Tuesday, September 30, 2014

'The Forgotten Pharaoh' by Laura DeLuca

TheForgottenPharoahBookBlast

PharaohCover
The Forgotten Pharaoh

Julie Gerber isn't thrilled to be pulled out of school her senior year to follow her parents halfway around the world to unearth a lost pyramid. However, when the cute British guy and the mysterious financier of their project both fight for her attention, things start to get interesting. The pharaoh known as Djedefre was cursed for the murder of his eldest brother. The work of the archaeologists brings new secrets to light, ones that prove the fallen god-king wasn't the villain history had painted him to be. Can they prove his innocence? As the team digs deeper into the mystery, members of the party vanish or end up dead. Someone is determined to keep the truth hidden at all costs, even 4,500 years later.


Buy on:

Amazon * Smashwords * OmniLit * Barnes &Noble


Read the Reviews -


Review Andi's Young Adult Books http://andisyoungadult.blogspot.com
Review
Review Bookworm Babblings http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com
Review Manic Mama of 3 (http://manicmamaof3.wordpress.com)
Review http://mullenarmyfamily.blogspot.com

About the author:

laura delucaLaura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.



Author Links:
Laura is giving away a Egyptian Prize Pack including oil diffuser, bookmark, scarab, ankh charm, bookmark, pin and incense.
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Monday, September 29, 2014

FREE 9/27-10/1 'Molly Harper' and 'Duets' by Emelle Gamble


Emelle will award a signed paperback of MOLLY HARPER with bonus novella DUETS included (US ONLY) to THREE randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Please click the tour banner at the top to see other stops on this tour.

Movie star Molly Harper has it all, beauty, success in her field, and a loving family and marriage to actor Ben Delmonico. Norma Wintz, Molly’s mother, has it all, a lovely life style and two children who adore her, and a respite from the battle against cancer she’s been fighting. Anne Sullivan, at age fifty, is optimistic that her move to sunny Santa Barbara, California, will allow her to be closer to her youngest son and his family, and help her start her life anew after the death of her beloved husband.

But all three of these women, despite their considerable blessings, are plunged into turmoil when the most intimate of secrets that ties their lives together is revealed. At this same time, Molly Harper is confronted with the news that her marriage to actor Ben Delmonico is over. As she navigates this heartbreak and tries to keep the personal details of the drama off the front pages of the newspapers, Molly must also find a way to once and forever negotiate a way forward with her ex- lover and best friend, the volatile and compelling Cruz Morales.

How each of these characters handles the resulting upheaval in their own life, and in their relationships with one another, forms the compelling story of family, secrets and trust in the romantic women’s fiction novel, Molly Harper.



DUETS offers alternating looks into the lives of two women who would seem to have little or nothing in common.

Screen star Molly Harper has it all…beauty, success in her profession, a loving family and an upcoming marriage to actor Ben Delmonico. But as Molly is on the verge of marrying the man who has swept her off her feet, she still wonders if he hasn’t swept all her feelings for her first love away, Cruz Morales.

A handsome and cerebral college professor, Molly and Cruz have an on-again, off-again history stretching back to Molly’s early teen years. He’s not a man who a girl can ever forget about, and his feelings for Molly are equally conflicted.

Anne Sullivan, happily married for twenty-five years, is fighting to hold onto the man she loves, and hold off a confrontation that could shatter her family’s image of what they are. It involves the beautiful screen star and her mother, upper crust matron Norma Wintz, who Anne has traveled to California to meet under the most dramatic of circumstances.

Duets confronts the most intimate type of family secret that ties these two women’s lives together, just as chance events turn Molly and Anne’s worlds upside down.

Enjoy an excerpt from DUETS:

“He’s not what you think.”

Molly Harper turned away at these words, knowing they more than likely preceded an indictment of her fiancé. Keep from showing you’re hurt, she told herself. But she knew disappointment had flashed in her eyes, and that her mother had seen it.

“Ben’s not what I think?” Molly stared outside as the limousine she and Norma rode in glided down Wilshire Boulevard, five miles from the brick-paved road leading to her mother’s neighborhood. “Why don’t you tell me what you think I think he is?”

“You think he’s a man like your father, a man inclined to put his wife’s well-being and his children’s needs before his own. Ben Delmonico is not that kind of man,” Norma said.

She turned and faced her mother. “I don’t think you know Ben well enough to say that. And honestly, I wish you had a little more faith in me. I gave this a lot of thought before I decided to marry him.”

“A lot of thought? You told me five minutes ago you said ‘yes’ the same night Ben proposed. I think you’ve agreed to marry him because you’re panicking.”

Molly sighed. She’d hoped Norma would be delighted by the news she was marrying a successful man, the gorgeous, Academy-Award-nominated actor, Ben Delmonico. A man known the world over for his sophisticated action movies and box office charisma. But it was clear Norma was not delighted.

Typical. Mother loves being contrary. And in control. “What am I panicking about?”

“About being thirty-two. About not having children. But mostly because Cruz Morales is seriously involved with another woman. And, as usual, when you panic you make impulsive decisions. I’ve seen you live to regret that several times.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.” Molly’s took a breath. “When you told me a few weeks ago Cruz was involved with Shar, how did I act? I was happy. I told you to give him my congratulations! Cruz and Shar hooking-up has nothing to do with me deciding to marry Ben.”

“Really?”

“You know as well as anyone that Cruz and I have been over forever. He’s moved on, and I’ve moved on. We’re friends, but only that.” Heat bloomed on her cheeks and spilled down her neck.

“I don’t remember you being all that crazy about Ben before you heard the news about Cruz.” Norma tilted her chin up.

“Just because I don’t announce something to you, doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

Norma snorted.

“Ben and I have been dating for months. He’s a charming and generous man who convinced the studio to consider me for Traitor, risking his own chances for the lead. All my friends like him, Mom, both for himself and because he’s a wonderful actor.”

“Well, that is one thing we can agree on,” Norma said. “He is a good actor. So why not just make movies with him instead of marrying the man?”

“Those are not mutually exclusive. I’m marrying him and making a movie with him. Or have you forgotten I’ll be on set in Paris at Christmas?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten that. It’s the first Christmas you won’t be home; thank you, Ben Delmonico.” Norma leaned closer. “I just can’t help but wonder if that movie isn’t what’s behind him proposing so suddenly. The wedding publicity is sure to make it a blockbuster.”

“For god’s sake, that’s just plain insulting. He didn’t ask me to marry him to get publicity.” Molly reddened again, remembering how Ben had said, two minutes after she’d accepted his proposal, “Our box office will be huge.”

“Let’s just drop this, Mom. We’re almost home and I’ve got a million things to do.”

The Lincoln slowed and turned onto North Highland, the main thoroughfare into Hancock Park. “Every time we come this way, I remember the day Charles and I brought you home, all those years ago. It was the biggest triumph of our lives,” Norma said softly.

“That’s a nice memory.” It was, but Molly knew better than to let down her guard.

“It is.” Norma turned to Molly. “Now look, obviously I can’t tell you what to do any more. But until you found out Cruz was moving in with Shar, every time you called home, you asked about Cruz first. Every time you came home, he was the first one you called. I think you’re still in love with him. And, despite his behavior, which might fool someone who hasn’t known him since he was a little boy, it’s clear to me that he loves you too. I think this relationship with Shar is a ruse to provoke you into finding a way to work things out.”

The limo rocked gently and the women’s shoulders brushed against one another. Molly ran her fingers through the wild blonde hair she was famous for. “You’ve just outlined a plot so pathetic it wouldn’t get made by the Hallmark Channel.”

“I like the Hallmark Channel. They make lovely movies, without all the naked fannies.”

“I like the Hallmark Channel too, but that’s not my point. Cruz wouldn’t be with Shar for any reason other than he finds her a good match. He doesn’t do ‘ruses’.”

“What’s he got in common with her?”

“They both work at the college and they’re both into books and the local arts scene. I bet she’ll finally get him to turn one of his ideas into a novel. I never could.” Molly’s voice wavered.

“See, that’s pain in your voice, not happiness. You shouldn’t be afraid of the truth about your feelings, whatever the cost.”

“Like you? Are you always completely honest, Mother? No matter the cost?”

Norma blinked. “What are we talking about now? What haven’t I been honest about with you?”

Molly looked down. Her question had surprised both of them and she wished she could un-ask it. Now isn’t the time to open that particular can of worms.


About the author:

Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection. These evolved into bad teen poetry and worse short stories. She took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, published in the summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an April 2014 release.

Once and Forever, an anthology which includes the novella Duets, came out on November 1st. Molly Harper, a full length novel starring the characters from Duets 3 years later was released by Posh Publishing in January, 2014. Duets is now available as a standalone novella. Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, ‘Phil-the-fist’, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving.

Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Review Quotes:

Praise for SECRET SISTER…

“Along with being a very unique and captivating plot, SECRET SISTER offers a shocking turn of the paranormal kind… This is a story of friendship, family, and most of all, true love and what those things can mean. I cannot recommend SECRET SISTER strongly enough… “ Fresh Fiction, Fresh Reviews

DUETS…

"I'll admit I grabbed this book for review more because Emelle Gamble had a story in there - I've loved her significant touch brought to family relationships in a previous book of hers that I've read, and I wanted to confirm if this sort of embroiled-relationships type of tale is really her niche or not. Turns out, it is!" Zee Monodee's Author's Corner reviews MOLLY HARPER…

"MOLLY HARPER ...is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be my last! Ms. Gamble does a wonderful job of drawing these characters and making them just leap off the page." Long and Short Reviews

DATING CARY GRANT…

"Fantasy and reality blend together in this mesmerizing tale from Emelle Gamble…It's not your typical romance, making it a breath of fresh air in a market currently inundated with new adult contemporary romances (which I do love, but need a break once in a while!). I continue to be a fan of this author..." Andi's Book Reviews

Links:

Email: emellegamble@aol.com

Website: www.EmelleGamble.com

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/Emelle.Gamble

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmelleGamble

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123746.Emelle_Gamble

Emelle Gamble BOOKS:

DATING CARY GRANT book of the month at Long & Short Reviews. eBook exclusively at Amazon.com http://amzn.to/1xsXaFZ

SECRET SISTER… RONE Award Honorable Mention for BEST CONTEMPORARY NOVEL of 2013 available in audio, paperback and eBook at Amazon http://amzn.to/1rmuVXe

DUETS, a prequel novella to MOLLY HARPER, now available at Amazon http://amzn.to/1pAbT9d

MOLLY HARPER, available in paperback and eBook at Amazon http://amzn.to/1rvVbgz

MOLLY HARPER and DUETS now available in one Paperback volume! http://amzn.to/1rmv1hi

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Monday, September 22, 2014

The Gwen Sparks series by Stephanie Nelson is getting new covers!

Craved – Book 1

Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the supernatural town of Flora, but from the moment she reads about the first murdered witch, all hope of peace is abandoned. Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins—he wants her heart.

  photo Craved_zps7d51470b.jpg

Buying Links

Deceived – Book 2

The vampire drug, brew, nearly ruined Gwen Sparks’ life. Just when things start to get back to normal between her and Aiden, she is summoned by the North American Witches Council to their central city of Moon. A war is imminent between vampires and witches, and Gwen’s spirit walker powers are being used to fuel the fire. She is about to discover just how powerful she is with the help of the ruggedly handsome Angel of Death and just how far some people will go to get what they want. Gwen is going to learn exactly what it means to be Deceived.

  photo Deceived_zpsd732879f.jpg

Buying Links

Coveted – Book 3

Having prevented the war between the witches and vampires, Gwen Sparks was ready to move on and heal. She thought she could go home and her life would return to normal—she thought wrong.

Being a spirit walker offers her protection, but it also put her life in danger as others covet what she possesses. A bounty is placed on Gwen and rogues, who will stop at nothing to get the job done, relentlessly track her.

With no choice but to head to New Orleans to retrieve a special dagger, Gwen comes face to face with the angel of Death and the feelings she has been denying. Living in a world where everyone has a motive, can Gwen trust the connection she shares with Dorian Hade?

  photo Coveted_zps7572ccd4.jpg

Buying Links

Hexed – Book 4 (Coming Soon)

Everything and everyone has an expiration date, including Gwen Sparks. When Dorian, the Angel of Death, saved her, he did more than bend the rules: he shattered them.

When Gwen’s memories are stolen, the balance of life and death shifts, and magic goes on the fritz. Dorian realizes that even the angel of Death must face consequences for his mistakes. Everything and everyone has an expiration date, and time is running out for Gwen. If they don’t find a solution, Gwen’s borrowed time will come to an end, and Dorian will lose the woman he risked everything for.

Both will have to make a life-changing decision. Dorian’s choice will result in either altering his very existence or losing Gwen forever. Gwen will risk everything to right Dorian’s wrong, and her decision may just result in her death.

Stephanie’s website: www.Stephanie-Nelson.com
Stephanie’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorStephanieNelson
Stephanie’s Twitter: @stephnel1

Sunday, September 21, 2014

'Rocky & Bullwinkle' by Mark Evanier & Roger Langridge


Description

They’re finally here! Welcome Bullwinkle the Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel back to comics in these four great tales, "The Psychic Sidekick," “The Washed-Up Wizard," “First Moose on the Moon,” and “The Burger Monster.”

Plus, four back-up stories featuring everybody's favorite mountie, Dudley Do-Right.

http://amzn.to/1wWydm5

'Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer' by Dusty Higgins & Van Jensen


Description

This puppet may not be a real boy… but he just might be a real hero!

When bloodthirsty monsters invade Pinocchio's hometown and kill his father, Geppetto, Pinocchio discovers a new benefit to his magical nose: telling lies produces a never-ending supply of wooden stakes to combat the vampire hordes!

Will Pinocchio be able to defeat these horrors, avenge his father, and save his friends?

Now, for the first time, the complete trilogy is collected together in a single deluxe softcover edition. Jensen (Green Lantern Corps) and Higgins (Knights of the Living Dead) present a captivating blend of comedy, horror, romance, and adventure, rooted in the original Italian novel, but brought — as if by magic — to new life.


http://amzn.to/1pnM4cg

Sign up for S.M. Blooding's Newsletter & enter to win an autographed set of the 'Devices of War' series

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Sign up for S.M. Bloodings Newsletter to enter to win an autographed set of Book 1 & 2 of Devices of War ! Sign up HERE 
  

by SM Blooding

Book 2 of the Devices of War Trilogy

Genre: New Adult Fantasy Steampunk Adventure

Publisher: Blooding Books

Book Description: (Can be read as stand-alone)

Return to a world of mind blowing visuals, heart stopping action, and ships that sail the skies.

Nix, Queen of Wands, has exactly what she wants—Synn El’Asim, the greatest Mark the world has ever seen. Even though she bound his soul to hers, he is not easily controlled. If she wants him, she must do the one thing that pains her most. Let him go, and give him what he desires. Peace.

Armed with a treaty bearing Nix’s seal, Synn sets off to bridge the gap between the world’s two reigning tyrants—the Hands of Tarot and the Great Families. He struggles to trust Nix as he fights for control of his soul. He’s going to need every ounce of restraint when dealing with his mother, leader of the Great Families. She will not give up her power without a fight. Nix will honor her treaty only if Synn agrees to become her knight. His mother refuses to sign the peace agreement if he falls into the queen’s control.

Frustrated, Synn does the one thing neither woman saw coming. He invites all the tribes, currently voiceless in the war between these two ruling tyrants, to partake in the treaty negotiations. All they have to do is prove their worth in his Peace Games. As Synn’s influence and subsequent power grows, a new fight begins.

Who will control Synn’s League of Cities? Can he protect more people as a leader of the Great Families, or as the Knight of Wands?


Find on Goodreads  

  Purchase for only $2.99

 

Fall of Sky City
Praise for Fall of Sky City

Wow! What did I just read?? The story was deliciously complex, full of fear, wonder, magic, gadgets, gizmos, one heck of a psycho Queen and wonderful friends. Every character brought something to the story, each with a unique personality that came to life through the book, each with their own fears to overcome. Victoria Limbert I love the world Blooding has created. She managed to create it in a way that it combines specs of all my favorite movies, books, etc. It’s a mixture of young adult fantasy, steam punk, dystopia, sci-fi, paranormal and even some tiny bit of romance. Fall of Sky City is a diverse book that is intense, a little bit violent, and a whole lot of awesome! I look forward to reading the next book of the series! Unputdownable Books SM Blooding is a new author to me, but this is definitely not the last book I’ll read by her. Synn El’Asim is a powerful character–the reader sees him grow from a young man who has not yet come into his power to a strong man who is courageous enough to fight for what he believes in–his family and his people. The world building Ms. Blooding does is nothing short of remarkable. A world composed of flying ships, ice worlds, danger, and intrigue. My World of Dreams

This book is action-packed and intense. You feel like you’re part of the drama. This story is intense. The action is perfectly paced. I had trouble putting the book down. I really felt for Synn from the very beginning. He goes through so much. As soon as he gets his mark, he is plunged into one situation after another. Queen Nix, who is horrifying by the way, pushes Synn to new levels, in more and more diabolical ways. With the help of friends and family, Synn becomes a strong leader. Waiting on Sunday to Drown

I’m amazed of the world Blooding has created and built. It has Sky, Land, and Water Cities. These cities each has its own technologies, language, and a whole different way of life. These worlds remind me a lot of Avatar the Last Airbender and Star Wars, which I both loved wholeheartedly.Bahrain Newspaper Article Review!

Fall of Sky City Book 1 : 

Amazon – KindleAmazon – PaperbackGoodreads


Meet the Author:

SM “Frankie” Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Jack the Bird. Jack has refused to let her to take up the piano again, but is warming to the guitar. It might help that Frankie has learned more than two strings. She’s added a few more Arabic words to her vocabulary, but don’t invite her into conversation yet—unless, of course, you’re willing to have a very . . . slow . . . conversation.

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

She’s also an investigator with a local paranormal investigation group, Colorado Paranormal Rescue!

 


Find out more about her at:

Facebook /Twitter /Website



Enter to win - Fill out the form below and make sure to check her newsletter October 7 to see who won and enter to win another fun contest
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Saturday, September 20, 2014

'Frozen Reverie (Dream Slayer #4) by Jill Cooper Release Day Blast!

DreamSlayer 4

frozen_promoCameras, interviews, celebrity endorsements....

After a demonire plague ravaged the mountainside of Meadow's Creek, Natalie did the unimaginable and came clean about it all—vampires, her job, and the reality of the supernatural.

It has thrust her into a world of spotlight where she is both revered and ridiculed.

With fan clubs, television specials, and a talk show on the horizon, Natalie and her friends are caught up in celebrity as the undead move against Natalie to send her to an early grave.

And their ally? The people Natalie sought to protect the most—the survivors of the vampire curse.

Buy on Amazon


DS Free New Promo

 

Also Available - The Dream Slayer Novellas

Novella CoverNecromancer's Kiss


Buy on Amazon:

Sacrifice .99



jillcooperAbout the Author:

I could write this in the third person. I could tell you what I like, where I was born, and what my favorite things are.

But instead, I'll say I don't want to write like everyone else. I don't want to craft stories you've read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you've ever read.

I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad.

If you do, then I'll have succeeded. If not, I'll keep trying.

She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com. Please like her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to keep up to date on new releases and appearances.

Jill will be giving away A Dream Slayer tote bag, with some signed books and buttons. Giveaway runs from 9/20 - 10/5/2014
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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

'And Justice For Some (An Isobel Spice Mystery)' by Joanne Sydney Lessner



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joanne will be awarding a $30 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post. Please click the banner to see a list of other stops on the tour.

Dinner theater can be a death sentence—literally.

Actress Isobel Spice and her best friend Delphi Kramer are thrilled to finally have an opportunity to perform together, even if it’s just a cheesy interactive murder mystery at a judge’s lifetime achievement dinner. But when Isobel’s dramatic death scene is upstaged by a real murder and Delphi is left holding the still-smoking gun, Isobel drops the role of victim and assumes the role of detective. With the help of her precocious brother Percival and her reluctant temp agent James Cooke, Isobel peels back layers of deception to reveal a shocking abuse of power—and no shortage of suspects eager to deliver justice to a man who denied it to so many.


Excerpt One:

The gun went off with a resounding report, and Isobel Spice staggered backward with a gasp. She tried to scream, but her breath caught in the back of her throat and all that came out was a gurgling, choking sound. Her eyes widened in horror as her hands, clutching her chest, came away red and sticky. She swayed precariously for a moment, but then her eyelids collapsed, her head fell back, and her knees gave way. She sank to the ground, arms and legs splayed at unnatural angles.

All was silent.

“Okay, that was way over the top.”


 Isobel sat up in the middle of the dance floor, wiping her hands on her stained shirt. She frowned at her friend, Delphi Kramer, who was still aiming the old-fashioned-looking derringer at her.

“That’s not your call.” Isobel turned to Peter Catanzaro, the burly, broad-shouldered, perennially stubbled producer and star of Murder à la Carte. “Was it too much?”

“Are you kidding? The cheesier, the better.” Peter offered a hand and pulled her to her feet. “Shakespeare it ain’t.”

Isobel snuck a glance at Delphi, whose blue eyes grew stormy. Isobel knew Delphi prided herself on her facility with the Bard’s iambs, and she, more than Isobel, felt they were slumming doing murder mystery dinner theater. Having won her point with Peter, however, Isobel took pity on her friend and, grabbing her arm, whispered a reminder: “A hundred bucks. And dinner.”

Delphi shook her off, and the gun bumped Isobel’s arm. Isobel let out a little shriek.

“Give me the gun,” Peter ordered. “That’s why you don’t get to handle the weapons except during rehearsal and performance.”


Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner The Temporary Detective (Dulcet Press, 2012), which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel’s adventures continue in the novels Bad Publicity (Dulcet Press, 2013) and And Justice for Some (Dulcet Press, 2014). The Ghosts’ High Noon (Dulcet Press, 2014), an Isobel Spice short story, is available on http://joannesydneylessner.com as a free download. Inspired by the true story of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine, Joanne’s debut novel Pandora’s Bottle (Flint Mine Press, 2010) was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. Her play, Critical Mass, winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition, received its New York premiere at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row in October 2010. She has written the book and lyrics to several musicals with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, including the cult hit Fermat’s Last Tango, which received its Off-Broadway premiere at the York Theatre Company in November 2000, and Einstein’s Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. They are currently developing a musical based on Wilkie Collins’s The Haunted Hotel for the Signature Theatre Company in Arlington, Virginia. Joanne is also a regular contributing writer to Opera News.

http://joannesydneylessner.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JoanneSydneyLessner

https://twitter.com/joannelessner

Amazon: http://amzn.to/ZoTdEa

BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/joanne-sydney-lessner

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/and-justice-for-some

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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

'MS Madness' by Yvonne deSousa - Read the Reviews and Win!

MSmadnessbanner

mscover-halfYvonne deSousa’s diagnosis of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis came with an insightful declaration from a new doctor (“MS Sucks”) and a brother’s helpful advice (“You could totally get one of those handicapped parking plates now”).

What followed was a year of MS-adventures: “accidentally” kicking an officious male doctor in the crotch, becoming an undercover agent to pay for medication made from Chinese hamster ovary cells, discovering the amazing effects of legal speed, and battling her arch-nemesis, the dreaded food group-vegetables.

Throughout her MS journey, Yvonne learned how to use humor to find acceptance in her diagnosis and how to smile in the face of chronic illness. Life with multiple sclerosis can be daunting, but Yvonne shares her giggles at the bizarre world she has unwittingly entered and the new perspectives it has given her on life. MS Madness! makes us realize that with a sense of humor, we can survive anything.

“MS Madness! A ‘Giggle More, Cry Less’ Story of Multiple Sclerosis combines defiance with humor, the secret weapon of the sick. Laughter has carried me a greater distance than conventional medicine ever will. In the end, attitude drives well being.” -Richard M. Cohen, NY Times best-selling author of Blindsided and Strong at the Broken Places

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Amazon Paperback | B&N

Put MS Madness on your TBR pile



Author Bio
yvonneYvonne deSousa has worked as a street sweeper, a shell seller, a babysitter, a candy peddler, and a guest house manager, all before the age of sixteen. Later on she worked as a waitress, sales clerk, library assistant, victim’s advocate, and at the front desk of a doctor’s office.

Two years before Yvonne’s diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, a relative volunteered her to write an article for a local newspaper. Little did she know it was the beginning of a writing career. When MS threatened to turn her into a lunatic, she started writing more frequently and quickly discovered that writing about the insanity that is MS was helping to keep her sane.

Her work has appeared on CapeWomenOnline.com, and in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Finding My Faith and Something On Our Minds, Volumes 1 and 2. Yvonne also writes a weekly blog on www.yvonnedesousa.com the website that uses a giggle stick to beat up on MS. Since finishing MS Madness! A “Giggle More, Cry Less” Story of Multiple Sclerosis, she has started presenting programs designed to help others use humor to help cope with chronic illness.

Yvonne enjoys writing, laughing, and resting. She lives by her personal mottos, “how you deal affects how you feel” and “my MS is not your MS and your MS is weird!”

Contact her at Yvonne@yvonnedesousa.com
Find her on Twitter | Facebook | Literary Addicts | Goodreads



Read the Reviews

Uplifting Reads
Taking Time for Mommy
What U Talking About Willis?
Niki's Book Blog
Mullen Army Family

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Friday, September 12, 2014

Rose Shababy, author of 'The Blue Effect,' talks about inspiration

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Trying to explain where my story ideas come from reminds me of that song from The Sound of Music. The lyrics ask, ‘How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?’ ‘How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?’ My ideas feel like that sometimes. It seems like I lose more then I capture. And even when I do, the end result is often nothing like my original idea.

The Blue Effect is no exception to that rule. I sat down and busted out five chapters to what was a completely different story before I realized I hated it. Every word I’d written sucked. So I started over, this time really focusing on the main character.

Something fantastic occurred. I began to connect to this woman, Blue Brennan, in ways I’d never connected with a character before. The lines separating us began to blur. All of her angst and drama and humor became mine, and vice versa. I soon came to love her brash ways and inimitable style. I love her smart mouth. I love her vulnerability and strength. I love her intelligence. I love her wildness.

Then one day, I realized that all the things I loved about her were qualities that I possessed. Things that I had looked at as flaws in the past became parts of me that I suddenly cherished. Through Blue, I found the ability to love myself. Oh sure, I still wrinkle my nose when I look at my butt in the mirror, but when had I ever stopped to appreciate the way I looked at the world around me or my tendency to say exactly what I was thinking?

I’ve never enjoyed writing anything as much as I’ve enjoyed writing Blue’s story. It’s a novel about superheroes, but it’s more than that. It’s really about learning to accept yourself and becoming the hero of your own story.

I hope you love Blue as much as I do.



TheBlueEffect
The Blue Effect

Blue Brennan is jaded and bitter despite her pinup girl looks and a quick wit. Night after night she scours the Seattle club scene looking for someone or something to fill the emptiness inside.

When she meets the mysterious Kasey, her world stops on its axis… literally. He claims she has the ability to control time and stuns her even further when he reveals his own gifts.

Blue is inexplicably drawn to Kasey and reluctantly enters his world filled with a new breed of humanity, each with amazing powers of their own. They’re misfits like her, blessed or cursed with powerful abilities, struggling to hide their differences while pitting their powers against injustice.

Then the group discovers the existence of a nameless, faceless sociopath with nightmarish powers, and his sights are set on Blue. But Blue and her unique gifts are not only his target, they are also the key to defeating him and saving them all.

Now she must race against the clock to harness her own powers and save her new friends. Can she be more than a renegade? Can she be a hero too?

Buy on:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes


FaceBook Release Day Party


The best debut novel I’ve read in years. Blue is the type of unique, honest, protagonist usually only experienced in Stephen King novels. The Blue Effect was part Fight Club, part X-Men and sucked me in from the very first chapter to the very last word. Powerfully written with a compelling plot and wicked antagonist. Couldn’t ask for anything more – except the sequel! – Robert Dugoni, NY Times Best Selling Author My Sister’s Grave



About the author:

roseRose Shababy and her family reside in eastern Washington State. Rose grew up in the Northwest but swears she’s going to move to warmer climates someday. She’s claimed this for over 20 years, however, and has yet to move more than 75 miles away from her mother.

Rose has a deep love of all things Star Trek and yearns to travel the heavens, as well as an intense desire to be bitten by a radioactive spider. Unfortunately she sucks at science and math so she hasn’t been able bring her dreams to life, instead living vicariously through books, comics, television and film. She hopes to someday make a million dollars so she can afford to buy her way to the international space station, but she’d settle for being able to fly around the world and leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Rose also loves to cook and worked for years in a gourmet Italian grocery and deli where she learned to hone her skills. She prepares culinary masterpieces for her family, but fervently wishes the dishes would wash themselves. Especially now that her dishwashers/children are nearly grown and only one still lives at home.

Rose likes to use her free time wisely. For instance, she likes to daydream, will often read for hours until she falls asleep on the couch with an electric blanket and a warm tabby cat curled up on her hip, as well as spending cozy weekend days watching Syfy movies like Sharknado and Mega Piranha with her husband.

If Rose were a cartoon animal, she’d prefer to be a wise old owl or a sleek and sexy jaguar, but in reality she’d probably be a myopic mole with coke-bottle glasses.

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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

'Wounded (A Rylee Adamson Novel #8)' by Shannon Mayer

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Pageflex Persona "My name is Rylee and I am a Tracker."

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I'm the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

The clock is ticking and I can feel the weight of the final battle with the demon hordes looming over my head. The puzzle pieces are becoming clearer, but the casualty list is growing. And with each name that is added to those we've lost, my confidence cracks a little more.

Yet there is hope.

A child saved.

A life lost.

A prophecy fulfilled.

Buy on

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords


All of the books in The Rylee Adamson Novels series will be on sale from September 9-15th at $0.99 down from $3.99 regular price.




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Books 1-7 will be on sale for $0.99 at the following links September 9th- 15th

Buy on:
Priceless: Amazon | iTunes | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo
Immune: Amazon | iTunes | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo
Raising Innocence: Amazon | iTunes | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo
Shadowed Threads: Amazon
Blind Savage: Amazon
Alex (A Rylee Adamson Novella): Amazon
Tracker (A Rylee Adamson Novel, Book 6): Amazon | iTunes | Smashwords | B&N

Guardian (A Rylee Adamson Novella, Book 6.5): Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo Veiled Threat (A Rylee Adamson Novel, Book 7): Amazon
 

For the first time EVER Shannon's books will be on multiple platforms!!




About the author:

ShannonMayer (2)Shannon Mayer lives in the southwestern tip of Canada with her husband, dog, cats, horse, and cows. When not writing she spends her time staring at immense amounts of rain, herding old people (similar to herding cats) and attempting to stay out of trouble. Especially that last is difficult for her.

She is the author of the The Rylee Adamson Novels, The Nevermore Trilogy, A Celtic Legacy series and several contemporary romances. Please visit her website at http://www.shannonmayer.com for more information on her novels.

Follow Shannon on:

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Amazon Author Page


The author is giving away $25 Amazon Gift Card (x3)

Cover Reveal! 'An Intimate Murder' by Stacy Verdick Case


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions to show off the cover for AN INTIMATE MURDER by Stacy Verdick Case.

Stacy will award a signed ARC of An Intimate Murder (US only) to THREE randomly drawn winners via the rafflecopter at the end of this post.

Check out this awesome cover!


Now find out about the book:

A Catherine O'Brien Mystery.

When Jonathan and Susan Luther are murdered in their home, St. Paul homicide detective Catherine O'Brien and her partner Louise discover this isn't the first time the Luther family has been visited by tragedy. Is it a case of bad family luck or is there something more?

Here's an excerpt!

“Way to go, O’Brien.” Bob Shackelford leaned over my shoulder and tapped the newspaper. “Front page. I think that’s a first for you. Usually your tirades are limited to interoffice email. You’re really stepping up in the world.”

“Thanks, Shackelford. Say, you oughta have that growth looked at.”

“What growth.”

I pointed to his head. “Oh, never mind, it’s your face.”

“Haw, haw, O’Brien. Very childish”

He was right but it was the best I could manage on limited coffee.

He lifted the paper from my desk and unfolded it in mid-air. “At least the story appears on the bottom half of the front page. Hardly anyone looks at the bottom half.”

The headline read, Saint Paul Police Defensive Over Botched Investigation. Under the headline was a photo of me in front of Pam Hind’s house. The photographer had snapped the photo while I was speaking. My lips curled back from my teeth and I was pointing into the crowd. I looked like KC when he sees the neighbor’s cat on our porch.

Shackelford tweaked the edge of the paper. “It took me a whole ten seconds to skim down far enough to see this article.”

I snatched the paper from his hands and began to read.

Officer Catherine O’Brien, a seven-year veteran of the Saint Paul Police Department, gave an impromptu press conference outside the house of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Luther who were murdered inside their Saint Paul area home Tuesday morning.

Officer O’Brien, stumbled drunkenly down the sidewalk, scolded the media, and referred to the press as “vultures” after attempts to question the officer about the path of the homicide investigation. This outburst is just the latest in what has become a pattern of denial and hostility by the Saint Paul Police Department and crime lab when questions regarding investigative procedures arise.


Stacy Verdick Case was born in Willmar, Minnesota. After a brief stint as a military brat, where she lived in Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, her family moved back to Minnesota.

Stacy has written all her life earning a High School Writer Award and a Daphne Du Mauier Award for excellence in Mainstream Mystery/Suspense.

Stacy currently lives in a suburb of St. Paul with her husband of twenty-years, her five-year-old daughter, and their two cats.

An Intimate Murder is the third book in the Catherine O’Brien series.

Visit Stacy on the web:

www.StacyVerdickCase.com

Twitter @SVerdickCase

https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Grand-Murder/265021126858004

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5094848.Stacy_Verdick_Case

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FREE 9/9-9/13 '30 Days: Change Your Habits, Change Your Life' by Marc Reklau


Blurb:

Have you ever asked yourself why some people seem to get everything easily and others don’t? Do you feel like a victim of your circumstances? Are you tired of waiting for your life to change? Everything you have in your life today is a direct result of your thoughts, beliefs and expectations. And so is where YOU will be in 1, 5 or 10 YEARS! Nothing happens “JUST BECAUSE”.


Find out how to take control and full responsibility of your life, and how a couple of small steps every day can change everything. 30 Days is not just a book that you read. To make it work YOU have to work and do the exercises it proposes consistently over time. In this simple, fast-paced eBook you will be learning what it takes to create the life you want.

30 Days is for people who are struggling, wanting to change their life, but they feel powerless and think change comes from the outside. They also keep doing the same things over and over expecting a different result, which Albert Einstein considered to be the purest form of insanity.

If you want to change your life, you have to change your habits and start doing small things differently every day.

Discover your enormous potential and…
• Stop being a victim of the circumstances
• Stop waiting for the miracle to happen and become one
• Stop suffering and start creating the life you want
• Improve your self-confidence
• Improve your relationship with your spouse, colleagues, boss, etc.

30 Days is based on science, neuroscience, positive psychology and real-life examples.

Anyway. Don’t believe a word I say! Try it out for yourself. You already know everything that you will see in the book, but you have to put it into action.

Some of the benefits that reading and working through the book can bring you:
--> Get more self-confidence
--> Fall in love with the most important person in your life – YOU
--> Lose your fear of your emotions and learn to manage them
--> Become wealthier, healthier and happier
--> Find the job of your dreams
--> Find love
--> Start your own business
--> Have an extraordinary life


Available on Amazon
FREE 9/9-9/13





Marc Reklau (Esslingen am Neckar, Germany, 1973) is a Life and Executive Coach and personal development expert. After an amazing and rewarding journey that took him from his native country to the United States, Mexico and Spain, he finally found his calling - Coaching.

His current homebase is the beautiful city of Barcelona, Spain and Marc's mission is to empower people to create the life they want and to give them the resources and tools to make it happen.

He spend thousands of hours researching, studying and applying the principles and secrets of success and happiness. His message is simple: Many people want to change things in their lives, but few are willing to do a simple set of exercises constantly over a period of time. You can plan and create success and happiness in your life by installing habits that support you on the way to your goals.

Links:

Monday, September 8, 2014

'The Blue Effect' by Rose Shababy Release Day Book Blast!


This post is part of a virtual book tour celebrating the release of The Blue Effect by Rose Shababy. Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card at the end of the post. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Blue Brennan is jaded and bitter despite her pinup girl looks and quick wit. Night after night, she scours the Seattle club scene looking for someone or something to fill the emptiness inside.

When she meets the mysterious Kasey, her world stops… literally. He claims she has the ability to control time and stuns her even further when he reveals his own gifts.

Blue is inexplicably drawn to Kasey and reluctantly enters his world filled with a new breed of humanity. They’re misfits like her, blessed or cursed with powerful abilities, struggling to hide their differences from the rest of society.

Then the group discovers a nameless, faceless sociopath with nightmarish powers; and he’s coming for Blue. She’s left reeling when they discover her gifts are the key to defeating his terrible evil and saving them all.

Now she must race against the clock to harness her own powers and save her new friends. Can she be more than a renegade? Can she be a hero too?

Enjoy an excerpt:

He held out his free hand and I reached for it without thinking. Taking the hand of this stranger seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

Our fingers touched and my skin came alive. I felt a surge of electricity as some sort of energy shot from his hand into mine, running through my whole body and back to his like an endless circuit. I couldn’t stifle the gasp that broke through my lips. I stared at him, my vision narrowing until his face and eyes and smile were the only things I could see.

The energy between us exploded outward like a wave into the crowd, through the people and everything around me stopped. The music ended like a switch had been flipped, the people froze mid-step and even the air around me seemed to stop moving.


Buy links

About the Author:
Rose Shababy and her family reside in eastern Washington State. Rose grew up in the Northwest but swears she’s going to move to warmer climates someday. She’s claimed this for over 20 years, however, and has yet to move more than 75 miles away from her mother.

Rose has a deep love of all things Star Trek and yearns to travel the heavens, as well as an intense desire to be bitten by a radioactive spider. Unfortunately she sucks at science and math so she hasn’t been able bring her dreams to life, instead living vicariously through books, comics, television and film. She hopes to someday make a million dollars so she can afford to buy her way to the international space station, but she’d settle for being able to fly around the world and leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Rose also loves to cook and worked for years in a gourmet Italian grocery and deli where she learned to hone her skills. She prepares culinary masterpieces for her family, but fervently wishes the dishes would wash themselves. Especially now that her dishwashers/children are nearly grown and only one still lives at home.

Rose likes to use her free time wisely. For instance, she likes to daydream, will often read for hours until she falls asleep on the couch with an electric blanket and a warm tabby cat curled up on her hip, as well as spending cozy weekend days watching Syfy movies like Sharknado and Mega Piranha with her husband.

If Rose were a cartoon animal, she’d prefer to be a wise old owl or a sleek and sexy jaguar, but in reality she’d probably be a myopic mole with coke-bottle glasses.

https://www.facebook.com/rose.shababy
http://roseshababy.com/
https://twitter.com/RoseShababy
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