Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Stages & Thieves by Danielle Claude-Ngontang

Title: Stages & Thieves
Author: Danielle Claude-Ngontang
Series: Semya Slotin Mystery #5
Genre: Thriller, Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Summary:
One fateful July morning forever changed the lives of Sémya Slotin and her best friend Polliannah Guryev. 

Vincent Edgerton, the only man Sémya has ever loved, was taken from her by an explosion and a fire that she couldn’t understand, trust, nor explain. It left her alone, hurt, angry and desperately seeking answers. On top of everything, she is also incredibly hormonal; Sémya Slotin is going to be a mother.

Polliannah just healed from losing her husband but seeing her best friend grieving is not only breaking her heart, it has been a strain on their once close-knit relationship. She is afraid that Sémya will completely disappear into her grief. Thankfully, Polliannah can always seek refuge with the handsome Chief Superintendent James Connelly. In the past three months, he has become her safe haven. But when they finally give in to each other and Jim reveals his true feeling for her, Polliannah pulls away.  Is she ready to put herself out there again?

Then all of the sudden, Sémya, the pregnant Detective Extraordinaire is chasing art thieves across the globe, making dangerous deals and finally meeting her father… It’s all about ex-lovers and new ones, a priceless painting, con artists, baby bumps, an impromptu trip to Moscow, designer dresses, teacakes, a birthday ball and reconnecting with your roots.

With everything that has happened this year, Sémya and Polliannah are more vulnerable and exposed than they have ever been. Will Jim’s love and trust be enough to ease Polliannah’s doubts? Will Sémya find out what happened to Vincent?

Welcome to the Stages & Thieves saga, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. 


     “Isn’t your father named Ulrich? I’m not giving birth to an Ulrich. It sounds like the name of a war criminal,” she told him. Vincent released her and frowned. Me and my big, insensitive mouth… “But I’m sure your father wears it with my pride,” she said rapidly.  I’m not pregnant anyway. “I love you,” she said sheepishly when he unwound her from his body and sat upright on the bed. What, no more sexy time?
     “You are so frustrating sometimes Babe,” he told her and helped her up to sit next to him. “You’re lucky I love you too.” He kissed her tenderly and caressed her hair. “My mother had the exact same reaction,” he said with a cheeky grin. “Why do you want a name starting with an S?” he asked more seriously.
     Sémya simply shrugged back. On her father’s side, everyone’s name started with an S, including hers. She didn’t know her paternal family, only that the Dovos were powerful, rich and dangerous. But her mother named her Sémya for a reason and she would really like to know why. She put her arms around his neck. “Don’t be daft Heinz. Sasha is a name I’ve always liked. Sasha Slotin… it has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” she asked, calling him by his alias Josh Heinz.
     Vincent laughed and pulled her onto his lap. “Edgerton… my child, my name,” he told her. Sémya blushed back. She might break that curse the women in her family seemed to be under. My possible baby will have a father! “But not Sasha,” he added.
     Sémya pouted back but involuntary purred when Vincent ran his hand over her back. Vincent kissed her, slowly at first but then he deepened the kiss, pressing her against him. His hard-defined body was fitting perfectly against her new lush curves. “What names do you have in mind then?” she moaned.
     “We’re going to miss our flight,” he whispered in her ear instead and licked it. She shuddered in his arms. That was an understatement. Polliannah wasn’t going to like that. “A special name to the both of us, one that means something and symbolizes us, our love, our unique situation… how beautiful, smart, funny, stubborn, and sexy his or her mother is and how nuts about her I am,” he told her.
     Sémya felt a tear on her cheek. Silly hormones! “This isn’t going to be easy or even possible. Who could have such a name?”
     “I cannot wait to find out… if only–” Vincent said while he was lying back on their bed.
     “– I’m not taking that damn pregnancy test!” she giggled.
     “First thing in London?” he asked her and kissed her nose.
     “First thing in London,” Sémya agreed and raised her hips to meet his. “I love you, Vincent. You’re mine and I yours…” Silly hormones!
     Vincent groaned back and plunged into her. Finally… “Until my last breath Sémya Louise Slotin and maybe a little after, I love you.”
     Sémya urgently kissed him and arched her back.  Heaven, I’m in absolute heaven…those silly hormones make me so girly…


Fallinlove2nite - Prince and Zooey Deschanel
Under Pressure - Queen, David Bowie
Sexy Lady - Jessie J
The First Cut is the deepest - Cheryl Crow
Breathe - Faith Hill
My Immortal - Evanescence
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
You make me feel like a natural woman - Aretha Franklin
The way you like tonight - Michael Bublé
Beneath your beautiful - Emeli Sandeand Labrinth
Stay with me - Sam Smith
Dust to dust - The Civil Wars
Somewhere we know - Lilly Allen
Distance and time - Alicia Keys
Missing - Everything But The Girl

Author Bio:
I’m over 30.
I was born in Quebec City, Canada.
I grew up in France and in Gabon.
I speak English & French fluently.
Pizza is my favorite dish.
Black Forest Cake is my favorite dessert.
I met Michael Jackson when I was eleven.
I loathe vodka but love gin, wine and tequila.
I'm obsessed with Robbie Williams and Michael Fassbender.
I call Toronto my home.
I love reading.
I love dancing.
I love watching exciting TV shows.
I love my life... most days.
I'm a major goof.
I can't stand intolerance.
I'm curious, cheeky and oh so opinionated!


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Release Day Blitz: His Captive Princess by Sandra Jones

Title: His Captive Bride
Author: Sandra Jones
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Samhaim Publising
Summary:
Earned respect is sweet, but deserved revenge is even sweeter.

Warren de Tracy was assured the Welsh village of Dinefwr would be an easy conquest, as would the widow of its fallen prince. Wedding her will appease the locals and win the respect of his liege, the usurper King Stephen.

Instead, Warren is ambushed, taken prisoner by a hooded Welshwoman with skin that glows like moonlight. If he must die at her hands, at least his honorable death will silence the whispers of disloyalty hanging over his name.

Princess Eleri has never seen a knight as stoic—and as eager to die—as Warren. She’d love to oblige the bastard, but something in his ocean-blue eyes stays her hand. Plus, suspicion nags at her, for the arrows that wounded him and killed his men are Norman, not Welsh.

A ghostly prophecy portends danger that thrusts the enemies closer together, where hate explodes into passion that won’t allow Eleri to surrender Warren to her vengeful clan. But returning him to his king breaks more than it mends…and for Warren, retaliation will be sweet, indeed.

Cantref Mawr, Deheubarth, Wales, Winter 1136 A.D.

Warren de Tracy had led battles on two different continents against formidable enemies of the Church and his Norman kings, and for his efforts he’d won spurs, a barony, more than a few scars and a complete lack of fear, which had served him well. Ironically, of all his venerable foes, a lowly dog killed him.

He watched the speckled greyhound resting on its dead master’s chest, growling low at him, the stranger in its territory. The mongrel had already betrayed his Welsh owner’s hiding spot in the dense thicket by protectively snarling at one of Warren’s mounted knights. Then his hotheaded young soldier had wheeled back for the rebel enemy without caution, earning him a fatal arrow to the heart.

Making perhaps the worst tactical error of his life, Warren had followed to check on his fallen man. The dog, far from done, howled over its master’s fate, thus calling attention to Warren’s presence, too. That was when an arrow from God-only-knew-where in the surrounding woods took him by surprise, its force unseating him. Quick and efficient, these archers were so stealthy he’d never seen their faces.

Now left to travel afoot with a useless sword arm, Warren collapsed at the base of an ancient yew a few yards away from the two bodies. He stripped off his gloves and snapped the arrow’s wooden shaft in half, leaving the barb lodged in his muscle. Ice-hot pain exploded through his chest.

“Sang Dieu!” He cradled his throbbing arm and waited, head swimming and shoulder bleeding, as the voices from the skirmish went silent.

All five of his men were dead. He felt it in his bones. Soon he would join them, but not nearly soon enough.

Ever since King Henry had died earlier that year, the Welsh princes had led revolts trying to take back lands they had lost in the Norman invasion. King Stephen, the new usurper, had ordered Warren to claim the Welsh Deheubarth camp of Dinefwr for Warren’s own. All Warren had ever wanted was to gain the respect of his liege. King Stephen had also told Warren to take one of the Welsh princesses for a bride, which, along with promises of clemency and protection, would surely appease the locals. Furthermore, his liege had suggested, the widow of one of the recently fallen princes would be “receptive” to the offer.

How wrong the king had been.

If only Warren had known there would be a rebel spy waiting upon the shore when they landed. Now the entire conroi was dead as a result.

At least none of Warren’s brothers had been with him this time. He could die without more shame hanging over his head. His half-brother would live to look after their little sister. With Warren dying honorably in battle, there would be no more questions of his loyalty, no more whispers of treason.

The dead soldier’s quick end was a blessing compared to Warren’s wound. The arrow in his shoulder wouldn’t budge, proving it was a ruthless Norman barb, probably stolen from one of Warren’s men, and the broken shaft offered no purchase with which to maneuver it. Each time he touched the splintered wood, a burst of fire spread through his chest. His heavy sword was meant for hacking bone, not useful for quickening his death, but perhaps he could knock himself unconscious while he waited for the arms of everlasting rest.

He leaned against the tree and battered the back of his skull, but the beating only made his head ache and his vision blur. The agony of his shoulder remained.

He closed his eyes before the reeling made him vomit.

Despite the absence of wind, the nearby trees rustled softly. Warren cracked an eye open. A hooded rebel stood near De Gouin’s body. As silently as the first, another dark-hooded figure dropped from the branches above. Dressed in deerskin chausses and heavy tunics, they studied the soldier’s corpse. Bon sang!Welsh rebels. Or Cymreig, as they called themselves. The smaller one nudged the dead knight’s arm with a booted foot. Bows resting casually on their backs, the pair hadn’t seemed to notice Warren.

His left hand tightened around the sword’s hilt. One good throw would fell one of the lightweight bastards, but he had no way of fending off the other.

As if sensing Warren’s intentions, the greyhound’s growl deepened, and it glanced uncertainly between Warren and the rebels. The archers were still too far away to hear, too absorbed in retrieving his soldier’s weapons, but the dog might change that. His barking would bring them around, turning their attention to Warren. He couldn’t let that happen. He was ready to die but not to be shamefully taken alive as a hostage for the local chieftain, where he would surely find unimaginable tortures.

He adjusted his grip on the sword in his left hand. His arm shook from the loss of blood.

The beast hunkered over his master’s body, putting more of its belly on top of the man’s chest. Caesar, Warren’s own trained mastiff, would do the same. Now staring into this animal’s brown eyes, he saw unwavering loyalty and trust, so like Caesar’s.

The greyhound licked the dead Welshman’s face, and the sight put a knot in Warren’s throat. He’d never harmed an animal before, nor would he this day.

Before the wary tension in his muscles could relax, the dog woofed in his direction.

Damned traitor!

The enemies swiveled around. Assessing the situation, they drew their swords.

In Warren’s foggy vision, the two swarmed toward him like sylvan elves, multiplying as yet more rebels fell from the tree, at least a half-dozen of his enemies.

The first pair stood over him with weapons extended, while the newcomers surrounded their own fallen warrior and his canine.

“Gorthwr fud.” The one who’d kicked De Gouin spoke at him in a puzzle of confusing sounds, but the sneered tone was perfectly clear. More puzzling than the guttural language Warren had been trying to decipher since arriving on the Glamorgan shore a few days ago was the fact that the rebel’s voice was female, low and husky. The accented tones would be interesting, he reckoned, if they weren’t so full of hate.

He blinked hard to clear the cobwebs in his vision. A pale oval shape loomed before him, and soon he focused on a pair of dark golden eyes in a face with skin that seemed to glow as if lit by moonlight. She dropped her hood for a better look at him, revealing wild plaits of flaming red hair, which dangled around her perfect face.

Author Bio:
Sandra is the author of historical romances, including the River Rogues series, set in frontier America. With more than 20 years working as a bookseller and then a librarian, she found her true calling in writing. Always looking for the next story to tell, she makes her home on a river in the Ozark Mountains. When not working on her next book, she enjoys doing genealogy research (she’s a descendant of a Norman knight), playing cook for her husband and being the servant to her old grumpy tomcat. She has two sons in college and loves sharing lengthy discussions about the books they read. Sandra also loves hearing from her readers.


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Release Day Blitz: The Reunion by Lorhainne Eckhart

Title: The Reunion
Author: Lorhainne Eckart
Series: The Friessens #1
Genre: Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Cover Design: Steven Novak

Come celebrate the release of The Reunion with Lorhainne and
her special guests on Thursday, April 30 from 12pm-2pm EST.


Summary:
The family you thought you knew.
A Reunion you’ll never forget.
A love that lasts forever.

This emotionally charged family saga will reunite all the Friessen clan in this timeless romance and a heartwarming celebration.


Oh?” She smiled up at him and left her book open as she stood, putting her hand on the flat of his chest and stepping closer so he could wrap his arms around her. She fit so perfectly, and he could have looked down at her book and read it, he was so close. But he couldn't do that to her. The diary was hers, her thoughts, something personal and private. He knew he couldn't cross that line—even though he wanted to know everything she was thinking at every moment.

“You love writing in that book,” he said. “What it is you put down in there?”

Candy couldn't hide from him, and he could sense the moment she felt uneasy. It was so subtle, the change in her body, from leaning into him, her energy reaching out and touching him, to pulling away. He rubbed her back and lower, over her sweet ass, holding her to him, not hard but in a way that let her know she could step away if she wanted. He wanted her with him, always, to stay close to him, but it had to be her choice. That nearly killed him at times, but the saying was “If you love someone, set her free, for if she truly loves you, she will always return.” For Neil right now, because of what he’d done, he’d learned that with Candy, it was so true. He couldn't push, not ever again.

“You don’t have to share it,” he said.

Her eyes darted up so fast. He could see the surprise, maybe because he’d always pushed, expecting her to share everything, body, mind, and soul. He still wanted that, but something had changed when he’d hurt her with his betrayal—his secrets.

No more, ever.

“They’re just my thoughts, feelings,” she said, and she didn't need to say any more. He could tell she expected him to push.

“These are things you don’t want to share with me?” He had to know, to have some idea of where she was in her head with him, just to understand where they still needed to go to heal.

“You’d think they’re silly, I’m sure. I’d feel foolish voicing them, but I want to be able to put it down. It helps me,” she whispered.

He nodded although he couldn't help feeling a little hurt that she didn't want to share everything with him. He also knew he couldn't push, not anymore.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?”

“For not pushing, for not insisting on reading it. You've never looked at it, have you?”

Before, he would have. That was the old Neil, who was so obsessed with having Candy and molding her into who he believed she should be. What a fool he’d been. “No, I wouldn't do that, although I am curious,” he teased.

She slid her hand around his waist and slapped his butt playfully, hugging him closer. She had the most beautiful smile as she leaned in and tilted her head up, again biting her lower lip. “Maybe one day I’ll show you.”

What could he say to that? She watched him with a lightness in her eyes that melted away the uncertainty that had been between them moments ago. He wanted her to trust him again. Oh, he knew she did in some things, but he wanted that ultimate trust where she would believe that her precious, vulnerable heart would be safe with him regardless of what life threw their way. If and when she trusted him completely again, he swore to God that he would never let her down again.

“I would love that,” he said.

Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling Author Lorhainne Eckhart’s books have been described as Longmire meets old-school Dallas, and she recently received the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Award for Romantic Suspense for her title Lost and Found. With over thirty titles under her belt, she is frequently a Top 100 bestselling author in multiple genres, such as romance, westerns, and mystery/suspense, including such series as The Outsider, Walk the Right Road, The Wilde Brothers, The Saved, and her most recent addition, The Friessens: A New Beginning.

Lorhainne lives on sunny Salt Spring Island with her family, where she is working on her next novel.


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EMAIL: Lorhainne@LorhainneEckhart.com



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Cover Reveal: Unruly by Cora Brent

Title: Unruly
Author: Cora Brent
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Expected Release Date: May 11, 2015
Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations

Summary:
Forbidden hookups are rarely simple.
Claudia Giordano only plans to be home long enough to watch her eternally irresponsible father marry her high school nemesis.
She never expects to embark on some horny sex odyssey with a wild nineteen-year-old baseball player.  
Easton Malone is cocky, crude and off-limits on so many levels.
That hot, reckless week should never have happened.  The only option is to forget.  
But life’s triumphs and heartbreaks keep bringing Easton and Claudia together again.
And again….

In the beginning they only find lust.
At the end they find each other.
Along the way they find everything else.

WARNING:
There will be sex.  (A lot of it.)
There will be grief.  (You might find yourself ugly crying.)
But there will also be redemption in the face of tragedy.
And yes, love will prevail.

Author Bio:
Cora Brent was born in a cold climate and escaped as soon as it was legally possible. Now, she lives in the desert with her husband, two kids and a prickly pear cactus she has affectionately named ‘Spot’. Cora’s closet is filled with boxes of unfinished stories that date back her 1980’s childhood and all her life she has dreamed of being an author.  Amazingly, she is now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer of contemporary romance and begs not to be awakened from this dream.







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Voices by RE Rowe

Title: Voices
Author: RE Rowe
Series: Reincartion #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Release Date: February 27, 2015
Summary:
In a small town in Arkansas, two lives that seemingly have nothing in common will converge and change each other forever.  A brilliant but tormented street artist and an ex-track star whose career was cut short by a heart condition.

Aimee DeLuca had a promising athletic career before her heart gave out during a high school track and field contest. Aimee struggles to find her way after spending time with a deceased grandmother during a near death experience. Reizo Rush is a street artist whose torment fuels his desire to add color to the gray walls of the city. But Reizo’s tagging and the two voices only he hears land him in perpetual trouble with both his teachers and the law.

During a chance encounter, the two quickly find out they have much more in common than love. When they stumble upon a century-old storm cellar hidden underground on Aimee’s uncle’s ranch, they unearth a cellar full of artifacts and a hundred-year-old Will. Once the news of the discovery leaks out, a drug-dealing teen and a mysterious soul named General are determined to bury the truth along with anyone who gets in their way.

Chapter One
~Aimee~
     Forty-three minutes without a heartbeat—a little longer than a sitcom. About the time it takes for first period at Theodore High. It’d been five years since I’d seen Grams. She looked amazingly happy, considering she was dead.
     After waking up from heart surgery, the first words I uttered in the recovery room were “Did my team win?”
     “Miracle, miracle,” a nurse whispered. I guess she thought I’d have brain damage.
     Another nurse cried. A male nurse asked me if I’d experienced anything strange. He said some patients have what they call a “Near-Death-Experience”—NDE for short. After all, I’d been officially pronounced dead before the doctors brought me back to life.
     I told him, “No, nothing worth mentioning.” Lying was easier than telling the truth. There’s no way I’ll ever talk to anyone about those forty-three minutes—especially not Mom or her boyfriend, Hank. What would I tell them? “Hey, remember when I was dead? Well, I hung out with Grams on a bright day at Uncle Pete’s pond.”
     Not a chance. I’d get tagged a wacko and locked up at Willowgate, just like the crazy kid from school.
     The nurses told me it’d been a miracle that I had survived with only chest compressions until I arrived at the ER. I agreed, of course, but I knew different. Grams had said, “It’s your choice, dear. Stay here or return.”
     Being a track star and honor student, I wanted to return.
     And so I did.
     I blink away these thoughts and slurp in a mouthful of milky flakes while peering at the track star on the cereal box. The glint of excitement in the athlete’s eyes is familiar. But the feeling of adrenaline and winning races is a distant memory.
     Gardenia perfume invades the kitchen as Mom scurries in and fills up a travel mug with coffee. She smiles while sinking a teaspoon of sugar into the mug. “Aimee, aren’t you excited?”
     I place my bowl in the dishwasher and nod. “I guess. I’m mainly looking forward to painting at Uncle’s pond.”
     Mom takes a paper sack out of the refrigerator and hands it to me. It’s been part of our daily routine for as long as I can remember. She sends me into the world each day with a kiss and a packed lunch.
     “Uncle Pete will pick you up early, but you’ll still need lunch. The artist must be fed.” She winks.
     “Thanks, Mom.”
     Her cell blasts some upbeat tune from the ancient past. “Let’s go. I’m presenting closing arguments in court this morning.”
     I swim in Mom’s flowery wake as we walk out the door and into the garage.
     Mom answers her cell, connecting it to the car’s hands-free device. “I’ll be at the office in twenty minutes.”
     As usual, I push in my ear buds to avoid listening to lawyers’ ramblings while we drive. Hopefully, junior year will be better if I get a car, like she promised.
     Mom raises her voice. “I’m ready . . . I know, I know . . . it’s our responsibility.”
     I gaze out the car window. My pulse quickens and my stomach churns. Even with the music distraction, I still feel Mom’s emotions. I let my mind drift as she navigates morning traffic.
     Cancer took Grams’ life five years before my NDE. But when I saw her that day, she looked beautiful, like in the framed picture Mom keeps on her bookshelf. “It’ll be hard, darling,” Grams had said. “But I hope you’ll decide to return. There are still things for you to do.”
     A couple of years later and I still have no clue what “things” she meant.
     I glance at Mom gripping the steering wheel and feel her nervousness and anxiety. It must be a big legal case for her today.
     I remember the day I left the hospital. It was a shock, feeling the energy from things around me. It’s like suddenly feeling hot in an air-conditioned room or feeling chilly when it’s ninety-degrees outside. It’s hard to explain, exactly, how I can feel excitement coming from saw grass swaying in the wind and strength emanating from oak trees baking in sunshine. I’m not psychic or anything, but my intuition is off the charts. It sounds ill and delusional, which is why I’ll never talk about it.
     The first day back to school after my heart surgery was the worst. I quickly realized the people around me were crushing me with their emotions. Feelings of worry, excitement, anger, love, and hate swirled the school hallways from my classmates and hung over my head in class. Trying to concentrate on schoolwork while being flattened by so many emotions all at once was impossible in the beginning.
     At first, my friends had been supportive when I needed my space. But soon they realized I’d changed for good. Gossiping about Kelly’s ridiculous shoe purchase and texting about Sharon and Roger hooking up after a Friday night football game became boring. Going to a pep rally to wait for the crazy kid to attack another mascot turned into a ridiculous waste of time. What’s the point of rushing around, worrying about what people think, or worrying about saying something stupid? All the little things used to stress me out. Not anymore. Now people do.
     Mom drives the car up to the curb and stops in front of Theodore High School in the heart of Franklinville, Arkansas. Waves of anticipation and excitement from kids walking through the school gates roll over me.
     I hesitate before pulling out my ear buds and fight the overwhelming urge to run. I’d usually pretend I was sick and ask Mom to take me home, but today is the last day of the school year.
     I can do this.
     A man’s voice from Mom’s office blasts from the car speakers.
     Mom mouths to me, “I’ll call you later.” Then she leans over and kisses me on the cheek, exactly like she always does.
     At the start of freshman year, I’d been the girl who set track records. I was the popular girl with friends, the fashion trendsetter, and the designated shoulder to lean on.
     I was all of that before I died.
     But I was none of it after the doctors brought me back to life.

When you're not writing, how do you spend your time? 
I love to read, listen to podcasts while working out on my treadmill, and read about the latest scientific discoveries. I'm basically a geek inventor at heart. I'll see a problem and work out how to solve it. An interesting part of inventing is that it requires world building. The inventor solves the problem by imagining the world with and without the invention. I apply some of these same techniques to my novels. I'd say the world building process is my favorite part of developing a story.

How do you discover the ebooks you read? 
I'm on the mailing list of a number of websites specializing in getting the word out about new ebooks. Sometimes I will do keyword searches on Amazon to search for a particular genre I'm interested in reading. Or I'll look at the top books in the book categories I'm interested in at that moment. I also use goodreads to learn about what my friends are reading.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote? 
I do remember it. I was a freshman in high school. I wrote a short love story. I shared it with a few of my friends. They encouraged me to write more, but I became side-tracked with football and karate. Fiction took a back seat for a lot of years. Early on, I focused on non-fiction writing. Mainly science and technology papers and patent applications. I received my first patent when I was 20 years old for a tester device to test out circuit boards from avionics systems. US4472677. I told you I was a geek!

What is your writing process? 
I'm part plotter and part panser. I used to love to start off with a concept without a plan. My writing took me all over the place. Sometimes it was super cool. Other times it was very frustrating. After writing a bunch of novels and tossing them in the recycle bin, I decided to start off with a short synopsis. That soon turned into a basic outline. Then I decided it was time to establish my cast, my plot, and setting before writing. Next, I blend all of that together into a story that I want to read. This is important since I will most likely spend months in that particular world with those characters. For example, in the Reincarnation Series, I start off with a tagger who hears voices and an ex-track star who experienced a near death experience. I defined the world and the challenges they'd face. I even detailed out the world: See Hack -or- Carmina's Notebook and Carmina's Diagrams. From that point, I let my imagination take over and write. Sometimes I adjust the outline if my characters insist. So I guess you could call me two parts plotter, one part panser.

Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you? 
I enjoyed Hardy Boys when I was young. Then Issac Asimov Robot series books. A little later, I read Larry Niven's Known Space books and fell in love with science fiction. After reading all of his books, I was hooked on reading. Eventually, my reading journey broadened to many different Genres. I soon found that I could enjoy any genre if the writing was good. I'd have to say that reading as much as you can is far better than any how-to class on writing. Reading the work of others, writing, and discovering one's voice is more fun than inventing!

How do you approach cover design? 
There are a number of great cover designers out there I use depending on the type of cover I need. I recommend looking at covers of released books. Decide what style you like, then figure out what you want it to convey about your novel. Do some research to figure out who created it. Sometimes there will be credits given in the front matter of the book. For most of my covers, I use one particular cover designer I really like. (you can find her info in the front matter of some of my books). Other times I will use 99designs.com to run a contest for a new design. This is what I did for Carmina (book 4) in the Reincarnation series. See if you like it. You can find the cover reveal on my Facebook page.

What are your five favorite books, and why? 
That's not a fair question. My fav keeps changing as I read awesome work from authors. So let me answer that by sharing the titles of my most recent favorites. 1) The Coldest Girl in Cold Town - I never really liked vampire stories until this book. The writing is so awesome it drained all my blood (in a good way). 2) Shiver - I never really liked werewolf stories until this one. I was immediately sucked into a world that was both romantic and exciting. 3) The 5th Wave - cool sci-fi story. More specifically, I really enjoyed the journey of the book's protagonist, Cassie Sullivan. 4) The Universe According Verses Alex Woods - who wouldn't like a story about a kid who gets hit in the head by a meteor. 5) The Rithmatist - I found the world very different and super cool.

What is your e-reading device of choice? 
I don't limit myself to one e-reading device. I use my iPhone, Kindle Fire, Kindle Voyage, iPad, and reading apps on my lap top. It just depends where I am and what I'm doing. It's a tool that allows me to read. So if I'm on the beach, it would be a Kindle Voyage. (small and easy to read in the sun) Reading at a coffee shop, it could be either the Fire or iPad.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in the SF Bay Area. I'd say I started to enjoy novels in my 20's after four years in the US Air Force. I loved to go to bookstores and hang out. I also took some teaching classes and discovered UC Berkeley and the surrounding area. It felt good to be a geek. Natural. Exciting. At that time, I read mostly technical books. But occasionally, I'd read science fiction novels. I suppose you might say, the more reading I did, the more I wanted to read. These days, I probably consume a novel per week. I used to update goodreads, but now I just use goodreads to discover other new books. Reading is just as important to writing to me.

What's the story behind your latest book? 
I started the series off with two simple questions that have been explored over the ages. 1) Why do innocent people suffer? 2) If the afterlife is so awesome, why are we here? These simple questions sparked a ton of other questions. I started reading everything I could on the topic. I soon discovered hundreds of near death experiences and realized there was a common experience in most of them. I found professional studies on the topic of NDEs. I discovered the story I wanted to write and quickly realized it would span over a number of books. But most important to me, I wanted to write the series without focusing on any existing belief systems. After all, I was writing fiction. So, I spent time building the world using a variety of inspired ideas. An author friend of mine suggested I share the world. (Hack, Carmina's Diagrams and Carmina's Musings). I dreamed up a bunch of interesting characters and let them lose in my fictional world. Each book explores key aspects of the two main questions. For example, book 1 is all about innocence. Then book 2 takes off in a fun, fast paced paranormal thriller and doesn't look back. I promise all lingering questions will be answered in line with the fictional world. So I encourage readers to stick with it. There may be some questions that linger from book to book. But in the end those questions will be answered. It was so fun to write! Check out the book trailer to get the overall concept of the series. Maybe it will be a movie someday! hint hint

Author Bio:
When Rick isn't dreaming, you'll find him trying to discover why, figuring out how, uncovering ancient mysteries, writing a crazy fun middle-grade or young adult novel, inventing something seriously cool, or learning something new. He enjoys participating in science camps, writing conferences and talking to groups about creative topics such as the process of inventing, building worlds for science fiction and fantasy stories, and the importance of dreaming big.

Rick is a lifelong inventor and a named inventor on over one hundred patents. He has degrees in Avionics Systems Technology, Computer Science and an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology. His experience includes a wide range of engineering, technology development and management roles ranging from aerospace systems to gaming systems. He is a proud member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.


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White Raven by JL Weil

Title: White Raven
Author: JL Weil
Series: Raven #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Release Date: March 27, 2015
Summary:
DREADFUL LIES.
UNEXPECTED LOVE.
IMPOSSIBLE TRUTH.

It only took one heartbeat to change my life—one chilling phone call in the middle of the night.

And then, as if my life didn’t already suck, my dad sends my brother and me to some idyllic island for the summer to live with a grandma we never met. WTH. Naturally, I rebel. In the end, I find myself shipped off to Raven Hallow…and bored to tears.

Until I get an eyeful of the mind-bendingly gorgeous Zane Hunter. The dark-hair cutie makes my pulse go bonkers, and I think, maybe this might not be so bad after all. Six feet of swoon inducing looks, with a hint of Celtic charm in his voice, he was the type of guy that left a string of broken hearts in his wake. And I had all the heartbreak I could handle.

Yet, there is something uncanny, almost supernatural about Zane, and it’s not just his devastating smirk. No matter how much distance I put between us, Raven Hallow isn’t big enough, and the sparking tension between is undeniable. Of course, the one person I want to avoid becomes my salvation.

My past comes back to terrorize me. Someone wants me dead, and the closer I get to the truth, the more I realize my whole life is a lie. I am no longer sure what is more frightening—the attempts on my life or the guy whose heart and soul are synchronized with mine.


     TJ and Rose kept the conversation rolling as I gave the appropriate one-word responses or a head nod. I didn’t have much of an appetite, mostly picking at my chicken Caesar salad and gazing out at the ocean, until…
     His hair was black as a wintry night, eyes icy blue as a gypsy’s heart. He had a lazy saunter about him and a glint of humor twinkling in those heart-melting eyes. There was nothing loose about his body, muscles bunching as he tethered a boat to the dock. I twiddled the straw, staring brazenly.
     Good God. I wanted to have his babies. Not now, but most definitely someday.
     And just like that, my summer got a billion times hotter…and interesting—way more interesting. I bit my lip, mulling over how I was going to accidently fall into his pants. Um—I mean path or even his lap would do, anything to get that one’s attention.
     Drool hit the table in a mad case of fangirl, and I didn’t even know his name.
     As if he sensed he was being slobbered over, his eyes scraped over me, and I held my breath. Holy hot tamales. An electric bolt of…lust maybe, I really didn’t know what it was, but it coiled through my body, making me shudder. A flicker of an unidentified emotion crossed his face, right before a secret smile appeared on his lips. Oh man, don’t get me started on his lips.
     Elbows propped on the table, I rested my head on the edge of my palms, continually gazing and getting lost in the depths of his eyes. He hypnotized me. I followed his movements, my eyes glued to him. Then one of my elbows slipped off the table in classic Piper form, and down I went. I caught myself just before my chin whacked a corner of the patio table.
     Only me.
     Mortified, I closed my eyes.
     TJ laughed. “Smooth, Pipe. I think you made a lasting impression.”

100 Things I Love:
Being in love. My boys. Raspberry Mochas. Twilight. Love Pink. The smell of the Ocean. Dark Chocolate. Books. Being married. Harry Potter. Bad Boys. Candles. The Green Bay Packers. Jensen Ackles (duh!). NKOTB. Punky Brewster. Libraries. The Walking Dead. American Eagle jeggings. Owls. Bonfires. Dancing. Libraries with a Starbucks inside. My cat, Kiki. Romance. Vampire Diaries. Ireland. Christmas. Country music. Movies. Motherhood. The sound of water. Sunsets. Sleep. Going out to dinner. Laughing. Shopping. Moonlight. Sex. Amaretto stone sour. My family. Musicals. My macbook. The stars. Reading. Freebies. Back rubs. Fireplaces. Eyes. Daydreaming. Video games. Singing. Twitter. Decorating. Grill outs. The beach. Swearing. Coco-cola. Writing. Madden shoes. Body piercings. Sightseeing. Pretty Little Liars. Purses. Vacations. Sleeping. Staying up late. Lazy afternoons. A clean house. Bubble baths. Home cooked meals. Trends. Cliches. Nora Roberts. Tattoos. Pink hair. Makeup. Magic & Witches. Sparkly things. Hugs. Walt Disney World. My hubby's steak (it was the first meal he ever made me). Kissing and stuff. My little sis. Brantley Gilbert. Wishes. My birthday. Surprises. Blogging. Anything Celtic. Snapping gum. Thunderstorms. Iced coffee. Donuts. Freckles. Perfume. Organization. Butterflies. Summertime. Sips & Sjin.

Author Bio:
Award-winning and Bestselling author J.L. Weil writes Teen & New Adult Paranormal Romances about spunky, smart mouth girls who always wind up in dire situations. For every sassy girl, there is an equally mouthwatering, overprotective guy. Of course there is lots of kissing. And stuff.

Most of her books are for ages 16+. They usually have what she considers the good stuff - sexual content (oh yeah) and swearing. You have been warned ;)

An admitted addict to Love Pink clothes, raspberry mochas from Starbucks, (yum!) and Jensen Ackles (double yum!). She loves gushing about books and Supernatural with her readers.


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End Game by Emersyn Vallis

Title: End Game
Author: Emersyn Vallis
Series: Fate #4
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: April 27, 2015
Summary:
Once upon time, there were two girls living their lives completely unaware of one another and the dangerous game they had been placed in…

Until Fate found them…

Fate saved them, made them stronger & with time, Fate brought them together to become friends rather than enemies…

Until a cruel Queen made her move, threatened the Knight,
 And an innocent Pawn was sacrificed…

Now the game is in our hands…

Fate might have set us up for this… but we control the moves now…
And we have our own plan.

Revenge.







Emersyn Vallis is definitely an Author I will be watching for and can't wait to read more from her. ~ Amanda – Swoon Worthy Books

Emersyn has done it again. I liked Adjournment but I loved Hanging Pawns and I for one can not wait for book three in the Fate series. Emersyn is fastly becomming my favourite indie author. ~ Amazon Customer

Emersyn Vallis has done a wonderful job on the Fate Series. Adjournment, Hanging Pawns, and now Sacrifice are definitely in my definite recommend list, and re-read list for 2014/2015 ~ Amazon Customer

1. What is the biggest influence/interest that brought you to this genre?
Tara Sivec’s A Beautiful Lie made something inside me want to start writing. I read that book and the original idea for Adjournment hit me. (That story is nothing like the one I published and it was also supposed to be a standalone.) I wasn’t going to publish it at the time though. It was just to get the idea out of my head.

2. When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process (outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
I love the whole thing. I always relate the process of writing and publishing to how diamonds are made. (Not saying my books are diamonds…) I just mean you start out with this rough first draft and work, and work, and work to smooth it out. Then it gets passed to beta’s and editors who work, and work to help polish it, and by the end you have this shiny new gem. (I also don’t make outlines because my characters never stick to them.)

3. When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
It really depends on my mood. I love erotica, and romantic comedy, and romantic suspense. But then I can flip to YA and never really care that there is no sex. It’s the storyline, writing, and characters that pulls me into the book.

4. If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
I would go with Tara Sivec or Colleen Hoover. I think our characters would just be freaking crazy and hysterical.

5. Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?

It came later. About 2 years ago actually, that’s when I first started writing Adjournment.

Author Bio:
Emersyn Vallis is a first time author with Adjournment being the first book in the Fated Series. Currently residing on the east coast with her husband and three children she is typically mistaken for being quiet and reserved her friends often describe her as a spastic spider monkey and always the first to be there with her quick wit to pull you back up when you’re feeling down. After reading as a hobby for most of her life it wasn’t until she had discovered R. L. Mathewson’s ‘Neighbor from Hell Series’ and Tara Sivec’s ‘Playing with Fire Series’ that she came up with the idea to fuse comedy and suspense together and her passion for writing was born. 


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