Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: The Lost Dacome Files #1 (Alexandra May)

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The Battle for Arcanon Major “As daughter of our ruler I grew up in the crossfire of an ongoing war... All I’d ever wanted to be was a great warrior and ultimately lead my people into victorious battles." With only a small army at her command Halíka Dacomé, a skilled warrior and daughter of the Elemental King, is ready to lead one final battle to save her planet. A battle against the savage, bloodthirsty Primords who want to extinguish the diminished race of Elementals once and for all. But before battle commences her father is given an ultimatum from the enemy leader, Arfron Uhnok. If the king agrees, Halíka Dacomé must marry Arfron Uhnok to prevent further bloodshed. If the king disagrees they, as a race, will all perish. Horrified by her fathers decision Halíka Dacomé leads her army onward regardless of the consequences. Because her heart belongs to another. A love that blossomed many years ago. A love that her father has forbidden. Halíka faces her toughest battle yet and learns that not all battles are those fought with a sword... The Battle for Arcanon Major is an epic love story set against the backdrop of war and is the first Prequel to Elemental: The First.

Praise: "Excellent story. Plot line is great, definitely 2 thumbs up. Couldn't put it down, easy read, excellent prequel to the elemental. Would definitely recommend Alexandra May!!" "Amazing story had my attention the entire story it is hard to find a book like this, I definitely give it 5 stars." "Excellent short story. Plot line is great, definitely 2 thumbs up. Couldn't put it down, an easy read. Would definitely recommend Alexandra May!!"   

  Alexandra May Alexandra May is an English author of three books, bringing together the epic saga of Halíka Dacomé and her modern day equivalent, Rose Frost. Elemental: The First, Elemental: Origin and The Battle for Arcanon Major draw in Alexandra's love of strong women characters, sci-fi, history, romance and a little warmongering on the side!  

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I always wanted to write books about strong, courageous, women and I always wanted to create a role model for teens and young adults. So, originally I wrote Elemental: The First. The main character is a direct descendant of Halíka Dacomé. She discovers she has unusual abilities all because of what blood flows in her veins. While writing this story I wanted to give people an idea of who Halíka Dacomé was before she came to Earth. So The Battle is her own story.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

I wanted a fun character so I made up Jerík, Halíka's brother is a little bit younger and less serious than everyone else. He was a great character to write. He relieves the tension when things get too fractious.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel! I had the storyline all mapped out before I started writing, in particular the beginning and ending. Once I'd finished I threw around some ideas but only one really stuck.

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

Near the end when Halíka is removing the metal from her stomach. That took some writing, and more rewrites than I can tell you. I needed to include all the characters too so it was a particularly difficult part to write. But I was proud when she stood up finally and took charge again.

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

Take your time. Don't rush anything because you'll regret it in the long run. And find really good beta readers who are willing to pick and pick at your story.

Just keep writing. Not everyone will love what you write. And this is a free world and we all have that choice. I get emails every day from people who have loved my books and want to read more. Those are the people you write for. But the most important person to write for is yourself.

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

The weird faces you see if you really look closely, and the colour. I wanted a more abstract cover than my other book series.

What new release book are you looking most forward to?

I'm looking forward to Sentinel by Jennifer L Armentrout. The series has been really good so far so I'm excited to see how it ends

What was your favorite book you've read this year?

I read a lot so I'd say Ink by Amanda Sun. I love diversity and Amanda has created a completely new supernatural species in the Kami from Japan. I loved that book so much I read it again as soon as I finished.

What’s up next for you?

I'm currently writing Elemental: Circle of Fire which is Book 2 of the Primord Series. This one is the modern day version of Halíka Dacomé. Following that it will have to be Pyrhon's Sphere - Lost Dacomé Files Book 2

Is there anything that you would like to add?

Thank you so much for having me on your blog! It's a real honour to be here. x

  Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/13/13 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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dark Witch (Nora Roberts)

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication: October 29th 2013 by Berkley Trade

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a trilogy about the land we’re drawn to, the family we learn to cherish, and the people we long to love…
With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends.
Ireland.
County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors’ blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits.
Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan’s directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives.
When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, he’s three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package.
Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive…

Nora Roberts was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, the youngest of five children. After a school career that included some time in Catholic school and the discipline of nuns, she married young and settled in Keedysville, Maryland.
She worked briefly as a legal secretary. "I could type fast but couldn’t spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever," she says now. After her sons were born she stayed home and tried every craft that came along. A blizzard in February 1979 forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate.
Born into a family of readers, Nora had never known a time that she wasn’t reading or making up stories. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981.
Nora met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Since that time, they’ve expanded their home, traveled the world and opened a bookstore together.
Through the years, Nora has always been surrounded by men. Not only was she the youngest in her family, but she was also the only girl. She has raised two sons. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming.
Nora is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her "America’s favorite novelist."

http://www.noraroberts.com

Where to start…First off let me just say that Nora Roberts is one of my “must-read” authors. I literally read every book she writes and am never disappointed. Her writing style grabbed me years ago and I still love every page! She can weave tales in such a way that you just feel as though you are in the story experiencing the heartache, suspense, or drama that she is intertwining. 

I knew when I saw Dark Witch that I absolutely had to have it. I LOVE any paranormal series she writes and the Pagan Stone series is one I still recommend people read! So the synopsis of Dark Witch started off describing a young woman’s urge to move to Ireland….ok yep had me at IRELAND! I mean a good romance with some paranormal mixed in AND in Ireland? Perfect build up for an incredible story!

I began reading Dark Witch and immediately fell in love with Iona’s character. She is young, strong-willed, and knows what she wants. She ignores her parent’s plea to stay home and packs up everything to move to Ireland. She can’t explain it but she just “feels” like Ireland is where she belongs. She has cousins that her grandmother has told her about and intends to visit them. Her grandmother has always told her of mystical tales of her background and inheritance in Ireland. She always told Iona that she believed she was special and supported her decision to move to Ireland to meet her cousins who are as special as she is. 

So Iona goes to Ireland and meets up with her cousins, Conner and Branna O’Dwyer. Iona learns that she is a descendant of the dark witch, Sorcha and that her destiny is intertwined with her cousins. They are the three that destiny has chosen to finally fight the evil sorcerer, Cabhan. Cabhan has tried for centuries to steal the powers of Sorcha and her descendants and has yet to accomplish this task. 

While learning what the future holds for her, Iona begins work at a stable close to her cousin’s home. It is here that she meets Boyle McGrath and immediately feels herself drawn to him. 

Throughout the entire book you get to learn about the background of the story and the characters and get what I call “sneak peaks” into what is to come. I loved this book and thought that between the magic and Ireland it was a great addition to the Nora Roberts family. Of course there is plenty of romance but I also loved reading about Sorcha and the pain she had to go thru to protect her family and descendants. 

If you are looking for a paranormal romance then this is definitely the book for you! I am looking forward to the next book to see what happens with these three cousins and their destiny…..

Book Blast & Giveaway: Pendomus (Carissa Andrews)

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Humanity has colonized on the tidally locked planet Pendomus.

Residing between extreme heat and frigid cold is the complex known as the Helix. Within lies a highly sophisticated society functioning solely on humans fulfilling their life’s purpose as determined by their natural aptitudes and daily brain scans.

Seventeen-year-old Runa Cophem has found her calling studying the ancient trees nearby and anxiously awaits a professional placement which will allow her to continue her work.

Runa’s life takes an unforeseen turn when she’s brutally attacked and left for dead in those woods. Rescued by a stranger with blue hair, she’s immersed into a surprising way humanity has survived without the Helix. Fueled by a yearning to understand and an attraction she didn’t even know was possible, Runa tries to make a new life for herself. Yet, there’s much she doesn’t know about herself, about the planet, and the forces controlling her from afar.

What she needs are some answers.

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Born and raised in central MN, Carissa Andrews has always loved books. She started her career at 15 in a bookstore, just to be able to afford her book fetish. By 19, she worked for a magazine publisher. At 22, she was working for printers to learn their trade. At 27, she went back to school for graphic design, and became an award winning designer. Little did she know all of her experiences would lead her to becoming a self-publishing power house.

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Book Blast & Giveaway: Knowing Vera (Rachelle Ayala)

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Some secrets are best untold.
Vera Custodio has never fallen in love, though she has strong feelings for her friend and sometimes lover, Zach Spencer. Long-forgotten memories resurface when Vera discovers Zach’s mother was the woman her father supposedly murdered many years ago.
After losing his leg, former triathlete Zach Spencer reevaluates his life—and realizes he’s falling in love with Vera. When she ends their relationship, Zach is determined to prove his love and follows her to Australia in search of the killer.
Caught between a web of family secrets and a deranged adversary, Vera and Zach must depend on each other for survival. Love blossoms, but the truth explodes everything Vera knows about herself. Will she close her heart forever or risk it all for a shot at happily-ever-after?

Rachelle Ayala is the author of dramatic fiction crossing genres and boundaries featuring strong but flawed characters. She writes emotionally challenging stories and is not afraid of controversial topics. However, she is an optimist and laces her stories with romance and hope.
Rachelle Ayala has written four novels. Michal’s Window is a powerful and emotional journey as lived through the eyes of Princess Michal, King David’s first wife. Broken Build is a story of redemption and healing where a man learns to love and trust the woman who destroyed his life. Hidden Under Her Heart is a heartfelt love story mixed with controversy over difficult decisions.
Her latest is Knowing Vera , a steamy romantic suspense involving family secrets, disability, and an unsolved murder.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Bargained For Bride (Marcia Lynn McClure)

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A Bargained-For Bride by Marcia Lynn McClure (Novella) Excerpt “You’re the sweetest girl in Mourning Dove Creek, you know?” Jack mumbled as he paused in kissing Jilly a moment. Jilly smiled. “And you’re the handsomest man in Mourning Dove Creek, you know,” she flirted in return. Jack smiled. “I do know,” he said. Jilly giggled. Jack Taylor was so predictable—and a little conceited. He really did think he was the handsomest man in Mourning Dove—and he was, for the most part. Secretly, however, if Jilly ever allowed herself to be completely honest about it (which she tried to avoid), there was one other man in Mourning Dove who always crossed her mind when the subject of the handsomest man in town arose. Yet there was no lingering on thinking of that man—no sirree! Not for a moment! Not for any reason—ever. And so Jilly just kept telling Jack that he was the handsomest man in Mourning Dove Creek. Besides, it was almost true—being that the other man lived outside of town and not right in town the way Jack did..

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  Author Marcia Lynn McClure Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.” Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/12/13 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 author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

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Book Blitz: Zombie Fallout 7 (Mark Tufo)

Mike is back. The battle with Eliza is past. Now Mike must strike out once again in a desperate race against time as his son and best friend are succumbing to the zombie virus within them. What he does not know is that an old foe has risen up and a more insidious threat has emerged to not just the Talbots but all of humanity.

Mark Tufo is the creator of the Zombie Fallout series, which feature everyman hero Mike Talbot.
Mark Tufo was born in Boston Massachusetts. He attended UMASS Amherst where he obtained a BA and later joined the US Marine Corp. He was stationed at Parris Island SC, Twenty Nine Palms CA, and Kaneohe Bay HI.
After his tour of duty, he went into the Human Resources field with a worldwide financial institution and has since gone back to college at CTU to complete his Masters.
He wrote the first installment of the Indian Hill Trilogy whilst in college. This manuscript was stored in his garage until July 2009, when he published it on Kindle at his wife's insistence.
At the time of this writing, Mark has since written the extremely popular Zombie Fallout series comprised of six serial novels, one prequel novella (Dr. Hugh Mann), and a related side story following the plague from the point of view of a zombie retaining human sentience (Timothy); two additional installments of the popular Indian Hill series; a metaphysical horror novel (The Spirit Clearing); two books following the trials of domesticated pets in the time of a zombie plague (The Book of Riley 1 & 2); a young adult version of Indian Hill entitled The Ravin (with a YA version of Indian Hill 2 scheduled for release in 2013); and a contribution to a compilation of zombie short stories (Undead Tales).
Mark's books are generally written in a first person narrative style and crossover into several genres including horror, science fiction, and comedy. All of his books make some reference to the recurring semi-autobiographical character Michael Talbot and usually include some interesting insights into the real history of this unique author.
Mark Tufo lives in Maine with his wife, three kids and two English bulldogs.
As of September 2012, Mark's first film, Zombie Fallout is in pre-production with Illuminandi Media.

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