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Friday, May 31, 2013

Cover Reveal, Dream Cast & Blog List: Born Of Fire By Amy Erstad
























Blurb:
Humans are losing their devotion to the Gods. After everything the humans put themselves and others though; faith is still not high on their priority list. Even the Gods would think such things as wars would lead the humans back to them, but it is only a temporary fix. Their devotion still waivers. Other than Ra, no one seems to notice, or they just don’t care. They keep telling him it will get better with time, only it doesn’t. Worse yet, they keep denying his request for an earthly presence. He is sick of watching and waiting, and sick of being denied. He is not going to just stand by and let them keep denying him, he has his own plans. Plans put in place centuries ago, secretly. Now they shall all see what happens when he is forsaken. 
While Ra is making plans of his own, Kenna, on the earthly realm, is figuring out that the people she loves and trusts are keeping secrets from her. She wants to know what those secrets are, and she knows they have something to do with her nightmares, but no one is giving up any information. She is not too worried though. She has Keyara, her best friend, right there beside her. Together they work to try to unravel the mystery that her life has become. Together they stand when Kenna’s life is turned upside down by some handsome stranger. One that is familiar, yet unknown to Kenna. Together they will continue to stand, when the secrets are revealed, and both girls find they have destinies they never would have dreamed of. 

As the Author is my blog partner and long time friend I have been lucky enough to pull the beginnings of a dream cast from her. Now this isn't written in stone and as always is subject to change. In the meantime....enjoy!!


Author Bio
Amy has been married for 16 years and shares two beautiful daughters with her husband. After being a stay at home mother for many years, she went back to school and graduated with her Associates Degree in Business Administration in 2009. When she is not working, she loves being able to travel whenever she can and has had the opportunity to visit several different countries with her family, and has even been able to live in some of them. 

While it was never her dream to become a writer, she now loves every minute of her time spent in the writing world, as it gives her the opportunity to live in a world made out of imagination and sometimes dreams. She loves reading paranormal and fantasy books. 


Blog List
There are 3 excerpts being released with the cover today, so I am listing the blogs participating....check them out to see all 3 excerpts!! Maybe as you go through the blogs you will find a new friend to follow, we hope so. Amy wants to thank everyone from the bottom of her heart! xoxoxo


http://theindieshop.blogspot.com

http://tamssbookblog.blogspot.com
http://jennswiger.blogspot.com
http://ambersupernaturalandya.blogspot.com
http://confessionsoftheparanormal.blogspot.com
http://bawakas-bookfair.blogspot.com
http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com
http://bookonthebrightside.blogspot.com
http://libraryendofuniverse.blogspot.com/
http://readingfictionforever.blogspot.com
http://authorbrandikennedy.blogspot.com
http://booksnbrownies.com
http://inthelandofdreamsreviews.blogspot.co.uk
www.thehiddenreader.weebly.com
http://drwrnmk.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/YaTeenReaders
http://www.facebook.com/ajlapeauthor
http://dreamzofdragons.blogspot.com
http://asyouwishreviews.blogspot.com
http://www.bookoholicanom.com/
http://CatholicKittie.blogspot.com
http://crystalsoutthere.blogspot.com
http://2bibliophiles.blogspot.com
http://www.mrspottersbookpublicityservices.com/
http://tsktskwhattoread2.blogspot.com
http://cassiesreviewsde-la-mazing.blogspot.com
http://www.vampandstuff.com
http://cuskindlegiveaways.blogspot.com
http://girlsheartbookstours.blogspot.com
http://literaryredemption.blogspot.com
http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com
http://teraciasbooks.blogspot.com
http://strreviews.blogspot.com/
http://lindsayandjaneviewsandreviews.blogspot.com
















Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Elite Blog Tour













Blurb:
Everyone assumes that Joelie Baudelaire lives a charmed life. She has a generous benefactor in Warren Jardine, and a glamorous lifestyle in the exciting city of Las Vegas. Everyone is wrong.

When Warren is arrested, Joelie has the ability to escape the emotional jail he's held her captive in for two years. Her father's house should be her refuge, but it's another kind of prison altogether. All Joelie wants is a normal, peaceful life. Discovering that she is one of The World Elite, a genetically superior race, puts a whole new set of shackles on her life.

Her destiny is planned, and her future marriage is pre-arranged. While Joelie still remembers her childhood crush on the Elite, Sender Stelle, it isn't easy to accept a betrothal to a man she barely knows beyond his photograph.

Warren doesn't want to release his control over her. The World Elite would force her to fulfill her destined duty, and Sender has gone from resigned acceptance to benign co-operation with the powers that be.

Freedom is just out of reach. All Joelie must do is defy some of the most powerful people in the world, and survive.








Purchase Links:












Excerpt:
The fear of her father finding out about the argument haunted her. Surely, a man as masculine as Diesel wouldn’t go telling on a small girl for having an attitude, would he? She busied herself with the internet, checking mail and reading articles about the area in hopes of finding some entertainment nearby. She soon diverted her search when every headline seemed to include the horror that had taken over the peaceful town. She was sick of hearing about it. The point was to relax, not dwell on crime, kidnapping, and murder.
There was a knock on her door, and she realized she’d been shut up in her room for almost two hours. “Come in.”
The door opened slowly, and she watched Diesel enter her room cautiously. As he looked her over, she pulled her right knee up to her chest as she sat in the office chair. He held out a small canister, and she hesitated before reaching for it. He pulled it back swiftly before she could curl her fingers around it. 
“This is the most potent mace on the market. Please, do not spray this at me,” he warned, before he relinquished the bottle into her hands. “Carry it with you at all times, and don’t spray it downwind. It’ll knock you on your ass, and then you’re just a sitting target.”
Joelie stared at him momentarily, before she glanced down at the small canister. “How is this going to help me if I can accidentally use it on myself?”
“That’s why I’m telling you now not to do that.”

Meet The Author

Coey Cain is a dedicated author who began writing novels as a means of entertainment at the tender age of eight. Never intending to publish or pursue a career in the field, she chased other opportunities and gained knowledge in a plethora of interests. She spent most of her adult life out West, living a fast-paced lifestyle and appreciating every minute of it. With a great love for fast cars, and with sixteen years' experience in racing and precision driving, she dreams of rally racing cross-country one day.
Coey is an adventurist at heart who's unafraid of new endeavors. She believes that danger and risks are what make for the best experiences, and ultimately better stories. Currently, she's maintaining a quiet lifestyle while focusing on her writing career. Her passion for writing and storytelling has stood the test of time and she feels obligated to herself to make her dreams come true in every aspect of life.

Follow Links:

Monday, May 27, 2013

Feeling Death Book Release Blast


Feeling Death #1
Expected publication: May 27th 2013 by Dragonfairy Press 
 ***Genre - Adult Paranormal Romance. 


Samantha Bevans is having the best sex of her life—but it's not with her husband. Fortunately for her marriage, the affair is all in her mind. Isn't it? As an empath, she senses other people's emotions. But her connection to the man with the chiseled face and haunting eyes seems so real.

There's no time for fantasies with a serial killer loose in Pittsburgh. The killer is targeting dancers at a strip club where Samantha used to bartend, back when drugs were the only cure for the torment of her abilities. As a member of a special task force, Samantha uses her talents to sense the victims’ final thoughts. Just when she thought the case was complex enough, she discovers one of the victims was thinking about her fantasy man when she died.


Who can Samantha trust when she can’t trust her own mind? An empath feels the emotional environment around her…and Samantha is surrounded by death.

Buy Links
Amazon
Publisher

About the Author
Cynical-Optimist. Chocolate-holic. Sarcasm Addict. Paranormal Believer. Self-Imposed Insomniac. Sci-Fi Geek. Animal Lover. Writer…are just a few words to describe D.T. Dyllin. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two very spoiled GSDs.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Triad Awakening

Meet The Author

Seems I've always loved to read. Growing up in rural Kentucky, the highlight of my summers was when the bookmobile delivered new books to my house each week. During the school year, I spent hours at the public library devouring horror and suspense novels.

As an adult, I've taught Language Arts for fifteen years. Reading and writing with my students has inspired me to finally write my own books. I love opening the door to a world I create and seeing what a spine-tingling events unfold!

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my wife and three children. I also read (of course) and watch horror movies. My obsession with all things scary led me to write the Triad Trilogy. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I have writing them for you!

Follow Links Webpage}{Blog}{Amazon}{Facebook}{Twitter

Excerpt
“No,” Somerset interrupts.  I jump a little, startled by his voice breaking in.   “But Fiona has something here.  She says that the entrance drops down about a hundred feet into a main chamber.  It’s crawling with Necropeds.  However, they’ve built a lot of small tunnels that branch off the main chamber and circle back into entrance tunnel.  Some of those are less heavily patrolled.  It is how the Gleaners have been moving in and out.”
“So how do we…” Abruptly, the ground shifts below us, savagely interrupting Naomi’s question.  I am thrown from our little pit out into the open, just beyond the tree.  I look back wildly to see large, decaying hands rupturing the soil below the roots.  Charles is knocked backwards and two more hands emerge from behind him, grabbing his waist. 
They’re here!  Oh God!  I think, as I frantically draw my split staff. Naomi has wriggled free and is standing opposite of me with her lash unfurled.  The other end of her weapon is wrapped around the neck of the largest creature I have ever seen.  The flesh eater is at least eight feet tall.  Its body is brownish-black and reeks of rotted meat.  The thing’s hulking form is broad, but where the muscles are decaying, bone is exposed.  Its face is a skull covered with mostly corroded skin.  Its eyes roll around loosely in their sockets.  The Necroped wears a loincloth of ripped animal hide.  It roars wildly, jerking its neck to and fro, trying to free itself from the lash.  It appears to be all instinct, with little reasoning ability. 
I quickly propel my body forward, flipping in the air.  I whiz above the flesh eater, upside down.  As I pass its head, I drive one of the spikes into its skull.  It sticks with a sickening squishy sound.  The creature collapses to the earth, as Naomi retracts her lash into its cylinder.
“Hagan, these things are strong!” she exclaims.  “I felt like it was going to rip my arms out of their sockets.”
“Hey!  I could, um, use a little assistance here!” Charles cries.  
I turn to see him being shaken from side to side by the other Necroped.  This one appears to be female, but it is as massive and decomposing as the other.  She wears an animal-hide garment, which barely covers her enormous breasts.  The flesh eater has gripped the back of Denton’s uniform and is shaking him like a rag doll.  The zipper of his suit is undone to his navel, revealing his hairless chest.  It is scratched and bleeding.  
Omi shoots the cord of her lash at the flesh eater.  It slices her molded bicep sending slivers of rotted flesh flying through the air.  The creature moans and drops Charles to the ground.  He hits the tangle of roots with a ‘whoomp’.  I twist, flinging my split staff from side to side.  It connects with the monster’s chin, knocking her backwards.  From behind, I sense Charles and duck.  He flies through the air above me, holding his pendulum over his head with both hands.  He sinks the blade of his weapon into the flesh eater’s chest.  She screams, falls backwards, and lands lifelessly on the ground beyond the tree.  

Title: Triad Awakening
Author: Michael Grigsby
Genre: Horror
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Tour Organizer: B3 Tours


Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Hagan Curtis's life is a total mess-alcoholic single father, recently deceased brother (Robin), and social invisibility-until an eerie encounter with a trio of ghostly sisters reveals he is part of the Triad. Armed with newfound battle skills and wielding his amazing split-staff, Hagan plunges headlong into training. But soon he discovers that membership in the Triad can be lethal as Spectrals, Necropeds, and Feeders from other realms show just how bloodthirsty they can be. As his team plummets deeper into their first mission, Hagan learns that his brother’s death resulted from Robin’s knowledge of the Triad, and those closest to him are keeping dark secrets. Will Hagan survive the terrifying mission to finally untangle the mystery of Robin’s death?

Triad Awakening is the first book in the Triad Trilogy. The Young Adult Horror/Fantasy is Michael Grigsby's debut novel.

Book Links Amazon}{Goodreads

Empath Trilogy Cover Reveal

Title: Empath (The Empath Trilogy)
Author: HK Savage
Genre: Mature YA
Publisher: Staccato Publishing
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours

All Staccato ebooks are now available for 3.99 or less!!!
Empath is free on Smashwords right now!!

All she wanted was to disappear…

Claire Martin is an empath. She’s lived her entire life as a slave to a constant barrage of emotions that weren't hers. Off to college she hopes simply to blend with the crowd where she can best hide her curse. Within her first few weeks at school Claire meets Stephen Andrews, a small, fragile looking boy who changes her life forever. 



Stephen, a boy with a secret of his own, instantly recognizes Claire for what she is. It is through Stephen's aid that Claire meets James, a vampire with a talent of his own. As soon as they touch, their abilities connect in a way that has not occurred in over three hundred years forming a bond that cannot be broken.


Follow the trilogy: Bonded  Secrets



Excerpt:
James stood and put his right hand into the air separating our bodies. I looked at it and snapped back up in alarm. “What do you want me to do with that?” My heart started to race. We couldn’t touch. What if he could sense how he affected me? He could do whatever he wanted then and he could just tell Troy and Stephen I’d gone willingly to the slaughter. It would be easy to get me to mirror his thirst.
“I will shield you myself and take it down a little at a time as you learn to pick it up your own. But I will need to know how your ability functions to better work with it. I sense people’s talents, but need to touch you in order to do so. Each person’s is different. I cannot help you to contain or manipulate yours if I don’t know the peculiarities of it.” He held his hand out palm up and wiggled his fingers playfully at me, a grin crept back into his eyes. “You will have to trust me.”
89I stood too, wiping my now sweating palms on my pants, glad I had picked the jeans. They hid the marks so much better than khakis. I raised my right hand and held it palm down a few inches from his. Our bodies were little over a foot apart and my heart started hammering in my chest. My stomach was fluttering and I felt the sweat beading on my back and under my arms. I thought I was having an anxiety attack.
His face was calmly watching mine like this was the most normal thing. “You must learn to settle yourself, we haven’t even tried our first experiment yet.”
“Give me a moment.” I closed my eyes so that I couldn’t see him, then I concentrated on my breathing. With all of my issues I had spent a good amount of time practicing deep breathing and meditation. Taking this moment to “find my breath” as my books had instructed, I found my heart rate coming down and my body responding to my wishes. I reopened my eyes, my body firmly back under control.
James stood exactly as before with a pleased expression. “That was good, Claire. Are you ready to begin then?”
Too frightened to speak, I merely nodded and licked my suddenly dry lips.
Much like my earlier confession, I watched his hand moving toward my own except I felt like it was someone else’s. Mine was some stranger’s body and I was standing beside her, seeing this from the outside. When our palms were about an inch apart, I felt the hum begin, lower and quieter than I was used to. He was different than a human.
My eyes sought his. They quickly became my gyroscope, helping me balance here in this strangest of situations. He saw my surprised reaction to his feel.

“I will be easier to work with because I am not human. My emotions are much more fleeting and almost feel...” Here he became uncertain for the first time since I had met him. “I guess you would say that my body has been dead for so long that my human emotions have dulled. They are in my head, but do not affect my body as your kind’s do.”
Hmm, that was curious. I felt it building, the unstoppable urge to touch him. He’d said no harm would come and that he would help shield me, plus I had to put my hands on his. Again I felt that inexplicable pull toward him, but now it was total. The tug was in my head, in my stomach. I could feel it even in my very skin.
Dropping my resistance, I brought my hand down onto his, lightly then more firmly. I knew instantly that it was too much too soon. His feelings rushed up to me. They were so fast and fleeting that it was hard to focus on what I was getting as they flooded into me. With an incredible sense of relief I also found that with them shifting so quickly they were easy to block. It was like I had a box of his emotional “thoughts” and they were wrapped up with enough cotton that I could choose which one I wanted to grab and analyze once I got used to the pace.
I caught glimpses of faces and places from different times go flashing past me. Fascinating. Would I be able to do this when my training was complete?
Almost as rapidly as I had begun to read him, James pulled his hand back and put it in his pocket. He was breathing hard and his eyes were dark again.
“I don’t understand. That was great! I was able to separate each emotive thought you had and if I had more time, I could have read them.” It was hard to contain my exuberance. This was more than I had ever hoped I would be able to do. It was like mind reading, but more than words, I could feel flashes of what he felt about each person and place though

too complex to understand in the glimpses I’d been exposed to. Realization struck me then and I felt the guilt over what I’d done.
“James, I am sorry, that was intrusive, wasn’t it? I should have warned you. You said you’d shield and I figured I would just go for it. Like ripping off a band-aid.” I couldn’t meet his eyes out of embarrassment.
Just then, the teakettle whistled making both of us jump to our feet. Carefully, so that we didn’t touch again, James carefully stepped around me before turning to go to the kitchen. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back with your tea.”
“I’ll help.” I wanted something to do with myself to help dissipate the awkwardness.
“No,” he said too harshly and too quickly, holding up his hand to me.
The rejection and humiliation burned hot. He offered to help me and when I wasn’t offending him, I bowled him over like an overeager Labrador. I worried this time I’d pushed him too far and now he would take me home.
He seemed to understand how I was feeling. His voice was meant to soothe as he broke into my thoughts. “Claire, you have a stronger ability than I was ready for. It took me by surprise is all. I will be better able to help you if I eat before we continue.”
Instantly, I felt the color drain from my face. My heart leapt into my throat. He was going to eat? Me? No, Stephen said he didn’t do that.
“Relax,” he assured with a small grin. “My supply is in my refrigerator. If you would have a seat and give me just a few moments, I will take care of my needs and return with your tea.”

“Oh, okay. That’s, um, thoughtful.” Well, that was arguably the weirdest conversation I’d ever had. Feeling better about a lot of things, confused about others, I sat down on the couch and pulled my legs up underneath me to wait while James went about his business. Left to my own nosiness, I took the time to look around. What had seemed so clean and streamlined about the house initially I now saw as sterile.
Most people have pictures around their house showing hints of who they are. Pictures of their hobbies, people they know and love, places they’ve been. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but figured out in the lack of what I was seeking that I was hoping to learn more about my handsome tutor. He spoke formally at times, so I thought he was from at least the turn of the century when English got more mixed and slang became more acceptable. Or, maybe he wasn’t American initially and had learned it later. The foreign exchange students I had met in high school had learned what we called “British English” which was way more formal than our own American version. Of course I was also looking for evidence of a girlfriend. She would have to be pretty amazing to get this guy and, I assumed, she would have to be a vampire too, or it wouldn’t be fair because she would be too scared to break up with him.
I had put the cashmere throw on my lap while I was deep in thought about the hottie in the other room who was quickly becoming an incredibly fascinating person. Uh oh, double trouble. Great to look at, better to talk to.
Switching gears for my own safety, I looked around me. This was a comfortable house, I was tired and it was safe here. Relax, I thought as I closed my eyes for just a minute. I could return myself to a steadier place while I waited, thinking we could work that much better when he returned.
It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes that I had been asleep when I awoke to his voice in my ear. “Claire, I should bring you home.”

I sat up with a start, nearly smashing into his face in the process. He must have been right in my ear. Good thing he moved so fast or we’d both have serious goose eggs on our foreheads; well, I would anyway. “No, I’m alright. Please, I’ll be fine after I have some caffeine.”
He didn’t look convinced, but I wanted a chance to prove myself after the earlier debacle. We couldn’t end our session like this or it would be our last. “Are you certain? I warned you these practices can be draining. If you are already tired, I don’t want you to pass out on me.” He grinned teasingly and I felt my stomach flip. His color was closer to human, feeding must give him color as well as warmth, which explained the difference I saw in his pallor earlier as well.
“Let me have a cup of tea and I’ll be among the living again.” I froze and shot a look at him unable to read his reaction. Not sure if I had done damage or not, I concentrated on my tea.
After a few sips I put the cup down, pushed the blanket aside and stood up. “Okay, let’s try this again. I’m ready.”
He stood as well, so gracefully it was inconceivable, mesmerizing even. “Yes,” he agreed cautiously. “But this time, you hold still and I will come to you.”
We both put our palms out again but this time, obediently, I held perfectly still. When we touched, it was not like before. He was completely shielded and I had my first feeling of just someone’s hand. This was just touch. I felt the solidness of his palm, the coolness of his skin. I felt him. I was unprepared for what it would do to me. Before I realized it, I was weeping; uncontrollably weeping.
James instantly pulled his hand back and I heard the confusion in his voice. “I was shielded, you shouldn’t feel anything.”

That just made me cry harder. I couldn’t look at him. Through my sobs, I tried to speak. “I don’t. That’s it; I’ve never felt...nothing before.”
He understood that and closed the last step between us. As I saw his arms coming up, I jerked my face up to his and he saw my panic.
“Trust me. You’ll be safe.” James put his arms around me, letting his shields block out everything and give me peace. I finally felt what it was like to be comforted by an embrace. I wept for everything I’d never had, for the fear that made me cringe from a hug instead of lean into one. I felt him lift me up with one arm, sweeping my legs up with his other and without the slightest indication of exertion, he sat on the couch pulling me up into his lap. I tried to tell myself he’d seen it all before working with people like me and then cast that aside, preferring to think this first embrace was special for more than just me.

Meet HK Savage

HK Savage has been a voracious reader of anything she could get her hands on going back to the second grade when she would set her alarm two hours early to read before school. Her passion for the written word has continued and flowed into writing going back nearly as far. Her books have fans in twenty countries on six continents with hopes of attracting attention on Antarctica if for no other reason than to check a box. 

Currently, HK is a mother, wife and black belt in Karate as well as an avid dressage rider. Her three dogs: a Doberman she uses for therapy dog work and two ancient Doxies keep her busy when she is not writing or working or whatever else.

In addition to editing for the past ten years in advertising, HK has been an editor for several newsletters over the years; her favorite being for Heifer International where her ideas were put into effect and complimented by those on high. Currently her skills are being focused on clients in the writing world.

Paranormal is her favorite genre and science fiction because both address the possibilities we have not yet realized and the darker things we have. Her favorite premise: “what if?”

Be sure to check out the other books by HK Savage:
Life Blood
Blood Bound

Follow Links Goodreads}{Twitter}{Facebook}{Blog}{Amazon



Friday, May 24, 2013

Shattered Illusions Blog Tour & Giveaway
















When Sam, the unassuming, salt-of-the-earth proprietor of a local cafe is shot dead on the street, four strangers become the unwitting witnesses to a seemingly inscrutable crime. As the investigation progresses, this quartet of accidental onlookers find themselves not only haunted by the homicide, but pursued by their own pasts.

The deeper into the death they delve, the further into their own personal histories they plummet, as each is forced to face the fact that the loss of Sam is far from their most devastating. As the case continues, inner anguish reaches crescendo points for Danny, Ella, Marco, and Sarah as the answers they want continue to elude them, and the evidence they want to escape refuses to retreat.
..



Kj's Review

This was a very well written story of a murder and the four people around it. It was fascinating to learn all about Sarah, Marco, Ella and Danny. For a while I was completely lost and then I realized the brilliance of the storyline. I have to admit when it comes to a mystery or hidden identity I am often the last to pick it up, when I realized who the murderer actually was and how it all tied together I was in awe of the talent this author has and how she spun the tale out.
 I recommend this book to anyone liking suspense, and murder mysteries. I found the characters to be very well developed and the storyline excellent. Many kudos to Leigh Hershkovich for a wonderfully written book. Many thanks also for giving me this book to read and review!!


About This Author


Leigh Hershkovich's writing career began almost at infancy. Born and raised in The City By The Bay, Leigh was never seen without a pen and paper by her side, and was never without a story to share. With her vivid imagination and sharp writing tactics, Leigh has taken the world by storm twice over. Now, with her debut novel Shattered Illusions, readers will get a first time glimpse into her first full fiction attempt.

An avid reader, accomplished pianist, passionate scholar of language and the arts, Leigh currently resides in New York with her imagination.


Follow Leigh on www /Facebook /Goodreads


Forged By Magic Cover Reveal


Title: Forged By Magic (Forged Series .5)
Author: Angela Orlowski-Peart
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Expected Release Date: May 31st 2013
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours


Blurb:
Forged by Magic. Origins is a collection of short stories, featuring the characters from the Forged series. This is the first out of two prequels to the series. Each story is told from a different character point-of-view. 
Find out the details about how the Amulet and the Dasht-e Kavir have been created, and how the powers of the Universe opened the gates to other dimensions, letting some terrifying supernatural creatures into the Human World. 

Meet The Author

Angela Orlowski-Peart was born and raised in Poland. She describes herself as European born, American by choice. She was just seven-years-old when she decided to learn English and translate her favorite Polish fairytales. 

Angela is the author of the Young Adult and New Adult fiction novels, including YA paranormal/urban fantasy series, The Forged. First book in series, Forged by Greed, was published on September 20, 2012. There are two anthologies of short stories, serving as the prequels to the series. First of them, Forged by Magic. Origins is scheduled for publishing on May 31st, 2013. The second anthology (still untitled) will be out at the end of June 2013. Next three full size novels, including Forged by Coalescence, will be released in 2013 and 2014.

Angela writes in multiple genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fiction, sci-fi, and short stories. She loves reading good books almost as much as writing them. She speaks with Polish accent, but loves listening to the Southern drawl. 

She is passionate about watercolor painting, fashion—especially stilettos, rock climbing, environment, and organic food and gardening. She lives in the Seattle area with her family and a chronically curious cat. 

Follow Links
Forged By Greed - Book One in the Forged Series Amazon US}{Amazon UK



Thursday, May 23, 2013

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Playing The Maestro


Title-Playing the Maestro
By Aubrie Dionne
Publication Date: February 11, 2013
Published By: Entangled Publishing: Bliss 

Blurb-
Melody Mires has sworn off dating musicians, but when the sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony, her hesitation almost flies out the window with the notes of her flute—until he opens his mouth. Wolf is arrogant, haughty, and seems to have a personal vendetta against Melody. Oh, and he’s her boss. If she wants to keep her job as principal flutist, she’ll have to impress Wolf while simultaneously keeping her undeniable attraction to herself.

Wolf came to America to get as far away from his past as possible, and to recover some of the swagger he had as one of the world’s best maestros. He never imagined being forced to reassess the entire orchestra’s talent—and potentially fire anyone who doesn’t make his cut. Dating the attractive flutist is out of the question, but as their feelings reach a fever pitch, can they risk both their careers for a chance at love?



Excerpt-
"Wolf threaded his arms behind her waist. His golden brown eyelashes framed a wild sparkle in his eyes, and Melody couldn’t believe she’d put it there. Every thought in her rational mind told her to end the date now before it got complicated, but the passionate feelings radiating from her wild heart planted her firmly in place.

What was the harm in one kiss?"

Book Links-




Kj's Review
 I liked this book a lot as I am a musical person, not just classical, but musical nonetheless. I understood that Wolf was brought in to save the orchestra, not to get involved with a beautiful flutist; was even warned from getting involved with any member of the orchestra. But as fate would have it, he and Melody were a destined item. But, they needed to keep their budding romance under wraps so nothing would fall apart. They both shared an intense love of music, a distrust of the other sex, and the hope that they could rebuild the orchestra so it would not shut down. Oh, let’s not forget the villain who works against them making sure there are obstacles in their way, even bringing in another villain to help.
 This book was a solidly written story that pulled me in immediately; I enjoyed the musical references as well as imagining how the orchestra sounded while playing. I loved the aspect of the children in this story, it’s a truth that magic can bridge a lot of evils in this world and this was used as a wonderful counterpoint to the story as a whole. It actually gave the story an aspect I wasn’t expecting to find. All in all a good romance I would recommend to lovers of that genre, I give it 4 stars. I would like to take a moment and thank Aubrie Dionne for allowing me to read and review her book, I quite enjoyed it.

Meet The Author

Aubrie grew up watching 
the original Star Wars movies over and over again until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation-favorite character was Data by far-, and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be "A concert flutist" when she grew up. When she made that happen, she decided one career was not enough and embarked as a fantasy, sci fi author. Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

Now for the professional bio:

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She recently signed her YA sci fi novel with Inkspell Publishing titled: Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed, which will release in October 2012. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras. She's a big Star Trek TNG fan, as well as Star Wars and Serenity.

Follow Links- Goodreads}{Twitter}{Blog

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Solstice













Blurb:
In Gavin Moxley's world, there is no thin line between right and wrong. In a personal crusade to help sever a line of disease carried by a clan of vampires; Gavin has no choice to be ruthless. The Vampires are purposely infecting the human population…waiting for humans to actively pass it on to each other. Gavin takes no chances and executes them one by one. Not strong or powerful, finding humans before they turn into full vampires is ideal and Gavin’s best bet. 
Yes, this is Gavin’s life…
…And nothing ever changes it until a young half breed vampire with special abilities, Solstice, attaches and makes herself a fixture in his life when she asks for his help and protection and when a reluctant Gavin agrees he joins a dangerous game of cat and mouse. There is no safe place and the pair are constantly watching their backs. Torn between his hate and his love for Solstice Gavin is thrown into a moral dilemma that only he can figure out but two things are clear…
His faith and Humanity are being tested and the past is not always forgotten.


Purchase Link: Amazon

Kj's Review
This story was a new take on a vampire hunter; I loved the thought. I liked Gavin, his very gruffness made him lovable to me. Solstice is completely different being, a half vampire who is growing at an incredible rate, also a new thought for me. The interaction between Gavin and Solstice is so cute; they need each other so much and neither one seems to want to admit it.
 There is so much to take in with this book, I devoured it at once, then went back to read it again to savor it. The second time was just as good, I just like the way Mr Dull writes. I find myself speculating on what can happen next so I am truly glad there is another book. Solstice is such an imaginative character and her way of knowing things that Gavin doesn't really want her to know just pulls them closer in my eyes. It is seen as kind of a father/daughter relationship to a huge degree, that neither of them know how to take. Solstice is a wonder even to herself.
 I would recommend this book to any vampire lover, it's exciting and fresh. I really think that Mr Dull has an awesome imagination, I stand in awe. A fast moving story that keeps you on edge as new plot twists are revealed. I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review his book, was an awesome experience!!

Bryan W Dull's Playlist for Solstice

Meet The Author

Currently living in Cincinnati, OH with his wife (and fellow author Brandy Michelle) and their daughter. Bryan W. Dull goes leaps and bounds to get away from the norm and be his own person; with himself and his writing.  Since middle school he has always known what he was good at: entertaining and telling stories.  He has been consistently writing and coming up with plots for the last twenty years, but just recently decided to share one with the world.  His first novel, “Solstice” is a vampire book inspired by his daughter and noir literature.  Born in Anderson, IN, Bryan has also lived in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina (where “Solstice” is based).  
Being a lover of all things art and pop culture “nerdism”; his interests lie in film, television, comics, games, anime, and books.  For a short while, Bryan dabbled in voice acting work only to shift his focus to his family and writing.  His favorite authors include; Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Ernest Cline, and Neil Gaiman
Follow Links
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Please watch the trailer, it's a teaser of Equinox, sequel to Solstice!

Branded Trailer Release



Title: Branded
Author: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: June 28, 2013
Genre: Mature Young Adult, Dystopian
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours


Book Description:
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.
























Meet Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan. 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.



Chapter One


I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams. 
The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. 
My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back. 
Death and I glare at each other through my tears.
I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here. 
I’m ready to go. On the count of three.
I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.
A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls. 
Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head. 
Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home. 
It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me. 
My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name. 
 On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.
Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.
“Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners. 
Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying. 
Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now. 
My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest. 
Gotta keep going. 
“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me. 
I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost. 
My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.
I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped. 
Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.
“You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.” 
I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them even as I shiver with fear. 
“There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says. 
I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.
The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts. My dignity is all I have left.
Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. 
Did they need so many guards to capture me?
 I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that. 
The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass and the air grows warmer, more humid, the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade. 
To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.
“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told. 
“You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face.
 Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.
They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole. 
Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation. 
I lose myself in thoughts of my father. 
“Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love. 
The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. “Get out,” the guard orders while pulling me to my feet. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness. 
The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white in fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip. 
 I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying. 
“Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.
They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body. 
What do they think I could possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me. 
“MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.
“Lexi Hamilton.” 
A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then, they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.
“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.” 
A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.
Click. Click. Click. 
The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me. 

The Seven Deadly Sins:
Lust ¾ Blue
Gluttony ¾ Orange
Greed ¾ Yellow
Sloth ¾ Light Blue
Wrath ¾ Red
Envy ¾ Green
Pride ¾ Purple

 “Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.” 
Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks. 
“GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar. 
He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out. 
Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual. 
I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.
“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire from my neck to my jaw, making me wince. 
He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my new clothes, I pull the shirt over my head and try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name. 
“Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.
I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand. 
“Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg.
 “My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me. 
“It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand. “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving.
You can overcome anything… short of death.
 “You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?” 
A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.
“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance. 
“What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?” 
“Nothing,” I respond, confused.
“What color are they?”
“Turquoise.” I glower at him.
“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.” 
Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can't take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand. 
“Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside. 
“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk. 
 “Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.
“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute. 
“Let’s move,” Cole says. 
I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.