Thursday, March 31, 2011

Glimmer by Vivi Anna - Review and Interview

First off, I'd like to thank Vivi Anna for stopping by here as part of a blog tour for her new book Glimmer! Vivi Anna talks a little bit about being an author, and her new book:


What inspired you to become an author?

A change in my life path. I’ve always written since I was a kid, but never considered it a viable way to make money. It wasn’t until I was pregnant and contemplating a big change that prompted me to take the plunge.

What was the inspiration for your new book, Glimmer?

I was totally inspired by the artwork of Brian Froud. He does amazing work on faeries. His books are awesome.

When will Glimmer be released?

Glimmer is already out on kindle and smashwords.

Will Glimmer be part of a series?

Yes, I plan on at least one more book, which should come by the fall, and am planning to put out a prequel called Dawning very soon.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Anywhere from 3 to 6 months, depending on genre and if I am on a deadline or not.

Are you currently working on a series?

I am currently outlining the next book in the Nina Decker series, and am writing a demon hunting series for Harlequin Nocturne. The first for that will be out August, 2011, with a short story called Heart of the Hunter, then Releasing the Hunter will be out summer of 2012.

What is your favorite thing about being an author?

Creating new worlds and characters. I love the initial process of first developing a story and its possibilities. And I like that I can work in my PJ’s.

You can find Vivi Anna at the following places:

http://www.vivianna.net

http://twitter.com/authorViviAnna

http://www.facebook.com/#!/authorViviAnna



Synopsis:

Although Nina Decker’s father is one hundred percent human, her mother is not. She belongs to an ancient and rare race of people called the fae. But these fae are not those written about in fairytales, with pretty gossamer wings and fairy dust, no they are sinister, malevolent and unkind, dwelling in another realm called Nightfall. More prone to destroy than to create. Abandoned at the age of ten, to be raised by her father, Nina has never forgiven her mother for that or for ruining her father. A man of only sixty, he appears to be closer to eighty with a frail body and mind. He’s been fae-struck and is slowly fading away to nothing. This is one of the reasons why Nina has never gotten too close to any one man. She doesn’t want to seal his fate like her father’s has been.

But she can’t deny her fiery connection to Severin Saint Morgan, a sexy as hell werewolf and the alpha of the Vancouver wolf pack. He’s an Australian immigrant working at the university as an associate professor, and the publicized face of the werewolf species. He makes her blood boil with desire and makes her tremble with fear. But its only when her mother reappears with startling revelations about an upcoming war between the fae and the werewolves that Nina realizes that she may be a pawn for both sides.



Review:




Glimmer is a really quick read. It's a short, novella-length paranormal romance about fae and werewolves. Because of the length, you don't have to worry about long, detailed descriptions about things that aren't very important. The character of Nina is great - she's one of those independent, kick-butt kind of girls. Even though she is fae, she quickly falls for a sexy werewolf named Severin. When she first meets Severin, he is butt naked and not embarrassed in the least! He is definitely not a shy man, and he is very persistent. He wants a relationship with Nina, but what are his motives? They have a really steamy scene together - which puts this book into the 18+ category. Once this book comes to an end, you will be dying to know how the rest of the story unfolds. There is so much left unanswered - and I'm happy to hear that this is part of a series! I can't wait to know what happens next.


Check HERE for the rest of the stops on the blog tour. I happen to know that some of these blogs have an ebook copy of Glimmer that you can win :)

Winner of Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night

I know I've been kind of quiet lately. I just really haven't been feeling that great. I'm slowly getting over it though. Anyway, I put all the names in a bowl who signed up for the Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night giveaway - and had my husband draw out a name. I'm supposed to say that he's sorry for those of you who didn't win, lol... Anyway, the winner is.....

Kaity @ Bitten Books


I will be contacting you by email Kaity :)

Oh, and tomorrow is an exciting day! Not only will author Vivi Anna be here, but it's also the day of the Fool for Books Giveaway hop - and I'm participating. So come by tomorrow and enter the contest! Tomorrow is also my daughter's 4th birthday - yep, I had an April Fool's day baby!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Amanda Alvarez blog tour and giveaway!!!!

I'm really excited today to have Amanda Alvarez join me on my blog! We're talking about the release of her debut book, Hunting Human. It's a wonderful paranormal werewolf story - you will have to read my review at the bottom!





My Writing Process – Or More Accurately, Writing Process Where Are You???


My debut release, Hunting Human, has been a project of discovery from the very beginning. There were discoveries I expected to make: whether or not I could write a book, whether or not I like writing a book, whether or not I could finish a book, etc. There were also discoveries I was looking forward to: would my characters “speak to me” (er, no, except occasionally to yell at me), which characters would be the easiest to write (will you run screaming if I say that my maniacal villain was the definition of easy – his scenes were the ones I edited the least). But there was one discovery I wanted to make above all: I really, really wanted to find my writing process. Unfortunately, this just didn’t pan out in the way that I thought it would.


Let’s rewind just a bit, okay? Hunting Human isn’t just my debut release; it’s the first book I ever wrote. It all started with a kernel of an idea, which became this scene:

For one agonizing moment, Liz let everything she’d tried so desperately to ignore rush over her. The horror and disbelief was nauseating. The fear and desperation consumed her until nothing but the harsh static of panic-induced white noise filled her brain. She braced her hands on her knees and tried to breathe around the sob clogging her throat.

What are we going to do?

We’re helpless out here, prey for men more terrifying than I’ve ever imagined.

The helplessness cleared away some of the fear and panic clouding her mind, replacing it with a hollow depression.

What chance do we have?

The enormity of the situation dragged her under, threatening to drown her where she stood.

This first scene occurred to me in 2006, at the back of my constitutional law class as I fought the onset of a post lunch, afternoon snooze fest. I didn’t think much about this after that; it just sort of tumbled around my head for months. Those months turned into years. It wasn’t until 2008, when I’d been out of school and in the work force that I decided I wanted to try out novel writing. That’s when I put the first scene down on paper and discovered a tiny piece of my ever evolving writing process: I can’t write out of order. I must start at the beginning and write through to the end. This proved to be especially vexing for me because I don’t think in order. The more I contemplated my book, the more scenes would come to me but never in chronological order. This scene, for instance, was constantly on the tips of my fingers:

Oh. My. God.”

Braden groaned as his twenty-two-year-old kid sister bounced into the room, tossing her gym bag onto one of the barstools next to him.

Did I hear Chase right?” Lucy asked, as usual, practically bouncing with barely restrained energy. “Did you bring a woman home in your trunk? What? Couldn’t get your girlfriend to meet the parents any other way?”

Something in Braden’s expression must have given away how close to the mark Lucy was because she burst out laughing. “Oh my God! You did not bring the girl you’ve been seeing home in the trunk of your car?” When he didn’t respond, Lucy looked around, eyes landing on Chase, who’d followed her into the kitchen. “Chase?”

And Chase, the bastard, who’d never been able to deny Lucy anything, smiled.


Over the next couple of years I threw myself into the process of learning to write a novel. I started out in a local community college and then moved over to a specialized program offered by Southern Methodist University. I also discovered the second tiny little kernel of knowledge about my writing process: I couldn’t write every day, I wrote in bursts, sometimes small (several days a month that resulted in two or three chapters) and sometimes large (a month and half that took my work in process from 27k words to 95K words.)

So from start (the first tiny idea) to finish (the acquisition call) my first book took me four years to write, polish, submit and sell. I started writing my second novel almost immediately. I thought, ‘hey, cool, I can write a novel. The second is just bound to be loads easier because now I have a process!’ Yeah. That was clearly a lot of wishful thinking on my part. The truth is, I didn’t have a process, what I had was a couple of tiny realizations, a ton of tools for writing a story that I hadn’t had the first time, a good idea of what not to do and no idea of how to proceed. That realization was agonizing. Maybe I wasn’t a writer after all. Maybe I just got lucky. Maybe one book is all I would ever have…

And then, slowly but surely I worked my way through the beginning of my next project. I took out the tools I’d acquired while writing my first book, dusted them off and started – through trial and error – to figure out how to use them. I’m still writing my second book and I’m gaining momentum every day. Best of all, I’m discovering new, tiny bits of my writing process. And I’m coming to the realization that it may take a ton of books to find my process, to hit my professional stride. And slowly, ever so slowly, I’m getting used to that idea and looking forward to the challenge.

What about you? As writers, creatives, or just in everyday life, do have a set process, or do you find it’s always evolving, changing and challenging you?


You can find Amanda Here: On The Web, Facebook, Twitter


Hunting Human Can Be Bought Here: Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

For two years, Beth Williams has run from the past, and the beast that dwells inside her. She is haunted by memories of being kidnapped and the savage attack that killed her best friend. Now Beth finally thinks she's ready to move on...with Braden Edwards, a charming, irresistibly sexy man who tempts Beth to embrace the present.


But the past lurks closer than Beth realizes. Markko Bolvek, one of the werewolves who kidnapped her, has tracked her to Portland, Oregon, his pursuit fueled by a hunger for vengeance. Only Braden, a werewolf himself, senses the danger shadowing her steps. The Edwards and Bolveks have been enemies for centuries and despite the instant connection he feels with Beth, Braden isn't sure which side of the war she's on.


With suspicion at odds with their attraction, Beth and Braden must learn to trust one another to stop Markko for good. Can Beth accept the wolf within and love a man who embodies everything she fears?





Review:


Wow, I was really impressed with this book. I couldn't put it down, so I'm giving it 5 stars! I was pulled in right away after I started reading it. Emotions run high in this book, and it was as if I could feel what Beth was feeling. Without giving too much away, Beth lives through a terrible ordeal and has to go through life alone afterward. She is such a strong character - you have to really admire her. Finally she meets Braden and there is an instant connection there. The relationship progresses quickly and you can feel the passion between them. There were some romantic, swoonworthy moments. After it seems like things couldn't get better for Beth, a huge misunderstanding happens between her and Braden. He behaves like an idiot - which is sort of comical. Beth, being a typical woman, can't let it go - even after Braden apologizes and tries so hard to make it up to her. She distances herself from him emotionally - but I love it because
that's exactly how a woman would react in real life. There was a lot of back and forth with her emotions - wanting to forgive him and refusing to let herself - so there were a lot of fighting and hurt feelings between the two. That made the relationship feel that much more real. Even though Braden deserves to feel tortured for a little while, you can't help but feel sorry for him. He is such a likeable guy. The end of the book just went way too fast for me - I wanted to keep
reading and find out more. I just loved all of the characters in this book (besides the villains) and I really want to know more about them. I really hope this will be a series - and soon!


Trust me, you'll want to read this book! Also, Amanda is graciously giving a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter throughout the blog tour! You will have to check out the other stops along to tour HERE. Also, make sure you leave your email address so we can get in touch with you in case you are the winner! Thanks so much Amanda for stopping by my blog!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Review: Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker

Synopsis:

Told in first person by the vampire herself (Zara), this is the diary of an ancient, self-absorbed, yet-amusing nightwalker. She lusts for both sex and blood. Unfortunately, something has gone awry and her normal habits now create new problems to solve. In the midst of sorting things out, she meets an intriguing human named Niven -- a musician who lives in the magical kingdom of contemporary Boulder, CO -- and discovers that he is much more than he appears to be. Then, if things weren't interesting enough, Zara encounters her old mentor/lover -- the vampire who originally turned her -- and things get downright supernatural.

Review:



This is a fun, light read. It's pretty short - easy to sit down and read in one sitting. Zara is a vampire who is definitely full of herself. The story is told from her point of view - like a diary entry. It's funny, witty, refreshing... Definitely different than anything I've read before. Zara is someone who would be annoying to know in real life, but I liked reading her thoughts - definitely made me smile. The ending was unexpected - but interesting. I will be reading more books by this Lynda Hilburn in the future!


Review: Dragon Blues by Edie Ramer


Synopsis:

Once a dragon…
Saxophone player Noah Long shifted from dragon to human 2500 years ago, but the dragon blood still coursing through his veins has kept him healthy and virile. Now his secret is out, and the man who discovered it will do anything to make Noah’s blood his own. Noah’s only ally is martial arts expert Lila Fox, who heats up the fire in his belly…and his heart.

Twice a killer…
Lila Fox’s first kill was at age sixteen after her stepfather put her mother in a wheelchair. Fourteen years later, she kills another abuser to save a woman’s life. When the man who wants Noah’s blood kills her sister, she can’t let the death go unanswered. She teams up with the strangely compelling Noah, and discovers he’s not all man and has a few tricks of his own.


Review:




I give Dragon Blues 3 stars. If I went by half stars, it would probably be 3.5 - but I like to stick with the Goodreads rating system. I really liked the character of Noah. I felt bad for him - for living the life of lonliness that he does. I found myself really wanting something good to happen for him. I didn't like Lila quite as much. She's bull-headed and kind of got on my nerves, but I can see why she is the way she is. I found it a little hard to believe that she could kill men with her bare hands. Listen to me, the book is about a man who is part dragon and I'm talking about how far-fetched it is for a human woman to kill men with her bare hands! That's when you know you live in a paranormal world - when the paranormal stuff doesn't seem odd to you! Anyway,
I liked Edie Ramer's writing and the story is original. I liked how the main characters aren't the typical, super model types. The way Noah is described physically, you wouldn't think of him as particularly handsome. His personality makes him handsome though. Noah and Lila have good chemistry - I found it frustrating that it took so long for them to get together. There were some steamy scenes. They weren't over-the-top graphic like some of the books I've read, but I'd still recommend this book for the 18+ crowd.


Thursday, March 24, 2011

Follow Me Friday!

Click on any of the images below to follow in that particular blog hop!

Question of the week: Give us five book related silly facts about you.

Of course, I believe I am completely normal so I couldn't think of anything :) I asked my husband and here is what he said:

1. I have more books than anyone should ever read in their lifetime
2. I feel that I am responsible for Border's closing because I bought an e-reader
3. I have this need to keep buying books even though I'm not anywhere close to reading all the ones I have
4. On my to-be-read list, I have 288 books
5. I make my husband keep his books in the closet because my books are filled too deep on each shelf of the bookshelf :)

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Question of the week: Where is you favorite place to buy or swap books?

My favorite book store is Border's. They email me coupons every single week - usually 33% off a book. I don't think I've ever had to pay full price for a book there! Unfortunately, the one closest to me is closing so I'll just have to buy online.

Giveaway: Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night


So, I was at Walmart the other day looking at books when I saw these Kresley Cole books for only $3.99. I haven't read any of her books but have heard good things about the author. There were 4 different ones that I was going to get. I somehow managed to get two of the same book. You would have thought that I would have noticed that 2 of the 4 books I picked up were the same. I'm such a moron sometimes. I realized what I did when I got home, and my husband says something like, "Oh well, you can just give one away on your blog". Great idea, huh? So here goes - if you'd like to win a copy of Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole, just leave a comment here on my blog. Although, spreading the word is appreciated - it's not required. Though, I am sick today so you should take pity on me and spread the word since it will make me feel better :) Anyway, it is book #4 in The Immortals After Dark Series. Click on the image to read more about it on Goodreads. Oh, and don't forget to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win!

Contests ends on March 30th. I will announce the winner on March 31st.! Sorry, only open to U.S. residents.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Review: Revelations (King's X - Episode 2)


Synopsis:
In Episode 2 - The mysteries of the King's X deepen with every Revelation.

1291 A.D. His people and his treasures threatened by the enigmatic Templars, Captain Shahin is forced to join their expedition. Broussard and Khali escape the burning city of Acre, only to find themselves on a strange journey to an unknown destination.

1968 A.D. Saved from the police by a strange drifter with ties to his past, Book reunites with Molly in a mysterious bookstore. Here she must dream to remember.




Review:


Revelations is the 2nd episode in a 4 part series. I enjoyed this episode as much as I did the first, if not more. The action slowed down a little to allow for the revelations to be soaked up by the reader. Again, the story goes back and forth between 2 different centuries, and you start to get a glimpse of how it all ties together. I like the dialogue scenes between Book, John, and Jacob. It's through this dialogue that some of the questions are answered. Of course, not all the questions are answered - leaving you wanting to read the next book. I also enjoyed the scenes between Khali and Broussard, both not knowing why they are drawn to each other. I see a beautiful love story blossoming between these two. Just knowing that these 2 souls fall in love time after time is the ultimate romance. I have to admit, I'm a sucker for anything romantic. I'm really looking forward to the next episode in this series.

Monday, March 21, 2011

In My Mailbox

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren. It's to show what books you've bought, won, checked out from the library, etc...




Here's what I got this past week in my mailbox:
Everyone Loves a Hero - won from The Book Vixen
The Iron King - RAK from Donna @ Book Lover's Hideaway

Here is what I bought:
(Border's had 50% off all romances since they are going out of business. I wanted to buy so many more!!!)
Archangel's Consort
Angels' Blood
Archangel's Kiss

Received for review:
Dragon Blues by Edie Ramer
Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker by Lynda Hilburn
The Trouble with Spells by Lacey Weatherford
Glimmer by Vivi Anna

I have a lot of reading to get done!

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I know this isn't reading related, but I had to show off this stuff anyway (since it did come in my mailbox). Suzanne Woolcott (aka Gorjuss) is my favorite artist - I just love all her stuff! I bought a purse, memo pad, and mug (to use as a pen holder on my desk). Isn't this stuff too cute? I got it from Santoro London.


Friday, March 18, 2011

Follow Me Friday!

Yay, it's friday again :) Click on the images if you're interested in participating in the blog hops!



Today's question:
How did you come up with your blog name?

It was pretty easy really. As soon as I decided that I wanted to start this blog, the name
popped in my head right away. "Paranormal" because that's my favorite genre to read, and "Opinion" because that's what I post on my blog :)



Book Blogger Hop

Today's question:
Do you read only one book at a time, or do you have several going at once?

I can only read one book at a time. My mind gets confused easily, I can only keep track of
one storyline at a time!




Thursday, March 17, 2011

Review: Midsummer Night by Erin O'Riordan


Synopsis:
Priestess-in-training and part-time witch Zen Van Zandt loves biology grad student Ramesh Sudhra. Only two things stand in the way of their happiness: his traditional Indian-American family doesn’t welcome Zen, and Zen’s training requires a yearlong vow of celibacy. Between Ramesh’s stern mother’s disapproval, Zen’s vow of celibacy, and her assistant’s romantic troubles with a wild new witch, Zen wonders if she and Ramesh will ever see their wedding day.

Review:

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About a week ago, I was asked to review the book Midsummer Night by Erin O'Riordan. I'm giving this book a star rating of 2 out of 5. I didn't hate it, I just couldn't connect with it. I sort of felt lost, like I didn't know what direction the book was headed. After I read the book, I found out that it was part 2 of a series. Maybe if I had read the 1st book, things would be different but I'm basing this review on this book alone. The main character's name is Zen, and it seemed to me that the first 1/4 of the book was mostly about Zen's sister having a baby. Then it was about Zen's sister getting married. Nothing much was happening with Zen except for the fact that she had taken a vow of chastity. I couldn't figure out why Zen's sister's life was so important in this book, but now I know that she was a main character in the first book. The last half of Midsummer Night was about Zen and Ramesh wanting his family to accept her into their family. I thought that maybe the storyline needed something more to make it exciting - instead I was feeling uninterested. I thought that the story was too descriptive - too much unneeded information. The writing was good, the character's were likable enough, but since I couldn't get "into" the book - it left me not caring about what was happening with the characters.

The Buzz

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I'm starting a new topic called The Buzz. This is where I will talk about giveaways,
free e-books I find, and other news-worthy book related stuff that's going on!



There is a HUGE blog hop going on now called the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop.
Looks like there are over 200 blogs participating! Click on the image below to go to
the first blog on the list:

Image and video hosting by TinyPic



Here's another blog hop - fill out the entry form at the end of the tour, and you'll be entered to win some great prizes, including ebooks, gift cards and a Kindle 3! Click on the banner below to go to the beginning of the hop:


Image and video hosting by TinyPic


Here is a blog tour, where you can enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card:

Image and video hosting by TinyPic




On Mysteriousbooks blog, you can enter to win a signed copy of one of Adrian Phoenix's books!
Click HERE

The Story Siren has an Awesome giveaway on her blog - A prize pack that includes a signed first edition of Nevermore by Kelly Creagh!
Click HERE

Over at Tynga's Reviews, she has a giveaway that includes 1 signed copy of Demonglass, 1 copy of Hex Hall, and a Demonglass tote bag!
Click HERE

Vampire Wire has a giveaway for and e-book of The Annotated Carmilla
Click HERE

All Things Urban Fantasy has an ARC giveaway for reviewers: 4 Urban Fantasy and 4 YA titles!
Click HERE

Parajunkie has lots of giveaways on her blog. One of them is a signed copy of Unseen by
Rachel Caine
Click HERE

And lastly, here is a site that has free e-books:
FreeBookSpot


Whew, I think that's a lot of blog hopping! I think I need a nap...

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

What's new?

Kissed from Beyond


Synopsis:
This 'must read' anthology will take you to the mystical beyond and back with four erotica novellas from bestselling and award winning authors: Keta Diablo, Amber Scott, Elise Hepner and Stacey Kennedy. Can you handle the magic?

This e-book is available HERE


A Broken Bond



Synopsis:
Two years ago, Cash lost his mate and abandoned his Montana pack. Now, he has found a reason to return. Rylie, daughter of the Wyoming Alpha, life has been uprooted. In less than twenty four hours, she has discovered her mate, Layne, refused him, and watched him kill her entire family to claim her. And now, she is on the run.

On her journey to free herself from Layne, destiny brings her Cash, a wolf determined to give her aid to right his wrongs. But how far will he go? When Rylie’s life is on the line, will he forget his pain to save her or will his loss seal her fate?

You can buy this e-book HERE


Blood Hunt

Synopsis:
Sylvan, the Wolf Were Alpha, forges an uneasy alliance with Detective Jody Gates, heir to a powerful Vampire clan, to battle a shadow army of humans and rogue Weres. With outside forces threatening to destroy the Praetern Coalition, Sylvan battles Pack resistance to her newly-turned Were mate and Jody fights her growing hunger for human reporter, Becca Land. A Midnight Hunters Novel.






Desires of the Dead

Synopsis:

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.








Midnight (The Vampire Diaries: The Return #3)

Synopsis:
With the help of charming and devious Damon, Elena rescued her vampire love, Stefan, from the depths of the Dark Dimension. But neither brother returned unscathed.
Stefan is weak from his long imprisonment and needs more blood than Elena alone can give him, while a strange magic has turned Damon into a human. Savage and desperate, Damon will do anything to become a vampire again, even travel back to hell. But what will happen when he accidentally takes Bonnie with him?

Stefan and Elena hurry to rescue their innocent friend from the Dark Dimension, leaving Matt and Meredith to save their hometown from the dangerous spirits that have taken hold of Fell's
Church. One by one, children are succumbing to demonic designs. But Matt and Meredith soon discover that the source of the evil is darker and closer than they ever could have imagined. . . .








Steel

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure.

The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home—one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain.




Book Tours!

I'm so excited to be a part of the following book tours! The Trouble With Spells tour will stop at my blog on April 9th. You can even read the ebook for free! Look below for the coupon code to get the book free from Smashwords.com.


On March 30, Amanda Alvarez will be here promoting her book, Hunting Human!



On April 1st, Vivi Anna will be here promoting her book Glimmer!


Monday, March 14, 2011

King's X Review - and author interview!

Synopsis:

What happens when we die? Is it nothing? Is it something?

Long ago the King's X was stolen, and with it a forbidden secret...
No one really dies. We all come back.
All that you are, all you have ever been, the King's X will reveal.


A 20th century suspense thriller. A 13th century romantic swashbuckler. Two worlds on an impossible collision course. One epic chase across many lifetimes.


Review:


This is a very well thought-out book with lots of suspense, twists, and history. I give it 5 stars. This is a 4 episode series, each novella length. Through strong characterization, you become involved in the character's thoughts and actions. Knowing that the story is about reincarnation, makes it that much more intriguing. With the rapid introduction of new characters,it does leave you feeling confused in the beginning. The story takes time to set up, with so much going on. Stephen Harper has definitely done his research,and you can tell that a lot of thought has gone into this story. If you love a good suspense/thriller, you'll love this book!

Steve is a really nice guy, and generously offered his time for an interview! Keep reading for more information about this series and the author!


1.Where are you from?

I was born in Virginia. Grew up in a Massachusetts town which could have been a Norman Rockwell painting. No complaints about any of it. For the last few years I’ve lived in Marina Del Rey, California. My wife and I each work from home offices with windows looking over the water. If that sounds really nice, it really is.


2.How long have you begin writing?

Well, my whole life, I think. But professionally? The last 12 years in different fields. King’s X is my first book.


3.What inspired you to become a writer?

The feeling you get when you read a great book, something that takes you somewhere amazing or opens your mind to a thought you’ve never had before.. Those places and thoughts are real, and writing is kind of like reaching them first, exploring the terrain, and reporting back what you’ve found. Sometimes that can be a real place, like Steinbeck literally traveling through the great depression and reporting back with “The Grapes of Wrath.” Or sometimes it can be purely in the imagination, like Tolkien journeying through all the history, language and myth he’d spent a lifetime learning about, and bringing back a detailed history of “Middle-Earth,” complete with maps and everything. I’m not comparing myself to those great writers, but that is why writers write. The only greater thrill than creating that feeling for yourself, is hearing from a reader that you brought it back for them.


4. King’s X is about reincarnation. Do you think reincarnation is real?

Well, I don’t know. Part of what underlies the whole book is the fact that no one knows for sure. What we do know is that everybody in the world dies at some point. We can all agree on that. But the question of what happens afterwards is all guess work. We are forced to choose something to believe in and stick with it. Whether you choose a religion, atheism, or anything in between – it’s still an “ism,” still just “what you believe.” And without the comfort of real knowledge, those beliefs become very, very important to people. Important enough to go to war, to kill for, etc.

That said, I do think that the idea of reincarnation makes a lot of sense. Because it implies something we can observe about the world we live in, namely that things evolve. Evolution implies always getting a little bit better over time. And if evolution is the way the universe operates, then it should apply to everything. Including the spirit. Again, I don’t “know” for sure, but my observational skills tell me that the human race is evolving on more than just a physical level. Our thoughts, our imagination, our ability to empathize, to care for others above ourselves (not that we always do these things of course, but that we CAN), all points toward spiritual growth, spiritual evolution taking place in real time. When I think about it like that, the idea of something much more powerful and important that my measly little body, coming back over and over again to learn and grow like a child going from nursery school to K-12 makes a lot of sense.


5. So how does reincarnation work for the characters in King’s X?

Well, the idea is that everyone in the world, including you and me, are immortal spirits. Just like you’ve heard many times, but no one can prove beyond doubt. But through the mysterious power of the King’s X itself, some of these characters do know it. They remember several lifetimes worth of knowledge and experience. From that point, it occurred to me, wow, if you could actually KNOW that this was the case, if you could clearly remember your past lifetimes… how different would you be right now? First of all, how smart would you be? Imagine 3 lifetimes worth of playing the piano. Maybe you’d be Mozart, writing entire operas by age 6. Maybe that’s what “genius” really is – a person who for some reason is able to tap into something that he or she had done before. But beyond all the knowledge and skill you might have if you could remember clearly… what would you being doing, right now? If you weren’t afraid of dying because you KNEW for a fact that you were just going to sleep for a while, what would your interests be? Could you truly have a “soulmate” someone you meet again and again? What work would you do? How freakin’ awesome would you be?

And of course, if you were evil, if you were greedy and prideful, how scary would you be? The villains in King’s X are unique and, when you look around at the way the real world seems to work, they are quite believable. What if some mysterious person or persons knew the truth, and carried the knowledge of many lifetimes through to the present, but kept you and me ignorant on purpose? What if there are people who simply don’t want us to know who and what we really are? That we are supposed to be learning, not scared out of our minds that we will run out of life, or land, or oil, or whatever? What if the entire reason the world seems locked in a cycle suspicion, hatred and violence, is because someone very powerful wants it that way?

On the other hand - what if you were the only person who knew all of this? How could you fight them? And if they knew who you were and what you knew, how could you ever escape them?


6.How did you come up with the title of your books?

When you were a kid, crossing your fingers and holding them behind your back meant that you didn’t have to do what you said. You could lie to a parent, or a teacher, or another kid and somehow that was all right because you crossed your fingers. Well, that sign used to have a name. Kids on playgrounds everywhere called it “King’s X.” You could also say it out loud and it would protect you from being “It” in a game of Hide and Seek. Anyway, I thought that was very strange and I looked deeper into it. Where did this expression come from? Why does it mean the bizarre things that it means? The answer is a spoiler so you’ll have to read the book to find out.

7.What is your biggest challenge of being an author?

I have the attention span of house fly.


8.What do you love most about being an author?

Total control over the content and direction of my work. And you can have the attention span of a house fly.


9.Anything else about your books that you would like to share?

The first long arc story is complete in these first 4 episodes, but there will be much more to come. I am working on a feature screenplay based on King’s X right now, but am planning a whole new King’s X adventure for late 2011. The story of Molly and Detective Book in modern times will continue and the story of their past will move into the 17th Century, Elizabethan England, and high seas adventure. I can’t wait to get started on it.


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You can find out more information about Stephen Harper on his blog:
http://stephentharper.blogspot.com/

Check out his ebooks on Amazon HERE - only .99 cents!

Running Blind Giveaway Winner!

I had my son draw a name, and the winner of the Running Blind giveaway is...

Katrina W. from Page Flippers!!!!

Katrina - the author will be contacting you by email - congrats :)

Friday, March 11, 2011

Follow Me Friday!



Who are You the Girl, instead of You the Blogger?

Most important, I'm a mommy. I have a beautiful 3 year old girl and a handsome 7 year old boy. I married my husband when I was 20 - we were high school sweethearts. I am now 29. I'm currently a stay at home mom, and I take online Graphic Design classes. I'm still unsure what I want to be when I grow up. Maybe I'll design book covers, maybe I'll be an editor... I'd love to have the imagination to be a writer!


Book Blogger Hop

If I gave you $80 and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?

There are soooo many books on my to-read list. I really want Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series. I also really want the Chicagoland Vampires series. I think I just need thousands of dollars!





(Click on any of the above pictures to be taken to the main page of that blog-hop to sign up)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

New winner for Stolen Dreams!!

I never heard back from the winner of Stolen Dreams, so I drew another winner. Here is where it might be a good idea to check your junk mail daily :) Anyway, the new winner is....

Jennifer @ http://bawdybooks.blogspot.com/

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis:

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.







Review:


I know there are a lot of mixed reviews on this book, but to me it is a 5 star book. I like the author's take on werewolves. It's a little bit different - no full moons or anything like that. The cold weather is what makes them shift. The book doesn't have a lot of action - it's just centered around the love story of Grace and Sam. That's what I think is perfect - it's full of romance. Sam and Grace's relationship is really sweet. In an odd way, they have loved each other most of their lives without really even knowing each other. They also both grew up with parents who didn't seem to care about them, and I think they really needed each other. Though it might have been too descriptive in parts, I really liked the writing style. I also liked how the chapters went back and forth from Sam's point of view to Grace's. It's nice to know what each one is thinking and feeling. I'd have to say that this book really brought out my emotions. I'll have to honestly say, that I don't like feeling emotions. I refuse to watch movies or read books that I know are sad. I have depression, and I have a really hard time coming back up after feeling down - which probably doesn't make any sense. But anyway, the book had sort of a sad feel to it all the way through. There was one part in particular that I thought was really sad, but I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I can't explain exactly why I love this book. I just do. It's just an amazing love story and I can't wait to read the second book in this series.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Running Blind Review & Giveaway



Synopsis:
It seems like any ordinary day as Nick waits for the train, but then a chance encounter with a young woman turns his world upside down. What is it that she is running from and will helping her jeopardize his own secret, making him a target too?


Review:



I'm giving this story 4 stars - it is very good! Time Keepers is a paranormal story that is being published in four short-story length parts. Part 1 is called Running Blind. It is a very short read and goes by very quickly. You don't have the slow introduction that a lot of books have - it jumps right into the action from the start. Nicki has a way of being descriptive enough that you get a feel for the surroundings, but not so descriptive that it gets boring. It sounds like there is a big variety of supernatural beings in the story, which makes it interesting. This first part of the story ends with a major cliffhanger. It leaves you wondering who - or what - Nick is. I will anxiously be awaiting parts 2 - 4, which come out in April, May, and June.

You can find out more about the author, Nicki Markus, at http://www.nickijmarkus.org.uk/

Nicki has generously offered to give one lucky winner a pdf copy of Running Blind. Just leave a comment here if you would like to enter, along with your email address. This contest will close at midnight on March 13th. I will pick a winner on March 14th.

Stolen Dreams e-book Winner!

Aaannnddd.... the winner of Stacey Kennedy's e-book Stolen Dreams goes to.....

(Drum Roll........)


BRENDA!!!

Congrats Brenda! I will be emailing you shortly. Thanks everyone for entering! I suppose I should have let the contest run longer, but I couldn't wait weeks or however long the "normal" amount of time is to leave a contest open. It's like when I buy somebody a Christmas present, I can't buy it too far in advance because I just cannot wait to give it to them!



Friday, March 4, 2011

Review: Stolen Dreams by Stacey Kennedy - And a Giveaway!


Synopsis:

Tess Jennings has the ability to see and talk to spirits. On a daily basis, they harass and annoy her to save their souls. Sometimes she helps, other times she ignores them, but one ghost will give her no choice. Kipp McGowan, a cop with the Memphis Police Department, uses his ghostly charms to gain her attention and forces her to expose herself to his partner.

As she’s pulled into the five year old cold case of Hannah Reid she wants no part of, she finds herself in more than one precarious situation. But that’s the least of her worries―Tess begins to have a serious problem on her hands. Kipp might be dead, but he’s drop-dead gorgeous and she’s beginning to forget that he’s a ghost.

Murder and corruption has brought Tess and Kipp together. But as her feelings for Kipp deepen, she suspects she just signed herself up for a one-way ticket to the nut house, and can only hope, straitjackets come in a size four.



Review:

I gave this book 5 stars. It was really interesting – I've never read a book where the love interest was a ghost. I really wondered how that was going to work. I mean, how can you have a relationship if you can't even touch? If you think there couldn't be a sex scene in this book – you're wrong!! The scene is definitely steamy – and unique! The relationship between Tess and Kipp was really sweet. The book leaves you so frustrated about the fact that they can't touch at all – but you can't put the book down because you want to see how it plays out. There is also a murder mystery involved, which keeps the book exciting! Stacey Kennedy is so good at making her characters likable, and her stories unique. This book has the perfect amount of humor, romance, passion, and mystery. They ending left me groaning – such a cliffhanger! I cannot wait until the 2nd book in this series comes out – which will be in May. I am so curious how this story continues. There are so many directions this story could play out – how exciting!

Now for the giveaway!!! One lucky winner will win a Stolen Dreams eBook! The winner can choose the format – Kindle, Epub, PDF, RTF, LRF, and PBD. Non eBook users can get the PDF format and print the book off at home! I used to do that before I got my eReader, lol... Hey, I was desperate to read books that weren't available in paperback, lol... Anyway, please leave a comment here with your email address if you would like to enter to win. A winner will be randomly selected on Sunday!



What a good week!

I had a great week - where books are concerned anyway. I received the book Shiver in my mailbox, thanks to Emily from Red House Books. Thank you so much Emily! We are both in the Random Acts of Kindness group - which is great!! The second great thing that happened was, I won an ebook called Blood Kin by Ashlynn Monroe. Thank you so much Ashlynn! Can't wait to read it! The next awesome thing, was that I received an email from Border's with $5 in Borders bucks! I bought a few Rachel Vincent books - 2 of them were used and cheap! I had to use the Borders bucks on a brand new book, which is why I only bought 2 used ones. Anyway, my total only came up to around $9 for 3 books! Aaannnddd.... I got free shipping! Yay, Border's rocks!!! Ok, now on to the last good thing of the week. I was at Walmart with my 3 year old daughter, and I bought her some slippers that she loved - they are red and sparkly. She told me that she wanted to buy me something too. I told her that she didn't have any money, and she explained to me that she was gonna use mine, lol... So, I let her "buy" me something. I picked out the new Jeaniene Frost book - This Side of the Grave. I let my husband know that our daughter really really wanted to buy it for me, so he couldn't get annoyed over me buying another book, Lol.....

Also, my blog is featured today on J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer's blog! She has a feature called Friday Follower, and she chose my blog to showcase! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :) She has lost a lot of her followers due to an issue with Wordpress - so do me a favor and go on over to her blog to follow her!


J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Follow Me Friday!

I love Fridays, these blog hops are so much fun! Just click on the images if you want to join in!


This weeks question is:
What embarrassing thing have you done on cold medicine?

I never take cold medicine so I can't really say... I do take medicine to help me sleep though. When my daughter wakes up in the mornings, she sometimes has trouble waking me up. I think it was yesterday when she was trying to get me up and I said (half asleep), "Just a minute, let me finish this blog". Lol... guess that's a sign that I blog too much? My daughter probably thought I was nuts! Who knows what else I say when I'm half asleep.

Book Blogger Hop

This weeks Blogger Hop question is:
"Who's your all-time favorite book villain?"

You know, this question is really hard to answer. I don't like the villains! I guess I will go with the Volturi from Twilight.