Saturday 30 May 2015

Book Blitz + Giveaway - November Sky by Danielle Wicks




November Sky (Hardest Mistakes #2)
Release Date: 05/19/15
Limitless Publishing

Summary from Goodreads
A heartbreaking loss.

A love that transcends mortality.

A struggle between holding on and letting go…

KRISTIAN REED is only seventeen years old when his girlfriend, JESSICA SCOTT, dies in a tragic accident. Devastated and burdened with guilt, he finds it impossible to move on.
Six years later, he’s not doing any better. He’s accepted a prestigious internship at a big city news station, but he’s still losing himself in alcohol and women to numb his pain.

Jessica might be dead, but she’s not gone—at least not anymore…

She is pulled from Purgatory, and thanks to the presence of a personal memento, Kristian can see and feel her. But how can the ghost of his first love expect to be a part of his future?
BAILEY NICHOLS is assertive and annoying, but something draws her and Kristian together. Her brother hates him, but Bailey is used to getting what she wants. She knows the pain of losing people you love, and she’s determined to break through Kristian’s emotional wall and prove they belong together.


Jessica is caught between worlds. She can’t let go of Kristian, but she’s not meant to be here, and her lingering is threatening everyone and everything around her as she begins to lose herself to the darkness.


Buy Links:

Book One:
(linked to Goodreads)

Buy Links:


Excerpt
 
“I’m not going out.”
She laughs; it’s the most beautiful noise I’ve ever heard. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh properly like that. My mouth drops open slightly before I pull myself back together. She pretends to wipe her eyes and grabs hold of my hand again, pulling me through the open door. “It’s adorable you think you have a choice.”
I swipe my keys off the counter as the door slams shut behind us. “Where are we going?” I ask. She doesn’t answer, instead she keeps a hold of my hand as we jog down the staircase and once we reach the sidewalk outside, she turns to me with a smile.
“The stars are beautiful tonight, aren’t they?”
I frown in confusion, and then tilt my head back to look up at the sky. I didn’t realize you could still see the stars this close to the center of the city, but there they are, shining dimly amidst the light pollution. “I suppose.” She laughs again, shaking her head at me and dragging me down the street. “What’s so funny?” I nearly have to run to keep up. She pauses at the end of the block and lets go of my hand.
“You, Kristian. You’re funny. What have you been doing with your life? Why have you got such a bleak outlook on everything?” I open my mouth to answer, but she stops me with a finger on my lips. “No, don’t answer. When you’re ready to tell me the truth instead of the bullshit you were just about to make up, just remember, I’ll be here to listen.”
She looks up and down the street and then crosses the road without looking back. I stand frozen to the spot, staring after her. I don’t have any words to describe how I feel. Exhaling a heavy breath, I look both ways, then jog across the street to catch up.




About the Author
Dannielle Wicks currently lives in the town of Kingaroy, Queensland in Australia. She is a TV show nerd and lover of cars. She’s always had a love for writing, even in school. She used to hide her writing notebook inside her textbooks just so the teacher wouldn’t notice what she was up to. She loves reading, especially paranormal romance. When she’s not writing or working, she competes in Speedway Sedan Racing across the state.

All of the books in the HARDEST MISTAKES series are based on a different main character, so you don't really need to read them in order, although all the characters link back to each other in some way...
(P.S. if you ever reference any of my books or myself on a social media site, be sure to use the
#‎HardestMistakes‬ hashtag or @DWicksAuthor)


Author Links:
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GIVEAWAY
 

Thursday 28 May 2015

BLOG TOUR + GIVEAWAY - Future's Edge Trilogy by Mort Herman





Author Bio

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Mort Herman has a Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering. Holder of six patents, he worked at several companies including IBM, Texas Instruments, AT&T and Lucent Technologies where his specialty was semiconductor electronics, systems design, and marketing.

Mort lives on the Jersey shore with his mate Mary Ann. When he’s not writing, Mort is an avid sailor, a wood sculptor, and a charter member of the Arts Society of Keyport. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, he added his technical, artistic, and project management skills to the design and implementation of three, free form concrete sculptures that replaced destroyed public art in the town of Keyport, NJ.

Author Links:




Book Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: September 25, 2014


Book Description:
Most people do not carry the fate of the world on their shoulders. Sam Greenhut does.
By the year 2230, the world is no longer dependent on fossil fuels. All power is harnessed directly from the Earth’s core. A clever integration of neural technology and wireless energy gives rise to the Global Network (GNET), revolutionizing society. Diverse industries operate efficiently under the umbrella of a neurally connected world economy, powered by an unlimited geothermal fuel supply controlled not by Presidents, Sheikhs nor Monarchs, but by a Corporate Federation run by seven individuals.
This is the state of the world when the Corporate Federation charges Sam Greenhut with ensuring GNET’s unquestioned reliability and integrity.
Sam sees a world whose population is totally dependent on GNET, as if the previously admired trait of self-reliance was weaned from the gene pool. Inevitably, the insatiable demand for energy prompts a reckless decision by Corporate Federation board members to expand the geothermal energy lattices. Despite Sam’s protest, the choice to exceed the cautionary “Greenhut Limits” precipitate a string of earthquakes that destroy GNET and plunges the planet into the chaos known as “The Upheaval.”
What happens next fundamentally alters the destiny of the planet and catapults Sam into the center of The Seed – book one in my science fiction trilogy, Future’s Edge.


Excerpt:

With the village stabilized and work preparations for the upcoming season proceeding smoothly, it was finally time for Kappi and Elizabeth to depart – a little later than usual, but still in time to be comfortably cradled between winter and spring. They left Tyber in the capable hands of the core group of people who had been with Kappi since the beginning of their enterprise. As agreed, Frank stayed behind to carry out his primary job of caring for the puppies. This was to be Kappi’s and Elizabeth’s alone time.
Their preparations were simple and swift. They chose to take their three favorite dogs led by Jupiter, the oldest, strongest, and most even-keeled of the lot. He had the experience to tame any wild or unsafe actions of the other dogs and could administer discipline when needed. Tassi (Tassiorpok, the guide) was the youngest and she possessed the keenest of senses. When there was uncertainty concerning the weather, a sound, or what path was the safest, Tassi was the one all looked at for guidance. Lastly, there was Angus (Angusuktok, the good hunter). Angus could smell prey for several kilometers and understood by verbal command what animal Kappi and Elizabeth wanted him to seek. This proud team was considered a vital, integral part of their family.
Off they went on their adventure with their dogs carrying food, supplies, clothing, hunting weapons and tools. They were finally able to leave behind the realities of the real world. There was no need to discuss their destination. Each knew instinctively where they would go.
With Tassi in the lead, Kappi provided the verbal commands that guided them toward a special hidden river valley. In the summer months, the river would flow freely, but now it was completely iced over. Tassi understood where Kappi wanted to go, and he let Tassi guide them with little intervention.
Elizabeth and Kappi were struck by the sheer majesty of this place even though they had been there before. Their place, which they called Uyaraut (meaning “precious stone” in the Inuit language), was bounded on three sides by cliffs providing a magnificent vista of the frozen river valley as it stretched for kilometers between the Arctic Ocean on the north end and the cloud-topped mountains to the south. Their camp was about halfway down the steep slope on a relatively flat area with a deep cave at the most easterly point. Uyaraut presented a perfect view of the sunset at this time of year. The setting provided shelter from the strong winds relentlessly funneling across the treeless, snow-encapsulated tundra.
Throughout their stay, Kappi and Elizabeth hardly uttered ten words to each other. In Uyaraut, they let in the solitude, the silence, their heartbeats, their individual breaths and all that surrounded them. It was an empathic event for Kappi and Elizabeth and it bridged the barrier of mental separateness intrinsic to humans. Uyaraut acted as an amplifier…
 
 
 
Guest Post from the author:
 
WHAT ABOUT SPECULATIVE FICTION?
 
My reading and life experiences have drawn me to two genres – historical fiction and science fiction.
 
The setting of history fascinates me. I love how an author can take a page from history, dramatize it and create a story grounded in some historic truths.
 
Having a background in science and technology, science fiction was a natural genre for me. Future worlds, new and different cultures and societies captivate me.
 
How can I combine the elements of these two seemingly opposing genres?
 
First, I looked up antonyms for “historical” and found the word fiction. That would not do.  Then I delved deeper into the things that make science fiction attractive to me. For the most part, this genre has been set “In a galaxy far, far away.” By leaving the boundaries of earth, it frees the storyteller, opening up an unbounded canvas upon which to write a story.
 
But what about historical fiction? What attracts me to this type? It is the ability of the storyteller to speculate on why certain past event, a society, an empire, a war, a discovery of new territories, occurred based on sketchy real information about how things were. In this, the freedom to tell the story is also open, but grounded in the broad-stroke setting of history. It’s what keeps the story cohesive; it is the glue that binds the story into a concise, logical flow.
 
In writing Future’s Edge, I combined these two genres into a future history, grounded in an earth-based environment, extrapolating our path forward into a credible future. No aliens here, only a possible future history based on human characteristics and behaviors, our cultures, the naturally observable trends and the problems of our planet.
 
With this premise, I am free to project the current state of our planet centuries beyond the present with all the freedom found in science fiction combined grounded in earth’s past, keeping the storyline focused, logical, thought-provoking and compelling.
 
Finally, I have found my voice; my concerns about the problems of our world – climate change, finite energy supplies and over-population – all expressed in a speculative future. In a genre, called Speculative Fiction. 
 




Schedule
Giveaway - Signed Print (US Only) Ebook (Int'l)

May 24 - Introduction at VBT Café Blog
May 27 - Interviewed at Author CA Milson
May 28 -
 Guest Blog at Infinite House of Books
June 1 - Spotlight at 3 Partners In Shopping - Nana, Mommy & Sissy Too!

June 1 - Spotlight at BookJunkieMom at Rainy Day Reviews
June 3 - Review at Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
June 3 - Guest Blogging at Hywela Lyn - Romance That's Out Of This WorldJune 3 - Guest Blogging at Lori's Reading Corner
June 3 - Reviewed at A Virtual Hobby Store & Coffee Haus
June 5 - Review at Tea and A Book
June 6 - Spotlight at I Feel The Need, The Need To Read

June 8 -Spotlight at 4covert2overt A Place in the Spotlight
June 10 - Spotlight at KR Morrison, Author
June 10 - Spotlight at Urania's Distractions
June 12 - Spotlight at Paranormal Romance And Authors That Rock
June 15 - Spotlight at The Voluptuous Book Diva 

June 15 - Spotlight at eBook Review Gal
June 17 - Spotlight at XOXO Book Blog
June 17 - 6 Besties at BK Walker Books





Spotlight & Social Media Blast! - The Prison Trilogy (Oberser Book 1) by Glen Aaron


The Prison Trilogy

by Glen Aaron

 
Glen writes both fiction and nonfiction from his forty-year career and experience as a trial lawyer and consultant in international business and banking.

His nonfiction work as the observer in The Prison Trilogy tells the tales in chronological order of how he came to be a lawyer for a Wall Street Journal heiress and her gay husband and how that representation landed him in federal prison. That is the first in The Trilogy. The second book tells the story of his cell mate, Colonel George Trofimoff, serving life for spying for the KGB, and the final book of The Trilogy describes the prisoners, Glen's experiences and takes a hard look at the American criminal justice system.



Author Links


http://www.glenaaron.com/



http://www.prisonobserver.com/

Observer: The Ronnie Lee and Jackie Bancroft Spencer Morgan Story, a tale of people, greed, envy, manipulation---even crime (The Observer Book 1)


 

Book genre: Biography of Wall Street Journal heiress; nonfiction intrigue and crime
Publisher: Glen Aaron using Create Space
Release date: April 1
Buy link: 
Amazon.com

Book description: 



When Jackie Bancroft's husband died in 1952, he left her an heiress to the income and value of The Wall Street Journal and one of the wealthier women in America. Almost 50 years later, Jackie would mary Ronnie Lee Morgan, a 50 – year old gay interior decorator. Morgan was one of many clients in the active law practice of author Glen Aaron. This unusual marriage lasted until Jackie's mysterious death five years later. Throughout that period, Aaron became entwined in the personal lives and demands of the couple, along with handling many of their legal affairs. The huge money and property distributions made by Jackie to her husband, designed and handled by Aaron, resulted in a two – year federal prison sentence for Aaron. The first book in the Prison Trilogy is this story.

 

YouTube Book Trailer Book 1 - https://youtu.be/uhoZd3cJG7g

 


Excerpt:
Ron Morgan always knew what he wanted – – to be rich and beautiful, to live in the places you see in Architectural Digest.

He knew certain things about the rich: that they were different, that they liked beautiful things, power, and influence, that, if they saw that another had something more beautiful or impressive, they had to have it, too. He also knew that every rich person would take advantage of him if given the chance. So he devised ways to reverse this probability. While making it appear that they were getting a good deal, a special deal, he always made money.

Ron had developed his expertise in interior decorating over the course of many years. It took him even longer to perfect the personality that attracted and pleased wealthy clients. His involvement as an interior decorator for the wealthy, his intuitive knowledge of how to deal with them, was an evolution of fits and starts.

Although it didn't hurt that Ron was gay, in his early life he had had difficulty figuring that out. He tried a heterosexual marriage. It didn't work.

Then, in his 50th year, in the New Mexico mountain village of Ruidoso, Ron met Jackie Bancroft Spencer ("Jackie"), a wealthy Wall Street Journal heiress possessed of a unique personality. Jackie was building a stunning theater for the performing arts in Ruidoso, for which she would pay $23 million cash. At the same time, she was caring for her terminally – ill second husband, Dr. A.N ("A. N.") Spencer. Ron Morgan came to know Jackie by creating interior decor for her home, making suggestions regarding the theater, and in assisting with A. N.'s care during his final illness.

I was Ron Morgan's lawyer for many years. On numerous occasions, I defended lawsuits and negotiated a way out of touchy problems. Ultimately, I placed Ron in bankruptcy protection in El Paso, Texas. Not long after, he introduced me to Jackie. Through numerous golf games and dinners, I became fascinated with this lady, her history and that of the Bancroft's and their ownership of The Wall Street Journal.

Two years later, Ron, a 52 – year old gay man, and Jackie, a 72 – year old heterosexual heiress, decided to marry. At the time she met Ron, Jackie, was married to Dr. A.N. Spencer; it was her second marriage. She wanted to travel the world after AN's death, and she wanted Ron to travel with her. For his part, Ron had his own designs on what this should cost Jackie. Whether pressing for marriage was a manifestation of Ron's ulterior financial desires, or whether it was at Jackie's urging is unknown. What is known is that Jackie accepted, indeed, relished, the arrangement.

While the relationship was filled with intrigue, greed and Machiavellian manipulation from within and without, the ultimate mystery for me was the nature of Jackie's illness – – the illness that led to her death – – while she and Ron were on a world cruise. It was my task to get her off the ship in the middle of the Atlantic and arrange for medical care in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That would be my last service on her behalf.

I have always been an observer of people: what motivates them to do what they do, how they view their quality of life, why and how this plays out in relationships. This book has a dual purpose: to share my observations of Jackie and Ron's unusual relationship, and to share my experiences as Jackie's some time – confidante and as Ron's lawyer until Jackie's death. Ultimately, these experiences with my last client would change my life.

Cover Reveal - Library Jumpers by Brenda Drake

 
 
Library Jumpers
Release Date: January 2016
Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads
Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels—magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books—rescue them from a demonic hound.
Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren’t busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.




Pre-Order Links:



About the Author
Brenda Drake, the youngest of three children, grew up an Air Force brat and the continual new kid at schooluntil her family settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Brenda’s fondest memories growing up is of hereccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was onlyfitting that she would choose to write young adult and middle grade novels with a bend toward thefantastical. When Brenda’s not writing or doing the social media thing, she’s haunting libraries, bookstores,and coffee shops or reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

Author Links
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Cover Reveal Organized by:

Tuesday 26 May 2015

BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY - Ara by B.R. Eddy




Ara
Release Date: Fall 2014
339 pages

Summary from Goodreads
Ara Vertrees is an advisor to the King in Jimalia, a thriving island nation in the middle of a vast ocean. Her macaws are trained to fly home to the palace to repeat confidential information. When their messages become more and more troubling, she finds herself in the middle of a crisis she never expected. Ara's story is full of adventure, friendship, mystery, love and loss. Join Ara and her companions as they fight pirates, uncover deception, find love and fight for Jimalia.








Buy Links:


 

Excerpt
Archer placed both hands firmly on the desk, “We will need to act quickly. I must confront him.”
Ara nodded, “Aye, he must be taken by surprise, we can’t allow him any time to prepare.” She looked directly into Archer’s eyes, “You must sharpen your swordsman’s skills. He will not cede to you peacefully. It will come to swords.”
Archer snuffed, “My swordsmanship is exemplary.”
Captain Upshaw faced him aggressively, “You mustn’t underestimate him. He is many years your senior and served the navy when he was your age.”
Archer laughed, “He’s a fat old man! I have a clear advantage over him, my victory is sure.”
He was startled by the distinct ring of a sword being drawn from its sheath. All jumped in the small space, Ara’s sword sang over the table, her face was mad with rage, “Outside now!”
Ara was furious. The damn fool! She chased him out into the officers’ lobby where he fumbled at his sword hilt. Although she was speaking to Archer, all fled the chartroom to escape her swinging sword. She chased Archer out onto the deck where his humiliation would be seen by all, as it would come to pass if he didn’t put his arrogant ways behind him. Except this bout would not end in his death.
Archer finally freed his sword from its sheath and faced her, but before he could find his footing she sliced his shirt with a controlled swing under his defenses, “He will rend you to ribbons! He has served in battle and is familiar with fighting to kill. If you honestly think your fancy little fencing training by instructors who were too afraid to offend a Cannon gives you a ‘clear advantage’ then you’re a dead man walking!” She struck his blade down hard, rage fueling her. The hilt of her own sword rung from the strike so hard that it hurt her hand. She sliced at him again, this time at his shoulder, this time finding skin. “My own young apprentice could oust you, and I am just a court lady!”
The men around them hooted and hollered, excited by the confrontation. Shells were being collected left and right for betting. They were all around them, up in the shrouds and on the aft- and forecastles, stomping their feet and chanting something Ara couldn’t distinguish. She was entirely focused on Archer.
Archer roared and charged her sloppily. She snuffed in distaste as she stepped aside calmly, leaving one foot planted for him to trip over, which he did. He yelped as his face cracked against the deck loudly.
His sword slid away from him, he groaned as he flipped over to his back, grasping his head. Ara stood over him, pressing the tip of her blade to his throat, “You’re dead.”
The men cheered and hollered. Archer’s face burned red.
“Now…” She sheathed her sword and took a breath, “You must sharpen your swordsman’s skills.”
He sat up and hung his head for a moment, but then retrieved his sword and found his feet, “Aye, councilor.”
 
 

About the Author
My name is Brit and I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. My work with animals brought macaws into my life. They frightened me, moved me, hurt me, loved me and made me grow. I hope that my novel will help people understand these birds better! They are breathtaking and intelligent, but do not make good pets for most families. They require a lot of space and attention, can be very destructive and can easily outlive you. They can be incredible companions to the right people. Please keep all these things in mind when considering a macaw as a pet!"

Author Links:
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