Claws for Alarm Blog Tour and Book Review

Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio

 Since inheriting her mother’s sandwich shop, Nora Charles is more about hot grilled paninis than cold-blooded murder—until her sister Lacey is arrested. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade. Off campus, things were just as dicey. The prof had an ex with secrets, a trophy wife set to inherit a fortune in masterworks, and a scorned student mistress. Going undercover, Nora realizes that investigating this crime is the biggest test of her sleuthing career. Because if she fails, even Nick’s animal instinct won’t be enough to rescue Lacey from a perfectly executed framing.

My Review:

Claws for Alarm is the second book in the Nick & Nora series. In this story, Nora has to find the real killer of Professor Pitt before her sister goes down for murder. I want to first say that I love the series, Nora is a fun character and Nick, I wish I could pet the kitty. I loved Nora in the first book. But for some reason, she made me so mad with some of the stupid mistakes she made and the way she put herself in danger. I don't remember her character being soooo careless the way she was here, granted her sister's life was on the line but still. One thing the author is really great with, plots and twist. LOVE them. No matter how rocky this read was, the ending was quite satisfying and I am definitely going to wait for the third book :)

**** stars

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for the Nick and Nora “Nick and Nora are a winning team.”—Rebecca Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Paint a Cat “Nick and Nora are the purrfect sleuthy duo!”—*Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mystery series

Author T.C. LoTempio

Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

 

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

 Ends 12/4/15 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: The Legacy Human by Susan Kay Quinn

  The Legacy Human by Susan Kay Quinn

What would you give to live forever? Seventeen-year-old Elijah Brighton wants to become an ascender—a post-Singularity human/machine hybrid—after all, they’re smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and above all, achingly beautiful. But Eli is a legacy human, preserved and cherished for his unaltered genetic code, just like the rainforest he paints. When a fugue state possesses him and creates great art, Eli miraculously lands a sponsor for the creative Olympics. If he could just master the fugue, he could take the gold and win the right to ascend, bringing everything he’s yearned for within reach… including his beautiful ascender patron. But once Eli arrives at the Games, he finds the ascenders are playing games of their own. Everything he knows about the ascenders and the legacies they keep starts to unravel… until he’s running for his life and wondering who he truly is. The Legacy Human is the first in Susan Kaye Quinn’s new young adult science fiction series that explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world… and how technology will challenge us to remember what it means to be human.

Amazon

Praise for The Legacy Human “This book is Hunger Games (without the violence or controversy) meets Divergent.” “This story is so intense I felt I couldn’t get a proper breath.” “Science fiction with philosophical depth!”     The Duality Bridge What does it mean to be human? Elijah Brighton is the face of the Human Resistance Movement. He’s the Olympic-level painter who refused an offer of immortality from the ascenders—the human/machine hybrids who run the world—in solidarity with the legacy humans who will never get a chance to live forever. Too bad it’s all a complicated web of lies. Worse, Eli’s not even entirely human. Few know about the ascenders’ genetic experiments that left him… different. Fewer know about the unearthly fugue state that creates his transcendent art—as well as a bridge that lets him speak to the dead. But the Resistance is the one place he can hide from the ascender who knows everything the fugue can do. Because if Marcus finds him, he’ll either use Eli for his own nefarious purposes… or destroy him once and for all. The Duality Bridge is the second book in the Singularity series and the sequel to The Legacy Human. This thrilling new young adult science fiction series explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world.

Amazon

  Author Susan Kay Quinn Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the Singularity Series, the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, and the Debt Collector serial, as well as other speculative fiction novels and short stories. Her work has appeared in the Synchronic anthology, the Telepath Chronicles, the AI Chronicles, and has been optioned for Virtual Reality by Immersive Entertainment. Former rocket scientist, now she invents mind powers, dabbles in steampunk, and dreams of the Singularity. Mostly she sits around in her PJs in awe that she gets to write full time.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

    $25 Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/6/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCERPT - The Legacy Human (Singularity #1)

“I will buy it from you.”

“Um…” I’ve missed something, but I’m not sure what. “You already own it.”

“You would not be looking to sell it, if you didn’t need the money.” Her voice is soft with compassion. “And I can’t bear to part with any of your works. It seems a fair exchange. Do you agree?”

Embarrassment flames my face, but I can’t afford to say no. “Yes.”

She rewards me with a dazzling smile that sweeps away my embarrassment. “Good! I’ve already transferred the untraceable chits to your account.”

Untraceable. She’s already figured out the money’s going toward something illegal. And yet she’s breaking the law, no questions asked, all because it’s what I need and she wants to keep my art. She’s always been generous, always given me exactly what I need, effortlessly and with grace, but this… I don’t have words for this thing she’s doing for me. I don’t believe in angels, but if I did, Lenora would have to qualify.

I am so hopelessly lost when it comes to her.

I concentrate on handing the painting to her, resisting the almost overwhelming urge to touch her. Hug her. Make some excuse to get closer. It shames me to want something from her that no decent ascender would give. A pet can kiss its master, but the master won’t kiss back. Not the way I want her to. Lenora is buying my art because she’s kind and decent… and all my base human brain can think of is putting my hands on her.

And how soft her ascender lips would feel.

“Thank you.” My words are hushed. There’s shame in my eyes, so I drop my gaze to the floor.

Book Tour and Review: Cranberry Bluff by Deborah Garner

How far is far enough to get away from your past?

Title: Cranberry Bluff

Author: Deborah Garner

Publisher:Cranberry Cove Press; November 21, 2014

Book Description: Molly Elliott’s quiet life in Tallahassee, Florida, is disrupted when routine errands land her in the wrong place at the wrong time: the middle of a bank robbery.

Accused and cleared of the crime, she flees both media attention and mysterious, threatening notes, to move across the country to Cranberry Cove, where she has inherited her Aunt Maggie’s bed and breakfast on the Northern California coast. Her new beginning is peaceful – that is, until five guests show up at the inn for a weekend, each with a hidden agenda.

Mix together one blushing honeymoon couple, one flamboyant boutique owner, a deadpan traveling salesman, and a charmingly handsome novelist, and there’s more than scones cooking at Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast. As true motives become apparent, will Molly’s past come back to haunt her or will she finally be able to leave it behind?

Buy it on Amazon 

My Review:

Cranberry Cove sounds like a place I would visit and I would definitely stay at Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast. On whole this was a good read. It was a bit tedious in a few place with a lot of descriptions but I still found it enjoyable to read.

The story is about Molly, a bed and breakfast inn owner who is trying to make a new life for herself after involuntarily being involved in a bank robbery. Life seems to be settling in for her until five guest show up. Five guests who are out for something other than a relaxing vacation in Cranberry Cove.

Mr. Charlie Miller was my favorite character. He was odd, reclusive and oh so O.C.D, he reminded me of one of my favorite detectives on tv, MONK. The other characters included Susie and Dan, the newlywed, Sadie, the wealthy boutique owner, I envied her ability to literally shop till she dropped! And then there was Bryce, a single, flirtatious novelist. While Miller was my favorite guest, the others were also well written and added their own charm and wit to the story. Each character is somehow connected to Molly and each other. The plots and twists throughout the story kept me on my toes (well, actually my bum) and reading on. I was pleasantly entertained and pleased with the ending. Kudos to the author. I did NOT see that coming! :D

Oh. Oh. Oh........

There are recipes at the end of the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doubly awesome!!!! :D

Blog Tour and Review: Danse Macabre by Cristelle Comby

Every police detective should have a Neve & Egan as sidekicks!

Book Blurb: 

Private investigators Alexandra Neve and Ashford Egan are hired to succeed where the police have failed, to safely return home a missing ballerina. With no lead to pursue and no idea who could be behind the young woman’s kidnapping, they soon find themselves at a loss as to what to do.

To make matters worse, the heart of England seems to be caught in the middle of a little Ice Age. With snow endlessly falling and Tube lines either too cramped up to use or out of service, it is a pain to do any legwork in the huge metropolis.

Oh, and because trouble never comes alone, there may also be a serial killer on the loose in the streets of East London...



My Review:

What does a singer, dancer, and pianist have in common? Death. A gruesome death that seems to baffle the New Scotland Yard police force. 

Once again, Neve and Egan are back in action with what appears to be a not-a-runaway investigation. When the police give Mrs. Doughton the brush off, she hires Alexandra and Ashford to find her missing daughter, an up and coming ballet dancer and ballet teacher. It's winter time and their mystery soon turns in to something even more sinister when they find the poor girl recently murdered in a very gruesome manner. Her body is staged as if she were dancing and her eyes are sewed open. Just when things can't get any worse, Ash's apartment is ransacked, a threatening note left behind and another kidnapping is announced. The race is really on to find the killer before he gets to stage another Danse Macabre.

I love how Comby really pulls the reader into the story at the beginning and keeps you there. She has fleshed out more of the main characters, especially my favorite character in the book, Ash. He never ceases to amaze me. This is one page turner that any one who loves a good mystery will not want to put down. I must say, if you have trouble sleeping at night after reading something scary/gory (my standards of gory that is) then proceed with caution and read this in the day time :D

About the author: 
Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides. Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent. She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.

Danse Macabre is her third new-adult novel, and she’s hard at work on the next titles in the Neve & Egan series.


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Cristelle Comby's Web Site: http://cristelle-comby.com/
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 Cristelle Comby's Instagram: http://instagram.com/cristellec
 Cristelle Comby's Newsletter: http://cristelle-comby.com/?page_id=34
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Blog Tour & Book Review: Meow If It's Murder by T.C. LoTempio

Book Blurb:
Nora Charles doesn’t believe in fate, even if she is a crime reporter who shares a name with a character from The Thin Man. In fact, she’s moving back to Cruz, California, to have a quieter life. But after finding an online magazine eager for material, and a stray cat named Nick with a talent for detection, Nora’s not just reporting crimes again. She’s uncovering them…

Back in her hometown, Nora reconnects with old friends and makes some new ones, like Nick, the charming feline who seems determined to be her cat. But not everything about Cruz is friendly. Writing for a local online magazine, Nora investigates the curious death of socialite Lola Grainger. Though it was deemed an accident, Nora suspects foul play. And it seems that her cat does too.

Apparently, Nick used to belong to a P.I. who disappeared while investigating Lola Grainger’s death. The coincidence is spooky, but not as spooky as the clues Nick spells out for her with Scrabble letters—clues that lead her down an increasingly dangerous path. Whether fate put her on this case or not, solving it will take all of Nora’s wits, and maybe a few of Nick’s nine lives.


My Review:

This is definitely an easy book to cozy up with. My favorite character? Nick of course! That is, Nick the kitty. :) Who doesn't love a kitty with attitude, that can play word games, kick butt to save his lady master and solve a crime(s) to boot?

Nora Charles is a crime investigative reporter (she thinks she is a sandwich maker/sandwich shop owner) but investigating crime is in her blood. Once a mystery tickles her fancy not even her close friend or the hunk of a detective she meets can persuade to stop investigating the suspicious death of Lola Grainger, a close and good customer of her late mother's. She meets a feline who makes it's self at home in her shop. She settles on the name Nick after a favorite movie character. The cat has unusual talents that assist Nora in finding out the truth about the mystery behind the suspicious death of Lola as well as Nick's missing owner.

I enjoyed this story a lot, even though there were a few mistakes that caught my eye, but despite that, the story was packed with action and lots of interesting twists that kept me glued to my screen. If you like crime mysteries without the gore and horror, this is the book to read. There is a hint of romance, nothing that would make me gag but enough to make it fun.

Guest Post: The Editing Process by Richard H. Hardy

 

The Editing Process

by Richard H. Hardy
Author of The Infinity Program

It’s interesting that a four letter word like ‘edit’ has so many different meanings.  I’ve heard that Eskimos have a dozen or so different words for ‘snow’.  I think it should be the same for the word ‘edit’.

When I was a young writer banging away on a typewriter, I thought of editing as the last stage in the process.  I thought it was just about correcting spelling and grammar.  Later I realized that editing was also about style and began editing for clarity, concision and flow.  When I reached this stage, the first draft then became little more than a warm-up—the real work began only upon its completion.

As I learned more about writing, I started to include structural changes as part of the editing process.  Like a tall building, a story’s structure must have a solid foundation.  In particular, I began to focus on the opening scene.

Starting points are not always obvious.  For example, if I wrote a story about a bank robbery, where would I begin?  Would it start with the thieves planning the heist?  Would it start as they entered the bank?  Would it start when a gun was stuck in someone’s face?  Would it start during their getaway?  The possibilities seemed endless to me.  My head used to spin!  Finally, I realized that imagination could create problems as well as solve them—it could present far too many options.  I learned then that logic and analysis also have a place in storytelling.  I began to break my story down to the bare essentials, the themes and ideas that engendered it.  Only then would I select a beginning that best suited my theme.  

When Camel Press accepted The Infinity Program for publication I thought I knew something about editing.  But my editors at Camel Press taught me a lot.  Their first copy edit caught numerous examples of inconsistencies.  A character I described as strong in one scene, suddenly became weak and wimpy in a subsequent scene.  And sometimes the physical description of my characters and their back stories were too sketchy.

The copy edit of The Infinity Program also required the addition of entirely new material.  The copy editor requested two new chapters and I discovered opportunities to pull the reader into the very heart of the story.

The final Edit of The Infinity Program was the line edit.  I had always thought I was a concise writer.  I was astonished when my superb editor showed me that I was not.  She stripped away dead phrases that weren’t really needed and replaced weak words with stronger ones.  She improved the cadences, creating a much better flow.   It was a humbling experience but an invaluable lesson.

The editing process is enormously important.   If you can’t find a skilled editor to read your work, my advice would be to find all the books you can about the editing process.  In a way, I think, writing is like a three stage rocket at Cape Kennedy.  The first stage, the creativity and the imagination, gives you the lift-off.  The second stage, your own editing skills, gets you into orbit, and the third stage, the editor, gets you to your destination.  

The Infinity Program Summary

Jon Graeme and Harry Sale are unlikely friends. Harry is a world-class programmer, but his abrasive personality alienates co-workers. In contrast, Jon is a handsome and easy-going technical writer, the low man on the IT totem pole.

Sharing a love of nature, the men set out together, planning to go their separate ways--Jon on a hike and Harry, fly fishing. Three days later, Jon arrives at the rendezvous point, but his friend is nowhere in sight. When Jon finds Harry unconscious on the floor of a cave, Harry claims to have been lying there the entire time. But he is neither cold nor hungry. What Jon doesn't know is that Harry fell into an underground cavern, where he came into contact with an alien quantum computer.

Back at work, Harry jettisons his regular tasks and concentrates exclusively on inventing new operating language to access the alien system. In the process he crashes his office's Super Computer and is fired. Jon convinces the company to give Harry a second chance, arguing that the system he has invented will make them millions.

Jon has no idea what havoc Harry is about to unleash.
Richard H. Hardy's Bio:

Richard H. Hardy was born in Glasgow, Scotland, during a week of relentless bombing raids just before the close of World War II. The day he was born an incendiary bomb fell on the church across the street from where he lived, so he is fond of saying that he entered the world with a big adrenaline rush.

His family later moved to England and then on to America.

After college Richard bounced through a series of temporary jobs as he traveled around the country, wanting nothing more than to write fiction. A job driving a library van allowed him free time to write several short stories and work on a novel.

He and his wife moved to New Hampshire, where he took an entry level job at a software company. He was soon promoted to the technical writing department and ended up producing over 500,000 words of online documentation. After a few years he was promoted to the programming department and ended up as the Senior EDI Programmer, creating EDI maps and writing UNIX scripts and troubleshooting on AIX systems throughout the U.S. and Canada.

After he retired, he started writing fiction again. The Infinity Program is his first published novel. 

Formats/Prices: $5.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Pages: 250
Release: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Camel Press
ISBN: 9781603819336

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603819339?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes and Noble buy link
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-infinity-program-richard-h-hardy/1118958489?ean=9781603819336

Smashwords buy link
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/422304

iBooks buy link
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-infinity-program/id849045494?mt=11&uo=4

Kobo buy link
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-infinity-program

Blog Tour: The Tesla Gate by John D. Mimms

The Tesla Gate

When a cosmic storm enters Earth’s atmosphere, scientists are baffled by its composition and origins, but not nearly as much as they are by the storm’s side effect – anyone who has died and chosen not to cross over is suddenly stranded here, visible, and can interact with the living.

With the world thrown into chaos, Thomas Pendleton is eager to make up for many broken promises to his six-year-old son, Seth. Soon after the storm, they set out on a road trip to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, completely unaware of the social and political maelstrom they’re heading into that will change their lives forever.

Review:

Thomas Pendleton is a hard-working and loyal father and husband but he lets his work get the better of him. He is always busy and breaking his promise to his family. But when a cosmic storm hits the planet, he is given a second chance to show his son, Seth, just how much he loves him by finally taking him to the museum. But their vacation is cut short when dead people start showing up and the government decides to capture them and get rid of them once and for all.

Despite the awkward writing style, it was written in hindsight (Thomas retold the events of his life and adventure) I found the story line interesting enough to read on till the end. I’m glad I did. The ending was the best. Thomas Pendleton becomes the father he was meant and always wanted to be by making the ultimate sacrifice for his son, Seth.

The Telsa Gate took some getting used to. The writing felt more like the main character was reliving the story as oppose to me reading along and experiencing it with him, there was too much hindsight. The story was still enjoyable. Lots of action, suspense, betrayal, stupid mistake after stupid mistake, but in all, Thomas was a good father to the end. After getting used to the writing, I could enjoy the unique story line. The description of impals were vivid and interesting. The ending was the best. Thomas Pendleton becomes the father he was meant and always wanted to be by making the ultimate sacrifice for his son.

Even though this was not one of my favorite reads, it was still very interesting and I would definitely be interested in following this story if the writer continues with what happens to Thomas and his son and the Tesla Gate

Guest Post: Tens List by Dani Pettrey author of Stranded

Dani Pettrey's Top Ten Editing/Revising Tips

1.     Take time off. When you first complete your manuscript, it’s a good idea to take a week or two off and let your story sit. You’ll have fresh eyes when you return to it. 

2.     Read through your entire manuscript in one sitting if possible. This helps you see the book as an entirety and really helps you get a feel for pacing. 

3.     Keep a notebook or sticky notes handy. Have something nearby to take notes with. You’re going to want to jot down your thoughts as you go. 

4.     Highlight sections you want to return to. Flag sections you know you’re going to need to return to. I use different color highlights for different areas. For example, if I need to do further research on a particular section, I highlight it in green. 

5.     Formulate a plan. Once you’ve read your manuscript, review your notes and figure out a plan of how you will tackle the changes. Will you go through linearly or will you work on one thread at a time? 

  

6.     Set a Deadline. Decide how much you need to do each day. Looking at what needs to be done, come up with a schedule for finishing your work by deadline. Earlier if possible. 

7.     Keep your inspiration fresh. It’s important to keep your love for the story fresh while rewriting. I enjoy listening to my story soundtrack while rewriting. It helps to keep the emotions at the surface.

8.     Take breaks. Revisions can be daunting. Be sure to get up to stretch, take a walk, or grab a coffee break. You’ll come back renewed. 

9.     Treat yourself. Set goals and when you meet them, treat yourself. Dark chocolate or iced mochas are my treat of choice. 

10. Trust your editors. Once you finish your revisions, trust your editors to do what they do best and let go. 

      About the Author:

Dani Pettrey is a wife, homeschooling mom and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance. She’s a huge fan of dark chocolate, is always in search of the best iced mocha and her dream is to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

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Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway: Assured Destruction: Script Kiddie

 

 

Assured Destruction: Script Kiddie

Jan Rose no longer steals data from the old computers she recycles. She doesn't need to. As the newest member of the police department’s High Tech Crime Unit, the laptop of a murderer has landed on her desk. Her job: to profile and expose a killer.

But that’s not all.

A creep lurks in the shadows, stalking a friend, and Jan must stop him before the hunt turns deadly. The clock counts down for Jan to save her friend, her job, her boyfriend—maybe even her life.

***

“A fun, fast-paced thriller guaranteed to distract teens from Facebook ...”
—Kirkus Reviews, on Assured Destruction, book #1

 

Michael F. Stewart's Bio:

After crewing ships in the Antarctic and the Baltic Sea and some fun in venture capital, Michael anchored himself (happily) to a marriage and a boatload of kids. Now he injects his adventurous spirit into his writing with brief respites for research into the jungles of Sumatra and Guatemala, the ruins of Egypt and Tik’al, paddling the Zambezi and diving whatever cave or ocean reef will have him. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and SF Canada, and the author of the Assured Destruction series, 24 Bones, The Sand Dragon, Hurakan, Ruination and several award winning graphic novels for young adults.

      

My Review + Giveaway:

Script Kiddie is the second book of the series, Assured Destruction. And like the book before it, I really enjoyed it. It was fast paced, hair-raising, heart-pumping fun. And the story development kept me turning the page even at 1 in the morning! However, I give Script kiddie 3 stars on Goodreads where the first book had four. Here is why:

Jan is a great girl, driven to help and protect her friends and family, even if it costs her life. I admire that in this character. I really felt for her. But she is only 16 and sometimes the situations she gets herself into or the unreasonable things that is expected of her is just too much to take in. And her relationship with Jonny is unrealistic to me, more like forced. Theirs border on being mad at each other and awkward make out sessions. I mean really, what does she see in a boy that she feels the only way to pacify him is to make out with him once in a while. Sure he is useful for driving her around now that she is sort of disabled but what else is there......and why the heck does he put up with her putting everyone first and leaving him for whenever she has the time or need. To be honest, I like him, he is a great friend but I just don't think they are right for each other. BTW, I was team Karl in Assured Destruction :D

But it was such a good story! I can't help feel a little disappointed book #3 is not out yet. The author leaves some burning questions and now all I want to know is, where and what happened to Jan's father? Really, just who is Peter, her mother's boyfriend, why IS he so interested in her mom and Assured Destruction? And what has Jan gone and gotten herself into (again)?

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Blog Tour - Guest Post: The Art of Promotion by Tia Liverthorne Bach

The Art of Promotion

By Tia Silverthorne Bach

 I say art, because promotion is different for everyone—and its beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

But nobody will argue the importance of good promotion. When I published my first book, Depression Cookies, I had no clue about marketing. I didn’t even set up a blog until after it was published. I can imagine your collective gasp.

Fortunately, I learned a lot in the process and was more prepared for promoting my second book, and first young adult novel, Chasing Memories. First, I built an author platform which included a blog, website, and various social media. I have a Facebook author page and am quite active on Twitter. But this is just a first step, and writers need to find a balance so these promotional tools do not keep them from writing. At the end of the day, the best way to market a book is to write another book and build a reader following.

Prior to releasing Chasing Memories, I had a cover reveal tour. I asked my fellow authors to spread the word about my cover through a series of timed blog posts. Then, we all shared these posts via social media. I can’t stress enough the importance of building an online writing network. Not only do we support each other, but we share information. I found out about Tribute Book Tours this way as well as the Indie-Credible Tour, a huge celebration of indie books this September.

My best advice is two-fold and simple, but important. First, be yourself. Second, spam marketing never works. Find forums, groups, and authors who write in your genre. Interact with them, but don’t push sales. Let a relationship develop naturally—relationships take time, which is why it is so imperative to start marketing before your publication date.

Try things, and see what works and what doesn’t. And don’t give up.

I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature. John D. Rockefeller

 

Chasing Memories Book Summary:

There isn’t another way; not now. The others are coming. I can’t let them have you…

Seventeen-year-old Reagan has a problem: She can’t remember what happened the night her brother was taken.

Now, the dreams haunting her from the incident are becoming more intense by the day. All the while, the lines between what’s real and what’s a product of her paranormal-obsessed mind are becoming blurred.

Is she losing her mind or has she just stepped into a world she thought only existed in books?

Caught in a web of worried parents, competing boys, Wiccan relatives, protective amulets, and psychiatrist babble, Reagan must determine the truth before it’s too late.

  

Tia Silverthorne Bach's Bio:

Tia Silverthorne Bach is an avid reader, sometimes runner, involved wife and mother, and rabid grammar hound in addition to being a multi-genre writer. Her three daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She's the award-winning co-author of Depression Cookies, a coming of age story written with her mother. Tia's office is wherever her laptop takes her and any place that's conducive to allowing a wild imagination like hers to flourish.

Prices/Formats: $3.99 ebook, $12.99 paperback
Pages: 296
Publisher: self-published
Release: May 22, 2013

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Blind Sight Blog Tour: July 1 ~ 7th

The Inspiration for Blind Sight? 

Literature and Bad Table Manners

There are two sides to every story. That's the major premise behind how Blind Sight is written. Anyone who has ever listened to grandparents talk to each other without their hearing aids knows how funny those conversations can be. What one of them says is not always what the other one hears. Or trying to understand someone when their mouth is full, I wanted to capture the misunderstandings that occur when the perspective is limited to a single point of view, but I couldn't do it alone. 

I was first inspired by Tom Stoppard who turned Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet into the comedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Tom Stoppard's play follows the plot of Hamlet through the point of view of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, giving them their own voice and own plot so that even though it is the same plot, it is a very different story. It was exactly what I expected out of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I made a few futile attempts to write the same story from different perspectives and eventually let the idea drop. I couldn't get the two sides different enough to where it felt like two different voices, but then I met Ermisenda on an RP site of all places. She was a brilliant writer, but more than that, she made me a better writer. We played off each other in a way that I just can't explain unless you've ever found that other RPer with whom you just click. It was a true partnership, making Blind Sight a superior novel to anything we could have put together individually. It wasn't working from an already written manuscript and trying to put a new spin on it, we worked together every step of the way, literally RPing scenes over MSN and Skype since we live half a world apart. Eliabeth Hawthorne
 

This post is part of the Blind Sight Blog Tour. Blind Sight is an urban fantasy novel written in two volumes, each telling the story through a different character's perspective. Follow the tour and read reviews, guest post, book excerpts and interviews about Blind Sight and the Ermilia coauthors.

EverTaster: The Buttersmith's Gold Blog Tour by Adam Glendon Sidwell

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The Buttersmiths' Gold

BATTLES. BLUEBERRIES. BOVINES.

TORBJORN AND STORFJELL’S HISTORY UNFOLDS IN AN EPIC EVERTASTER NOVELLA.

Everyone knows the most coveted treasure of the Viking Age was blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins so succulent that if you sniffed just a whiff, you'd want a whole bite. If you bit a bite, you'd want a batch; if you snatched a batch, you'd stop at nothing short of going to war just to claim them all.

Young Torbjorn Trofastsonn comes from the clan that makes them. He's a Viking through and

through – he's thirteen winters old, larger than most respectable rocks, and most of all, a Buttersmith. That's what he thinks anyway, until a charismatic merchant makes Torbjorn question his place among the muffin-makers. When Torbjorn lets the secret of his clan's muffin recipe slip, he calls doom and destruction down upon his peaceful village and forces his brother Storfjell and his clansmen to do the one thing they are ill-prepared to do: battle for their lives.

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About The Buttersmiths' Gold

The Buttersmiths' Gold is a spin off novella in the Evertaster series that tells the story of two Viking brothers and their adventurous past. The Evertaster series (Book #1 released June 14, 2012) is about Guster Johnsonville, who goes searching for a legendary taste rumored to be the most delicious in all of history. Along the way he meets a slew of mysterious characters, including two Viking brothers Torbjorn and Storfjell. The Buttersmiths' Gold is their story. 124 pages. By Adam Glendon Sidwell. Published by Future House Publishing.

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    Author Adam Sidwell In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/2/13 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 participating author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $25 US.  a Rafflecopter giveaway  

My Review:

Young Torbjorn is sent to trade the delicious blueberry muffins for treasures that the clan is in need of.

But a merchant gets Torbjorn to tell him the real secret of the tasty butter which causes a terrible fate to come down on his clan.

Now, it is up to Torbjorn and Storfjell to save the day and the cows.

 

I read Evertaster, the first in this series and really enjoyed it so I was really happy to read The Buttersmiths Gold. Although I have to say, I kind of like Evertaster better, I wish could experience food the way Guster does!

While the Buttersmiths Gold was not my total favorite in the series, it was still a fun, engaging, and a sort of silly, read for kids who like vikings, adventure, animals and food. I could see my niece enjoying this story. I liked the way 'food' was used in the story, very fun and unique in my opinion. The overall theme of the story is loyalty to family and loved ones, an important lesson in life in general. In fact, the brothers in the story bond together while being chased! 

 

Book Blast: The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

 

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The Tale of Mally Biddle 
by M.L. LeGette

When Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn't know she'd find a family unlike any other.

Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and tends fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death ... a death that is surrounded by more questions than answers.

Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and matriarchal Meriyal Boyd, and the opinionated Archibald Diggleby. Then of course there are the knights: Leon Gibbs who is slicker than a greased hog, Adrian Bayard, hot tempered and violent, and the worst of the lot: Sir Illius Molick, Captain of the Knights. And then there is Maud, a mysterious woman who just might know everything...

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Praise

"To say I loved this book is an understatement. Mally is a wonderful character and she encounters so many quirky folks on her assignment. Very well written and engaging story! And an added bonus of a love triangle! I enjoyed it from beginning to end!! I will definitely be looking for more from this author!"

~April Holgate

Author Melissa LeGette

Melissa LeGette lives in Georgia where she helps run a family farm, so her nails are a fright. The Tale of Mally Biddle is her second novel.

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Book Tour: Alexander Drake by Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows

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  Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit
Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out. It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.  

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The Return of General Drake

When Alexander arrived in Verhonia, something went terribly wrong. A dark spell delivered from the mountains of Acadia sent him on a dangerous journey in the middle of the night. As he marched into the mountains, the great city of Verhonia was ambushed and burned to the ground by Roman's army of vicious giant murks. With the safety of the realm in jeopardy, General John William Drake was asked to come back to Azra's Pith. He swore he would never return. But after discovering his son was under a spell and in the grips of a dark sorcerer, he had no choice. Things take a wild turn in the mountains, with runaways, a hungry wolf and a mysterious, young empyrean wizard thrown into the adventure. A tight race against time and evil is in full swing. With faith and a little magic, they just might come out on top.  

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    Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows
Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat. Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.  

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Book Excerpt:

Ferdinand finally stopped, allowing Alexander to catch up. “Did you bring the key with you, young man?”

“Oh, yes! Is this what you’re talking about?” Alexander pulled the strange key out of his pocket. The sparkle and beautiful chiming intensified in his hands.

Ferdinand was mesmerized. “I haven't seen that key since....” The frog's eyes gleamed. It was apparent he had a connection to the key. “Let’s see if it still works.” The creature disappeared into a thick fern.

Alexander pushed the fern back to find him rubbing his long-fingered hands together with anticipation in front of a large dead tree. “Okay, it’s a dead tree. What are we doing here?”

“Hush!” Ferdinand whispered with a sting in his tone. “We must watch for the Passageway. It appears; then it's gone at the blink of an eye.”

Within seconds, the rays of the sun shot through gaps in the surrounding trees onto the thick trunk. A small portion at the base took on a brassy tone, and radiant emerald leaves instantly sprouted from every curvy branch.

“It’s—it’s—magic—it has to be! Amazing! ” Alexander gasped. This was the tree in his dreams.

A glowing light beamed through the center, forming a slit barely large enough for the key to fit in. Alexander brought his hands to his face, partially covering his eyes. “I—I can't believe this is happening!”

“Alexander, hurry—the key—put it in!”

Alexander fumbled with the key and quickly slid it in the slot. The key turned on its own, without the help of Alexander's nervous fingers. Almost immediately, a portion of the tree dissolved into the tiny specks of light Alexander knew all too well. They danced in celebration, creating an intense energy field.

“Come, Alexander—we must move quickly!” Ferdinand took a blind leap into the specks of light and disappeared.

“I'm afraid!” Alexander was frantic. He had visited this tree in his dreams many times before. Could his mother have been trying to tell him something? “This is crazy! What have I gotten myself into?”

This was far beyond anything Alexander could have ever imagined, but his heart ached for his mother, and he wanted answers. He knew if he truly wanted things in his life to change, this was something he must do. He closed his eyes and took a flying leap into the tree.