Forever Fredless Cover Reveal YAY!!!

31.8.13

I'm absolutely and utterly OVER THE MOON with my newest cover, designed and produced by the awesome Ravven. Forever Fredless is my very first chick lit / new adult novel. It has taken me about twelve years to get it done. Not that I've spent that long writing it, of course. It was just whenever I was in the mood. I must admit, I'm chuffed to bits to have finally completed it though. Currently, its with beta readers and I've already had feedback from a couple of them who loved it YAY!!! Anyway, here it is... do you like it?

Kate Robinson has spent the past two decades yearning to find her soul mate, the boy she found and then lost during a family holiday.
Shortly after her twenty-eighth birthday, however, she inherits a fortune from an old family friend and becomes something of an overnight celebrity. Can her new-found fame lead her to him after all this time?

Forever Fredless will be available from online bookstores from October 2013

YA and more: Toni's Journey

30.8.13

The YA Indie Authors are starting a new monthly series, Toni's Big Six Journey. It one where a starting-out and talented new author, Toni Lombardo, will share her trials and tribulations as she makes her way to the Big Six. She'll talk about pitches, writing, conferences, social media, and/or anything else she sees and does on this journey.
Toni is


LIGHT 'EM UP
I guess I should start off with saying who I am:  My name is Toni Lombardo.  I am a writer.  I am going the traditional route (ya know, “The BIG six”, I want to be affiliated with Penguin/Random House, but for right now, I am in the transition state.)
The transition state.  I am working with a great guy named David Henry Sterry (The Book Doctor).  I met him and his wife Arielle Eckstut in the beginning of October 2011.  I went to a book convention and met them and hit it off.  Since then I have been working with him on my book.  I sent a copy of my book and he said it wasn’t ready yet, then I edited it a little and he said that it wasn’t ready for the world.  He asked what I was doing in writing now and told him all the stuff I am working on.  I told him that I felt like my writing had improved since I was sixteen when I first finished the original copy I sent him (started it when I was fifteen).  He told me it was FANTASTIC for a sixteen year old writer but not ready for publishing. 
Now, before I get to the good part here is the great thing about David, he is wonderful and gets writers because he is a writer.  He started to say something, “Have you considered…” and paused.  When he hesitated I said “rewriting it?”  He said yes.  The thing I loved about the hesitation it showed that he didn’t want to crush my dreams.  I mean really how if I went the traditional, traditional route, you know…edit sent to query, would that have ended up?  I would have gotten rejection after rejection and never have known why…I mean ask any author there are millions of horror stories.  I had one friend who burned her only manuscript because of an agent.  This guy David approached the topic carefully and caringly.  He told me what needed work; he didn’t shoot me down and crush my dreams and tell me I was untalented (or true story talked to an agent she said no.  Then told someone she didn’t like me or my book.)
The rewrite turned out to be the best thing that could happen.  The book is part 1 in a 5 book series and I have written through the halfway mark in the third novel.   In doing that my book changed so much.  Not enough for a reader to pick up on, but enough for me the author to cringe over.
Like I said I was fifteen when I started the novel and there were things I was afraid to write.  I was afraid what people would think of me, what judgments would be made. Some people told me I was a bad ‘Christian’ because of the content of my book.  Now, hold up right there—advice—NEVER, NEVER let anyone get away with saying that!  You’re writing doesn’t make you more or less of whatever religion you choose.  You’re writing doesn’t make you a good or bad believer of your faith.  Back to what I was saying, I was afraid to write certain scenes.  But as I got older and my characters aged the book had to mature.  I had to write those scenes, and you know what they turned out great.  So in the rewrite I was able to have the foundation down of the book, but the knowledge of what my characters decided to do in their lives and the maturity to write the scenes in ways that would create tight bonds between every word, sentence, and book.  I think every writer should have at least the second book in the series written before trying to publish the first.  Because no matter how hard you try to stay to your plot your characters will make their own decisions and mess everything up, but that is the beauty of writing. 
The rewrite has revealed to me so many things that were just cringe worthy, where if that book was published I would have gone into hiding and never write anything ever again, not a grocery list, not a birthday card.  Yeah, that is how bad the first go around was.  It is truly embarrassing.  I had and have supportive friends who loved the first edition, because they didn’t see my full potential, but David did.  And now when they read what I am doing now they kind of laugh that they thought the first edition was good, (they aren’t being mean, it was that bad, like really) and tell me how much I have improved. 
I keep getting off topic.  In rewriting you will find ways to make your book better in ways you couldn’t have imagine for 5 reasons: 1- you have matured in life and writing, 2-your life experiences have influenced you and made you better, 3- your characters have aged in the books, 4-your story is becoming more complex and real and lastly the most important, 5-you know your characters better!
Knowing your characters, loving, hating, crying for/with your characters is what makes your book great, because if you don’t do all that, then there is a possibility that your readers won’t either.  Your characters have to be real, and I don’t mean realistic, they have to be real to you before they can be real to others.  Because when they are real to other people—that is when you have truly have succeeded.  Having a best seller is great, having a movie made is great, being in demand is great, but the true test of success is what I said above, when your fictional character takes on a life for a person who doesn’t know you, just bought your book, your reader then you have succeeded.  It doesn’t matter if you sell one or countless books; true, true success is when your characters become real to someone else.  I know I said that what three, four times, but it is important.  And my next post will talk about the importance of connecting with characters. 
Toni's Motivating Quote: We write for ourselves.
Toni's Listening to: Fall out Boy, My Songs Know What You Did in The Dark (Light Em Up)

Working It Out by Rachael Anderson

30.8.13

 
Working It Out
A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.
 
Author Rachael Renee Anderson Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
 
Book Blast Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
price drop working     
BookBlast Giveaway
 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/6/13
  a Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

I'm launching a brand new Chick Lit Blog!!

29.8.13

I'm so excited about this... due to my finally finishing my first chick lit novel, Forever Fredless (out October 2013), I wanted somewhere fresh to talk about my love of the chick lit genre and so it seemed only natural to do that on a brand new blog. So I've created a new place for all things chick lit, which you can find at Suzy Turner's Chick Lit Blog.
Do pop by and have a look. There's not an awful lot to occupy you at the moment but I've got some great interviews lined up with some of the top chick lit authors out there! I'm so excited! I'll also be talking about some of my favourite books (and movies) in that genre, some great guest posts, competitions and much more! So if you're a fan of contemporary women's fiction, please do come and join the fun!


Disemblance Book Blast

28.8.13

  DiSemblance 
DiSemblance
Jason Tanner’s life has always been different from the ordinary citizen’s. It started when he was an infant and his parents were only teenagers. A computer science prodigy, Lloyd attended MIT but left a pariah in the eyes of the school’s dean—but a computer physics genius in the eyes of his primary investor. Then his theories and ideas created a holographic machine and their world shrunk as contact with the outside world became less and less frequent. A computer prodigy now himself, Jason is about to learn that the world never waits for you if you have the ability to change it: it will come for you. Detective Bruce Durante has been handed the case of the Comfort Killer, a serial killer so named because he appears to abduct terminally ill patients before returning their corpses to their families in refrigerated coffins. When he picks up the trail, it leads straight to the home of Lloyd Tanner. Jason has been living life through the world of Lloyd’s invention and wishing he could carry on a relationship with Boston, the beautiful girl next door. When his father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, he is brought back to reality in a hurry. He is forced to destroy all of the planted evidence—and finds he is being targeted as the killer’s new fall guy. But the secrets of his father’s invention run deep and Jason, his brother Isaac,Boston, the Comfort Killer, and Detective Durante hurtle towards one another on a deadly collision course that leaves everyone’s life hanging in the balance.
Shanae 
Author Shanae Branham
I am a professional writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay writer’s Expo. I love suspense thrillers and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet. In fact, I have struggled with Dyslexia my whole life, so you can imagine how overjoyed I was when DiSemblance won a Silver metal in the fantasy/science fiction category at the eLit awards in 2012.  
 
  BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/13/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Unfinished Song - Book 1: Initiate by Tara Maya

27.8.13

If you love YA fantasy, then you really ought to check out The Unfinished Song - Book 1: Initiate by Tara Maya. It was recently brought to my attention so I've downloaded it (its FREE at the moment!!)

DEADLY INITIATION

A DETERMINED GIRL...
Dindi can't do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi's clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.


AN EXILED WARRIOR...
Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn't commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don't kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father's wars and his mother's curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her... assuming she would even accept the help of an exile.


EXCERPT
Blue-skinned rusalki grappled Dindi under the churning surface of the river. She could feel their claws dig into her arms. Their riverweed-like hair entangled her legs when she tried to kick back to the surface. She only managed to gulp a few breaths of air before they pulled her under again.

She hadn't appreciated how fast and deep the river was. On her second gasp for air, she saw that the current was already dragging her out of sight of the screaming girls on the bank. A whirlpool of froth and fae roiled between two large rocks in the middle of the river. The rusalka and her sisters tugged Dindi toward it. Other water fae joined the rusalki. Long snouted pookas, turtle-like kappas and hairy-armed gwyllions all swam around her, leading her to the whirlpool, where even more fae swirled in the whitewater.

"Join our circle, Dindi!" the fae voices gurgled under the water. "Dance with us forever!"

"No!" She kicked and swam and stole another gasp for air before they snagged her again. There were so many of them now, all pulling her down, all singing to the tune of the rushing river. She tried to shout, "Dispel!" but swallowed water instead. Her head hit a rock, disorienting her. She sank, this time sure she wouldn't be coming up again.

"Dispel!" It was a man's voice.

Strong arms encircled her and lifted her until her arms and head broke the surface. Her rescuer swam with her toward the shore. He overpowered the current, he shrugged aside the hands of the water faeries stroking his hair and arms. When he reached the shallows, he scooped Dindi into his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the grassy bank. He set her down gently.

She coughed out some water while he supported her back.

"Better?" he asked.

She nodded. He was young--only a few years older than she. The aura of confidence and competence he radiated made him seem older. Without knowing quite why, she was certain he was a Tavaedi.

"Good." He had a gorgeous smile. A wisp of his dark bangs dangled over one eye. He brushed his dripping hair back over his head.

Dindi's hand touched skin--he was not wearing any shirt. Both of them were sopping wet. On him, that meant trickles of water coursed over a bedrock of muscle. As for her, the thin white wrap clung transparently to her body like a wet leaf. She blushed.

"It might have been easier to swim if you had let go of that," he teased. He touched her hand, which was closed around something. "What were you holding onto so tightly that it mattered more than drowning?"


LINKS
Tara’s blog http://bit.ly/12dFdNy
Tara’s Twitter http://bit.ly/162sCtE
The Unfinished Song on Facebook http://on.fb.me/1400mMq
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/13yM5Dr


Initiate is free everywhere except on Barnes and Noble (where it’s $0.99). You can download a free .epub version via Smashwords.

The Exemeus Blog Tour: Interview with Abeni and Folami

25.8.13


I'm excited to have two sisters, and authors of The Exemeus, with me today to celebrate their latest book, The Exemeus. 

Can you tell us a little about your latest book.
Of course. The Exemeus is really hard to sum up in a few words, but we'll give it a try. It's two stories wrapped into one. One is about a teenager named Hyalee who is fighting against the takeover of planet earth. The second story is about a boy who lives in the world that results from her failure. The Exemeus is a story about how their lives are intertwined.

What inspired you to write it?
Honestly, It was a story that kept begging to be told. Ever since the thought occurred to me during an exit interview little bits and pieces kept showing up in my head. I finally had to bother my sister and insist she write it with me. I guess it was a story that just had to be told.

Is it part of a series? 
Yes! We are hard at work on the second one now and are aiming to get it out by January. It's not an easy process, so keep your fingers crossed for us. Hopefully, there will be five in all when we're done and we won't argue each other to death about who should live in the book and who should die.

If your latest book was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
We greatly disagree on this, especially since our characters are atypical in a lot of ways. The few we agree upon are

Amanda Stevenson for Mallea
Selena Gomez for Virginia
Zendaya Coleman for Hyalee
Kate Beckinsale for Joycelyn

The other characters are so atypical in look and abilities that they would require someone who is not currently in the acting arena to play them.

What made you want to become an author?
Folami: Reading books with horrible endings. As a child, I always hated the way certain books ended, so I would write my own endings. Eventually, I wrote my own beginnings too and that spawned my writing journey.
Abeni: My sister told me we were writing a book. That's pretty much it for me.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
Folami: Huh, that's a tough one. Although, I normally judge a book by a cover, after I've read the book I completely forget the cover. The only book I can think of is the one I'm currently reading, which is Apollyon.
Abeni: I'm going to be completely different and name a book cover that doesn't actually exist. We had an amazing artist compete to design our book cover. Her artwork is the best that I've ever seen, but my sister opted to go with our current cover. If you want to know what I'm talking about, we used it as a banner for our website. Still my favorite cover ...EVER.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Folami: Since my sister cheated on the last one, I'm going to cheat on this one and name two books: Demons at Deadnight and Angelfall. Those are two of my all time favorite books, because the characters were strong and devoted to their family. I can't deal with a character who spends most of the book complaining, and the two heroines of those books did not. The plots were also engaging and original, but most importantly the humor was different.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Folami: The best sellers list
Abeni: Ditto

Where is your favourite place to write?
Folami: On the beach with my feet in the water. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure I'll love it when I do. Either that or poolside on a cruise.

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
Abeni: Twilight. I truly loved watching the story come to life.
Folami: It would have to be Harry Potter. It wasn't based on my love of the movies per se, but more that I loved the book so much that I couldn't help but love seeing the world recreated on the big screen.

Who is your favorite author (s) and why?
Abeni: Jane Heller, because she is so crafty. She incorporates a good combination of mystery, romance, and suspense in a healthy balance that keeps readers intrigued.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Folami: J.K.. Rowling. I would love to figure out how she did it. How she made everyone fall in love with the boy who lived.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
Abeni: As a child I wanted to be a singer. I think the real secret is that I would still love to be.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
Folami: We live out in the middle of nowhere it seems like. I couldn't imagine what would be interesting to share. Our family from New York are always interested to see that they pass cows on the way to our house. I guess that's the fun fact: there are cows.

About The Exemeus:
Her short life was devoted to love and to hate. Love of the man who stole her heart, hate for the man who stole the world. Murdered by the government she swore to destroy, she's been given another chance to make it right. But to save the planet, she needs the help of the most powerful mystic the world has ever seen—unfortunately he hasn’t been born yet.

In a world where fear is the only currency, Dephon has committed the ultimate crime: inspiring hope.

His only goal is to make it safely through ninth grade, but on a post-apocalyptic Earth run by the Treptonian government, it isn’t that simple. Heir to a legendary power, Dephon Johnson is the only threat to the government’s rule. And on Trepton, all threats must be eliminated. When hundreds of assassins are dispatched to neutralize him, Dephon is forced to fight back. His only chance of survival is to enlist the aid of the greatest warrior the world has ever known. The only problem is, she's been dead for 13 years.

Giveaway:
1 winner will get the Kindle 6" e-ink,  1 will get a $25 Amazon Gift Card and 1 will get a Paperback of Demon's at Deadnight by A & E Kirk,
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the authors:
Folami and Abeni Morris are a sister-sister writing team. Together they wrote (and rewrote) The Exemeus, somehow managing to accomplish it without murdering one another. Despite their facial similarities, tendency to finish each other’s thoughts and stick up for each other constantly, no, they’re not twins and thus deserve their own individual bio.
Folami Morris: Folami grew up in the tiny city of San Mateo Ca, where nothing ever happens and no one ever leaves. She went to Xavier University for undergraduate, getting her B.A in physics and her B.S in Biology. After graduation she returned to California, to live in an even smaller city, where even less happens, Antioch Ca. During this time she escaped the monotony by hanging out with her imaginary friends Hyalee and Dephon, and by writing the Exemeus. She finally escaped to Queens NY and now realizes that quiet and tiny aren’t so bad. 
Abeni Morris: As luck (and logic) would have it, Abeni grew up in the same tiny little town as her sister, then she too escaped to the tinier town of Antioch. She has yet to leave. She received her bachelor’s degree in early childhood development from Cal State East Bay. She is the mom of two amazing kids, who swear that they deserve a percentage of the book proceeds and a ton of the credit. At least she raised dreamers.
Find the book: Amazon | GoodReads

Find the authors: Website 

Make sure to check out The Exemeus Scavenger Hunt, where you can win a Kindle Fire or $150!  The first stop is at My Guilty Obsession, where you can get the first clues on this incredible journey for an amazing prize!  The Scavenger Hunt starts on Monday, August 26th and runs through Friday, August 30th.  Chances to win are through midnight on September 1st.  Buy your copy of The Exemeus today, if you haven't already!

For more information about Folami, Abeni and their book, The Exemeus, visit:
www.folamiandabenimorrisbooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/TheExemeus
https://twitter.com/TheExemeus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp9DXci7umQ (Preview)
http://www.theexemeus.blogspot.com

For more information on the Exemeus Blog Tour, visit http://www.candacesbookblog.com/2013/04/new-tour-sign-ups-exemeus-by-folami-and.html


YA and more... Facebook fan pages

23.8.13

I love my Facebook fan Page. Since I created it, I've managed to amass some 3,600 fans! How awesome is that?? And not only that, I also have the most gorgeous banner image across the top, designed by the amazing Phil (a friend since I was ten years old and a very talented tattoo artist).
I guess I don't use my page nearly half as much as I ought to. Actually, I probably don't post that much on my personal page either - which currently has about 1,600 friends, most of whom are fellow authors! But I do spend a lot of time commenting on other people's posts and sharing whenever they post something fun  or book launches, etc.
I guess I haven't found my feet yet when it comes to promoting myself on facebook. The main thing that tends to happen on my fan page is that all blog posts automatically show up on the page feed, and whenever I have a new book out, I will put a few brief posts with all the necessary links.
I could probably use some advice on how best to use my facebook fan page to engage with readers... I'm all ears if anyone has anything to offer!!

Don't forget that I currently have THREE FREE books!! Yes, THREE!! Daisy Madigan's Paradise, The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw and Raven. If you haven't got your copies, what are you waiting for??

Now go check out my awesome buddies...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott
2. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
3. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga & The Morgan Sisters
4. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
5. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter
6. Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.
7. Ella James
8. Maureen Murrish
9. YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings
10. A Little Bit of R&R
11. Melissa Pearl
12. Terah Edun - YA Fantasy
13. Author Cindy C Bennett


























Keeper of the Reign Book Blast

21.8.13

Stay tuned for a guest post by author Emma Right on September 5th!

keeper
Keeper of Reign
Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it? For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema. Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn't get himself killed first.  
    emma
Author Emma Right Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn't have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one. Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.
Keeper of Reign copy
 
  BookBlast Giveaway
 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/5/13
  a Rafflecopter giveaway
 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

YA and more... Maureen Murrish

16.8.13



Maureen Murrish was born in Co Durham, England close to both the sea and the countryside; the love of both has never left her.  During her working life she has been a nurse, a soldier and a swimming instructor amongst other things. She has also raised her beautiful daughter. She began creating fictional characters and telling stories to amuse her younger sister when they were still children. Her first novella, The Lost Sorcerer, was published January 2012. The first two books of the Dragon World series -The Bonding Crystal and The Missing Link, were published February 2012 and February 2013.  All are fantasy adventure books for teens and young adults.

Spotlight Interview Questions:

1) What is your all-time favourite book and why?

Favourite book? Crumbs, soo many. Each book is my favourite as I read it or I put it down and don’t bother,  but those that linger in my mind, the ones I just can’t forget and would willing read again if there weren’t so many other books out there to sample I suppose I would class as favourite.  Let’s see. Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison has to be up there as it started me off on the whole Rachel Morgan series.  And then there is the Other World series by Kim Harrison.  I love the way Kim’s fictional world is pulled together through the eyes of so many different groups to form the whole.
From way back in the mists of time the books that started me on the road to avid reading and writing were Treasure Island and The Count of Monte Cristo. They really fired my imagination at the age of 9 or 10 and I’ve never looked back. They hold a very special place in my heart.

2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book's characters could relate to and why?

I suppose we soak up a little bit of the style of all the books we read and then rearrange it and turn it into our own unique style. I write books I wish I could have read while I was still at school.  Fantasy, adventure and strong characters.  That type of book still appeals to me and I read them as avidly now as I would have then. I really don’t know who I could be compared to and I would hesitate to say ‘this person’ or ‘that’.  I like magic and mystery and a strong plot.

3) Can you give us your favourite quote from one of your books and explain it?

This is one of my favourites (slightly edited to prevent spoilers) because it outlines how much the relationships between Robby, Abigail, and the dragons, Frenzel and Dimble have altered.

Abigail paused, obviously struggling for the right words. ‘You’ve changed, Robby McRoss. Jaswinder is where you belong. You and Frenzel. Together. Don’t throw that away.…. Think of what you will be giving up… Me and Dimble, well we know we only have this time together. But you and Frenzel could have the rest of your lives. Don’t give that up because of me.’

4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?

My characters and their lives keep on pulling me back. I hate leaving one of them at a place they are uncomfortable. Abigail perched on a cliff. Robby in a cage, I can’t leave them, I have to get them sorted.  So, I try always to leave them where I know they are waiting for me to rescue them. It’s a very strong incentive.
Music is important while I write. It’s like a blanket, a cocoon I can retreat to, a place I can concentrate. My life is so hectic the music has to be calming, classical usually, or new age. I can’t say it inspires me though. I find inspiration in nature, a beautiful landscape or a surreal sky. I am lucky where I live. The countryside is open and breath-taking and just a twenty minute ride away is the seaside where I grew up. I love the ocean.
Loch Lomond and the Scottish Highlands are half day’s journey north.  I go there whenever I can. These are the places I find inspiration.

5) Describe your typical writing day or week.

I wish I could say I write full time but I don’t. I work full time and I fit my writing in around everything. One day it may be the other way around but for now I have no set writing times. I try to write on an evening and a weekend.  I write in my lunch hour at work, if I get a lunch hour, (colleagues already know I am odd so it raises no eyebrows!). When I am out with my sisters and they take the pen from my fingers I talk about my books instead.  Sisters are great sounding-boards; even if they are not listening! I have created many a scene that way all ready to write up when I get my pen back.

6) Is there a food or drink you have to have when you're writing?

No. I usually emerge form a writing session only when I am hungry and thirsty. Then I grab the first thing I can find before getting back to the keyboard.  Writing time is precious.

7) Can you tell us what you're working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?

Right now I am getting to grips with book three of Dragon World. I have created the structure and am now beginning to build the story: none of which is safe for public consumption at the moment.
Book one and two are available as eBooks but will soon to be available as paperbacks too. At the moment I am preparing book one for publication as a paperback on amazon.  I would love to share an excerpt of that with you.

The Bonding Crystal (Dragon's World)

The small grassy area they were on was no more than a hundred metres long by fifty wide. It was enclosed on three sides by sheer cliff and on the forth by the drop into the gorge. There were no hidden paths or ways up the mountain as far as they could see and the only way off it seemed to be the way they had come.
‘Looks like we have to go back.’ Abigail said as they ate a little more of their rations.
‘Maybe, but once we get back then what? The path here was the only one, remember?’
‘We haven’t any option,’ Abigail said. ‘We can either go back or sit here.’
‘There is another choice,’ Frenzel said. ‘We follow the second path.’
‘What second path?’ Abigail and Robby said together.
Frenzel nodded toward the causeway. ‘The path that leads into the falls.’
There was a stunned silence.
‘You’ve got to be kidding,’ Abigail said.
‘The Fire Falls?’ Robby asked. ‘How?’
‘The Fire Falls can’t harm dragons.’
Abigail gave a short laugh, ‘Maybe not but they can make a mess of humans!’
‘Even if you can get through how could we?’ Robby said.
‘The same way I brought you to Jaswinder. The Crossing Fires are far fiercer than these and I brought you both through safely.
‘That’s a matter of opinion,’ Abigail said peevishly. ‘I felt ill for the rest of the day.’
‘But the flames did not harm you.’
‘Wasn’t that because you carried the first minister’s talisman?’ Robby asked.
‘We only needed the talisman because I carried you both, I will only be sheltering one this time if Dimble will follow with Abigail.’
Robby thought he detected a note of challenge.
‘If it’s what Abigail wants then I’ll shelter her through the flames,’ Dimble said.
‘Wait, wait,’ Abigail said. ‘There must be another way!’
‘Can you think of one?’ Robby asked.
‘Well no, not right off, but given time…’
‘Didn’t Skelso say this part of the task was to test our trust in one another?’ Robby said.
‘Yeaah, but…’
Robby turned away to hide a grin. He could understand Abigail’s caution; he felt exactly the same way. But for Abigail there was the added worry of Dimble’s less than perfect record. Not to put too fine a point on it, Dimble was clumsy. Abigail would rather pull her tongue out than admit it but he knew that Dimble’s catalogue of accidents must have her wondering if she would come through the other side as a charred cinder.
‘Perhaps Frenzel could come back for you?’ he offered.
Abigail bristled. ‘If Dimble says he can shelter me then he can, thank you! I was merely thinking that we don’t even know if there is anything behind the falls. I mean has anyone ever been through them?’
‘I do not know but as there is a pathway and as it is the only pathway, it seems logical that that is the way we must go.’
‘Well, thank you for the benefit of your logic, Mr Spock.’
‘Right,’ cut in Robby, ‘well that’s settled.’
‘Settled? Looks to me like all we’ve settled is death by Fire Falls instead of death by falling,’ Abigail snapped.

The Lost Sorcerer

If anyone in the village where 13 year old Tosni lives discovers he is developing strange powers they will kill him. He has to leave. But before he can put an escape plan into action Kavnen throws him out. In the middle of the night. In the middle of winter. Now his only chance of survival is to find his real parents, fast. But there are more than his parents looking for him.


The Bonding Crystal (Dragon's World)

It is a shock when 14 year old, Robby, discovers he is to be bonded to a dragon. It is an even bigger shock when he realises that before he and his dragon stand any chance of bonding they have to prevent the evil-one from killing his fellow bondlings and destroying the inhabitants of the city he is just learning to love. Only his onetime protector, Abigail who, despite all the rules insists on tagging along, and a strange little dragon who has been condemned to live life as an outcast are able to help him.


The Missing Link (Dragon World)

Robby hopes that he and Abigail will have a chance to get to know Moilana and its people better during this visit to Dragon World but his hopes are dashed much sooner than he could have imagined. When Dimble goes missing and Abigail is seriously injured Robby suspects the secret Abigail and Dimble refused to share is at the heart of the problem. Robby finds himself part of a rescue mission that goes fatally wrong leaving him, Frenzel and Abigail stranded in the wild-lands beyond the northern mountains and searching for Dimble without backup.


Indie Author Series: Massive Indie Author Giveaway

9.8.13

I love giveaways. Both entering them and doing them myself. In fact I currently have an ongoing giveaway over at Goodreads where you could win a paperback copy of The Temporal Stone (it finishes on 31st August). Enter right here.
I think giveaways are a great way to become a little more known in the book world. For instance, when you run a Goodreads giveaway, all entrants must add the book they want to win to their 'To Read' list. How awesome is that? And currently I have 842 people who have entered the competition to win The Temporal Stone!
I frequently take part in giveaways, many on facebook that are being organised by book bloggers and other authors. And when they do them, my name is always mentioned - spreading the word even further. Basically, its a win-win situation, don't you think?
Anyhow, this week the Indie Author Series is doing a massive author giveaway. Yippee!! So come on and enter to win some fabulous books!! Whatcha waitin' for?!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now go check out my awesome buddies...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott

Ruin by CJ Scott

7.8.13

Ruin by C.J. Scott
Series: A Summer in Winter Novel 1
Publication Date: August 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
Kate Bell isn't perfect. Not even close. The things she got up to in college would cause her parents to fall off their pedestals in shock. Home for the summer vacation, Kate settles in for a long, boring break in the tiny backwater of Winter with folks who still treat her like she's twelve.
Then Ben Parker arrives and suddenly Winter gets interesting. He's hot, mysterious and good with his hands. Kate falls for him instantly, but her cop father warns her to stay away. But how can she stay away from someone as compelling as Ben? Someone who thinks she's perfect just the way she is?
When Ben's secrets catch up to him, not only is Kate's heart in danger of being broken, but Ben's entire future could be ruined.
RUIN is a new adult contemporary romance intended for mature readers. It contains strong language and sexual situations.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164255.C_J_Scott

AUTHOR BIO
C.J. loves reading stories that take her away to another world. If she’s in the middle of an amazing book, she’ll keep reading while cooking or cleaning (when she can be bothered doing either).
She likes interesting artwork but can’t paint, sketch or make anything more complicated than a snowman from plasticine. She enjoys beautiful gardens but hates gardening. She also hates housework, cooking (see above) and writing about herself.
C.J. loves connecting with readers. The best place to interact with her and other fans is via her Facebook page. That’s where she posts teasers and other stuff from her books.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook

'Striker' re-launches with a brand new cover!

2.8.13

I'm delighted to have cool chick Michelle Betham here today. She's really excited to be re-launching her novel, Striker, with a brand new (totally hot and awesome!) cover. Anyway, over to Michelle....
Brand new totally sexy cover!
With the imminent release of my latest book ‘Extra Time’ - book two in my steamy soccer romance trilogy - due in September, I decided to give book one in the series a bit of a cover makeover. Why this sudden need for a change? Well, it was my husband’s idea, really. I’d always liked the original cover for ‘Striker’ – it reminded me of those Jilly Cooper books I used to (and still do!) love reading. But, as my husband kindly pointed out the other week, Jilly Cooper could put a bag of flour on the cover of her books and they’d still sell! He then went on to point out that I was no Jilly Cooper (I did thank him for that…) and that he thought I should probably think about changing the cover for ‘Striker’. His reasons for this? Well, when he explained them to me, I actually realised he did have a point.
The old cover
The original cover had the image of a football/soccer ball on it – and even though the book is set within the world of professional football, it’s most certainly not about the game itself. Far from it! But, as my husband continued to point out, that image alone could be putting potential readers off the book before they’ve even given it a chance.
It’s not a secret that quite a few women aren’t particularly keen on football. Therefore, if they’re faced with the image of a soccer ball on the cover of a book they might just assume it’s a book that concentrates just a bit too much on the sport, and bypass it without giving it a second look. That might be the case, I don’t know, but the idea of giving the book a little makeover was one I became quite keen on, because, let’s face it, people do judge books by their covers – especially books by indie authors like myself. We can’t sell books on our name alone. We aren’t lucky enough to be able to do that.
So, hopefully the new cover for ‘Striker’ gets the message of the book across a lot more than the old one did. It’s basically a love story, after all – a bit of a racy love story, I’ll give you that, but I think the cover kind of tells you that. Hopefully! It isn’t a book about football, and you certainly don’t have to have an interest in the game to enjoy this book. It’s sexy escapism, pure and simple. And I hope that’s what the new cover portrays.
'Striker' concentrates very much on the off-pitch action, on the glamorous, and not-so-glamorous, lives of the people involved with the so-called Beautiful Game. Because, as far as this book is concerned, there's more to score than just goals...
Get your copy of Striker from Amazon or Kobo.

The Howling Heart Book Blast & Giveaway!

1.8.13


Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River. Soon she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv—wolves descended from 12th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack. Now she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed

April Bostic
April Bostic is a New Jersey-based romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled “A Rose to the Fallen”. Her first short story, “Right Here, Right Now”, released in January 2012 is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled “Eros, My Love”, and a sexy romantic comedy entitled “Love Addiction”. After five years, she will release her second novel, “The Howling Heart”, in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods.

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