Showing posts with label NA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NA. Show all posts

June 17, 2020

Paragon Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway


I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PARAGON by Shauna Alderson Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

PARAGON
Author: Shauna Alderson
Release Date: June 16, 2020
Publisher: Zimbell House Publishing
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Pages: 398

Description:

Now that high school is over, Randi just wants to live her quiet life in her little town, but it doesn’t feel right without her friends there. Ever the daredevils, they’ve gone to seek adventure in the capital city of Grandin, and Randi can’t help but feel left behind. Not to mention that she definitely can’t stop thinking about that kiss she and Eddy shared before he left.

When Randi discovers a mysterious mark on her skin that matches an illustration in A Handbook on Paragonhood, she’s thrown into a world of powerful gods and ancient magic that she thought only existed in the myths. She’ll have to step out of her comfort zone-and into the dangerous streets of Grandin-to find a way to protect herself and the people she loves.

Randi’s not the only one with a secret, and she finds herself questioning who she can trust. Randi will have to wrestle with what it means to be a Paragon and how far she’s willing to go to do what’s right.

With the fate of the world on the line, can she live up to being one of the chosen?

A rumble downstairs tells me my folks are pulling into the garage. I gently set Barnaby back on the pillow and pick up the lotion I bought earlier. In the bathroom across the hall, I strip off my dress, cringing at the sight of the spider bite, now haloed in red. It looks infected and feels hot when I touch it. What if the spider that bit me was venomous?

I peer closer, stretching the skin on my left ribs. The center’s a bit swollen, although it’s not white, which is a good sign. But there’s something strange about the red ring surrounding it. Wait ... no. Not a ring. The red is scratched into my skin in a bunch of tiny lines.

Not a spider bite.

I crane my neck even more, heart hammering as I count seven lines. Seven lines making seven sides.

“Heptagram-shaped ... approximately half the size of one’s pinky fingernail, red-brown in color, hot to the touch.”

My knees give and I barely catch myself on the counter. It can’t be. Those are myths. The marks aren’t real. But what if—

Stop. Calm down. Giselle and Howard both mentioned hunters—that’s why I’m jumping to conclusions. And I wouldn’t even be considering it if it weren’t for that book.

I hurry across the hall to my room. I pull a dozen or so hairstyling magazines off my bookshelf, revealing the worn, leather-bound book tucked behind them. A Handbook on Paragonhood. Eddy lent it to me because I’ve always loved the myths. But that’s all they are. No one takes the stories seriously except hunters.

Even so...

I hold the volume against the thundering in my chest. The front door creaks open. “We’re home, pumpkin!”

I poke my head into the hallway to make sure the coast is clear. If my folks catch me with this book, they'll make me get rid of it at once, and then I'll have to explain the book's disappearance to Eddy.

After I run back across the hall and lock the bathroom door, Mom calls from downstairs, “Are you coming down for dinner?”

“I will be soon!”

I leaf through the yellowed pages until the drawing of the mark catches my eye. It can’t be the same, right? I hold the leather spine of the book so the pages face the mirror and the image is flush with the spider bite.

A surge of panic shoots up my spine, along with the tingles of an imminent headache. The mark on my skin matches the drawing exactly.
Shauna Alderson is a Young Adult fantasy writer and author of PARAGON (Zimbell House, 2020). She began writing teen fantasy even before she was a teen. After she “grew up”, she completed creative writing courses (and a BA in Development Studies) at the University of Calgary. When not reading or writing, she can usually be found teaching ESL, composing on the piano, creating art, or volunteering abroad. She also enjoys dessert, Studio Ghibli films, and being the silliest person she knows. Connect with her on Twitter @AldersonShauna.

Photo by Laura Grace Photography

Website | Twitter | InstagramGoodreads | Amazon Author Page

(1) winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC - International.



Tour Schedule:
Week One:
6/15/2020
Excerpt
6/16/2020
Interview
6/16/2020
Instagram Stop
6/17/2020
Excerpt
6/18/2020
Review
6/18/2020
Instagram Stop
6/19/2020
Review

Week Two:
6/22/2020
Review
6/22/2020
Instagram Stop
6/23/2020
Interview
6/24/2020
Review
6/25/2020
Review
6/25/2020
Instagram Stop
6/26/2020
Review
6/26/2020
Instagram Stop






October 22, 2019

Siren Song Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway



 

Siren Song (The Chameleon Effect #3)
Author: Alex Hayes
Genre: New Adult/YA/Paranormal/Romance
Publication Date: October 15, 2019


Description:


Connell KurÄ“n doesn’t love being a paparazzo…

He’s a member of the most scorned profession in Hollywood, but he’s good at it, and a hard-ass to boot.

He might also be called an ambulance chaser, though not for the disreputable reason he chases celebrities. Connell has the ability to heal, and at the sound of a siren, he is drawn to those in need.

Life is just fine until his pushy paparazzi nature almost gets someone killed.

Rowan Bren suffers post-traumatic stress and a permanent headache following a near-death experience at the hands of her mortal enemy. After months, she still isn’t right, but she won’t be held back from seeking her bond mate, Con, any longer.

She travels to Los Angeles motivated to help her friend, Idris, with his brilliant plan to locate their missing people. But Rowan’s top priority in the City of Angels is to find Con. She doesn’t know where he lives, but she’s not worried, because her crystal will lead her straight to him.

When she trips into his world, she finds a man so different from the person she expects, she fears he might not be Con at all. That he might be possessed by an evil force like the one that almost killed her.

Siren Song is the third novel of the Chameleon Effect series.


The sirens get closer. I’ve a few minutes at most before the emergency vehicles arrive.

I dart, light and birdlike, up the whitewashed stairs to peer through the back door window of a second-story apartment.

An elderly woman in pants and a blue sweatshirt lies on the kitchen floor, a Life Alert bracelet visible below her right cuff. If it weren’t for that wristband, an ambulance wouldn’t be on its way and I wouldn’t be here.

I lift a hand to the doorknob—unlocked. Breathing a sigh, I slip inside silently, the morning light streaming through me.

One touch to her head and I sense the problem. Lesions in the brain, most likely from a stroke. I check her heart. Beating. Rapid but strong.

Dropping to my knees, I push my voluminous wings out of the way and cup her head of fluffy white curls in my palms. The scent of Nivea and cocoa butter hits me.

I shift my attention to the work at hand. Healing flesh isn’t difficult. Surprisingly, internal injuries are easier to mend than epidermal ones. Bone and tendon damage are the toughest to fix.

A couple of minutes is all it takes to repair the burst blood vessels and damaged cells, and restore blood flow to the compromised areas of the brain. Her breaths deepen and she stirs.

Time to get out of here. Just need to unlock the front door so the paramedics can get in without breaking anything.

I slip through the peach-colored apartment. The place has seen better days, but it’s neat and clean. I reach the door as the sirens cut. An ambulance is right outside, two stories below. I release the chain, unlatch the deadbolt and turn the doorknob lock.

Good to go, I hurry back through the apartment. My wing catches the edge of a table, rattling knickknacks. I save a porcelain statue of Mary holding Baby Jesus, set it straight and rush into the kitchen.

The old lady’s sitting up, rubbing her head. I left the swollen bump on her cranium resulting from the fall, a surface wound that will heal quickly on its own. If I healed every injury, the paramedics might get suspicious.

While her back is turned, I pull open the rear door, but its soft squeak makes her look around.

My breath falters. I’m invisible, but being stared at disturbs me. Hopefully, she’ll put the open door down to the wind.

She squints in my direction as I tease the door wider. Sunlight floods the kitchen, turning the discolored linoleum tiles at my feet bright white.

A gentle smile lifts her lips. “Thank you, dear.”

I freeze.

A sharp knock at the front door.

“Hello? Anyone in there?” comes a muffled shout. “Emergency Services. We’re responding to a Life Alert alarm.”

The lady glances in the direction of that voice, then returns her gaze my way. She can’t possibly see me.

Her smile widens. “Now, off you go, angel. I’m sure you’ve got plenty more people to save today.”

Without further hesitation, I slip through the door, race down the fire escape and take off from the alley.

Flight is the only antidote to an experience like that.

Did she spot me?


I shake the thought away. If she had, she wouldn’t have called me an angel. If I were visible, she’d have called me an ugly crow.

It was the open doorway, the bright shaft of sunlight. Who wouldn’t imagine a celestial being had just paid a visit? I might have myself, and I don’t believe in angels.

Alex Hayes wrote her first fiction story when she was twelve. Inspired by her mother’s storytelling, she began work on her first novel, Ice Cracks, at eighteen.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. In her twenties, she moved from Marin County, California to Boston, Massachusetts, where she built a career as an IT professional in database engineering. In 2004, she self-published Ice Cracks, which became a semi-finalist in the 2005 IPPY Awards.

Alex splits her time between Grand Junction, Colorado and Guanajuato, Mexico. When she isn’t writing, she’s helping her partner, Lee, renovate a 450 year old hacienda. She is mother to one beautiful daughter and many wonderful cats.





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August 8, 2019

Perfect Pitch Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway


 

Perfect Pitch (Chameleon Effect #2)
Author: Alex Hayes 

Genre: YA/New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publication Date: August 6, 2019



Description:


All Dean wants is to escape…

But he can’t leave his younger brother, Ty, in the care of their alcoholic mother. And when their abusive father shows up, Dean has to get Ty out. Which means joining Shri — his best and only friend — in taking a job out of state and breaking the law by stealing his brother away.

Cadi’s life is almost back together after Dean blew it into a million pieces. She’s come to terms with her life as a shape-shifter — well, almost. She’s still trying to wrap her head around the fact that a vicious enemy is out to destroy the remnants of her people.

As if Cadi doesn’t have enough to deal with, Dean’s about to land on her front doorstep, forcing her to decide whether to let him into her secret world or slam the door in his face.

The Chameleon Effect series, starring shape-shifter teens with extraordinary superpowers, is sure to appeal to Young Adult and New Adult readers who enjoy romance with a paranormal twist.



Dean tugs at my sleeve. “Look, maybe it’s time we talked.”

Breath catches in my throat. “A-About what?” I don’t stop walking.

“About us?”

My heart threatens to burst out of my chest. “There is no us, Dean.”

The phone in my pocket buzzes like an angry bee. I ignore it.

“Cadi, I didn’t mean it like that.” Dean’s tone is irritated. “I’m talking about everything that happened before you left. I made a mistake… several mistakes, and I’m sorry. Hurting you was the last thing I intended.”

“Well, I got over it. Coming here worked out for me. Everything’s fine.”

“Then why won’t you talk to me?”

My eyes drop to the ground. “I am talking to you, Dean.”

He barks out a laugh. “This isn’t talking, Cadi. You act like you’re dodging bullets.”

I sigh and drop my pace. “We’ve been down this path before.” I roll my eyes at my own cliché. “Not this literal path…” Ugh, obviously. “I mean… you know what I mean. There are some things you’re better off not knowing.”

Like I’m an alien, a refugee from another planet, who is green and scaly in her natural form and has a bond mate who could fry your eardrums and kick your ass to the moon. At the same time.

“Why is telling the truth such a scary thing for you?”

I drag my fingers through my hair. “Because I seriously don’t think you could handle it.” I glare at him, anger blooming in my chest. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

His hands clench. “I had no choice! Do you think I wanted to come face to face with you again, knowing you hate my guts?”

“I do not hate your guts,” I growl. “I just wish you’d…” I huff, “stayed out of my life.” I expect him to storm off, but he doesn’t.

“Well, I can’t,” he responds, icily. “Tom hired me to do a job. If you want to treat me like shit, go ahead. I’m used to it. But I’m not leaving.”

My heart clenches. Now I feel like shit. “I never meant to treat you like… anything. Or hurt you.” I stop short and stare at him. “But I have to protect myself.”

His eyes reflect pain and disappointment. “I’m your friend, Cadi. You shouldn’t have to protect yourself from me.” He shakes his head and strides away.
Alex Hayes wrote her first fiction story when she was twelve. Inspired by her mother’s storytelling, she began work on her first novel, Ice Cracks, at eighteen.


She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. In her twenties, she moved from Marin County, California to Boston, Massachusetts, where she built a career as an IT professional in database engineering. In 2004, she self-published Ice Cracks, which became a semi-finalist in the 2005 IPPY Awards.

Alex splits her time between Grand Junction, Colorado and Guanajuato, Mexico. When she isn’t writing, she’s helping her partner, Lee, renovate a 450 year old hacienda. She is mother to one beautiful daughter and many wonderful cats.



 
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May 3, 2019

Book Blitz + Giveaway: I Spy the Boy Next Door by Samantha Armstrong


 

I Spy the Boy Next Door
Author: Samantha Armstrong
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: May 25, 2019




Description:

Four p.m. spy sessions are the highlight of Mallory Taylor’s day. Observing the boy next door—one with a body and an attitude to match—has her perched beside her window so often it can’t be healthy.

When she finally convinces her mom to let her go to public school, Mallory comes face to face with her neighbor, Troy Parker. And he makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. His rejection awakens a newfound tenacity and maybe even a touch of recklessness. But when Troy starts to show up when she needs him the most, Mallory can’t help but wonder if there’s more to him than he’s let on.

Taking chances, breaking rules, and following her heart is all new to Mallory. And no one warned her just how fickle hearts can be. When she discovers that Troy isn’t at all the guy she imagined him to be, secrets rise to the surface that will change her life forever.

**This is a standalone mature YA/new adult contemporary romance.


We’re about ten minutes into the lesson when everything around me stops and spins. I don’t know which because all I can see is him.

“Mr. Parker, nice of you to join us,” Mr. Brown says.

I stalked him a few years ago on Facebook to see if we were in the same grade, but I wasn’t expecting to be in the same class.

My day just got a hell of a lot better.

I press my palm to my chest, feeling the familiar beat. I press harder, hoping the pressure will soften the racket inside of me.

He slides a note onto Mr. Brown’s desk, barely acknowledging him before returning his attention to his phone. His fingers fly across the screen as he walks down the aisle.

Please look at me. Please look at me. Please look at me, I silently chant, but when he turns and heads directly for me, my prayers abruptly change. Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me.

My heart’s thumping so hard against my ribcage, I’m losing air.

This is the moment.

I don’t know what to do. I’ve been envisioning it for so long, and now that it’s about to happen, everything I’ve ever planned I would do or say has gone out the window. I start clicking my pen, then tapping my foot. I should be focusing on the lesson at the front of the room, but I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s wearing a hood, but I can see his hair slipping out from under it. Dark jeans hang low on his hips, and a bag sits snug on his back.

He’s only a few steps away. I swallow.

He’s in front of me. He looks up.

My breath catches in my throat.

His eyes widen, then narrow. All these years later, he still doesn’t smile at me.

And I realize, I sat in an already claimed seat.

Samantha Armstrong's novels incorporate all of the feels--from swoon-worthy heroes to sweet-but-mostly-sassy heroines, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and panty melting-heat. She has written in multiple genres, but never strays far from romance.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Samantha Armstrong prefers to be tucked away writing whenever she can -- or, rather, whenever her adorable yet demanding baby boy allows.

A normal day for her includes diapers--lots of them--walks with both babies (i.e. human baby and dog baby), writing between naps, and staying up late to write even more. Then somehow fitting all the other stuff in between.

To sign up for information on upcoming releases, giveaways and more: https://www.samantharmstrong.com/subscribe



 
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May 1, 2019

Cover Reveal: The Sisters of Salem by Tish Thawer


 


The Sisters of Salem (Witches of BlackBrook #3)
Author: Tish Thawer
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Publication Date: Summer/Fall 2019
Publisher: Amber Leaf Publishing



Description:

Through space and time, sisters entwined. Lost then found, souls remain bound.

After facing a relentless foe, three sister witches are forced even further back through time to a place that holds just as much sorrow for them as it does joy.

Returning to their origins in 1685, the trio races to save not only their mother from the clutches of their new enemy but also to secure the future they’ve worked for centuries to build.

Avoiding their younger selves is a necessity that proves difficult, especially when one sister isn’t sure she wants to leave the past behind. Faced with love and loss, these witches are forced to endure the burning times again, and one wrong step could alter history and their future forever.



Previous books in the series:
2017 - #1 Bestseller in Historical Fiction (Witches of BlackBrook)
2017 - Top 100 Bestselling in Paid Kindle Store (Witches of Blackbrook)
2015 - Best Cover - Penned Con (The Witches of BlackBrook)
2015 - Readers Choice Award - My New Favorite Book Awards (The Witches of BlackBrook)

Bestselling and Award Winning Author, Tish Thawer, writes paranormal romances for all ages. From her first paranormal cartoon, Isis, to the Twilight phenomenon, myth, magic, and superpowers have always held a special place in her heart.

Tish is known for her detailed world-building and magic-laced stories. Her work has been compared to Nora Roberts, Sam Cheever, and Charlaine Harris. She has received a RONE Award nomination (Reward of Novel Excellence), as well as nominations for Best Cover, Reader’s Choice, and Author of the Year (Fantasy, Dystopian, Mystery).

Tish has worked as a computer consultant, photographer, and graphic designer, and is a columnist for Gliterary Girl media and has bylines in RT Magazine and Literary Lunes Magazine. She resides in Arizona with her husband and three wonderful children and is represented by Gandolfo, Helin, and Fountain Literary Management.

You can find Tish on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTishThawer

A common FAQ: "How do you pronounce her last name?"

Answer: Think "Bower" or "Thow-er". It's Persian!





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April 29, 2019

Carmilla Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

 


CARMILLA
Author: Kim Turrisi 
Release Date: May 7, 2019 
Publisher: Kids Can Press 
Formats: Hardcover, eBook 
Pages: 224

Description:

An adaptation of Shaftesbury's award-winning, groundbreaking queer vampire web series of the same name, Carmilla mixes the camp of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the snark of Veronica Mars, and the mysterious atmosphere of Welcome to Nightvale. 

Newly escaped from the stifling boredom of a small town, college freshman Laura is ready to make the most of her first year at Silas University. But when her roommate, Betty, vanishes and a sarcastic, nocturnal philosophy student named Carmilla moves into Betty's side of the room, Laura decides to play detective. Turns out Betty isn't the first girl to go missing ? she's just the first girl not to come back. 

All over campus, girls have been vanishing, and they are completely changed when (or if) they return. Even more disturbing are the strange dreams they recount: smothering darkness, and a strange pale figure haunting their rooms. Dreams that Laura is starting to have herself. 

As Laura closes in on the answers, tensions rise with Carmilla. Is this just a roommate relationship that isn't working out, or does Carmilla know more than she's letting on about the disappearances? 

What will Laura do if it turns out her roommate isn't just selfish and insensitive, but completely inhuman? And what will she do with the feelings she's starting to have for Carmilla? 

Produced by Shaftesbury, and available on the YouTube channel KindaTV, Carmilla is a global sensation. A scripted transmedia series that puts a modern spin on the cult-classic gothic vampire novella by Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, Carmilla has generated over 71 million views and 245 million minutes of watch time across three seasons since its launch in 2014. It has been translated into more than 20 languages and also been made into a feature film. 

Author Kim Turrisi brings her trademark humor and sensitivity to an adaptation that offers a deep dive for existing fans and a portal for new fans around the world. 

Find it:Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD
After another night of insomnia, I stare at my stack of text- books. I’m certain I look like a wreck. Rat’s nest for hair, ice cream stains on my T-shirt. I’m surrounded by coffee, cookies and a box of my favorite chocolate-crunch cereal, attempting to start the outline for the big paper that counts as half of my grade. I don’t have one single word written, and I never procrastinate. College is hard. And different. At least this one is.

After half an hour, I have to admit I just can’t concentrate. I’ll work on my journalism project instead. It’s turning into more of a detailed video account of the manhunt for my lost roommate. Hey, that’s a strange phenomenon at Silas University, right? Every time I try to talk about anything, it turns into my quest to locate Betty.

Carmilla is nowhere to be found, which is fine by me. The less I have to interact with her, the better. I wish she was the one who was lost.

I turn the camera on and begin my vlog entry, keeping my voice low just in case. “Betty is still missing and she has been replaced with the roommate from hell. Look at this footage.” I click a link to what the camera caught while I was in class this week. “She steals my chocolate, she wears Betty’s clothes, she’s never up before four o’clock and there’s a nonstop stream of girls in our room. Check this out — this is a girl from my anthropology class with Carmilla on my bed.”

Danny should be there with me
 
“Carmilla is the worst.” 
 
I dunk a Pop-Tart in my coffee. “Well, guess what,” I continue.

“I told the girl of the week that Carmilla has a longtime girlfriend. She went crazy. Bam, revenge is mine. Now, I’m gonna use her soy milk on my cereal.” Maybe no one is following my video blog, but I sure feel better.

I reach into the fridge for her box of nondairy blech. MINE is scrawled in black Sharpie across the front, like she has to protect it. She has one thing in the fridge and lays claim to it while eating all of my food as she pleases.

I pop open the box and pour the soy milk all over my cereal. And I’m not gonna lie — I feel smug and victorious until I look down. The shrieking sound I’m sure the entire campus just heard came from the depths of my being.

This isn’t soy milk at all.

It’s blood. Or something that looks suspiciously like it.
A graduate of Florida State University, Kim Turrisi began her career in film and television. After a year of on-set production (getting coffee, wrangling actors and taking lunch orders) Kim segued to the development side of the business. First working as a development executive at Columbia-Tri-Star and eventually shepherding many projects in family entertainment for Disney, Viacom and Hallmark. 

Kim created and wrote an online web series for which she won a Daytime Emmy. She wrote for ABC Family's webisode series, PRETTY DIRTY SECRETS, an internet companion piece to smash hit PRETTY LITTLE LIARS.  

While she’s always been a voracious reader and writer, she never thought about writing for teens until she immersed herself in the children’s publishing world as the Director of Special Projects for the Society of Book writers and Illustrators. There, reading children’s literature is a big part of her job.  

Her debut Young Adult novel JUST A NORMAL TUESDAY is loosely based on the author's own experience, the debut YA novel follows 16-year-old Kai as she struggles through the emotional aftermath of her sister's suicide. Kai spends a month at grief camp, discovering a roadmap to piecing her broken heart back together. 

One of Kim’s favorite parts of the writing process is to create playlists for her characters that she listens to when she writes. When she revises her manuscripts, she’s generally in mismatched plaid and her desk is riddled with junk food. She collects Chuck Taylor’s, Van’s, and has a killer sock collection.  

Born in Hawaii, she credits her love of travel to her life as an Air Force brat moving every two years. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found obsessing over her dogs, Riley and Rocco. 

Represented by Tricia Lawrence at EMLA 

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @kimmyt22 

(3) winners will receive a finished copy of CARMILLA - US Only.






Tour Schedule: 
Week One: 
4/29/2019- A Dream Within A Dream- Excerpt 
4/30/2019- BookHounds- Excerpt 
5/1/2019- Books Coffee and Repeat- Excerpt 
5/2/2019- Dani Reviews Things- Review 
5/3/2019- Novel Novice- Review 
 
Week Two: 
5/6/2019- Fyrekatz- Review 
5/7/2019- Literary Meanderings- Excerpt 
5/8/2019- Here's to Happy Endings- Review 
5/9/2019- The Layaway Dragon- Review 
5/10/2019- Eli to the nth- Review