Countdown to ASLEEP Release!

To celebrate the release of the spine-chilling YA psychological thriller ASLEEP by Krystal Wade, we have a full blog tour and exciting giveaways ahead! ASLEEP is the debut novel from Blaze Publishing, and answers the question of what happens when Sleeping Beauty meets Freddy Krueger. If you want to see more of ASLEEP, you can still find the Ten Weeks of Teasers and other great content on the Blaze Publishing blog. Order your copy now!

Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Kobo   Signed Copy of Asleep   Goodreads

"To cure fear, you must use fear."

Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He's understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they'll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be.

Follow the Blog Tour!

Tuesday 2/16	Wednesday 2/17	Thursday 2/18
Vicki Leigh: First Chapter Reading	Jordan Elizabeth: First Chapter Reading	Eve Langell: First Chapter Reading
Case Maynard: Promo Post	What A Nerd Girl Says: Interview	A Thousand Books: Teaser One
Friday 2/19	Saturday 2/20	Sunday 2/21
OriginiquEquanimity: Promo Post	Janelle Howard: Teaser Two	Archaeolibrarian: Teaser Three
Ryan Hill: Interview		Nerd Girl Official: Promo Post
		Tesairie's Book Reads: Promo Post

Giveaway!

We're giving away some awesome prizes to celebrate the release of ASLEEP, including this stylish cuff! Enter with the Rafflecopter below and tell your friends!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Krystal Wade can be found in the sluglines outside Washington D.C. every morning, Monday through Friday. With coffee in hand, iPod plugged in, and strangers-who sometimes snore, smell, or have incredibly bad gas-sitting next to her, she zones out and thinks of fantastical worlds for you and me to read. How else can she cope with a fifty mile commute?

Good thing she has her husband and three kids to go home to. They keep her sane.

Website   Instagram   Twitter   Facebook   Google+

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Announcing the Heirs of War, Crown of Flames Blog Tour (And Giveaway!)

In just under two weeks (9 days as of this post), Heirs of War, Crown of Flames will be released at last. There have been a few setbacks with this book, but I'm happy for them all. Why? Because I am so freaking proud of the end result. My editor Kriscinda Everitt is, as always, awesome. She continues to push me to be better, and that means you get a better book. Win all around!

Since Crown of Flames will be released, that also means a Facebook party and a blog tour. Yay! You can come help celebrate the release of Crown of Flames and Ryan Hill's Dead New World at our joint Facebook party October 13th from 11am to 1am EST (8am to 10pm PST). We have quite a few guest hosts planned, and lots of ways to win awesome prizes! The blog tour for CoF kicks off October 13th with a release day blitz and runs until October 28th. I have some really fun posts planned for this tour. Lots of interviews, reviews, excerpts, a few guest posts on cool topics like writing romance in fantasy, writing strong female characters, and my writerly bucket list. I'm also hosting a giveaway for the entirety of the tour.

The week of October 13th is a really exciting week! Not only is Crown of Flames released and the blog tour kicking off, but I'll also be signing books at the Vegas Valley Book Festival on October 18th from 10-4pm with fellow Curiosity Quills authors Sharon Bayliss, Katie Hamstead, and Lisa Collicutt. And I'll also be revealing the cover for Altar of Reality at the festival and around the web on the 18th. Check back here on the 18th for the cover reveal if you can't come see it in person! 

I'm really excited to share all of this with you. October 13th can't get here quick enough for me! Don't forget to stop by during the tour and say hi! You can find the calendar below:

Heirs of War, Crown of Flames Blog Tour Calendar:

Monday 10/13
Krystal Wade	Margo Bond Collins	Here is What I Read Book Blog
Vicki Trask	Jessa Russo	Lorraine Harvey
Priya Kanaparti	Nerd Girl Official	Terry's Book Addiction
Ali Dean	Shooting Star Book Reviews
Tuesday 10/14	Wednesday 10/15	Thursday 10/16
Ali Dean (Review)	Jan Farnworth (Review)	James Wymore (Guest Post)
Terry's Book Addiction (Review)	Jamie Ayres (Promo)
Friday 10/17	Saturday 10/19	Monday 10/20
Emma Adams (Interview)	Laveda Kasch (Excerpt #1)	Eliza Tilton (Excerpt #2)
Elsie Elmore (Interview)		Jessa Russo (Excerpt #3)
Cait Spivey (Guest Post)		Shooting Star Book Reviews (Excerpt #4)
		Here is What I Read (Interview)
Tuesday 10/21	Wednesday 10/22	Thursday 10/23
Michael Panush (Review)	Book Lover Blog (Review)	Ayden Morgen (Guest Post)
Friday 10/24	Monday 10/27	Tuesday 10/28
K. L. Schwengel (Guest Post)	Katie Teller (Interview)	Priya Kanaparti (Guest Post)
Charity Bradford (Excerpt #5)	Sharon Bayliss (Review)
Vicki Trask (Review)
Sarah Anderson (Interview)

Weekend Wrap Up & Giveaway: Review of Branded by Katie Hamstead

If you follow my reviews, you probably know by now that I both love and hate Katie Hamstead as an author. I adore everything she writes, but so much so that I'm left deflated at the end of each book and blowing raspberries at my To Be Read list (no offense to everyone who is on there). Branded is really no different. Before we get to the review, let me tell you a bit about the book and the author first. Oh, and then you can enter to win your very own copy (along with her two books from the AMAZING Kiya series and an Amazon gift card) using the Rafflecopter below. Or if you are impatient, you can order your very own copy on Amazon for just $2.99. You won't regret it.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I review First of Her Kind by K.L. Schwengel and Knights of Rilch by Rachel O'Laughlin. For now, Branded! Allons-y!

Synopsis:

Terrorists have invaded Sydney, and Allison King barely escapes her brother’s wedding reception alive. She and her siblings flee, but their parents are killed by firing squad.

Now Ali’s on the run and terrified. While searching for other survivors, she is captured by the General who leads the invasion. He’s smitten by Ali, and when she refuses to submit to his whims, he brands her for death. In a wild act of defiance, she snatches the branding rod and sears the mark onto his face. Marking not only him but also sealing her fate. Ali manages to escape and flees into the bush once more where she finds a group in hiding. Even with the scars left by the General, Ali learns to love and falls in love with the young man who found her—Damien Rogers.

But the General is hunting her. When he discovers their location, and finds her with another man—Damien—his wrath is kindled and his obsession is inflamed. Ali must put herself on the line or the General could kill her family, those who help her, and most significantly, the man she loves.

Add it on Goodreads or purchase through Amazon

About the Author:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Follow Katie on Twitter, her blog, Facebook, and Goodreads.


My Review:
Branded by Katie Hamstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In a word: Intense. Usually with stories that have a MC that is constantly hunted on a personal level by the enemy, it's all about the chase. You don't expect them to come face to face with the enemy several times over, and I love that Ali does. She turns into the white whale to the General's Ahab, as the characters refer to it. Only she has much more snark and spirit than a white whale, I'm sure.

Ali isn't the typical MC lusted after by an enemy. She's not weak at all, but not impenetrable either. She's genuinely scared for her life, especially when face to face with the General, and the author lets you feel that fear alongside Ali. What is brilliant about feeling that fear so strongly is that you feel her defiance as well. You rise up with her and feel just as indignant as she does.

Her romance with Damien happened fast, but I felt like that was really realistic given the circumstances. Everything about their way of life has been threatened, but there's still a hope that things can get normal and people cling to that hope. The normalcy of things like romance and marriage. And I do love that this is addressed later on, but that they continue to fight for each other. On the other hand, I really root for Nick. He's my favorite character. Without him, I feel like the war would have only gotten worse even after it all came to a head. In a way, I think he means more to the war than Ali does.

This was an exhilarating read, full of suspense, action, romance, and heartbreak on so many different levels. A very powerful and emotional read for people of any religion.

View all my reviews
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Teaser Tuesday: Seal of Awakening by Traci Douglass

Traci Douglass is touring her Seven Seals series, and has stopped by to give us an exclusive excerpt for the third book, Seal of Awakening. Check it out!

Seal Of Awakening

Seven Seals Series

Book Three

Traci Douglass 

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy 

Publisher: SpinTale Publishing 

Date of Publication: October 28th, 2013 

Cover Artist: Kim Killion 

Book Description:

Socially awkward geneticist Quinn Strickland has willingly forgone the pleasures in life to reach her career objectives. Alone and approaching thirty, she uses her independence to mitigate any risk of a broken heart. Her strategy works until the day a handsome stranger bursts into her lab and her orderly plans shoot straight to Hades. He claims to be her personal divine protector, a powerful, ancient warrior sent to defend a prophetic time bomb existing within her own genetic code. 

The Scion’s alpha-geek Wyck is offered the opportunity of his immortal lifetime as head of his own covert operation. He arrives at a Colorado lab expecting starched white coats and sterile surroundings—not a redheaded spitfire in charge of both his project and his libido. His skills have carried him from the battlefields of ancient England to the pits of Hell and he has no plans to be felled by one woman, regardless of her shag-worthy charms. Divine duty requires him to protect the apocalyptic Seal encrypted within Quinn’s DNA, but his heart has other ideas. When his personal feelings interfere with his age-old vendetta, he’s forced to decide between desire and retribution.

Amazon     Paperback 

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/dAJ9tKiiUOQ

About the Author: 

Traci is the author of paranormal romance/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters. 

She is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of the first book in the Seven Seals Series, Seal of Destiny, won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers. 

Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series, a new contemporary novella series due out in early 2014, and a new futuristic suspense series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.

Follow Traci online: Website and blog  FB Author Page  Twitter  Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Excerpt:

“Basta!” Kagan grabbed her by the arm and twisted slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to let her know he meant business as he directed her to a corner booth. He ignored the half-full beverages and coats scattered on the seats and shoved Mira into the confined space. When the booth’s original owners took issue with his hostile takeover, Kagan dispatched them with a lethal glare. He wasn’t sure where the girl had gotten the idea his mind was damaged, but he was damn sure he didn’t like it. He moved in behind her to block her escape.

“Oh, hell, no!” After several unsuccessful strikes to his muscled physique, Mira tried to slide out beneath the table. The angle proved too awkward. Defeated, she shoved as far away as she could into the corner and propped those killer boots on the seat in front of her in warning. “You better let me out of here, asshole, before I call the cops! I caught you stalking me, pervert!”

Kagan took a deep breath. He never lost his cool in battle, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Pervert? You’re of age, si?”

Mira glared. Kagan ticked through their earlier interactions, searching for a reason behind her intense hostility. His preternatural instincts sensed her intention before her hand reached his carotid. He blocked her quickly, locking her small hand within his and forcing it to the table beneath his own. Her pulse raced against his palm. He took another swig of beer then flashed his most endearing grin. “Let’s start over.” He released his bottle and extended his hand. “I’m Kagan.”

She refused to acquiesce. Kagan spoke in quiet tones meant to calm, to reassure. “I know I’m a stranger, but we have things to discuss.” He glanced around the crowded club, at the bodies packed tight. “We can’t do it here, though—no privacy. My apartment is close. Why don’t we go there and talk?”

Mira kicked him hard in the thigh.

“Merda!” Kagan grabbed his throbbing leg. “What’s in those damn boots? Marble?”

“Let me out of here, jackass, before I sideline your baby-maker!” Mira struggled within the tight confines of the booth. As she squirmed, the spicy scent of her shampoo wafted, and he was overcome with the strangest urge to plunge his hands into the riotous mass of her hair, to feel it curl around his fingers. She tugged on the hand pinned beneath his, and his thumb traced over her thudding veins. His heart pounding along with hers. The odd tingle sped through his torso, and his mouth turned to cotton. Her gaze blazed up at him, a swirling mix of green and golden brown. He noted the dark smudges below and wondered what kept her from slumber.

Dolce Cristo! Kagan looked away, fought for control. This was getting way out of hand. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d bedded a woman, but apparently it had been far too long.

Thursday Takeover: Marisa Cleveland

It's Takeover Thursday! Today author Marisa Cleveland is stopping by to talk about the year of the novella and give away some prizes! She's also got a great list of novellas for you to check out. Be sure to read Pushed first, which just came out January 20th.

Pushed

A Bloodlines Novella

Marisa Cleveland

Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Simeris Alliance
Date of Publication: January 20, 2014
Amazon  

Book Description: 

Time is not on everyone’s side… 

Mortal mess-up Lucy Markson makes one tiny miscalculation and her soul ends up belonging to an evil demon. Forced to serve the newly fallen angels recruited by her master, she must take one of the fallen through the seven deadly sins. 

Fallen angel Sawyer Succendo didn’t jump from heaven. He was pushed. And now he’s lost everything, including his halo – which contains his earthbound soul.    

In a race with an evil demon to claim his lost halo, Sawyer must trust a woman designed for sin – literally. Learning the true power of free will, Sawyer just might save them both, if he can keep his mind on the plan and his hands to himself.  

But if he can’t find his halo and save the girl, then he’ll be grounded forever.

About the Author:  

Marisa Cleveland loves to laugh, hates to cry, and does both often. As a writer, she writes. Every day. If she couldn’t express herself through writing, music, and dance, she would die. She believes romance novels are the perfect “how to” books, because no matter the obstacles, the characters keep working toward their happily ever after. She loves to connect with writers and readers through social media.

Website  Facebook  Hot Wips and Sassy Chicks Facebook  Twitter  Instagram   Tumblr   Hot Wips and Sassy Chicks Blog   Goodreads   Google+   Pinterest 

THE YEAR OF THE NOVELLA by Marisa Cleveland

"It's better to have less than organize more." 

For 2014, I'm focusing on downsizing. Actually, I've been downsizing for many years. 

It all started in 1999 in Fairfax, Virginia, when my hubby and I thought we needed to fit in. We bought big... and we've been downsizing ever since. 

From 3,800 square feet to 2,881 square feet, I've lost a lot of "stuff" over the years. But I don't miss any of it, and after browsing the Naples Charity Register, I'm more than excited to champion charities close to my heart. 

So... In honor of downsizing, I'm giving away novellas, the downsized version of the novel. 

Everyone who comments on this blog will have the chance to win, and it's an exclusive giveaway happening on this blog today only! 

Steps to enter:

1. Comment on this blog - any kind of comment - what you love about the blog, what you love to read, what you're reading now, what you plan to do this weekend, anything... just a comment.

2. Check back throughout the day to see who the winners are.

If you win an ebook, you will be asked to email marisa@marisacleveland.com with the email where you'd like the book gifted. All ebooks will be gifted from Amazon. 

Here is an incomplete list of the enovellas I"ve read and loved and want to share with you!!!

A CURSED MOON: A WEIRD GIRLS NOVELLA by Cecy Robson

A LITTLE BIT CUPID by Jennifer Shirk

CAN'T LET GO by Jessica Lemmon

IF YOU DARE by Jessica Lemmon

IN THE SERVICE OF THE KING by Laura Kaye

ON HIS LIST by Wendy Sparrow

PLAINLY MURDER by Isabella Alan

PUSHED by Marisa Cleveland

SECRET SANTA BABY by Robin Covington

SUCCUBUS LOST by Tiffany Allee

THE VALENTINE CHALLENGE by Marisa Cleveland

THE WEIRD GIRLS: A NOVELLA by Cecy Robson

TURN TO DARKNESS by Jaime Rush

WILD HEARTS by Tina Wainscott

Thanks so much for stopping by! I love to connect with people on social media, so I hope you'll find me and say hi!

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Thursday Takeover & Giveaway: Pembroke Sinclair Says Whatever You Do, Just Write

Today's takeover is brought to you by The Appeal of Evil. No, not like devil horns are sexy. I'm talking the book by Pembroke Sinclair, which is the first in The Road to Salvation series. If Pembroke Sinclair sounds familiar, that might be because she is one busy bee. Since first getting published in 2009, she has put out everything from zombie novels to children's picture books. She's stopping by today to talk about her experience crossing between genres, and to give away some books and swag! As per usual, we'll get to know her and her book a bit before she takes it away.

The Appeal of Evil

The Road to Salvation Series

Book 1

Pembroke Sinclair

Genre:  YA Paranormal
Publisher:  Booktrope 
Date of Publication:  January 17, 2014
Cover Artist:  Ida Jansson
Amazon  

Book Description:  

Katie wants to invest her heart and soul in love, but she may lose both to Hell.  

Katie, a senior in high school, is torn between loving the “good” guy, her childhood friend Wes who makes promises he doesn't keep and abandons her when she needs him the most, and the “bad” guy, the new kid at school Josh who is also a real demon from Hell. 

Katie wants someone who pays attention to her and puts her first, but what is she willing to give up to find him?

About the Author:

In 2009, eTreasures Publishing published my first novel, a sci fi adventure story.  Since then, they have published my two YA zombie novels, my religious zombie novella, two children’s picture books, and two novellas with romantic elements.  I have an urban fantasy novel about dragons and a vampire novelette that was published by MuseItUp Publishing.  Musa Publishing has published my novelette with romantic elements and a collection of short stories.  I have a middle grade urban fantasy novel that was published by Little Devil Books.  My nonfiction book about slasher films was published by Scarecrow Press.

Writing is my passion.  I enjoy creating fantastic worlds and memorable characters. I’m an active promoter of my works and love to talk to readers at book signings and readings.  Doing giveaways on Goodreads has been an exciting experience, and having contests for readers has been fun.  I actively promote various authors on my blog and participate in blog tours to promote my own work.

I write under several different pen names.  For my children’s titles, I write under J.D. Pooker, and for my YA and adult novels, I write under Pembroke Sinclair.  My nonfiction work is done under my real name.

I am a member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and am on a committee to create membership criteria for iPAL, which is a sister group to the Published Authors Liaison group and focuses on independent and self-published authors.  I am also a member of the ALA and really enjoy doing library visits. 
Blog  Web  Goodreads  Amazon  Facebook  Twitter:  

Take it away, Pembroke!

Shifting Gears Between Genres 

I write an eclectic mix of stories.  I’ve written Western (modern, not historical), horror, sci fi, fantasy, and nonfiction.  I’ve written adult, YA, middle grade, and children’s books.  I’ve written short stories, novelettes, and novels.  And the reason I did was to get better at writing.

I’ve discovered in the years that I’ve been writing that novels are my favorite to create.  All of the other forms have their place, and I enjoy reading them, but I really savor taking the time to flesh out my characters and let them tell their story in as many pages as they need.  I enjoyed attempting to write short stories, and it was a good exercise in brevity, but it wasn’t me.  I’m not saying I’ll never write another short story or novelette again, I still may, but the chances are slim.

I would like to tell you that I have a favorite genre to write in, that sci fi is my favorite or I’m only going to write fantasy, but that’s not true.  If you had asked me that question several years ago, I would have had a different answer.  But now, I really enjoy every single genre I write in.  It’s a challenge.  It stretches my brain and makes me think about writing in different ways.  Hopefully, it makes me a better writer.

Shifting gears between genres isn’t difficult.  When a story pops into my head, it’s pretty insistent about how it wants to be written, and it doesn’t shut up until it’s on the page.  When one is done, another is usually waiting right behind it.

I try not to limit myself to one type of story or one genre because I don’t think it’s fair to me.  I strive to become a better writer, and I believe that challenging myself in different ways will make me that way.  I’m sure there are those out there who think mastering one genre will be more beneficial instead of trying to master all of them, but that’s not what I’m trying to do.  I’m trying to tell a story, and I’m not going to stifle my ability just because it may not fit into the right category.

Writing should be about what makes you happy.  If that means writing in one genre, do it.  If that means experimenting with different things, go for it.  Whatever you do, just write.

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