A Goddess in Waiting by Sofian Kyriacou

26.11.14

I've got something a bit different on the blog today. I recently got to know about a very inspiring non fiction book (A Goddess in Waiting) aimed at teenaged girls and written by the lovely Sofian Kyriacou. I was so intrigued that I asked the author to write a guest post on why it was so important for her to write this book. This is what she said...

... It all began in a bookstore in Manchester. I was eighteen years old and I was going through a tough period. I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for but I ended up in the self-help section.
All of the books I came across tended to be long-winded and quite complex, mainly written for adults by professionals. All I wanted was a simple answer to my problems, something short, sweet and inspiring. Preferably, I wanted a book written by someone who had been in a similar predicament as I, and who would understand certain things that perhaps a psychologist or an older person couldn’t.
I explored the shelves in the young adult, teenage section of the bookstore and found very few non-fiction books. There were none that could have helped me and given me answers as to why I was feeling as I did. I didn’t understand why no one had written anything to help the younger generations, yet there was an inundation of books of the sort for adults. Surely, if you help the younger generations first, they are less likely to grow up needing as much help in the future. 
I was raised by a rather strict Greek Orthodox father who made us endure Church every Sunday, and at that moment I remembered what the priest had said in one of his speeches where he had said:
‘Look after your children first, they are the future generations, they are the future’.
It was like I had experienced an epiphany, I had found my purpose and something meaningful to do to not only to help me but potentially many others. To be honest I wasn’t very academic but I suddenly had all of this wisdom and knowledge pouring out of me as I began to write. It was uncanny and bizarre but I was on a mission to help girls out of their pits of sorrow as well as myself.
I wanted a book like it, so I wrote one. Of course it wasn’t as simple as it sounds because it took six years to finish. The book was a six-year journey for me and it took me six years of colourful, wild and somewhat life endangering experiences to finally become a woman, which is what the book is all about, teaching girls how to deal wisely with their conflicting issues, starting from within themselves.
Everything within you is actually creating all of the experiences externally. I don’t go too deeply into that subject in the book as I don’t want to frighten the readers whom may be sceptical and unmindful but I would like them to be aware of this power that lies within them and the exponential benefits of believing and using this source as a way of healing themselves and getting what they want from their precious lives.
There are so many things that we can’t avoid experiencing during our growth from a girl to a woman. From 9 months of love, peace, purity, warmth and comfort in our mother’s womb, where we can be our true selves to suddenly being exposed to the world - the good, the bad, the beauties and the beasts. We learn about life and death and feel emotions of sadness and happiness and as joyous as it is, it can also be a very scary place. 
Our experiences may hinder our view that the world is a safe place; these thoughts of fear and mistrust can build walls up inside of us in order to protect ourselves. These walls isolate us from living our greatest life and reaching out to people and opportunities waiting to be had. As we become so insecure and fearful behind the walls we have built we have disconnected from our true selves in order to play our external role in society to fit in and feel accepted as someone who will not be judged or scrutinised.
In reality there’s no escaping being judged or scrutinised so we may as well knock down those walls and be ourselves. At least we are being authentic and true to whom we are.
We all suffer in silence, especially in our younger years where we suffer most from self-image conflicts, senseless destructive and abusive relationships and fake, passing friendships. There’s no escaping our problems, running away is only a temporary getaway and building great walls to protect us isn’t the answer. We must face our fears fearlessly or they will disturb us forever and it’s better to do it sooner rather than later in life.
My intention from why I started to write the book hasn’t changed and I hope the book brings about optimism and courage for the readers to go through the growth from a young girl to a young Goddess confidently with all the faith and hope they deserve.

Sofia Kyriacou was born in London, of Greek/Irish parents and is one of six children. She has lived in Europe, Russia and Brazil and travelled extensively throughout other parts of the world. She studied fashion marketing in Manchester graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2011. In 2013 on her return from Brazil Sofia set up her first business, Brazil Amor, selling authentic quality swimwear to boutiques in the UK.
After shortly realising her true passion lay in writing and mentoring she began her work in self-help and healing. Sofia has a Reiki Masters degree and in 2014 she published her first book ‘A Goddess in Waiting’ that she had written when she was 18 during her time at university.Amazon
Facebook
Twitter

UnBidden by Melissa Haag

24.11.14

(Un) Bidden by Melissa Haag
Release Day Blitz
November 24, 2014
I left home because I didn’t want to end up in a cage like a lab rat. Hitching rides, begging for cash, and sleeping on the ground got old fast. That was the only reason I braved an overgrown path to a group of buildings. I’d hoped to find a bed and a decent night’s sleep. However, what I found was a place overrun by werewolves.
While on the run, Charlene finds herself surrounded by werewolves, creatures she can’t control with her mind like she can humans. Their existence has her believing she’s found a safe place to stay, a place where secrets are okay. However, she soon discovers she’s anything but safe. Charlene must learn how to use her abilities to influence the strange new species because if she can’t, the next bite she suffers might just kill her.
Read how the cycle begins, and have no doubt. Charlene’s past will shape the future of the Judgements.

Have you read the first book, Hope(less), in the series? It’s currently FREE!
Gabby's brain is like a human fish finder. It comes in handy when she wants to avoid people. Mostly men. They seem to like her a bit too much. It's lonely being different, but she's adapted to it. Really. She just wishes she knew why she is different, though.
In her search for answers, she discovers a hidden community of werewolves. She immerses herself in their culture, learning about their world until she meets Clay. He's unkempt, prone to mood swings, intense without saying a word, and he thinks Gabby is his.
It's going to take every trick she knows to convince Clay to go away, and every bit of willpower not to fall for him when she discovers the man beneath the rough exterior.
Delve into a riveting world of werewolves and young women with unexplained abilities, in Hope(less).
B&N

Melissa Haag currently resides in Wisconsin with her husband and three children. Touch is her first published novel. She is currently working on book five of a separate six book series. To learn more about her upcoming projects, visit her at: http://melissahaag.com , and you can connect with her on: Twitter  & Facebook


Malice by Amity Hope

20.11.14

Malice Banner
Malice by Amity Hope
*First book in a trilogy. Young Adult Romance/Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Malice is currently on 99 cents on Amazon. Pick up your copy today at the link below!
Goodreads
Amazon
Malice

Samara Cavanaugh has grown up in a world filled with magic users. She’s used to bizarre and peculiar. But when a stranger checks in at The Bella Luna, the bed and breakfast her family owns, the strange occurrences in Granite Falls escalate. 
Many people are leery of Levi, their new guest. He claims to be in town doing research but Samara’s friends aren’t so sure that his claim is as innocuous as it appears to be. When two of her classmates disappear, her friends seem convinced Levi had a hand in it.
Those closest to her have been keeping secrets from her. Those secrets put everyone close to her in danger.
Suddenly, her unrequited crush on her best friend, Tristan becomes the least of her troubles.

I asked Amity, 'Do you read the same kinds of books that you write? What authors have influenced you?'

I have a fairly eclectic taste in books. I like a little bit of everything: Romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, I read a lot of young adult romance.
That said, my favorite genre is young adult. I read a good mix of both YA contemporary romance and paranormal romance.
Most of the books I’ve published to date have been YA contemporary romance. However, paranormal is by far my favorite. I love books that can pull you out of everyday life. I think paranormal romance does that in a way that no other genre can. There is just so much more an author can do with paranormal romance. They can really take the reader anywhere. The characters have fewer limitations put upon them.
My favorite authors are Kim Harrison and Richelle Mead. I’ve read everything they’ve written. I’ve actually read several of their books twice. That’s not something I do often because my TBR pile (like everyone else’s) grows by the day. I believe that of all of the books I’ve read, these two authors have influenced me the most. I aspire to someday be as wonderful at world building and storytelling as these two amazing ladies are.

unnamed
Amity lives in beautiful northern Minnesota with her two sons, two cats and their Rottweiler. She has a degree in elementary education andunnamed workedunnamed in that field for ten years before deciding to self-publish. Her first self-published novel, Twisted, was listed by Amazon as a Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Book of 2012. If she’s not writing, or spending time with her boys, she’s most likely reading.  
Facebook
Website


The Giveaway
Kindle copies of Malice by Amity Hope
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tour Schedule:  November 17th
Elizabeth Delana Rosa – guest post
NaYa Books and More – promo post
YaReads – Interview
November 18th
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books! – Review
A Writer’s Tales - guest post
Reader Girls - guest post
November 19th
Just One More Chapter - Review
All my Book finds - Review
Pearls Cast Before A McPig – guest post
November 20th
Friends With Characters – promo post
Suzy Turner, YA Author - guest post
November 21st
Book Talk Reviews – promo post
ReadWriteLove28 – interview
Cassandra M’s Place – Top Ten Post
November 22nd
Just One More Chapter – Interview
For the Love - promo post
Bookworm in Barrie – promo post
November 23rd
Mythical Books - guest post
Lisa Loves Literature – promo post
Book Lovers Life – promo post

Mirror X by Karri Thompson‏

17.11.14

Mirror X by Karri Thompson
BLOG TOUR

November 17 – 21, 2014
Cassie Dannacher wakes up in a hospital over 1,000 years into the future after her space capsule is retrieved from space. She soon learns that 600 years prior to her arrival, the earth was struck by a plague, killing over half of the world’s population. Naïve and desperate, Cassie, who longs for home and is having trouble adjusting to the new, dictatorial 31st century government, is comforted by Michael Bennett, the 20-year old lead geneticist at the hospital where she was revived.
But why is Cassie in genetics’ hospital in the first place, and why do several of the people around her seem so familiar, including Travel Carson, the hot and edgy boy she is fated to meet? Soon she discovers there is a sinister answer to all of her questions – and that they want something from Cassie that only she can give.
Amazon
B&N
iTunes
Kobo

#5
I was filled with too much turmoil and betrayal to even r
aise my voice. “You should have told
me from the very beginning, Michael. All that talk about
training and career opportunities was a
big lie.”
He bent forward, his eyes aimed at the gray floor as
I watched his back rise with each
breath.
“I’m sorry, Cassie. Until you were told about the proj
ect, we had to keep you from asking
questions we weren’t ready to answer. They were going to wa
it another week, but I couldn’t lie
to you one more minute.”
I folded my arms against my chest and sighed. “I’m being f
orced into doing something I
don’t want to do, and I’ve been manipulated and deceived by peo
ple I thought I could trust.”
“We needed to wait until you were stronger. You were too vu
lnerable.”
“And I’m not vulnerable now? Look at me.” I said, rais
ing my frail arms and letting them
drop limply to the bed.
“We’re all vulnerable. We’re desperate. And we’re running ou
t of time.”
Excerpt
I was filled with too much turmoil and betrayal to even raise my voice. “You should have told me from the very beginning, Michael. All that talk about training and career opportunities was a big lie.”
He bent forward, his eyes aimed at the gray floor as I watched his back rise with each breath.
“I’m sorry, Cassie. Until you were told about the project, we had to keep you from asking questions we weren’t ready to answer. They were going to wait another week, but I couldn’t lie to you one more minute.”
I folded my arms against my chest and sighed. “I’m being forced into doing something I don’t want to do, and I’ve been manipulated and deceived by people I thought I could trust.”
“We needed to wait until you were stronger. You were too vulnerable.”
“And I’m not vulnerable now? Look at me.” I said, raising my frail arms and letting them drop limply to the bed.
“We’re all vulnerable. We’re desperate. And we’re running out of time.”

Growing up in San Diego, California, Karri Thompson spent much of her years at the beach, reading novels, tanning, and listening to music. At SDSU, she earned a BA in English, MA in education, and her teaching credential. As a wife, mother, and high-school English teacher, she began writing novels, giving all of the compelling plots and unique characters in her head a home. Victorian literature rocks her socks, and when she’s not writing, jogging, going to concerts, or watching her son play football, she’s reading Dickens.

Find her at her website

Made With Love By The Dutch Lady Designs