Nightmares from overwhelming his team and Kayla. Soon, Daniel finds himself watching over Kayla during the day, drawn to why she’s different, and what it is about her that attracts the Nightmares. And him.


A vicious attack on Kayla forces Daniel to break the first Law and reveal his identity. Driven by his growing feelings for her, he whisks her away to Rome where others like him can keep her safe. Under their roof, the Protectors discover what Kayla is and why someone who can manipulate Nightmares has her in his sights. But before they can make a move, the Protectors are betrayed and Kayla is kidnapped. Daniel will stop at nothing to save her. Even if it means giving up his immortality.



CATCH ME WHEN I FALL will be available on October 23, 2014 in both paperback and e-book formats from Curiosity Quills Press. For more information, visit the book’s Goodreads page.



Now, there can’t be a cover reveal without a giveaway, right? Lots of authors stopped by and donated some fantastic books to help Vicki celebrate. You don’t want to miss out on these! Here’s what you can win:

  • An e-copy of CATCH ME WHEN I FALL by Vicki Leigh
  • A submission package critique (query+synopsis+first chap) from Vicki Leigh
  • An e-copy of HEIRS OF WAR by Mara Valderran
  • Two query+first chapter critiques from YA author Emily Stanford
  • A full manuscript critique from YA author Emily Stanford
  • An e-copy of WITHOUT BLOODSHED by Matthew Graybosch
  • A paperback of DESTRUCTION by Sharon Bayliss
  • An e-copy of KIYA: HOPE OF THE PHARAOH by Katie Teller
  • One query+first chapter critique from YA author Katie Teller
  • An e-copy of DARKNESS WATCHING by Emma Adams
  • A copy of DESCENDANT by Nichole Giles
  • An e-copy package of EVER and EVADE by Jessa Russo
  • A signed copy of DIVIDE by Jessa Russo
  • A copy of UNHINGED by A.G. Howard

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win! All prizes will be accompanied by a Dreamcatcher swag package from Vicki Leigh.



Thanks for stopping by!



About Vicki:

Adopted at three-days-old by a construction worker and a stay-at-home mom, Vicki Leigh grew up in a small suburb of Akron, Ohio where she learned to read by the age of four and considered being sent to her room for punishment as an opportunity to dive into another book. By the sixth grade, Vicki penned her first, full-length screenplay. If she couldn’t be a writer, Vicki would be a Hunter (think Dean and Sam Winchester) or a Jedi. Her favorite place on earth is Hogwarts (she refuses to believe it doesn’t exist), and her favorite dreams include solving cases alongside Sherlock Holmes.



Vicki is an editor for Curiosity Quills Press, a co-founder of The Writer Diaries, and is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.



You can find Vicki at her website and blog and on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, and Goodreads.



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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Book Trailer Reveal: TEASE by Sophie Jordan

Today I get to have the lovely Sophie Jordan visiting my blog to share the book trailer to her newest book TEASE which is the 2nd book in her sexy New Adult series, the Ivy Chronicles. I first met her at RT 2013 in Kansas City and she was very nice and approachable. If you get the chance to meet her, do. She's super talented and able to write multiple genres.

Sophie Jordan is an international and New York Times bestselling author whose books include historical romances and the Firelight series. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-television shows. She lives in Houston.

Sophie can be found on Twitter and Facebook.

A born flirt and good-time party girl, Emerson has never had a problem finding a willing guy. She’s always chosen her hook-ups carefully, and she’s never broken her three cardinal rules:

  • Never let them see the real you.

  • Never fall in love.

  • Always leave them begging for more.

Then comes Shaw. A hottie from the wrong side of the tracks, he’s immune to her flirtatious banter and come-hither smile. After rescuing her from a disastrous night at a biker bar, he doesn’t even try to take her to bed-he calls her a tease and sends her home instead. Unable to resist a challenge, or forget the sexy dark-eyed bad-boy biker, she vows to bring him to his knees.

But instead of making Shaw beg, she finds herself craving him. For the first time in her life, she’s throwing out her rulebook. Suddenly, she’s the one panting for a guy she can’t control. A guy who won’t settle for anything less than the real Emerson, who forces her to do things she’s never imagined, including facing a past she thought she’d buried.

A guy who just might leave her wanting more...



So, there you have it.

Enjoy.

'Till Next Time

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

RT Revisited

A year ago, something amazing happened. It started with this, then this, and finally this. A lot has happened since I attended the Romance Times Booklovers Convention in May 2013. And by a lot, I mean A LOT!

Last year, I thought I was ready to publish Hate Jacket. I thought it was THE ONE. The book that would get me on the map so to speak. I mean, it came in as a runner up in the RT Conventions Writer Idol competition. It had even gotten requests from some of the judges.

Then I sent it to Nicole.

And waited.

And waited.

There's a lot of waiting in publishing. Not because they are ignoring you, but I've found out over the course of a year that agents can get an INSANE amount of emails every day. Most of which are not even fit for human consumption.

But I digress.

Anyway, I finally received my first email from Nicole. We chatted back and forth and talked about how we each saw this mentorship working. Once we were both comfortable with how it works, she she sent me an email with her initial critique of my precious baby.

The gist of the email was she loved my writing, but I had no plot. What? How can I have no plot? I got from the beginning to the end and I don't have a plot. What?

Then I read some more of her email and she explained what she meant. Then she gave me "homework". I then did what any author in their right mind (I use the term "right" loosely) and sent it to my CP and a couple other people.

They all agreed, I didn't have a plot. So I did smashed my face into the wall a few times and did what Nicole suggested and tore my story apart.


And this happened.

I have spent since then revising and revising. I'm on my 7th major revision and I'm still working on it. I did take a break in November to start another story, but that's not important.

Anyway, Nicole has been an invaluable resource for me in many ways. Some of which I can't talk about here because it involves my penname. But needless to say, my life changed a year ago. I know I still have a lot to learn, but I owe so much to Nicole, and Louise Fury for everything they've done for me. For that I am eternally grateful.

It is unfortunate that I can't attend RT this year. Not only is it in New Orleans, but I won't be able to see all the amazing people I met last year. Not to mention giving both Nicole and Louise a huge hug for everything.

There is a bright spot. This happened yesterday.


Anyway, if you happen upon Cecily and she is indeed carrying my face on a Popsicle stick, stop and give her a hug from me and take a picture. You can tweet me, or drop it on my FB page. I'll have to set up a way for you to email me. If I figure that out, I will edit this post.

'Till Next Time

Monday, May 12, 2014

GUEST POST: On Fear and Writing by Ella Martin

Today, I have the unique pleasure of having a guest post by the awesome Ella Martin. Her novel, WILL THE REAL PRINCE CHARMING PLEASE STAND UP is due to release July 2014. She can be found on here and here.



ON FEAR AND WRITING
by Ella Martin

I admire anybody who has the guts to write anything at all. – E.B. White

Writing is a scary business.

I’m not talking about the fear that no one will ever buy your book, or the fear that editors won’t buy it, or even the fear that agents won’t love it enough to offer to represent you.

Those are all scary things related to writing, but those are all after the fact because writing—the actual act of sitting down and getting words onto the page (or screen, as the case more often is these days)—can be pretty freakin’ terrifying.

It wasn’t always like this for me. And in all actuality, I love to write. It’s my emotional outlet. My fifth-grade teacher handed me a blank notebook one day and told me to fill it up with all my thoughts and ideas and stories, and I was hooked. In those days, writing wasn’t so scary. Writing was just something I did.

When I sat down to write my novel WILL THE REAL PRINCE CHARMING PLEASE STAND UP?, it wasn’t scary. I wrote it during NaNoWriMo 2012, and I signed up for that on a whim. I’d had the general idea for the story for month, but I finally put the words onto the screen that November. I was excited and eager to be writing the first draft, and I didn’t have a chance to be scared.

But writing the second book? I didn’t have the one-month self-imposed deadline. I wouldn’t “earn” a shirt proclaiming me a winner once I’d finished it. I didn’t have a site that would hold me accountable before all my peers. Worse, I had time to think, to second-guess myself, to wonder if I was telling the right story for my character. In that way, time can be a dangerous thing because if allowed, time can feed fear and allow it to fester.

Why, then, is writing so scary? I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, committing words to the page, knowing that people may—no, will—read them, is intimidating. My work in progress, a companion novel to WILL THE REAL PRINCE CHARMING PLEASE STAND UP?, has started and stalled more times than a lemon coming off a used car lot. In my head, I have the story perfectly mapped out, and the words are beautifully written. It’s flawless.

To actually write out the story, though, means it will lose that perfection. It subjects it to the possibility (and likelihood) of being questioned, torn apart, and rejected. And as much as I claim to welcome feedback and embrace rejection, it’s still scary.

I once read somewhere that fear and excitement, from a purely physiological perspective, are the same emotion. The body responds the same way to both. Pupils dilate, adrenaline courses, heartbeats race, breathing quickens to accommodate the increased blood flow, and the brain is on alert. How we use that energy is what determines if it’s fear or excitement.

So embrace the fear and channel that energy into your words. Know that it’s okay to be scared—but it’s not okay to give into that fear. Repurpose the fear as excitement, and write like no one but you will ever read it. There will be ups and downs. There will be passages you can’t wait to write and parts you force yourself to slog through. But when you’ve met your word count for the day or feel the euphoria that comes after finishing a chapter, you can think of the roller coaster you’ve just been on, look back on it, and say, “I wanna do that again!”

Ella Martin is a YA author represented by Julia A. Weber of J.A.W. Literaturagentur. Her debut novel WILL THE REAL PRINCE CHARMING PLEASE STAND UP? is a contemporary continuation of Snow White in which a 15-year-old girl discovers “happily ever after” only happens with the right guy. It will be available July 2014 from Astraea Press.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Cover Reveal: If Ever I Would Leave You

Today, authors Bronwyn Green, Jessica Jarman, and Jenny Trout unveil the cover of their upcoming
anthology:

If Ever I Would Leave You
(July, 2014)

Keep reading for a chance to win an Arthurian-themed DVD prize pack or a $25 Amazon gift card!



Surfacing
Bronwyn Green

A year after Tabby Nolan's sister vanished from the Lake Michigan shore with her boyfriend, Liam, Tabby visits the spot where the two were last seen-- and finds herself pulled into the crumbling world of Avalon.

Since his disappearance, Liam has been trapped in the mythical land, with no link to the world he knew. Now, their shared memories of Tabby's missing sister are all they can cling to as Avalon dies around them.

But Tabby doesn't want to be a replacement for her sister, and her growing attachment to Liam feels like a betrayal. As Avalon fades around them, Liam and Tabby must rely on each other--or be lost with the ancient kingdom forever.


Albion’s Circle: The Deepest Cut
Jessica Jarman

For nineteen years, Anna has been plagued by dreams of lives lived only in legend. Finally free from the family that believed her hopeless and worthless, she’s ready to start her life over—alone.

When Anna meets an enigmatic stranger claiming to be the legendary wizard Merlin, she is forced to question the very reality she’s struggled to accept. With the mythic figures from her dreams intruding on her waking life, Anna learns that she’s been reborn to fight an ancient evil alongside King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Caught in an ages old conflict, Anna is the key to stopping a dark magic that will destroy the world—and Merlin wants to make sure that this time, Anna isn’t alone.


A Choice Fit For A Queen
Jenny Trout
writing as
Abigail Barnette

For perpetual overachiever Madison Lane, a summer studying Arthurian mythology in the Welsh countryside with professor Thomas Evans is a dream come true, and the adventure of a lifetime.

Of course, the enormous crush Madison developed on the professor after a semester of his lectures at U of M has absolutely nothing to do with her desire to learn more about the enduring legend of Camelot. At least, that’s what she’s telling her parents.

When Madison meets fellow student Rhys Crewe, sparks fly, throwing her plans for wild fling with Professor Evans completely out of whack—as do her unexpectedly complicated feelings for Thomas. With tales of Arthur and Lancelot haunting her every waking moment, Madison has to make the most difficult choice of her life.


Jessica Jarman is an author, blogger, and rather obsessive fangirl. Having grown up in Upper Michigan and currently living in Minnesota, she is a Midwestern girl through and through. And wouldn’t have it any other way.
When Jessica isn't working to get words on the page, she passes the time with her amazing husband and four children, attempting to be crafty (and failing miserably), squeeing uncontrollably over her favorite shows or curling up with a good book.









Bronwyn Green is an author, blogger and compulsive crafter. She lives Michigan with her husband, two sons and three somewhat psychotic cats. When not frantically writing, she can be found helping in her youngest son’s classroom or binge-watching Netflix while working on her latest craft project.










Abigail Barnette (Jenny Trout) is a writer, blogger, and funny person. She has written award winning and bestselling erotic romance as Abigail Barnette. Writing as Jennifer Armintrout, she made the USA Today bestseller list with Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her novel American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online. She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to strangle her. Visit her on twitter (@Jenny_Trout) or at her blog, jennytrout.com.

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Thursday, May 1, 2014

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kate Evangelista!


I've known Kate for a while now. Despite being on opposite sides of the world, we've managed to become good friends (at least until the restraining order...JOKE!). She's sweet, smart, and a talented writer. I've read several of her books and loved each one.

And, to celebrate her birthday, she's got a massive giveaway. So, Happy Birthday, Kate. Hope you have a wonderful day.

And here's a cake with friendship cubes from the game Portal...because I'm a nerd.


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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Release Day Blitz: DIVIDE by Jessa Russo

DIVIDE IS LIVE! DIVIDE IS LIVE!



Today we're celebrating the release of DIVIDE--Jessa Russo's upper young adult fantasy fairytale redux of Beauty and the Beast (what a mouthful!)! 

Please join us all day (4/17) on Facebook for the Release Day CELEBRATION!!!
Author visits, surprises, and giveaways you don't want to miss!
Click HERE to RSVP

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes&Noble | Goodreads

From senior class president to dejected social outcast, with just the flick of a match.

After accusations of torching her ex-boyfriend’s home are followed by the mysterious poisoning of her ex-best friend, seventeen-year-old Holland Briggs assumes her life is over. And it is. But not in the way she thinks.

As Holland learns the truth about her cursed fate—that she is descended from the Beast most have only ever heard of in fairytales—she unites with an unlikely ally, good-looking newcomer Mick Stevenson. 

Mick knows more about Holland’s twisted history than she does, and enlightening as it is to learn about, his suggestion for a cure is unsettling at best. Holland must fall in love with Mick in order to break the spell, and save their future generations from repeating her cursed fate. Having sworn off love after the betrayals of her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, this may be difficult to accomplish. 

Complicating things further for Holland and Mick, time runs out, and Holland’s change begins way before schedule. With Holland quickly morphing into a dangerous mythical creature, Mick struggles to save her.

Should they fail, Holland will be lost to the beast inside her forever.