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Friday, July 31, 2015

Book Blitz : Destroying Angel by Missy Wilkinson


Destroying Angel
Release Date: 07/09/15
187 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Gates McFarland’s mother has just been proclaimed brain dead by a neurologist. But fifteen-year-old Gates doesn’t believe it’s true, because she hears her mother’s voice in her head. The command is simple: Find my heart. It’s the last thing Gates hears from her mother before the neurologist pulls the plug.

After contacting the Organ Procurement Agency, Gates learns there is no record of her mother’s organ donation. She meets Dr. Ascuitto, her mother’s neurologist. A menacing figure, he threatens to institutionalize Gates if she continues her inquiries.

Determined to find the truth, Gates gets help from John Ed, a street-smart, sixteen-year-old recovering addict. Together, they navigate an underworld of body theft, interstellar drug trafficking and doctors who double as dealers. She finds herself attracted to John Ed’s musical talents and emotional strength even as she is drawn ever-deeper into an alien world accessible only by use of a hallucinogenic spore. Hostile and governed by a sinister waif named Penny, the world holds secrets about Gates’ mother’s death…and the key to Gates’ survival.


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The book release party is Tuesday, July 28 in New Orleans. Everyone is welcome to attend! The Facebook invitation is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/391976724334930/


EXCERPT

I go to the sanctuary of the high school outcast—the library. It’s almost as posh as the cafeteria: a sun-filled room with floor-to-ceiling windows that have sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains. I find a DVD of The Magic Flute, my favorite opera, and check it out. I love Mozart; always have, ever since seeing a movie about him when I was little. Dad says I had a crush on the actor that plays Mozart, but it wasn’t just that. The childhood fame, the ridiculous talent, the drinking, the mysterious early death...he was like a proto-rock star. The kind of person I dream of becoming, except without the early death. I’m a little washed up for a child prodigy, but there’s still some hope for me. I just need to do something amazing this year or next, like write a symphony or become a wunderkind fashion blogger.
Or maybe just write a decent research paper.




About the Author
Hi all! I'm a book fiend turned professional wordsmith who tells stories both fictional and factual. My debut novel, DESTROYING ANGEL, was published this year by Torquere Press. I freelance for publications including xoJane.com, HelloGiggles.com, BRIDES and Country Living, and I have served as a local editor for Zagat and Fodor guides.

I work as a full-time journalist at Gambit Weekly, THE BEST source for news in New Orleans (I'm biased, obviously). 


Author Links:
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BOOK PLAYLIST
I play keyboards and sing backup vocals in a band called Shouts and Murmurs. There are always rehearsals and recording sessions going on in my house, so the book playlist is our debut album, “New East Berlin And Other Stories.” Listen to it here: https://shoutsandmurmurs.bandcamp.com/


AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Q: In your book, Gates’ mother dies and donates her body to science, and Gates goes on a quest to find it. Why did you write about organ donation?

A: It’s a topic that kept finding its way into my life. My friend Zane died unexpectedly and became an organ donor. Then, my friend Lauren, who had cystic fibrosis, died waiting for a lung transplant. And last, my former boyfriend Jonah, who had muscular dystrophy, died waiting for a heart transplant. So organ donation is something I was thinking a lot about while writing DESTROYING ANGEL.

Q: Were you good at English in school?
A: Yes, I was a relentless reader, so I absorbed a lot of information about grammar and spelling that way. I was very good at diagramming sentences. When I was in fifth grade, I went a year without watching TV, just to prove I could, and read some books that remain favorites today: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Gone with the Wind are among them.

Q: What does your writing process look like?
A: Well, I am a full-time journalist, so I write at work, during my lunch breaks and random down time. It just looks like me tapping at a Word document. Some days are busy, so I don’t get much time to write fiction. On those days, I try to write something, even if it’s just a sentence. Any day that I write, I consider a success, even if I only write for a couple minutes.

Q: You’re also a blogger at www.nowlistenmissy.com. Is it hard to write books and maintain a blog?
A: No. They’re very different types of writing, and I enjoy doing both. I find that the more I write, the more I can write, if that makes sense. It’s similar to how, if you start running, you’re able to run longer and longer the more you do it. Anything that motivates me to write is a good thing. Plus, I’ve made wonderful connections through blogging.

Q: What is the most useful thing you’ve found for marketing books?
A: Definitely writing guest posts for blogs and articles for online publications. Most let you link to your blog, and it’s a way to get your name out to a wide audience who might not otherwise have heard of you.

Q: Your protagonist gets in trouble with the police. Have you ever been arrested?
A: Yes, when I was 21 I spent a weekend in jail on felony possession charges. I went to court-ordered rehab, completed a year on probation, did community service, paid a lot of fines, and haven’t had any trouble with the law since. You could say I’ve been rehabilitated.


GIVEAWAY:
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Blitz organized by YA Bound Book Tour 

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Book Blitz : Forever Bound by Deanna Roy (The Forever Series #4)







Forever Bound by Deanna Roy
(The Forever Series #4)
Publication date: July 28th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:
A new standalone romance with the characters from the USA Today bestselling Forever series, coming July 28, 2015.
You can only run from life for a little while. Eventually, it catches up.
A hitchhiking musician looking only for freedom and adventure as he sings for tips across the US spends a single night with spunky pink-haired Jenny, only to discover that sometimes, one night can be the beginning of forever.


Purchase:

Excerpt from Forever Bound

Whoa. Who was that girl?

The party was full of women, polished and perfect and snooty in how they appraised me, like they were looking for something, and I wasn't it.

But not this one.

She seemed nervous, a little lost. Her green dress was as fancy as anyone's here, but that hair. I didn't know anybody with pink dreadlocks. She couldn't be an actress expecting to get many parts, unless the hair was for something she was doing right now.

It was wicked gorgeous. I'd never seen anyone like her.

The tables were packed, and clusters of animated people talked with exaggerated gestures, like they were game show hosts. I could see from the body language that everybody had too much to say and not enough patience to hear anybody else.

I looked her way a couple more times, trying not to stare.

The guitar I was holding during the band's break felt good. I wanted to crank out a solo, something dark and brooding, but this wasn't my gig. I set it back in its stand and couldn't help myself, but took one more look into the crowd.

My heart revved up when I saw she was watching me. Then she was heading this way. 

_________

AUTHOR BIO:
Deanna Roy is the five-time USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and women's fiction.

She is a passionate advocate for women who have lost babies. She has several books on the subject, including her bestseller FOREVER INNOCENT, a romance about a couple whose baby is taken off life support at seven days old.

She has run the website PregnancyLoss.Info for fifteen years, including many large spin-off support groups both online and in person.

To learn about new releases, sign up for her subscriber list at http://deannaroy.com/news. She has regular giveaways in conjunction with major pregnancy loss events.

Author Links:



Interview with a freakishly fun Book BFF

Today we’re chatting with Jenny, a character in Deanna Roy’s Forever Series. She had bit parts in all three Forever books, but takes the lead role in the newest standalone romance -- Forever Bound.

Q: So, tell us about us about the boyfriend.
A: The old one or the new one? The old one was a big secret. He was a movie director who hired me to be his girl. I was contractually obligated to wear designer clothes, spend his money, and go to A-list parties on his arm.

Q: So why is he the "old" one?
A: He fell in love! With someone else!

Q: So he ended your contract?
A: Yes! And took away the credit card! Not only that, I had to get "caught" by the paparazzi cheating on him with some new man, so he could establish a clean break with the press.

Q: Did you find a new man?
A: Of course. He was divine. He sang with the band at the after party for the premiere of that big dinosaur movie.

Q: And you got the pictures?
A: Well, I might have slightly overachieved on that. We went to the beach. Got a little crazy. And there may or may not have been footage of us skinny dipping in the ocean.

Q: Holy cow! Did he see it?
A: I don't know. He's disappeared off the face of the earth. Nobody knows his last name.

Q: Are you ever going to see him again?
A: I'm going to try. I'm going to search for him. Somebody has to know who he is.

Q: Was he that good in the ocean?
A: The short answer is, "Yes." The long answer, well, that's the whole story. Wish me luck. I'm definitely going to need it.

_____________

You can follow Jenny’s journey in finding the one guy she actually sees a future with in Deanna Roy's newest standalone romance in the USA Today bestselling Forever series -- Forever Bound.

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
$50 Gift Card to any store
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Cover reveal : Dangerous Games by D’Ann Burrow (Secrets and Lies, #2)

 
 

 
Dangerous Games by D’Ann Burrow
(Secrets and Lies, #2)
Publication date: September 28th 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Kennedy Thatcher is leaving Piney Bluff, Texas. In September, she wanted nothing more than to go back home to California, but things have changed.
Two weeks ago
Kennedy broke Rule #1. She used her gift to save a life. Her secret is no longer secret. Her mother once tried to warn her – using her ability was dangerous. No one could know what she could do. Now Kennedy is paying the price.
Two days ago
Tanner Shields helped Kennedy rescue a friend by skipping school and driving to New Orleans. His entire future is at risk when he’s benched during the most important football game of his life. He’s lost the chance for a scholarship and a way out of town.
Two hours ago
Kennedy made a bargain to save Tanner’s future. When she agrees to return home with her father, she’s forced to ask herself the most important question of all – who can she trust?



AUTHOR BIO:
I’m a fan of things that go bump in the night—at least I like to read and write about them. I write both Young Adult and New Adult romances, frequently with a paranormal twist. (No vampires or werewolves allowed…I see enough of them when I watch The Vampire Diaries, and can any other vampire really compare with Damon Salvatore?)

My preschool teachers began to worry a bit when I said that I wanted to be a witch when I grew up and my favorite color was black. Thankfully, my imagination still gets a good workout when I write about the secrets people keep. And don’t we all have a few secrets?

When I grow up, my dream is to work at the Haunted Mansion. Until then, watching Ghost Hunters will have to count as research.

I’m represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marshal Lyon Literary Agency.

Author Links:


Cover reveal organized by Xpresso Book Tours


Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Blog Tour : Healing Rain by Katy Newton Naas







Healing Rain
Release Date: 04/21/15
Clean Reads
222 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Some people just naturally seem to have it all. Until five months ago, sixteen-year-old Rain Sawyer was one of those people. She had the perfect life, with a loving, wealthy family and a strong Christian faith, complete with popularity, sports, clubs, and good grades.

When one tragic incident shatters everything Rain thought she knew, she finds herself five hours away, starting over in a small town very different from her glamorous big-city life.

Armed with a different outlook on life – one that no longer includes her faith – she struggles to create a new identity for herself. Determined to keep her dark past as secret, she navigates through a new school year, a new town, and new relationships while trying to figure out who she wants to be. 

EXCERPT

Ethan was waiting at my locker after school, as always, to tell me goodbye before I went home and he went to football practice. He picked me up off of my feet as soon as I approached him. “Ethan!” I shouted in surprise, and then started laughing.“What are you doing?”
    He leaned in and kissed me. “Just happy to see you, that’s all.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Even though you just saw me an hour ago?”
    “If it’s possible, every time I see you makes me even happier than the time before,” he said with a cheesy grin on his face.
    “Ugh. Get a room,” I heard a familiar voice say behind me.
    Ethan put me down as we turned to see Alexis standing there, giving us her syrupy sweet, incredibly fake smile.
    “What’s up, Alexis?” he asked.
    “Nothing you should be concerned with,” she said. “I came to talk to Rain.”
    I don’t know who was more surprised – me or Ethan. We both stared at her for a moment before I squeaked, “You want to talk to me?”
    “Don’t act so shocked. But it’s personal. Which means you can leave,” she said, giving Ethan that famous smile.
    He looked uncomfortable, but he turned back to me and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll call you later?” he asked. His eyes searched mine for some kind of assurance that it was okay for him to leave.
    “Sounds good,” I said with a nod and a smile, trying to show him I would be fine.
    Reluctantly, he walked away from us. Once he was out of earshot, I turned to Alexis. “So, what do you want?”
    “I’m here to give you some…advice, sort of,” she said.
EXCERPT #3:
    “No, Aiden,” I said, feeling a little anger rise. “We’re supposed to be friends. Most of the time you’re fine and we’re having a great time, but then sometimes you get quiet and look upset. What is it? Is it something I’m doing wrong?”
    He looked at me with amazement. “You really don’t know, do you?”
    “Know what?” I asked, exasperated.
    He smirked. “Nothing, Rain. You’re doing nothing wrong. You have your cheerleader friends and your football star boyfriend and your life is perfect. I’m just the secret friend you have on the side.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Are we seriously going back to this discussion? I told you – it’s not that I’m ashamed of hanging out with you. Me hiding our guitar lessons has nothing to do with you. You’re one of the greatest guys I know. I seriously consider you to be one of my best friends. I’m closer to you than I am pretty much anyone else here. Even closer than I am with my ‘cheerleader friends and football star boyfriend,’ in some ways.” I could hear the anger in my voice as it got slightly louder, but I didn’t care. “And
my life is far from perfect! You have no idea.” I stopped and looked away from him before the tears come could to my eyes. I knew it was wrong to get upset with him; he had every right to be mad at me for the way I treated our relationship. But if it bothered him so much, why was he still hanging out with me? And why would he want to take me to a concert?
    Just as I was about to ask him those questions, he grabbed my arm gently. “Rain, did you hear what you just said?”
    I looked at him, completely caught off guard. “Which part?”
    He took a step closer as he took my other arm in his other hand. “The part about me being closer to you than anyone else here.”
    “Yeah,” I said, feeling even more confused. “What about it?”
    He shook his head as he smiled at me. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
    “Okay, Aiden, you need to just tell me what you’re getting at, because I don’t understand this little puzzle you’re trying to get me to solve,” I said in frustration.
    He sighed incredulously. “You really don’t, do you?”
    I didn’t even respond. I just looked at him expectantly, waiting on him to explain himself.
    Finally, after a few moments of silence, he took a deep breath. “Look. I’m not going to pretend that I can compete with Ethan Collins. I can’t. He’s in a whole different league. At the same time, I’m not going to go on pretending that I only want to be your friend. Because the truth is, I don’t. I have been completely infatuated with you from the moment I met you on the first day of school. I have never met any other girl like you. And last week, at your house, it just got stronger. When we sang together, I just got this feeling. We had a weird connection there, and I know you felt something, too. I know there’s some stuff going on with you that for whatever reason, you don’t want to tell me about, but this is just something I can’t ignore anymore. There’s a reason I feel this crazy link to you. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I have to find out.”
    I stared at him, astounded. Though I heard every word he said, I couldn’t put together any words to respond. As I stood there motionless, trying to gather my thoughts, he leaned in and kissed me.
    I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop it. His lips were sweet and soft, and I was absorbed in it for the short moment that it lasted. It was completely different than Ethan’s kisses, but I would be lying if I said it was horrible. I don’t think I really even kissed him back – my brain was in too much shock as it tried to process the new information it was just handed.
    When he pulled away, he let go of my arms and dropped his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” I didn’t respond. I couldn’t force my lips to move to even make a sound. “Look, maybe we should cancel our guitar lesson today. I should probably just go home and let you go home too.” Without waiting for my
response, he turned and walked out the door.
    I watched him walk away as my fingers moved automatically to my lips. I rested them there, still feeling the warmth of Aiden’s lips on mine. Suddenly, I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned slowly to see what it was, and found Alexis standing a few feet away, staring at me with a wicked smile on her face.


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View the trailer




About the Author
From the time she was old enough to talk, Katy Newton Naas has been creating characters and telling stories. As a child, they sometimes got her into trouble. She knew she wanted to write books when she won a Young Author's competition as a second-grader for her short story titled, "The Grape Pie." (Don't let its tasty title fool you - it was actually a sad little tale!)

Katy devoured books as a child and young adult, always doing chores and odd jobs in order to make enough money to buy more of them. Though she continues to age, her true literature love is and has always been children's and young adult fiction.

Katy currently teaches middle school reading and high school English in southern Illinois, as well as children's church. She graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale with a bachelor's degree in English Education and a master's degree in Reading and Language Studies. She enjoys her life out in the country with her husband, her sweet and rowdy young sons, and all her four-legged kids: Shakespeare, Poe, Morgi, Cappy, Ana, and Gray.

She loves creating both realistic and futuristic stories about kids, tweens, and teens, and feels so fortunate to get to work with them every day as a teacher.

Author Links:


AUTHOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS about HEALING RAIN:
  1. What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
The main character’s name is Rain Sawyer. She is a fictional sixteen-year-old girl who has been through some pretty tragic, life-changing events over the course of the last few months. She is now trying to pick up the pieces of her once-perfect life and rebuild them…she’s just not sure how she wants to do that, exactly.
  1. When and where is the story set?
It’s set in the fictional town of Ridgewater, Illinois, present-day. Ridgewater is very loosely based on where I actually grew up in southern Illinois, though I invented the high school, the places there, and the towns around it.
  1. What should we know about Rain?
Rain was once very sure of herself and who she was. She was popular in her “old life,” and held very strong Christian beliefs. However, because of recent events, everything she thought she knew was severely shaken. She’s battling a lot on the inside and trying to hide it from the new friends she makes. She finds herself bonding with people who hang out in different circles, and she’s not sure which one she fits in (or WANTS to fit in). At times, she’s rude and sarcastic, but she’s a good girl underneath it all, struggling to figure out who she is.   
  1. What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
Without giving too much away, Rain came home from school one day to find her father had committed suicide. From there, she spiraled out of control a little, doing something that caused her mother to yank her and her little brother out of their home town to a small town five hours away.
  1. What is the personal goal of the character?
She really just wants to find herself. Because of some previous mistakes, she is forced into therapy, which she hates. And she is now in a new school, trying to reinvent herself. Add a little brother that she has to take care of all the time, since her mother works long hours, and she’s exhausted. She’s just not sure how to handle any of it.
  1. Where can we purchase this book?
This novel is now available in ebook format at any online retailer. It was published by Clean Reads. Buy links are:




Book Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours