Monday, March 31, 2014

Release Blitz: Bleak Devotion by Gemma Drazin Excerpt & Giveaway




Bleak Devotion - Release Blitz
By Gemma Drazin
Young Adult Futuristic Dark Fantasy
Date Published: March 31, 2014

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Jessica doesn't know how long it's been, only that it seems like forever since she's allowed her feelings to show. Ever since they attacked her city. Monsters which appear human but are void of any expression, and seem bent on destroying all signs of sentiment in others. Their lethal blades shred anyone who shows even the slightest emotion.

After her only remaining friend is killed, Jessica flees the city hoping to find a place where emotions aren't fatal. A place to grieve those she lost and live out her meager existence. When she discovers the world of the emotionless creatures isn't what she believes, the love it leads her to may also be the path to her own death.



EXCERPT

Jessica clamped her teeth together and took a deep breath. “I can stay calm if he can.”

Zach shook his head. “I don't think—”

“Let her speak with me.” A deep male voice resonated through the crowded hallway.

Throwing on an emotionless mask, Jessica slowly shifted her body toward the voice. A tall male, whom she could only assume was the monster they called Blade, had managed to sneak down the stairs and stood mere inches from her. If she reached out, she would be able to touch him. The thought disturbed her and she struggled to maintain her composure.

The only thing she wanted to do was run screaming at this monster who had ruined her life. Every emotion that she'd been forced to hold in since the invasion begged to be launched at him. Grief. Torture. Outrage. Terror. All of it, she wanted him to feel. She wanted the rage to coat him inside and out, no matter what it would do to him.

Gemma Drazin
Gemma Drazin is the author of short stories and Young Adult Fantasies, sometimes mixing in a love story. She has a great love for cute shoes and can often be found outside with a book and a treat. When she’s not reading or writing she can be found enjoying time with her husband and children.

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Saturday, March 29, 2014

Week Blitz: Wilde Riders by Savannah Young Excerpt & Giveaway

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Wilde Riders - Week Blitz
by Savannah Young
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 2/23/2014

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WILDE RIDERS (An Old Town Country Romance)

FOUR WILDE BROTHERS…ONE WILDE COUNTRY BAND
WILDE RIDERS is the first novel in a spicy new contemporary romance series about four sexy brothers, their small-town bar and their local country band. WILDE RIDERS can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as part of the SERIES.
Cooper Wilde spent his entire adolescence counting the days until he could escape rural northwest New Jersey. Now at 26, he can’t believe he’s coming back. But his late father’s bar, Haymakers, is in financial trouble and his older brother, Jake, has asked for Cooper’s help. 

Riley Smith, 25, is fresh out of her Ivy League MBA program and wants to make an impression on her employer, H & C Bank. Her first solo assignment is a fraud investigation on a business loan they made to Haymakers.

Even though Old Town is less than 90 minutes from New York City, Riley feels like she’s stepped into another world in this remote, one-bar town. Riley can’t wait to do her business and get back to the city as quickly as her sports car will take her…until she meets Cooper Wilde. He’s not like the other guys in this rural town and Riley feels inexplicably attracted to him.  



EXCERPT

The drive into New Jersey is exhausting. My only saving grace is that most of the traffic is going into the city instead of out of the city like I am. You’ve got to love those bridge and tunnel guys. I wouldn’t date one but I have a little bit of respect for them. The commute into Manhattan turns a nine hour work day into an eleven hour one, if you’re lucky.
  I can feel my stomach start to knot as I get further away from the city and further away from civilization. Pretty soon I’ll be in the sticks surrounded by woods and farmland. I can almost smell the manure that will no doubt take days to completely rid from my nasal passages. I pray that I don’t run into any animals, especially cows, which are huge, smelly and completely freak me out. The only live animals I ever care to see have to fit comfortably in a handbag, like a Chihuahua or Teacup Poodle, for example.
I have an appointment with a man named Jake Wilde. He asked me to come early, before the place opens at noon, so he can give me his full attention. I try to imagine what someone named Jake Wilde would look like and all I can come up with is an old gunslinger like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven.
As I pull into Old Town the place looks exactly like I thought it would. The buildings in the town square are old and I image the place hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years or so.
Haymakers is just past the town square, down the hill from the deli, next to the gas station. Those were the exact directions I was given, in those words. I take that to mean the town only has one gas station and one deli.
When I pull into the parking lot, there’s only one other vehicle sitting there. It’s an old beat-up Dodge Ram. Nothing like fitting the country bumpkin stereotype like a glove. Then I have a brief moment of panic and wonder if it’s safe to park my BMW in the dirt lot. Then I remind myself where I am. Who is going to mess with it in the middle of the day? A stray deer from the woods out back? The only thing I probably have to worry about is it getting dusty.
I take in a deep breath. I have to be thankful there’s no manure smell yet. The quicker you do this, I remind myself, the quicker you can get back to the lovely asphalt jungle you call home.
I’m hit with a gust of wind as soon as I get out of my car. How is it possible that Old Town is even windier than lower Manhattan? I didn’t think I’d ever find a place windier than Wall Street. Even the Windy City didn’t seem this windy when I had business in Chicago.
When I enter the bar, I try to smooth down my thick hair, which I know is probably a complete mess from the gust. I’m surprised by the homey feel of the place. How could someone like me possibly feel at home in a country bar? Even if I was wearing jeans and cowboy boots, if I even owned jeans and cowboy boots, I wouldn’t fit in at a place like this. 
I hear someone clear his throat and I turn to see a guy about my age, mid-twenties, standing next to me. I can’t help my surprise when I see he’s wearing khakis and a polo shirt, like he just stepped off of a golf course. He looks as out of place in this country bar as I feel.
“Are you Jake Wilde?” I ask.
The guy gives me the faintest hint of a smile but it’s almost as if it pains him to give that much. His deep brown eyes look even more distressed and I can’t help but wonder what’s behind those sad eyes.
He rakes his fingers through his thick dark hair. “A little windy out, isn’t it?”
My hand automatically goes to my hair and I try to casually flatten it down again. I imagine I must look like I just stepped out of a wind tunnel.
“Your hair looks fine,” the guy tries to assure me. But he’s got that hint of a smile on his face again and it makes me wonder if he’s lying just to make me feel better.
“I’m Cooper Wilde,” the guy says as he offers a hand.
 I don’t know why I suddenly feel nervous about shaking it. It’s a business meeting. That’s what people do. But the way this guy is looking at me gives me the feeling that he might be interested in more than just business.
But I’m not, I remind myself. Not only because I’ve all but sworn off men, I’m here to do a job. I’ve been working for H & C Bank for two years and this is my first solo assignment as a lead investigator. If I continue to do well, I’ll be well on my way to becoming a Vice President before I turn thirty. I don’t need a man to throw me off my career trajectory. And definitely not some guy in a country bar in rural New Jersey.
I take his hand and give it a quick shake but I can’t bring myself to look into his smoldering eyes again. “I’m Riley Smith.”
“I figured that,” Cooper says.
“Why is that?”
That hint of a smile has returned to his face again. “We don’t often get women in business suits in the bar.”
I’m not sure why I’m suddenly overcome with the urge to get a real smile out of Cooper Wilde. I don’t know even know the guy but it somehow seems important. I get the feeling he hasn’t really smiled in a while and it’s long overdue.
Not that I’ve had much occasion for real smiles myself lately.

Savannah Young:
Romance novelist Savannah Young grew up in rural northwest New Jersey in a place very similar to the fictional Old Town, which is featured in her books. When she's not at her computer creating spicy stories, Savannah is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

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Book Blast: Sixth by Brenda Cothern Giveaway


SYNOPSIS
Brian Hay’s only dream in life was to be part of America’s elite, yet unacknowledged, Delta Force. After years of training to be the best the 75th Ranger Regiment had ever produced, his dream was finally coming true. But what starts out as what he thinks is a Delta hazing op soon turns into much more when Brian not only becomes a Delta Force soldier but a Mad Dog.
This book contains m/m adult sexual situations and is intended for readers of legal age in the country in which they reside. Please store your adult literature responsibly.
Amazon | Smashwords | ARE (All Romance)


Brenda Cothern
Brenda is unlike most authors since she only began writing a few years ago. Her first book Fates, an adult fantasy, was published in 2010. Her love for reading fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary erotic romance has caused her to discard her Bachelor’s degrees in management and marketing in order to write full time. Currently, Brenda has fourteen books published (two of which are free!) She is an Amazon best-selling author for Brothers By Bond and Not For Sale. One of her newest releases, Highest Bidder, is the sequel to Not For Sale and became available August 2013. Her latest release, Sixth, became available January 2014 and is the first in the Mad Dogs, series as well as a best seller on ARE.

Brenda resides in Tampa, FL when not attending conventions and is the Chapter Coordinator for the Tampa Bay O.G.R.E.s, as well as a volunteer with the Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. She is also an active member in organizing the Florida Leather Fetish Pride weekend and an associate member of the Tampa Leather Club, as well as their event coordinator for Alt Life Bike Fest.
For signed digital autograph, please send her a request through Authorgraph! A personalized autographed PDF for the book will be signed and sent to you! http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/BCothernBooks
If you enjoy her books, please show your support by giving it stars and/or writing a review on the various online sites such as Amazon or Goodreads.
She would love to hear from you! Visit her on the following:


Website  |  Facebook Author Page  |  Twitter  |  Facebook Fan Page  |  GoodreadsGoogle+  | Smashwords

 GIVEAWAY

Ebook/paperback giveaway Ends 04/11/2014. Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com or BN.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kisha from Indie Hoopla Services & Promotions, http://indiehoopla.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Friday, March 28, 2014

Book Tour: Eternal Mixture by Shevaun DeLucia Excerpt & Giveaway


Genre: YA paranormal romance
Publisher: Words Written
Date of Publication: 11/1/2013
ISBN: 978-0615828039 paperback
ISBN: 978-0615951423 eBoook
ASIN: B00ICT9GQK
Number of pages: 293
Word Count: 88,502 words
Cover Artist: George Parulski, East Way Photography


Book Description:
If you had the chance to start your life over, would you take it? If you were told you would live for eternity, would you embrace it? If a stranger told you he was your soul mate, would you believe it?

Raina Richmond has played it safe her entire life. She has never broken the rules. That is, until Brent Alexander walked straight into her life, causing havoc. Turning her world upside down.

Brent is the new kid in town. He is every girl’s fantasy: adorable, charming, chiseled, and the typical boy Raina usually steers clear of. But there is just something about him she can’t seem to resist. Safe is no longer an option for her. For him, she breaks all the rules.

What she doesn’t realize is that he holds the key to her past, present, and future. Once he reveals the reasons behind their irrevocable connection, she will unlock the answers to all of her questions, and her life as she knows it will never be the same again.

Excerpt: 
         I head over to the library to kill some time before my next class. It’s quiet and peaceful in there, and I always feel a wave of calmness when walking through those doors. I think it may have something to do with all these words that have come together, creating stories, written by all these amazing authors who now surround me. I love books. Something about seeing through someone else’s eyes and living a mere moment in someone else’s life soothes me.
         I take a seat at the table in the back, take out Christopher Pike’s Blood Thirst from my book bag, and dive into the book. The main character, Sita, is so empowering, bold, and immortal, yet carefree and fragile all at once.
The thought of living a thousand years is so intriguing but ultimately depressing, having to outlive everyone and anyone who enters your life. Still, it makes me wonder, what would I give to have all eternity in my hands?
         As I contemplate this, I hear a chair skid across the carpet in front of me. I slowly bring my book down, low enough to peek over.
         I furrow my brows. “Can I help you?” I ask the boy sitting at the table across from me, feeling a bit perplexed and apprehensive. A smirk spreads across his face as his smoky golden eyes bore into mine.
         “No, just taking in the view,” the boy answers back with swagger.
         Is this kid crazy or something? I know he can’t possibly be talking about me, and the library isn’t much to look at either.
         I glance behind me. “The view, huh? Kinda hard to believe, since we’re sitting in a library,” I comment sarcastically.
         “Very true. But I wasn’t talking about the scenery; I was more or less talking about you,” he replies. “My name is Brent,” he says while extending his hand for me to shake. Immediately, I feel the thump-thump, thump-thump of my heart pumping with great intensity. An ice-cold shiver rushes down my arms and throughout my body, and I can’t help but stare at his soft, pristinely manicured hand, as though touching it would be the death of me. An end to all means. But most of all, I’m afraid of the burning scar his touch might leave on me.
         I continue to stare at him, not sure where this is going. He eventually drops his hand. I’m kind of wondering if maybe this is a joke, like he was put up to this or something. Maybe I’m being punked and everyone is hiding behind the bookcases, waiting for him to make a fool out of me.
         But Brent just continues to gawk at me with this indescribable charisma. I feel as though he’s drawing me in with the golden blaze of his eyes but making me question his intentions with a devilish grin.
         “Ahem.” Brent clears his throat, looking amused, and leans his head to the side, waving his hand to get my attention.
         “Oh, sorry. I’m Raina,” I finally reply after leaving my trance.
         “Hi, Raina. It’s nice to finally meet you,” he says, as though he’s been waiting for this moment his entire life.
         “Finally?” I question, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. “You say that as though we should already know each other.”
         I watch as he adjusts his shoulders and reassesses himself before responding. “I saw you in the hallway this morning and then again in the cafeteria. I just felt like you were someone I wanted to meet,” he confesses. “The cafeteria felt a little crowded, with all eyes on me, so I left to get some air,” Brent finishes, shrugging his shoulders.
         “And you followed me here?”
         I can’t believe that just came out of my mouth. Of course he’s not stalking me! Why would anyone want to do that?
         “I wasn’t stalking you, if that’s what you’re thinking. When I passed by, I saw you sitting alone. I felt like this was my chance to introduce myself without any watchers lurking,” he admits with a kind of sincerity. At least, I think he’s being sincere.
         Before I can even respond, the bell rings. I stand up and quickly gather my book off the table to place in my book bag. I push in my chair and smile at him as he begins to stand up. I turn to walk away, not knowing what else to say to him.
         An intense warmth stings my hand, goose bumps rage through my skin as my hair rises from my body. I pause slowly, turn around, and look down. Brent’s hand is now touching mine.
         “Raina, when can I see you again?”
          The energy from his hand is climbing through my every limb, awakening the parts of me that lay dormant for so long.
         “Why would you want to see me again?” I question, a little dumbfounded, taking my hand back.
         He steps closer. “Because I like you.” Straight to the point.
         I turn slowly around, not sure how to answer this, and I can feel the heat off his body as he walks beside me. I stop when we get to the glass doors. “Listen, you seem nice and all, but I have a boyfriend,” I say, leaving him speechless. I’m completely shocked that this lie just came rolling off my tongue so easily. I hate lying, but I hate being let down even more so, and I’m sure that’s just what he would do eventually.

About the Author:
Shevaun DeLucia lives in upstate New York with her husband, four children, and two dogs. As a stay-at-home mom while her children were young, she fell in love with reading. She indulged in the small moments that took her away from the reality of her loud, overly rambunctious household, bringing her into a world of fantasy. When reading wasn’t enough to satisfy her, she turned to writing, determined to create the perfect ending of her own.
                                           




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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Book Tour: Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon Interview & Giveaway

BLURB:
"The first book in the popular trilogy, soon to be a major new television series!

Some fires can consume you.

Last year, I had it all. Two jumpers on the show circuit, a lot of wins, and a lot of attention - the good kind. But now I have nothing. My life is circling the drain. The only spark of light that exists for me is my new, forbidden passion. If my stepfather finds out, he will kill me. My twin brother, my only blood relative in the world, has already begged me not to. But I can't help myself. If it can't be horses, it has to be this..."

EXCERPT:
I squished my way through the water-soaked grass to the pasture. The sudden downpour had cooled the air, and I shivered slightly in my wet clothes. The worst of the storm seemed to be over, and when I reached the pasture fence I paused, debating whether I needed to bring the horses in. The rain had abated to a fine drizzle, and there hadn’t been any lightning or thunder since I’d left the barn. It was such a relief to escape the tense atmosphere there that I lingered, leaning on the fence and watching the dark wet patches creeping down the horses’ coats.

I didn’t hear the footsteps until they were right behind me. I knew whose they were without turning; only Jaden’s presence would raise the hairs on my body like that.

“Tea,” he said my name like a caress.

I was about to duck away, but he knew me too well—his hands shot out and gripped the fence board on either side of me, though he didn’t touch me, of course. He was so close now that I could feel the heat from his body searing the back of mine, but this heat made me shiver all the more.

“How long are you planning on not talking to me?” His voice was subdued.

I shrugged. I felt, rather than heard, his sigh.

“You’re angry with me.”

He was wrong about that. It wasn’t anger that was making me avoid him, it was self preservation.

“I don’t blame you. I know I’ve made a mess of things. I came to give you a choice… I was planning to leave at the end of the season.” He paused, but my brain was already frozen. As though it couldn’t process the word ‘leave’. “But if you’d rather I left now, I’ll understand. I’ll find a spot for my horses closer to Toronto.”

My chest constricted painfully, and my breath started coming in sharp, raw gasps. Either way, he would be gone. My only option was whether to prolong my suffering. It was always the same impossible choice: the pain of his presence versus the torture of his absence. I didn’t say anything. I don’t think I could have spoken even if I’d wanted to.

“Let me know what you decide,” he continued quietly. He hesitated, then dropped his head close to mine; I felt the zing of current from my face down to my shoulder. He whispered his parting line in my ear.

“I miss you.”

I waited until his footsteps faded to surrender to the wracking sobs, and they shook me for a long time before I pulled myself together and went back to work.

  1. Where did you get the idea for the novel?

I have no memory of trying to think of an idea, but I vividly recall being assaulted by it when it suddenly invaded my life, springing forth quite fully formed from my subconscious.  I used to work with horses, so that part’s easily understood, and everyone has some family drama in their lives, although I’ve seen perhaps more than most.  Wherever it came from, I’m thankful.

  1. Your title. Who came up with it? Did you ever change your title?

My book titles seem pretty humdrum at first glance, don’t they?  I’ll never be appointed the official entitler of anyone else’s work!

I’m not sure whether you know this, but a “blaze” is a type of marking on a horse’s face – a wide white stripe.  I’ve always wanted to own a jumper with a blaze and call him/her Blaze of Glory (as in the Bon Jovi song).  It never happened in real life, so I invented an equine character with that name, although the horse’s personality was based on my last horse, whose name was Jamie.  Show horses usually have at least two names, a ‘barn name’ for every day, and a show name.  Sometimes they also have a different registered name, if they’re a particular breed.  Each of the book titles in the Blaze of Glory trilogy is the show name of a different horse in the series.  I never changed any of the titles because they each “fit” on different levels.  They’re horse names, but they also describe something of the happenings in each book – the first was all fire and passion, hence Blaze of Glory.  The second, Look Twice, took a closer look at the various complicated relationships within this family.  And the third, Renaissance Man, marks new beginnings for several of the characters (‘renaissance’ is ‘rebirth’ in French).

However, after seeing how hard it is to read a long title when you do an Amazon search (on those small thumbnails), I decided to call the book I’m currently writing Panther – short and legible. 

  1. Why did you pick this genre? What do you like about it?

I honestly never thought about genre when I was writing.  Even after finishing my first book, I was hard-pressed to put a label on it; I wrote the story that barreled through me, and let others decide how to pigeonhole it.  I suppose I was drawn to family drama because I’m fascinated by relationships – between people, between humans and animals, and even by our relationships with ourselves.  And although the trilogy is considered a family drama, several people referred to the first book as a romance, which I found pretty amusing since it’s a genre I almost never read.

  1. Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?

Having my books optioned for TV is definitely the most exciting development!  I was on cloud nine for months afterward.  I’m so looking forward to seeing my characters, my second family, on screen.  But on a day-to-day basis, just being able to sit down and write is pretty darn great, too.

  1. What book are you currently reading or what was the last book you read?

I just started Dog Gone, Back Soon by Nick Trout.  It’s looking great so far!

  1. What is your writing process?

My writing process has evolved a lot, and doubtless it will continue to change.  With my first book I happily jumped in feet first with no idea of where the story was going, but now I spend more time planning before I write.  I get to know the characters a bit before I put anything on paper.  If I’m having trouble imagining any of them, I ask simple questions, like “What’s this person’s favorite color?  Favorite food? How would they react to say, a break-up or a surprise party?”  Then I let the characters answer for themselves.

When it comes to the actual writing, that’s easy.  I was trained in my previous career as a consultant to show up on schedule, sit down and produce something to show for your time – I must say it’s come in handy.

  1. At a book signing, do you just sign your name or do you write a note? How do you come up with stuff to say? 

You have no idea how I agonized over this in the beginning!  I’d wonder, what if I write something that comes across the wrong way?  What if I make a spelling mistake?  What if my handwriting – never neat at the best of times – is downright illegible?  As with most things, the worry tends to be for naught.  Now I usually ask people if they’d like anything special inscribed, or if they want a particular person’s name in the book (sometimes it’s a gift).  If not, I write something fairly generic, like “I hope you enjoy the story.”  If there’s a line-up I might only sign my name, but I like to include something extra – I feel honored when anyone takes the time out of their busy lives to read something I’ve created.

  1. What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I was born in Holland and only learned English when I was five.  It was my third language, but now I can’t even remember any Dutch.

  1. How do you react to a bad review?

Fiction is a form of art, which is by its nature subjective.  I’ve started reading books that I didn’t enjoy, put them aside, and picked them up at another time (‘cause I’m stubborn that way) only to find myself completely caught up in the story.  So I don’t get upset by bad reviews, and I think it’s even useful for readers to have a negative review to read when they’re shopping for a book, just to provide a balanced view.  When I’m looking at books to read, I usually read a cross-section: a few of the rave reviews and a few of the negative ones. 

  1. How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?

My first royalty cheque was for a whopping $32, and I used it to take my two kids out for dinner.  Any time I don’t have to cook is a celebration for me!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
M. Garzon rode horses professionally for ten years, until an injury prompted a career change. She returned to school and completed a BSc; then for good measure, an MBA. After several years of toiling as a business consultant, she turned to writing in a desperate bid to regain her sanity. A mom of two fabulous children, she lives in St Lazare, QC and considers herself extremely lucky to be a writer.

Links:




(also available on Kobo, NOOK, and iBooks)

The author will be awarding the entire trilogy on Kindle or Kobo (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

 The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: