Wanda Loves Books: July 2013

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Casted by Author Sonya Loveday Release Day Blog Tour

Jade had spent the majority of her life running from the Triad. The Triad, are a powerful group, who would stop at nothing to obtain Jade and the missing spell book for leader, Lorenzo’s, nefarious plans. And now that she has absorbed the highly coveted magic contained inside the missing book, there is nowhere left for her to hide.

With the help of her friends, Jade steps out from the shadows and learns how to fight back. But no one is prepared for Elinor-the woman bound inside of the book that’s trapped in Jade’s mind. Now she not only needs to protect herself from the Triad, but from what’s hiding inside her mind as well.

Jade never expected the answer to it all would revolve around love.

Edge is dark, mysterious, and a sworn member of the Triad. He also hides a secret past that threatens the thin line he walks between good and evil. Lives are at stake when Jade and Edge’s two worlds collide. Can Jade learn to trust him when he says he is her pre-ordained and vows to do everything he can to protect her? But more importantly, can she trust herself and the woman in her mind?

About the Author: Sonya Loveday,

first and foremost is a reader, an avid one. It is of that love that brought her to the realization that this was the answer to the nagging persistent feeling that ‘there’s got to be something more’.
The dream came alive in 2009 when she purchased her laptop and began the tedious step of becoming a published author.
When she’s not reading, she’s writing. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. And when she’s not doing either of those things she’s sleeping, shuttling her children back and forth to school, letting the dogs and cats in and out of the house for the umpteenth time in the last hour and dreaming of a clean house.

You can find Sonya Loveday on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Wordpress on the links below:

http://www.facebook.com/sonyalovedayauthor?ref=hl
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11660396-sonya-loveday
https://twitter.com/SonyaLoveday - @SonyaLoveday
www.sonyaloveday@wordpress.com

Let Love Stay by Melissa Collins Blog Tour with Giveaway

Synopsis:
If you’re lucky, you’ll fall in love – truly, madly and deeply in love. But what happens when that honest and pure love isn’t enough to erase your fears? What happens when your past rears its ugly head and threatens your future?

Maddy and Reid had that kind of love – the all-encompassing, Earth shattering, once in a lifetime kind of love. Then life happened. Old wounds that were thought to be long healed and scabbed over are ripped opened and they are forced to face the possibility that, maybe, they are not strong enough to fight their demons and embrace the light.

Together, they found out what love is, but now they will each need to heal on their own before they can ever be together again. They must face their fears and beat down their pasts in order to find their way through this crazy uphill battle called love.

They’ve let love in, but now, they need to find out how to Let Love Stay.

Excerpt:

I get out of the truck and walk over towards the two of them. Maddy’s back is to me as I approach her and her date, so she doesn’t see me right away. But once the guy sees me, she spins around to look at what has caught his eye.

Her face is shocked and when our eyes lock, my heart skips a beat. There’s a pull between us. As much as I hate to admit it, she owns me. Her eyes are magical. They dance with light and passion and when she looks at me, they are filled with love.

The love and passion that are sparkling in her emerald green eyes evaporate when she realizes the scene that I’ve just stumbled upon. I can only imagine what’s going through her mind, but I’m sure the images of me kicking Logan’s ass are flashing vividly through her mind.

I’m no more than a few feet from them when the guy pushes Maddy behind him to protect her from what he perceives as a threat. He’s not very far from the truth, but she’s not the one who needs protecting.

Menacingly close now, he pipes up. "Who the fuck are you? What do you want?" Okay, I’ll give the prick a little bit of credit for trying to stand up to me, but he has no clue what he’s competing against here.

The caveman in me wants to deck this guy and drag Maddy into a bed – any bed – and claim her, repeatedly, until she understands that she’s mine and no one else’s. I’m going to do that anyway, but hopefully I can refrain from knocking this guy on his ass. I’d like to have the use of my hands tonight.

My eyes never leave Maddy’s, but my words are directed at him. "Me? I’m the boyfriend, asshole." Maddy’s eyes widen slightly as I say "boyfriend." Did she really think we ever broke up?

I avert my gaze from Maddy for a minute to stare this douchebag down. "And who the fuck do you think you are?" He falters, not enough that most people would notice, but I’m in predator mode. I see his throat work hard to swallow past the newly formed fear. His pupils dilate slightly and the pulse beating in his neck picks up as adrenaline surges through him. If he thinks he’s going to win this battle, he is wrong – so fucking wrong.

He puffs out his chest as he says, "I’m Maddy’s date for tonight." He snickers lightly as he says, "You know? She never mentioned a boyfriend when I asked her out. Must not be much of a boyfriend if she doesn’t even mention you." He swells with pride at his snarky little quip. In the split second he looks away from me to gauge Maddy’s approval, I lay him flat on the ground as I drop my shoulder into his gut and take his legs out from underneath him with one of my own. I freaking love my takedown skills. I didn’t even have to bust up my hands. I’m definitely going to need them in a little bit.

I straddle over him and pull him up by the collar. "Whether she mentioned me or not, she’s mine, so lay the fuck off. Got it?"

Maddy still hasn’t said a word and I haven’t actually spoken directly to her. I’m pretty sure she understands my actions though. Wordlessly, I reach my hand out to her. This is her chance. If she still wants me, then she’ll come with me. This is who I am, who I’ve always been. If she can’t understand that I love her, that I want her more than anything, then it’s not because I haven’t tried as hard as I possibly could to prove it to her.

Hand still outstretched, I look her directly in the eyes, as I try to convey everything that I’m thinking, that I’m feeling. In what feels like an act of God, she understands me and laces her hand in mine.

Author Bio: Melissa Collins

I’ve always been an avid reader. Majoring in English Literature was a no brainer. Becoming a teacher and instilling my love for reading into my students was also a no brainer. I’ve spent the last ten years teaching and I’ve loved (mostly) every minute of it. When I was home on maternity leave for my third son, I discovered a new genre that sparked my creativity. My passion for writing sprang from my love of reading and once I knew I had a story to tell, I couldn’t wait to get it out there. I only hope that my readers enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Links:

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/MelissaCollins.Author

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17902155-let-love-stay

Twitter - @mcollinsauthor
Web – www.melissacollinsauthor.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kindle Fire Giveaway!!!

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7".

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire. Sponsor a future Kindle Fire Giveaway by signing up HERE. Ends 8/15/13 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 authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal for City of Dead (Desolace Series IV) by Lucian Barnes

Upon their return from the post-apocalyptic realm of future Earth, Edward and the remaining members of his group destroy the portal to keep a never-ending flood of zombies from wreaking havoc on Desolace. They are reunited with their ghostly friend, Amber, but have no weapons or supplies and are forced to return to the town of Loknar to seek help. After enlisting the aid of the town guard, and their new friend, Jasper, Edward leads the group toward his home town, the city of Elysia.

When they arrive, Edward is saddened to see his once great city has been decimated. The lone surviving elder speaks to Edward of an incursion by the forces of darkness, which seems bent on completely destroying the largest city upon Desolace. Sending Edward and his faithful followers on a mission to the south, they soon discover a small town, seemingly forgotten and uninhabited for a very long time.

Was it the work of the Black Knight and his minions which has left the city streets littered with corpses? If so, will they be able to stop his madness before it consumes Elysia and everything Edward holds dear to his heart?

Confusion swirled through his consciousness. The last thing he remembered was being lashed to a tree as the main course for an army of bugs. Had they detoured around him and gone after an alternate food source? He didn't think so, but why else would he still be here?
Just thinking about it made him itch, like the massive column of insects was crawling over his skin at this very moment. Realizing he could move now, George reached with one hand for his other arm to dig his fingernails into his flesh and peel it from his bones if he had to in order to quell the maddening sensation.
"No!" he screamed into the still dusk air as he watched his fingertips pass right through his arm. "This can't be!" Spinning around he came face to face with what was left of his body. Most of his flesh was gone, but there were still tiny fragments of tissue clinging to the skeletal frame which was bound tightly to the enormous oak. Tilting his head toward the sky George bellowed out in rage, vowing to pay the Black Knight back for what he had done to him. It was now just a matter of how and when he would exact his revenge upon his former master.

About the Author: Lucian Barnes

I spent most of my youth in rural Ohio and began writing stories at an early age. Many of these early attempts at story-telling were inspired by mysteries, such as those found in the old Hardy Boys books and the cartoon antics of Scooby Doo. As I entered my teenage years I began to drift away from writing stories, instead picking up my pencil to compose lyrics for heavy metal songs because my new dream was to become a musician. That vision remained hopeful for many years after my high school graduation, but like most dreams of this nature it died out as I became older.

After working several menial jobs through the years that followed, my thoughts again began to turn toward writing books. Inspired by my favorite author, Stephen King, I took an online creative writing course and slowly began to develop my skills. In late 2010 I was given a violent shove, both by the job market (which was horrible to say the least, and still is) and by the persistent encouragement of close friends, to pick up my pen and begin writing again.

In early 2012 I gave birth (that's almost what it felt like) to my very first published book, Desolace. Finally having a completed novel in my hand was the best feeling in the world for me, giving me a sense of accomplishment I had waited a lifetime for. Since then it has gotten easier for me with each book I have published. Since the initial release of Desolace two more of my novels have been published and another has just been completed. This last work is the first book I've written outside of the Desolace Series, an occult horror novel titled Destined for Darkness. Also in production is my current novel, City of the Dead, which will be the fourth installment of the Desolace Series and is projected to be released in September of 2013.

Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18216073-city-of-the-dead (Goodreads listing for City of the Dead)

http://lucianbarnes.wix.com/author# (my official website)

https://www.facebook.com/lucianbarnesauthor (my Facebook author page)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/224805344323163/ (my Facebook new release group)

http://lucianbarnes.blogspot.com/ (my blog)

https://twitter.com/LucianBarnes (my Twitter page)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5761611.Lucian_Barnes (my Goodreads author page)

Monday, July 29, 2013

Giveaway - 50 winners! Steve V. Cypert - Scapemaker

Scapemaker

by Steve V. Cypert

Synopsis:

Matthew is the son of Mr. Nicholas Namely, a local high school teacher. However, Matthew does not know that his father is a dreamscaper, whose classroom is connected to the dream-world. From his classroom, Mr. Namely’s students enter the halls of Scapemaker, a dream-world high school for young and inexperienced dreamscapers.

Following a couple of tragic events—his father’s sudden comatose condition and the unbelievable mysteries surrounding the unexpected death of his best friend, Dobian Brown—Matthew is compelled to investigate and is propelled into a whole new world. Matthew and his mother, Mae, are soon coerced into moving across the country for his father's strange medical needs. While attending his new school, Matthew comes to know the secrets that Daedree, an annoying girl from his former high school, has locked away. Matthew also meets Amber, a beautiful enigmatic girl who leads him to Mr. Xoner's classroom. While there, he learns the art of dreamscaping (which, unbeknownst to Matthew, has been in his bloodline for thousands of years). This new life will lead Matthew to unbelievable characters with the most extraordinary abilities he could have ever imagined—and the most deadly and wicked villains he never thought he’d be up against.

Matthew will come to know of Nox Celare, otherwise known as The Sandman, who is after a special element called Magineum. He must not only solve the mysteries surrounding those tragic events, but he will also have to protect the Magineum with his life and find a way to be with the girl of his dreams. Neck deep in skinwalkers (shape shifters), sandsleepers, zombies, goblins, soul feeders, ghosts, ogres, dragons, dream-world criminals known as “night terrors” and more, Matthew learns he is in over his head. With the help of his friends, Mr. Xoner, and a determined FBI agent, Matthew will learn more about his father than he ever hoped to—or wished to know. He soon uncovers the reason for his father’s comatose condition; with vague implications of a traitorous act and a possible connection to Doby’s death, Mr. Namely had been convicted and his mind held within the notorious Sandstorm Prison inside the dream-world. Matthew must now prove his father’s innocence as a helpless victim of Nox’s plan to escape Sandstorm Prison.

Purchase links:

Smashwords
Amazon US
Barnsandnoble

Amazon UK

Author Bio:

Steve V Cypert was born in Los Angeles, California. At twenty-four he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where, two decades later, he continues to live. At age 34 he found and married his beautiful wife, Katie. Today, at age 40, he and his wife still live in Utah with their baby and t

heir 4 year old Shih Tzu. Steve graduated from the University of Utah in 2003 where he graduated with a 4 year degree.

For as long as he can remember, Steve has loved to come up with creative and far-fetched stories. In 2011 Steve finished his first novel, a work of historical fiction. He wrote Port of Errors in just three months. However, it took him ten years of research, editing and putting the missing pieces together. In 2012 he wrote a second novel, the first in a series of four. Though, this time it was a YA paranormal fantasy. The title, at first, was The Son of Nicholas Namely, but Steve soon changed it to Scapemaker, which is also the name of the 4 book series. As of January 2013, the outline for the second book in the series was completed.

Steve loves photography. He shot weddings for a few years, but loves wildlife and landscape; he also loves volleyball and hiking; he has a mountain bike, but never rides it; finally, he is a self-professed indulgent and fanatically addicted big screen movie junkie. His favorite color is green. He loves steak and prime rib – medium rare or rare. His “lucky” number is 4. His favorite ice-cream is mint chocolate chip. And he loves horseback riding and country swinging – which he is very good at… sloppy, but good!

Links:

Author Blog
Goodreads (Author)
Goodreads (Book)
Facebook (Fan Page)
YouTube (Book Trailer)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Island Book Blast by Jen Minkman

Book Info-

Title-The Island

By- Jen Minkman

Publication Date-June 1, 2013

*Novella* (80 pages)

Genre- YA Dystopian

Blurb-

‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.

Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.

If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall.

Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.

I have never seen one.’

Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.

But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

~~99 CENT SALE OF REAL UGLY TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF GET BENT BY C.M STUNICH~~

99 CENT SALE TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF BOOK TWO
The House of Gray and Graves

REAL UGLY (Hard Rock Roots #1) - A New Adult Rock Star Romance
Mature - Ages 18 and Up. Contains sex, drugs, violence, and rock 'n' roll.
From the Amazon Bestselling Author of 'Losing Me, Finding You' and 'Keeping Never'

"These are real people with real problems. This is real life, and it's real f*cked up."

Turner Campbell is an asshole.
I f*cking hate him.
But I can't get enough either.
He sings like an angel and f*cks like a devil.
If I could, I'd run away and never look back because to tell you the truth, I think this man might be the death of me.
& & &
Naomi Knox is a bitch.
I can't f*cking stand her.
But I can't stop thinking about her either.
She looks like an angel and plays like a devil.
If I could, I'd f*ck her good and forget all about her, but to tell you the truth, I think this woman might be my last saving grace.

REAL UGLY EXCERPT:
A gasp goes up on my right and Turner appears out of nowhere, snatching my mic from its stand and grabbing Hayden around the waist. He makes a little 'come on' gesture at me and then leans forward and grabs my lips with his.
I don't stop playing; I can't. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't stop the burst of f*cking power that's just taken hold of me. I'm both a victim and a master to it as it draws my hands along the neck and plucks strings with a violent fervor that both scares and amazes me. Hot wet heat takes over my mouth and pulls the rest of the inner me out, and then I'm kissing Turner back hard and fast and furious while the world's most intense riffs are just pulled straight through me, cutting me up and bleeding me over the stage.

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Books/real-ugly
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/real-ugly-cm-stunich/1115554115?ean=2940016564586
Amazon US:http://www.amazon.com/Real-Ugly-Hard-Roots-ebook/dp/B00DB7419K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374640452&sr=8-1&keywords=real+ugly+stunich
Amazon CA:http://www.amazon.ca/Real-Ugly-Hard-Roots-ebook/dp/B00DB7419K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374640531&sr=8-1&keywords=real+ugly+stunich
Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Real-Ugly-Hard-Roots-ebook/dp/B00DB7419K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374640479&sr=8-1&keywords=real+ugly+stunich

The House of Gray and Graves

GET BENT To Be Released Saturday July 27th 2013
Amazon Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Bent-Hard-Rock-Roots-ebook/dp/B00E6SAS1I/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374949249&sr=1-2&keywords=get+bent
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/get-bent-cm-stunich/1116236869?ean=2940148513995

Chapter 1 Teaser:

I tap the vein in my right arm with two fingers and check the rubber tourniquet that's wrapped around my sweaty flesh, making sure it's pulled tight. I'm trying to set up a good injection site, so I can take the syringe I've got clutched between my teeth and shoot up. It's the only way I'll get through this. The only fucking way.

“Turner! What the hell is going on in there?” I slump against the wall and ignore Treyjan's hoarse shouting. He's been out there all damn morning, screaming his friggin' head off. I don't want to hear it anymore. He's driving me nuts.

I pull the syringe out of my mouth and slide the needle into my skin, hissing at the rush of white hot pain when it punctures my vein. I press the plunger down and wait. A few seconds later, I feel it in the back of my throat. It tastes like fucking victory, like accomplishment, like I'm king of the fucking world. I yank the needle out unceremoniously and toss it into the trash can. It lands on top of a mountain of used condoms and tissue paper, and it's probably unsanitary as shit, but I don't care. I don't care about anything right now except Naomi.

“Turner, get your fucking ass out here now!”

I rip the tourniquet off next and lay it on the counter, clutching the sides of the sink as I lean over and cough. Good meth always makes you cough. And it makes you feel so fucking good that even a nightmare like this starts to look like a dream.

“Are you slamming dope in there, motherfucker?” Trey screams, and he sounds like he's about to burst a damn vein this time. I lift my eyes up and stare at myself in the mirror. It's not a pretty sight. I look like shit. Jesus Christ. Have I been walking around like this for three days? My eyes are bloodshot and ringed with purple, and my lips are pale and cracked. I look like a Goddamn zombie.

“Don't get your panties in a wad, bitch,” I call out to him, standing up and sniffing, letting my eyes fall closed for another minute. At least now I don't have to worry about how I'm going to get through another day. The drugs will take care of that for me.

Naomi.

I reach over and unlock the door.

Trey doesn't waste any time opening it and throwing me a death glare. I ignore him in favor of putting on some eyeliner. We have a show tonight, and I want to look good. Hell, I have to look good or I'm not getting onstage. My pain is private, not something to hang out for all to see. I'm not on display here.

“You got a hard-on for me or something?” I ask him, pretending that everything's alright, that my life has not just gone from bad to worse, that the breath has not just been suctioned out of my fucking lungs. “I can't even shit in peace anymore?” Trey looks down at the garbage, up at the tourniquet and sneers.

“You're just gonna get high everyday now?” I shrug, applying black around my eyes, making sure it's thick enough to hide the circles. Women love eyeliner on guys anyway. Or at least the women at my shows do, the ones with the piercings in their noses and the tattoos on their hips. I want to pick one of them up and fuck away the pain, but I can't do that to Naomi. For the first time in my life, I can't even imagine screwing another woman.

I look up at the ceiling as my brain seizures with false pleasure, misplaced hope, fatal courage.

“What are you now, Mother Theresa? We've gotten high everyday since we were sixteen.” I pretend not to notice that Trey is wearing Travis' cap. Or whoever's cap. Still haven't figured that mystery out. There seem to be a whole shit ton of them floating around right now, and that's kind of the least of my worries.

Naomi.

“Not like this, Turner. Not fucking like this. What are you doing? You're gonna kill yourself.” I don't tell my best friend that I don't care, that I'd rather die than live without Naomi Knox. I mean, how fucked up is that? Love sucks balls. Everybody always acts like it's the one thing worth living for, that spark in the fire that pulls you in, that strokes your hair back and lets you know that everything's going to be okay. Well now that I've fallen into it, nothing is okay. Nothing will ever be okay. I sipped from love's wine and now I'm drunk as shit without a place to lie down. My happy ending, my saving grace is lying dead in a morgue, cut up and fucked up, so mangled they can't even identify her damn body for sure. Oh, they say it's probably her because if not then, I mean, where the shit is she? Where? Where? Where the fuck are you, Knox? With your pretty blonde hair and your sunglasses and your fuck you all attitude.

I drop the eyeliner and shove Trey out of the way, barely managing to lift the toilet seat before I throw up into it. He watches me with a curled lip but doesn't say anything, not until I'm done and cupping water from the faucet to splash my face with.

“Look, man, what happened to those girls is fucked up in all sorts of crazy ways, but what do you want to do about it? The cops are on it. The manager chick is in the hospital.” Treyjan pauses and blows out a rush of air. His brown hair is disheveled and his eyes flick this way and that, looking for a way out of this confrontation. He knows what he wants to say to me, but he's afraid to. He should be. I stand up and turn on him quick, getting in his face, narrowing my eyes. My body is pulsing now, and I feel like I could sing from the mountaintops or some shit. But then I think of her.

Naomi.

For as long as I've been playing with fire, popping pills, shooting up, whatever, I've never had a buzzkill quite like this. I feel the urge to reach into my mouth and pull my heart up, yank it right through my throat, bleed my pain all over the damn sink.

“Say it,” I tell Trey, clenching my fists, knowing I could beat the crap out of him if I wanted to. And I'm not gonna lie, I kind of want to right now.

“You don't even know her.”

“Naomi. If you're going to insult her, you may as well use her name.” Trey sighs and steps back, pulling a cig from his pocket and lighting up. He glances around for Milo, but our manager is off in another universe, one that has to do with hordes of reporters and TV cameras and magazine editors. There are conspiracy theorists galore, some cops, crazed fans, candlelight vigils. We're not on tour anymore, not really. Now we're part of a traveling circus, complete with freak show. Everything's gone to shit and nothing is right anymore. I feel like I'm walking crooked, like the whole world's on a tilt and I'm the only one trying to stand straight.

“Naomi was a cool chick,” he begins, but I cut him off, turning away and stalking back towards the front of the bus. Ronnie, Josh, and Jesse watch me with nervous eyes.

“Is,” I tell him because if I don't hold onto that last, little shred of hope, I'll crumble to pieces. I pull out a smoke of my own and light up.

“Turner, come the fuck on!” Treyjan screams, getting frustrated with me again. I think he's terrified that I'm going to turn into Ronnie, slide away into the shadow realm and become a walking, talking slice of melancholia. But he needn't worry about that shit. Knowing what I know now about this love shit, I'm surprised that Ronnie's still alive. I won't last if I find out for sure that she's gone. I'll just wither away and disappear. I take a drag and let my head fall back while smoke curls from my nostrils in gentle spirals. “You had a week long affair with this girl. Big deal. You're not in love. Stop being an emo bitch and get over it. People die, Turner. Life fucking blows. So suck it up and get over yourself.”

The bus goes silent.

I stay completely still for several long moments.

Ronnie sniffles.

I guess they think I'm going to go bat shit crazy and fuck up my friend, but I'm not. The meth is kissing me softly, teasing me with its horrible, little claws, seducing my mind from the inside out. Instead, I smile.

“The show must go fucking on,” I say, dropping my chin to my chest. I flick my cigarette into the sink and snatch a pair of shades from my front pocket. When the cops gave me back my personal items, these were there. I think they might be Naomi's, but I don't want to think about that right now. I slide them up my nose and thank fuck that I didn't get booked for elbowing that cop. A few nights in jail, no drugs, no music, that would've killed me, stripped me right to the soul and bled me dry.

“What?” This is from Josh. His voice is kind of shaky, but hey, he has balls for even trying to talk to me right now.

“I'm going to sing for Amatory Riot,” I tell them, and there's no collective gasp or anything; the bus stays dead silent. They think I'm fucking nuts. “Trey, you'll play guitar.”

“I don't know any of their fucking songs,” he snaps back at me, taking a step forward. “Turner, they're done for. Their manager is in critical condition, their lead guitarist is dead, and their front woman is missing. Don't try to save a sinking ship. Worry about us, worry about this. Indecency needs you, man. Don't fuck us.”

I roll my shoulders and reach down, wrapping my fingers around the neck of Naomi's guitar. Don't ask me how I got it or why I have it. If love makes you crazy, then the absence of it drives you insane.

“If you won't help me, I'll do it myself.”

“Turner … ” There's a warning in Trey's voice, but what is he going to do? Is he going to stop me? Don't fucking think so. I move over to the door and reach out, wrap my fingers around the handle and pull.

Light and sound explode like fireworks. People start to shout; cameras begin to flash. I ignore it all and step out into the fray.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

New Beginnings by Author Brandy L Rivers

New Beginnings (Prequel to Others of Edenton)

Jess knew her life would never move forward if she remained a part of Gregory’s pack. Some Alpha’s just don’t know how to take care of their wolves. She had managed Gregory’s bar for years but she knew he would never sell it to her.

After one giant mistake, he went from bad to worse. As a psychic, she knew it was a downward spiral.

Taking her future in her own hands, she contacts the Alpha in Edenton. He is happy to sell the empty bar no one has the time, nor desire to renovate, much less run.

Their attraction is unexpected and the last thing either want, but they find the only thing they need in each other.

There is just one problem. Slater’s second in command is plotting against him. Liam will use anything to take over as Alpha.

Plenty of werewolves, an old vampire flame, plus a paranoid second, and don’t forget the psychic with a whole lot of attitude.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DZPZBB0/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img#_

Review:
I was given this book by the author for a honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. The characters are very real and the story flows perfectly. I was worried I wouldn't like it as much as In Too Deep because I loved Fallon and Brody. I some how got the misconception that Jess was a "soft" women and this book blew that out of the water. One of my favorite Jess quotes is "Stop looking at me like I'm fragile. I'm little, I'm not breakable." The way Jess and Slater fight fate in this book is epic. Knowing that they end up together doesn't hinder the excitement of their story one bit. I already had a love of all the characters and this book just gave me more reason to love them all. You get to see deeper into some of the characters. You also get little bits and pieces of things that may happen in future books, one can hope. There are a couple surprises that play into the story here and there too. The way the author writes you are right in the story as part of the pack. I am very excited to see whose story is next and where it all goes from here!

About the Author: Brandy L Rivers

I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

Links:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7054485.Brandy_L_Rivers
http://www.amazon.com/Brandy-L-Rivers/e/B00CDXTC5Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
https://www.facebook.com/brandylrivers

Along the Watchtower and There Comes a Prophet by David Litwack Blog Tour and Giveaway!!!

A Tragic Warrior Lost in Two Worlds...

The war in Iraq ended for Lieutenant Freddie Williams when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once he was a skilled gamer and expert in virtual warfare. Now he's a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he's inhabiting two separate realities. The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse--and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic that Freddie enters when he sleeps.

In his dreams he is Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde. His only solace awaits him in the royal gardens, where the gentle words of the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, calm the storms in his soul. While in the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission--a journey along a dark road haunted by demons of guilt and memory--and letting patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart may be his only way back from Hell.

Book Trailer for Along the Watchtower:

Who among us will cast aside a comfortable existence and risk death to follow a dream?

A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their sorcery in a place called the keep, and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.

Nathaniel has grown up longing for more, but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.

If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:

"If there comes among you a prophet saying 'Let us return to the darkness,' you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light."

About the Author: David Litwack

David Litwack, the once and future writer, explores the blurry line between reality and the fantastic."
Visit David on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Interview with the Author :

Please enjoy this interview with David Litwack, author of the gripping contemporary novel, Along the Watchtower, and the deep, dark dystopia, There Comes a Prophet. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including a Kindle Fire, $650 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book.

1. Along the Watchtower is a powerful blend of contemporary fiction and fantasy that demands the reader's attention from start to finish. What was your inspiration for writing this work, and for combining World of Warcraft with a casualty of war and a dream world? I’ve always been fascinated by how we perceive reality. Think of the film Rashomon, the classic exploration of multiple realities, where several witnesses to a crime describe events completely differently, each bringing their own life experience and biases into play. But it’s when we’re ripped from our normal life and placed in extreme circumstances that our reality becomes totally fragmented. Such is the case with hospitals and war. At the same time, I’d become engrossed in playing the online fantasy game, World of Warcraft, with my son, an avid player. With me on the east coast and him on the west, he suggested we meet weekly in the fantasy world of Azeroth—an invitation I could hardly resist. For several months, we had a Wednesday evening appointment, where our avatars would meet in this virtual world and go on quests together. I was struck by how totally immersed I could get in the game, how quickly time passed, and the surreal mood of wandering around in castles and crypts, solving riddles and following quests. The fantasy gaming experience has a dream-like quality to it. And I began to wonder: how would this experience affect the dreams of someone whose reality has been fragmented by war, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury. These concepts—war, hospitals, and the fantasy world of online gaming—came together in Along the Watchtower.

2. Without giving away too much, can you introduce us to the main character Lieutenant Freddie, and tell us how he's similar and different in both worlds he inhabits? When Freddie comes out of his medically-induced coma in the VA hospital, he’s nearly given up hope. Everything he had to live for was gone, and he was racked with bad memories and guilt, in addition to his physical injuries. Prince Frederick doesn’t have the luxury of giving up. If he yields to despair, the kingdom that depends on him will fall into darkness. Because of this, he’s more willing to struggle through his trials. It’s through the prince in the fantasy world that Freddie is finally able to confront and overcome his personal demons in the real world.

3. Your first novel, There Comes a Prophet, explores the roots of the dystopian fiction category while also reinventing it for a younger generation of readers. This genre boasts many great classics including Slaughterhouse V, 1984, and Brave New World to name a few. What are your favorite classic books? Dystopia literally means dysfunctional utopia, not necessarily an evil, power-hungry regime oppressing its people, but a well-intentioned system that has lost its way, resulting in a world gone awry. My favorite such dystopian is Arthur C. Clarke’s The City and the Stars. In this near perfect world, there’s no disease, hunger or poverty, and people are effectively immortal. But all are afraid to venture outside the walls of their city or even look beyond them. The thought of the open expanse of stars in the night sky terrifies them. All of this had been put in place to protect them from some past too horrible to mention. Yet the unfulfilled aspirations of a single individual drive him to discover the lost truth and let humanity move forward again. Lois Lowry’s The Giver is another great example. In a simple but beautiful writing style, she tells the story of a seemingly perfect world where bad memories have been abolished, except for one person, the keeper of memories. But the people are left unable to feel anything much—good or bad.

4. People read books for many different reasons. Of all the different reasons you've seen in reviews, can you relate one story that really stood out for you about a reader's experience? One reviewer read Along the Watchtower and it brought back memories of being a young college student, witnessing the twin towers fall on 9/11. The book touched him deeply, because it reminded him that, as a result of that tragic event, we’ve been at war his entire adult life. The shock he felt on 9/11 all came back to him in reading the struggles of the recovering Lt. Freddie Williams. Interestingly enough, that same reviewer had a powerful reaction to the dystopian world of There Comes a Prophet. In that book, a ruling power limits learning and growth. This reviewer associated my story with the courageous young Malala Yousafzai, the Pakastani girl who the Taliban tried to kill for advocating education for women.

5. Along the Watchtower features a veteran's healing process on the physical, emotional, and intellectual levels. What role do you think fantasy role-playing games and dreaming can play in a healing process? When we’re confronted with trauma too terrible to comprehend, our mind sometimes shuts the experience out to let us heal. But the memory still lingers in our subconscious. Sometimes it’s easier to confront those feelings through fantasy, like dreams or video games, rather than facing them head on in the cruel light of reality. Then once confronted, we’re better able to move on.

6. Symbolism and description play a huge role in the opening chapters of Along the Watchtower. As the lines between reality and fantasy become more and more blurry, did you find it difficult to remember which 'character' you were talking as? Freddie and Prince Frederick were undergoing the same trials at an emotional level, even though their circumstances differed. The hardest part in writing the two was to maintain a distinct voice for each—for Freddie the gritty language of the VA hospital and for Prince Frederick, more of a high fantasy tone. This difference was important to make each world believable. But since the book was written in a first person point of view, it was also critical to quickly alert the reader whenever there was a switch in worlds.

7. Ocean imagery features prominently in your book Along the Watchtower. What's your favorite place to visit, and what scenery do you find most inspiring as an author? I almost hate to mention this because it’s such a well-kept secret. But my favorite spot is a place called The Knob in my home town of Falmouth. It’s a raised spit of land rising up dramatically into the harbor onto a domed rock, reachable only after a half-mile walk through the woods. I’ve actually used it as a setting in my upcoming novel, The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky.

8. You run a very active blog and website, though the demands of marketing yourself can be overwhelming for many authors. How do you find balance in your life, and time to enjoy your surroundings in a highly technical world? Coming from a software background, I'm sure you might have unique insights on balancing the 'real' world with the technical one. I’ve spent most of my adult life in front of a computer, first as a software engineer and now as an author. The key is to take advantage of non-computer time to get out and enjoy yourself. But all writers want to be read, so you have to spend time reaching out to readers. The software equivalent was that I used to enjoy taking a break from developing software to visit customers and see how they were using what I’d developed.

9. You've published two books, Along the Watchtower and There Comes a Prophet. Is there anything you'd like to share with readers and your future writing plans? I’m in late stage edits with an alternate world story called The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky. It’s about a world divided between the Blessed Lands, a place of the spirit, and the Republic, whose people worship at the altar of reason. A mysterious nine-year-old girl from the Blessed Lands sails into the lives of a troubled couple in the Republic and seems to heal everyone she meets. She reveals nothing about herself, other than to say she’s the daughter of the sea and the sky. But she harbors a secret wound she herself cannot heal. I’m also currently planning what will be a sequel to There Comes a Prophet. I’ve always wondered what happened to Orah and Nathaniel after their world changing heroics and what became of the contemporaries of the keepmasters who had crossed the ocean. Stay tuned.

10. What do you like to do to unwind? You know, in those rare moments when you're not writing! Since writing and social networking are indoor activities, I try to get outside as often as possible. I go for long walks on the seashore, play some golf, bicycle, and generally try to stay active. I’m fortunate to be able to split my time between Cape Cod and Florida, both beautiful places in their respective nice seasons.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, both Along the Watchtower and There Comes a Prophet by David Litwack are on sale this week. What’s more, by purchasing either or both of these fantastic books at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include a Kindle Fire, $650 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book. All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win! To win the prizes:

Pick up Along the Watchtower at its discounted price of $2.99 on Amazon
Get There Comes a Prophet at its discounted price of 99 cents
Enter the Rafflecopter contest below
Visit the featured social media events
Leave a comment on my blog for a chance at a $100 prize.

Along the Watchtower tells of a tragic warrior lost in two worlds; a woman who may be his only way back from Hell. Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.

There Comes a Prophet A thousand years ago the Darkness came—a time of violence and social collapse. Nathaniel has grown up in their world of limits, longing for something more. For what are we without dreams? Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.
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