Curling Up With A Good Book

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Blog Tour, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Viral Nation (Shaunta Grimes)

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Release Date: July 2, 2013

After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.
Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.
When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever.

Shaunta Grimes has worked as a substitute teacher, a newspaper reporter, a drug court counselor, and a vintage clothing seller. No matter which direction she strays, however, she always comes back to storytelling. She lives in Reno with her family, where she writes, teaches, and perpetually studies at the University of Nevada. Viral Nation is her debut traditionally-published novel.

How to Connect with Shaunta:

Email: shauntagrimes@gmail.com

Twitter: @shauntagrimes

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Shaunta-Grimes/616126965080762

Blog: www.shauntagrimes.com

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/yEc11

If you could Time Travel where would you go and why?

If I could time travel, I'd go forward into the future. My mother died when she was young—only 48—and when I was exactly half her age. I've always had this kind of morbid fear that I'll never get old. What freaks me out the most when I let myself go down this particular rabbit hole is the idea of how much my mother missed. I'd love to have a time machine that would let me see what I'll miss when I'm gone.

One of my favorite books is Octavia Butler's Kindred. Her character, Dana, is a modern black woman who is sucked back through time to the antebellum south. I'm afraid that's what time travel would be like. You might think you'd like to visit Tara, but in reality there was brutality happening everywhere. We only think about the good things a lot of the time. The pretty things like hoop skirts and beautiful white houses. I'll get my history from books. I want to experience the future.

Tour Schedule:

6/15/2013 All Things Urban Fantasy- Guest Post

6/16/2013 Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and Romance- Guest Post

6/17/2013 Moosubi Reviews!- Guest Post

6/18/2013 Mom With A Kindle- Interview

6/19/2013 Books, Bones & Buffy- Interview

6/20/2013 The Demon Librarian- Guest Post

6/21/2013 YaReads- Interview

6/22/2013 Fantasy Book Addict- Interview

6/23/2013 The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia- Guest Post

6/24/2013 The Reading Diaries- Guest Post

6/25/2013 Curling Up With A Good Book- Guest Post

6/26/2013 Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf- Guest Post

6/27/2013 Jessabella Reads- Guest Post

6/28/2013 Chocolate Coated Reviews- Guest Post

6/29/2013 Reading with ABC- Interview

6/30/2013 BookHounds YA- Interview

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Storm Force (Susannah Sandlin)

As leader of the elite counter-terrorism team Omega Force, former army ranger Jack “Kell” Kellison is always focused on getting the job done. So when a Houston high-rise is bombed and the governor killed or missing, Kell’s mission is clear: infiltrate the group suspected of the bombing and neutralize the threat by any means necessary. But once Kell meets beautiful chief suspect Mori Chastaine, he realizes there’s more to this case than meets the eye. And more to Mori than any man—any human man—could imagine.

Mori Chastaine is running out of options. Suspected for a crime she didn’t commit, forced into a marriage she doesn’t want, she sees no escape—until Kell walks through her door. A lifetime hiding her true nature warns her Kell might not be who he seems. But he could be the only one able to help save more innocent humans from becoming pawns in an ancient paranormal power play. If Mori reveals her secret, will Kell join her fight? Or will she become his next target?

Storm ForceOmega Force #1
Susannah Sandlin
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Date of Publication: March 19, 2013, in serial form for Kindle; July 9, 2013, in print, digital, and audio.

Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night. A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch and the horror fantasy of Stephen King. (Um…it is fantasy, right?) The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana.

Website: http://www.susannahsandlin.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susannahsandlin

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susannahsandlin

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828129.Susannah_Sandlin

Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781612183541

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

It was a combination of things. I got the basic idea when I was writing the third book (Omega) in my Penton Vampire Legacy—the idea of pairing human soldiers with shapeshifter partners. I was interested in seeing how highly trained humans would handle working with men and women who were naturally faster, stronger, and more durable. The case my team of Army Rangers and shapeshifters tackles first is a case of domestic terrorism, which is always on our mind these days. And, finally, in Texas, a rare spider, thought to be extinct, was found during a road project—which got me thinking about endangered species of shapeshifters. A weird mix of inspirations!

Who is your favorite character in the book?

It changed from day to day as I was writing it—I always fall in love with my characters! But some are special, and in Storm Force I think Robin, an ironically named Golden Eagle shapeshifter who’s the team’s tracker, won me over with her sheer force of personality. And I love the hero, Kell, a human Army Ranger who’s trying to figure out a way to lead this team of shifters. He’s funny and smart and resourceful—even if he does realize the hundred-pounds-soaking-wet Robin can outdo him on the bench press.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The titles usually come early in the process for me, as I’m thinking about and plotting the book, and before any words are actually written. I’ve changed a title once or twice but usually whatever I start with is the title that sticks.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

The final, culminating scene in the book, was complex to write. There is a showdown in the middle of a swamp in South Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin as a hurricane is moving in. The water’s rising, there’s no way to travel except by boat, the winds are brutal, and there are three characters out in the elements trying to kill each other. I wanted it to be tense and harrowing, and to use the setting to really jack up the tension. I’m happy with the way it came out, and hope the readers are as well!

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

That there’s never going to be a time—or there shouldn’t be—when I’m going to just “get it” and a novel will come easily. I always need to be learning and trying new things and improving.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

Biceps. I’m a big fan of biceps!

What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2013?

Besides my own? LOL. The two I was most anticipating—Kim Harrison’s Ever After and Alex Bledsoe’s Wisp of a Thing—are out now. And neither disappointed.

What was your favorite book of 2012?

Oh man, that’s hard. I had so many writing projects last year that my reading really suffered. The first one that comes to mind was Alex Bledsoe’s The Hum and the Shiver—it’s a “rural fantasy” set in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, and is really a terrific book. Which is why I was looking forward to the second one that came out a couple of weeks ago, Wisp of a Thing. They both are great reads.

What’s up next for you?

I’m working on a fourth book in my Penton Vampire Legacy series, tentatively titled Deliverance. No release date on that yet. In mid-August, the third book in my Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, which I write as Suzanne Johnson, will be released and I’m really excited about that one. It’s called Elysian Fields.

Book Blast: Legend (Matt Archer)

Matt Archer: Legend When Matt Archer was fourteen, he was chosen—by a magic, spirit-inhabited knife—to hunt monsters with a special paranormal division of the Army. When he was fifteen, he was thrown into a global war the rest of the world didn’t know existed. Now Matt’s sixteen and the war has cost him more than he ever thought it would. He’s also learned that the knife-spirits have an agenda he doesn’t totally agree with. The only problem? The spirits have the upper hand, and they plan to control the fight—and Matt. Then things get worse: the next lunar eclipse cycle is starting, a prominent physicist has gone missing, and Matt’s best friend is thinking about quitting the team. If he loses Will—after everyone else he’s lost—Matt’s not sure how he’ll fight alone. As the source of his nightmares starts to creep out of the shadows, Matt knows he’ll need all the help he can get…because being alone could prove deadly.

Buy Links for Matt Archer: Legend

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

Matt Archer: Blade's Edge When Matt Archer was fourteen, he discovered monsters are real. As if that wasn’t enough to go on for a few decades, Matt also found out that he’d been chosen to hunt those monsters--with a sentient, supernatural knife. Now fifteen, Matt has spent the last year working with a clandestine military unit, trying to rid the world of monsters, demons and other vicious creatures, all while keeping it a secret from nearly everyone he knows back home in Billings. Including his mom. Add in a new girlfriend, family secrets, sibling drama and enough homework to sink an aircraft carrier, and Matt’s life has become more complicated than he ever imagined. Worse, the knife has developed some very definite opinions about Matt’s personal life and it interferes in his business whenever it wants. More and more, Matt’s coming to realize that sharing brain-space with a spirit kind of sucks. When stories of decimated towns and hordes of zombies start pouring into the Pentagon from Afghanistan, Matt knows he’ll be called up soon. Between the new mission and the knife’s increasing control over his mind, Matt wonders if he’ll survive long enough to take his driver’s exam.

Buy Links for Matt Archer: Blade’s Edge

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords * iTunes

Matt Archer: Monster Hunter

Fourteen-year-old Matt Archer spends his days studying Algebra, hanging out with his best friend and crushing on the Goddess of Greenhill High, Ella Mitchell. To be honest, he thinks his life is pretty lame until he discovers something terrifying on a weekend camping trip at the local state park. Monsters are real. And living in his backyard. But that's not the half of it. After Matt is forced to kill a strange creature to save his uncle, he finds out that the weird knife he took from his uncle's bag has a secret, one that will change Matt's life. The knife was designed with one purpose: to hunt monsters. And it's chosen Matt as its wielder. Now Matt's part of a world he didn't know existed, working with a covert military unit dedicated to eliminating walking nightmares. Faced with a prophecy about a looming dark war, Matt soon realizes his upcoming Algebra test is the least of his worries. His new double life leaves Matt wondering which is tougher: hunting monsters or asking Ella Mitchell for a date?

Buy Links for Matt Archer: Monster Hunter

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords * iTunes

Author Kendra C. HighleyKendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most important job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.

Twitter * Facebook

Pinterest * Goodreads * Website

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/9/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.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 Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, June 24, 2013

Blog Tour, Interview, and Giveaway: Rift Healer (Diane M. Haynes)

Tour Schedule

Rift Healer

Rift Healer is the first installment of the 'Forest Magic' series, a Young Adult Fantasy/Romance set in Central and Western Massachusetts. After a minor earthquake, the enchanted forest in Bidwell, MA, is infested with monster-spewing rifts. Gisele Westerfield's great nephew, the gifted Micah, and his distant cousin, Selena, arrive to assist. Together with Gisele's summer students, twins Haley and Lacey, they will try to heal the magical forest. Much to the consternation of the beautiful Selena, Micah identifies Haley as The One whom he'll share his future. But after witnessing a terrifying display of Micah's Gift, Haley cools to his advances and unexpectedly discovers her own Gift-- she can heal the earth. Monsters, mayhem, and teenage angst follow the small group as they confront evil in the forest and a dangerous prediction that 'one will fall'. Will they heal the rifts in time? Can they save the unicorns? And is Haley really destined to be with Micah?

Amazon

Author Diane M. Haynes

Diane has lived in Massachusetts all her life where early on, her artistic talents were fostered, though her skills as an "excellent report writer" were often noted in previous employment. On her brother Rick's birthday, November 16, 2004, seven months after his death, she woke from an amazing dream which would not fade. She outlined the dream, made a few quick notes and days later produced a 12 page short story. After deciding her story was interesting but incomplete, she began writing her first novel, using her dream as its climax. She now believes the dream to be a 'Spirit Gift,' sent by her brother. Diane continues to reside in Central MA with her husband and a very naughty Basset Hound named Basil and his new adopted sister-Basset, Ruby, both of whom cleverly wreak havoc on the Haynes' formerly well-ordered lives. She spends her time writing, reading books about writing, talking about writing, painting with watercolors, antiqueing and attempting to train a very reluctant Basil and a willing, but highly comedic Ruby.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

A dream several years ago when I 'saw' three kids in a meadow and a fairy landed on a girl's cheek. She was enchanted and so was I, so I wrote a 12 page story. Days later I expanded the story making the fairy meadow the climax to the story.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

Gisele, my elderly herbalist does what she wants, when she wants and leaves others to sort it out.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel came first, but the title came soon after. "The Rift Healer" was my working title, though when my publisher suggested dropping 'The,' I quickly agreed.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

There's a scene in a restaurant where Micah demonstrates one of his Gifts to Haley, scaring her in the process. It completely changes their relationship and complicates things in a way I never expected.

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

I learned SO much in the editing process! I now try to explain things more fully. Just because I know what my characters will do, and why, doesn't mean everyone will understand. Also, I now know what 'head-hopping' is and I avoid it like crazy.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

The mysteriousness and moodiness of the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't my first choice for a cover, but I do love it.

What was your favorite book in 2012?

Gotta say, "Rift Healer!" Second favorite: "11/22/63" by Stephen King.

What’s up next for you?

I'm working on Necromancer, the third installment of the Forest Magic' series, which is being written largely from Micah's point of view.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

I'd like to thank everyone for their interest and hope you love spending time in the forest with some of my favorite characters and creatures.

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/8/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Dancers and Divas (Kathy Petrakis)

Paperback, 350 pages
Published October 15th 2012 by Antartis Publishers

Contains mature content - reccommended for ages 15+

Does passion and desire guarantee success? Can friends really be trusted? Can true love be found beneath lust and deceit?

These are questions tenacious street dancer Elena Martinez faces as she struggles to compete against the most talented students at New York’s top Performing Arts High School. Along with her best friend, the carefree and mischievous Sebastien Duval, they are determined to make center stage.

But the singing diva Letitia has other plans. Beautiful, talented and popular, her desire for revenge could ruin everything for Elena and Sebastien. Now, they must fight against prejudice, treachery and deceit as Letitia sets out to destroy Elena’s friendships, her romance, her dignity and her dreams. Can Elena win the battle for true love, happiness and success?

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Paperback, 434 pagesPublished April 28th 2013 by Antartis Publishers

The second book in Dancers and Divers series

Can secrets stay hidden forever? Can people really change? Are some mistakes unforgivable?

As Elena and Sebastian embark on a fresh start, will Letitia keep his secret, or will she use it to destroy them?
As Veronika falls in love, Frankie is out of rehab and trying to make amends, but will it last for either of them?
Meanwhile, as Anya is torn between loyalty to her Nana and love for Darius, could Darius fall for the new temptress, Rosa? With her stunning looks, her powerful, sensual dancing and her desire to seduce, she has everyone nervous but what secret is she hiding?
Continue the roller-coaster journey with your favorite characters as they try to survive junior year at the country’s top performing arts school.

“There is drama, stress and anger all wrapped up in a neat bow just waiting to be unleashed.”
“.. at first, it felt like I was reading a new version of Step Up 2... LOVE... then it merged into a little Glee... then it merged with Center Stage... then in the midst of it all was the Gossip Girl...”
“It is extremely well written, and the plot is very engaging. I couldn't put it down..”

Purchase Links:

Amazon

By the third week, Anya knew the moves and fought to let go of her inhibitions. But it was strange. Now, as they joined to dance, his touch sent electricity through her body. As a move required him to trace the side of her body, Anya could feel herself blush, but she couldn’t stop the dance.

By the last chorus, they were so close together and so connected with the music that when Darius drew her up against his body for the final move, he kissed her. He instantly pulled away, looking down in shame but she pulled him forward and returned his kiss with ardor.

“Anya,” he said as he lifted her up, embraced her and kissed her with every inch of his heart and soul on her lips, her face, her neck, till she turned her head and cried gently onto his shoulder.

He put her down gently. “I’m sorry, was that too much?” She shook her head in his chest.

“I love you Darius,” she said as she looked at him through tear-stained eyes.

“Oh God I love you,” he said, clasping her tightly, his eyes watering. “I thank God for bringing you to me every day.” He stroked her face and kissed her softly on the lips.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: Precipice: The Beginning (Kevin J. Howard)

Paperback, 482 pages
Published November 23rd 2012 by Outskirts Press

The End is only the Beginning....
It wasn't the first time Lieutenant Travis Daniels had been far from his wife and son. Leading an elite team on countless missions, dodging death at every turn-it was what he was trained to do. And returning to his family was always his driving force... but this time might be different. Imprisoned for an unsanctioned intrusion into a hot zone, Travis and his elite team took a deal to assist in the colonization of Mars to evade the death penalty. While stationed there, Travis' only source of sanity were the brief video conversations he was allowed with his family. When the last transmission received showed choppy images of the city in darkness and blurs of humanoid creatures running through the streets, Travis and his team must decide to either stay on Mars or find a way back to his family-unknowing of the hell that Earth has become.

Kevin J. Howard was born in Mission Viejo, California, moved to Seattle at the age of twenty-one, and now lives in Puyallup. He hand wrote his first novel in the fifth grade and has been writing ever since. His first published novel, Faithful Shadow, is a return to the classic horror novel. Since writing Faithful Shadow he has completed four additional horror novels that will soon be published. In 2012, he won an award in the Las Vegas International Film Festival for his screenplay, Identical Opposites. Kevin's latest novel, Precipice: The Beginning, is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The sequel, Precipice: The Retrieval, should be released in the summer of 2013.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

WEBSITE

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book? I've always been fascinated with Mars, the Solar System, and just space in general. There are so many wonders in this world, beautiful destinations and mystery, so I can only imagine the amazement beyond. The creatures coming from the cracks in the Earth have been on my mind for a long time. I've always felt that the scariest monsters were the ones no one ever expected. Just up and out of the ground, as if we should have known about them, but there are so many things in this world we don't know. What lies at the bottom of the ocean, creatures living deep within the Amazon...this is my inspiration.

2. Who is your favorite character in the book? This is hard for me, because I can see every character in my mind. I tend to lean more toward Dasher. A product of a terrible upbringing, but beneath his troubled exterior lies a beautiful heart. Dasher is someone you feel sorry for, someone you want to see make it through. I find his story interesting, because Annie and Travis are working so hard to find each other, but when Dasher is set loose upon the world, he finds himself truly alone, no direction or family. A person being born into a new world, shedding his past to start anew.

3. Which came first, the title or the novel? This might be a bit backward, but the title always comes first. The idea usually hits me all at once, as if being struck by lightning. I can see the entire novel playing out, as if I'm watching a movie. The title is something that stays with me as I write the novel, helping me to keep the theme running throughout.

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why? I am very pleased with the entire novel, so this is very difficult to pick just one scene. My favorite would probably be the very end, how all the characters on Mars come together, racing against time to save themselves from Andrews and his officers. There are just so many elements working against them, and they're racing against the clock. I'm just very pleased with the suspense.

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now? Just don't give up, and be grateful for every success, no matter how small. I've also learned to take breaks. When I first started writing full time, I'd find that I would turn my computer on when I first wake up, and then pretty much work until right before bed. I've since then learned to treat my writing career as I would any other job. I start first thing in the morning, after my two cups of coffee of course, and work for a solid eight hours.

6. What do you like most about the cover of the book? I requested the same artist for all three of my novels, and I did so because I feel each cover sums up the novel so well. It's amazing all the elements you can gather from a single image. The cover for Precipice: The Beginning was so well done. You can see the individual standing alone, atop a steep cliff (or Precipice), looking off into the distance at a far away world. But in the background, you see the approaching terror of the creature, it's clawed hand reaching up from the ground. It really does set the mood.

7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2013? I'm looking forward to the release of Closed Cell, my third novel. I wrote the novel over ten years ago when I first met my wife, and it took me roughly six months to finish. Since then, Closed Cell has gone through so many transformations, but I finally feel it's ready to release.

8. What was your favorite book in 2012? This was actually one of the busiest years of my life, so I think the only books I read were on screenwriting, promoting, and other business related materials. Not the most fun I guess.

9. What’s up next for you? Right now I have three completed novels that are just starting to go through the editing process. My next novel, Closed Cell, is about the Archangel Michael. Michael Skinner spends most of his time sitting in the emergency room, hoping to feel emotions he’s long since forgotten. Desperately trying hard to ignore who he really is and join the human race, he can’t change the fact that he’s immortal. And not only that: Michael is really the Archangel Michael, left to wander the Earth as God’s protector. When detective James Van Uden of the Seattle PD seeks him out to aid in a string of bizarre ritualistic style murders, their only hope is for Michael to battle evil once again. And that battle transpires in a cataclysmic struggle between Good and Evil, as Michael links the serial murders to a demon’s master plan.

10. Is there anything that you would like to add? I am very thankful for the opportunity to answer these questions and discuss my work with you. I would like to add that Precipice: The Beginning was just awarded a 5 Star Review emblem from Readers' Favorite, and that I am currently outlining the third novel in the series, Precipice: The Return.