Thursday, October 31, 2013

And the winner is...

And now for the exciting part of the night!  The winner of the Tim O'Rourke Book Giveaway is...
                        Maegan Morin!!

Thank you to everyone that entered and thank you so much to Tim O'Rourke!  Happy Halloween!!
Happy Halloween everyone!  

Treat Yourself Giveaway Hop! Win a Great Prize Pack from Clarice's Book Nook!

We're just a couple of weeks away from Halloween and there's one thing that's on everyone's mind... treats!  Welcome to the Treat Yourself Giveaway Hop, hosted by So Easy Being Green and Viva Veltoro!   In this Hop, you'll find lots of special treats to keep your entering giveaways until it's time to go out and gather your own!

Be sure to hop around to all the giveaways in the Hop Linky below, and don't forget the ultimate treat... the Treat Yourself Grand Prize!





Viva Veltoro, So Easy Being Green, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Treat Yourself participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.



For Clarice's Book Nook:

One winner will get a prize pack of four signed copies by best selling author Tim O'Rourke!  The books 
are Vampire Shift and Vampire Wake (books 1 and 2 of the Kiera Hudson Series 1), Moonlight and Moonbeam (Books 1 and 2 of the Moon Trilogy).  The best news?  The giveaway is WORLDWIDE!! (winner will be notified within 48 hours. winner must have a valid address.)
































a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks for entering a chance to treat yourself to my giveaway, now it's time to hop around to all the others, including the delicious
Grand Prize. One lucky Winner will be treating themselves to a Year's Supply of YumEarth Organic Candy, a Roku 3 Streaming Media Player, and 4 yummy bags of Lovely Candy Co. Superfruit Chews, Fruit Chews, Chocolate Swirl Caramels, and Chewy Original Caramels! Treat Yourself Grand Prize

ENTER THE GRAND PRIZE

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Darkness Fades by Jessica Sorensen

   Kayla and Sylas have been caught in the end of the last book. This one starts there with us knowing Sylas is changing into an abomination while Kayla is being tortured. Aiden comes to her rescue though. But Aiden isn't Aiden anymore. And Kayla has a hard time deciding whether he is good or bad.  And what's worse is that Aiden is still changing.  Sylas is constantly on her mind, although now her thoughts are being invaded by Aiden with his new found talents.  While Kayla is intent on finding Sylas, her top priority is saving the world.  Sacrifice a few to save many.
   As much as I have looked forward to this book coming out, I was a little disappointed that it lacked the punch that the other two had. It didn't seem quite as put together.  The first two books were a nice change of scenery for Jessica Sorensen.  They weren't a romance type of novel, with more energy and life in them.  The last one was not so much.  I would personally give it a 3.5.
   Although the ending is what you pretty much expect, it seems to have some redeeming points to it.  It was a satisfying ending.  And there was a little bit of surprise in this book for me personally.  But there are also a lot of questions, many surrounding Monarch, the man who Kayla looked up to like a father until she left the colony.  

Monday, October 21, 2013

Interview with Tim O'Rourke!

And here is the email/Facebook interview I did with author Tim O'Rourke!!



1.How long have you been writing? 

--I started writing at the age of fourteen.

2. What/who is your biggest inspiration? 

--I get inspired by all sorts of things. Stories that I read about in the news or stuff that has affected my own life.

3. What inspired the Kiera Hudson Series?

--My wife wanted me to write a vampire story for her. I didn’t want to at first so I told her to come up with an idea and I would write the story for her. So she suggested a remote little police station where the night shift were all vampires. So I got writing…

4. Let’s talk about Jack Seth. We see him appear some in the first Kiera Hudson Series, but don’t delve too awfully much into his deep, dark heart. Please tell us about what to expect in the Jack Seth Novellas.

--Jack is trying to redeem himself for all his past mistakes. They have been pretty big mistakes like murder…but he is haunted by a curse which he is trying to lift. The Jack Seth series will look at that struggle. There will be links to the Kiera Hudson series.

5. When can we expect the final book in the Moon Trilogy to be out? 

--The third and final book in the ‘Moon Trilogy’ will be released early in 2014.

6. You have written tons of books. How exactly do you keep from burning out? 

--Writing is my passion and I write full time. I get up at seven each morning and start writing a t 9 am. Most days I finish at 5 pm but sometimes I write to much later. I often write for 12 hours in a single day.

7. What other hobbies do you enjoy besides writing? 

--I love walking and listening to music and messing about with my three kids.

8. Have your life experiences had an impact on your writing? 

--Yes. If you read my books you’ll see certain themes creep in in most of the stories that I write. The way in which I was raised, my schooling and faith had a big impact on me.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Lindsey Stirling and Dracula Music Video

If you have not seen this music video yet it is amazing!  It is Lindsey Stirling playing and the video is about the new Dracula television series coming on starting Friday, October 25th!!

             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqtKpLUd3Ng&feature=youtu.be


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Walking Dead Season 4

Anyone for a little info on the new Walking Dead Season 4 coming soon?  Well I found some!  Here it is!!

http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/fall-tv/27-things-we-know-so-far-about-season-4-of--the-walking-dead--182904826.html

More to Come!

I am now on Bloglovin as well!  And don't forget, next week is going to be an exciting week!  A new giveaway starts on the 17th and I will have a special Q&A email/Facebook interview with a surprise author!!


Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Thursday, October 10, 2013

The House of Grey by Collin Earl

                  His past life, what he knew of it, was gone.


 The reluctant new hero, or Horum Vir, of Coren University has no memory of anything much about himself.  He woke up in a hospital after something happened on a bridge where he was the only survivor.  Apparently no one really knows what happened.  And he can't remember anything.  All he knows is that he is Monson Grey and he won a scholarship to this famous school where all of the important and rich people go, the high society.  Monson's face is a mess of scars that make people tend to shy away from him, and him away from other people.  The scars are from whatever happened on that bridge.
   Monson is now called the Horum Vir, or Hero, because of his win in the competition.  He unseated the guy that held the scholarship and it was a monumental win because it was very unexpected.  Freshmen never win.  His first day at school he meets new friends, Arthur and Casey, and learns that he knows his way around a sword after a little case of mistaken identity.  Settling into this new school has its difficulties for Monson.  His friends help make things easier, but the other students just tend to not like him for one of many reasons.  And no one at this school seems very normal.

                   Who is Monson Grey?

   I was pleasantly surprised at how good these novels are.  The way that they are basically "cut up" to create
more novels makes one wonder if you can still keep it as an amazing story.  But Collin Earl did just that.  Apparently his story was so big that it took creating several volumes so as not to have one massive and scary book that many wouldn't read because of its sheer size.
    I am now towards the end of the third volume myself and have noticed that the farther you go into the story, the more you uncover what a tortured soul Monson Grey really is.  It seems that the darkness is closing in on his mind.  By the middle of the third volume, he is having trouble discerning what is a dream and what is actually reality or even latent memories.  He feels an evil within himself and strange things are happening.  It seems that the only reason he has made it this far is because of his good friends Arthur and Casey, and strangely enough, the very elusive Cyann Harrison.  She is the one girl no one can beat with a sword, the girl no one has a phone number to (except Monson), and the one that always shows up when Monson needs someone.  She knows things, but she isn't talking.  And it is apparent that she has her own skeletons.
   This series not only spins a great story, but it is relatively clean as well.  The language is minimal and no explicit situations that I have seen so far.  A book young teens and possibly even tweens would enjoy reading without you having to worry!



http://collinearl.com/


*images via Collin Earl
*quote via Collin Earl

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Family Portrait: Changes by Gillian Felix Blog Tour

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Adriana Banovic’s 15th birthday sucked! She got fired after eight years of playing Shayanne Montgomery on the #1 soap in the country, found out that her family was on the verge of bankruptcy and worst of all, forced to return to Westwood Academy. Her only saving grace was a chance glance at dreamy mystery boy Haze Lyndon. Armed with only his picture and a determination to find him—even if it means turning Los Angeles over on its ass.
 In this new adult novel you'll meet Robin Banovic, Adriana's father; financially challenged, dealing with the death of a family member and his brother's disappearance. You'll meet Savannah DaCosta aka Savi, mother/manager; Savi enjoys the life her rock star daughter Leighann has provided. When Leighann makes a choice to end her career, Savi sees it as a personal attack. You'll meet college boy Haze Lyndon; New to Los Angeles, Haze soon realizes how quickly money changes hands in the City of Angels. Will he return to questionable ways to survive or go back to the safety of his family in Wisconsin?

This novel is NOT for children, it contains strong language, reference to drug use and sexual situations, this novel is meant for mature teens and adults.


Purchase a copy here.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EADYMCA



Fun facts about Changes Vol. 1, (Family Portrait)

Writing Adriana’s character was fun and challenging. It’s tricky because she shares the leading role with Leighann, who is sweet, and kind—they are polar opposites of each other. They both grew up in the entertainment industry but that’s about all they have in common. Adriana makes no apologies for who she is, she is reckless and wild and I’m sure some readers will hate her. It is only later on in the series you get to really see why she is the way she is.

Even though Leighann was a bigger star than Adriana, she was more protected by her mother. Savi may have her ways, but she shielded Leighann from a lot of the outside world. So when Leighann defies her and ventures out into the ‘real world’, she begins to see how scary things can get.

Leighann’s fascination with the ‘real world’ is based on the fact that she has never had a ‘normal’ life. She sits in the tour bus and looks at the fans through the one way glass and thinks that their life is so easy, and she longs for that. She wants to meet a boy, go to the movies, and do things normal teenagers do.

Westwood Academy of Higher Learning is a super school on steroids as one reviewer described it: “we mustn't forget the whole larger-than-life high school scene on steroids in a world where appearances often mean more than substance”
The school is high tech and ridiculously over the top with chef catered lunches, marble floors, digital lockers, Jacuzzi. Seriously, I’d want to go to that school. How does any body get any studying done?

Astrid Wilson is the Kim Kardashian of Westwood Academy. She decks out in Prada and all the latest designs by the hottest designers. No body can throw a hissy fit like Astrid. When Adriana returns to Westwood Academy, Astrid’s status is threatened especially where her boyfriend Warren is concerned.

Family Portrait is based on a television series I had written. The script got lots of interest in Hollywood but nothing came of it, so I decided to turn it into a book series. I have two seasons, 24 episodes of the television series already written.

Book two combines a couple episodes from the script. Changes Vol. 1 is equivalent to the pilot episode—it introduces the audience to the characters. The script for television was meant for prime time so I had to tone it down—a lot. The book is the raw version—drug use, foul language, sexual situations. The characters can get away with a lot more in the book than they could on screen, which is good for Adriana and Kevin’s character, because later in the series they really get naughty.

Right now I am working on Vol. 2 called The Banovic Siblings. In this book the siblings mostly Adriana and Kevin’s past catches up with them and their secrets are getting too close to home. Love triangles and tangles start to form with some of the supporting characters. Leighann’s character starts evolving, her sister L’Wren has a very powerful and emotional storyline which took a lot out of me to write. It really made me ‘go there’ which stretches me as a writer. Book two is a bit darker than Changes.

I think Vol. 2 may be available in November or December, 2013. It still has the whole process to go through with the story editor, the proofreader and the cover still has to be designed. I usually write like a fiend at night—Sunday through Thursday sometimes Friday nights.

On the Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels fans can rummage through the character’s closets. Right now there is an app on there called Adriana’s closet and coming soon: Leighann’s wardrobe, Astrid’s locker, the sound track to go with some of the scenes, Westwood Academy emblem reveal, Westwood Academy gear, fun trivia’s, first read of the novels before they are published. So sign up.

Thanks for having me. Purchase a copy of Changes Vol. 1 (Family Portrait) here. (: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EADYMCA)

The reviews on Amazon:
“Each character has a story to tell, and I see their stories being entwined together, for better or worse as author Gillian Felix builds a strong and intriguing foundation for a new series with her novella, Changes, book 1 in the Family Portrait series.

“Part soap opera, part teen struggle in a world where they are expected to “follow the crowd” and feed the frenzied tabloids fodder for the prying eyes of the masses, all while dealing with personal and family crises, I see a huge following for this new series! I know I’m going to watch for more!”

“So many drugs, schemes, and much more. One girl just wants to be normal. One girl just wants the limelight. Selfish motives abound and changes are coming for everyone. It's Hollywood....”

“This book has many interesting characters and I am looking forward to the next volume. I was sorry to see it end.”
 
Author bio

Gillian Felix has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She enjoys creating characters that could be your next-door neighbor, but would you want them as your neighbor is another story.

Originally from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Felix moved to the United States in 1998. Since then she has been involved in the entertainment industry for over fifteen years. Her experience ranges from script supervisor to production manager on many independent features. She is trained in the Meisner and Stanislavski technique of acting, which she credits as an asset to her character development and writing.

Miss Felix is an entrepreneur and advocate for children’s and women’s rights.

Connect:
Website: http://www.plaintalkbm.com/family-portrait-novel/ (Read the first chapter for free)











Saturday, October 5, 2013

Kiss of Fire (Imdalind Series Book 1) by Rebecca Ethington

   "Everything changed on my fifth birthday."

   On Joclyn's 5th birthday, she was bitten by something that permanently left a mark behind her ear.  As a result, she was in a coma for months.  After that, things changed.  Her parents started fighting and eventually her father left, looking for answers.  The doctors had said they thought she had some kind of weird allergic reaction to something, but her father suspected it was more.  Her mother never believed that though.
   When Joclyn hit puberty, she started wearing baggy and dark clothing and lots of hoodies.  She didn't want anyone to see the mark on her.  It ruled her life.  She never even got close to anyone except her best friend Ryland.  They had been best friends since she was a little kid.  When her father left, her mom became a cook in Ryland's majestic home.  She has no other friends until a new girl comes to school and befriends Joclyn.  Wyn is a bubbly girl and has a brother named Ilyan that's quite a bit older than her.  He seems cold and reserved, nothing like Wyn.  That's when things start going awry.  The relationship between she and Ryland starts getting out of hand.  He is not even supposed to be around her, but they both have feelings for each other.  Then one night at Ryland's he sees the mark after telling her he loves her and knows exactly what it means.  Joclyn is in danger. Ryland's father will kill her if he catches her.     After that night, her life as well as Ryland's is in danger.  His father is a brute of a man and has forced
unspeakable things upon his children.  He wants to kill Joclyn because she is the last one of the Chosen Children.  She bears the mark, which means she can use magic.  And Joclyn's magic is particularly strong.  Ilyan and Wyn try to keep Joclyn safe as well as teach her about her new power.  But they also need to save Ryland from his father before it's too late.


Full of twists and turns, this book is a great read!  Joclyn slowly starts changing as she realizes the mark on her has taken hold of her life, destroying it.  Although she blames the mark, she starts to realize it is her fault for letting this happen.  And then there is the whole "I can do magic" thing that she now has to contend with.  Although it sounds a little out there, it is the only explanation she has for what has been happening.  Then there is the strange Ilyan.  Ryland sent her to him and Wyn to keep her safe.  Ilyan has such a big part in this that I cannot begin to explain it all.  He is the only one who can help Joclyn.  And it almost seems  like he doesn't like his position among the others that much.  It is a somewhat lonely position to have and he has no wife or girlfriend.  The life of Ryland and Ilyan are enigmas that slowly unwind and show the painful past they share.  All in all, a great book and I would love to continue the series!


                                                   http://www.rebeccaethington.com/


*quote via Rebecca Ethington
*pictures via Rebecca Ethington
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