Review: Dio In The Dark

                                                                   

Dio In The Dark by Rizwan Asad
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 29, 2021
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

"Be young tonight, if you must. For tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow you will grow old, and the night will no longer be your lover."

The powers of the pantheon have faded. The gods live amongst the mortals, grasping for what little of their divinity remains.

When Zeus - King of the Gods - goes missing in modern-day Toronto, it is up to his estranged son, Dio, to find him.

And with rumors of The Darkness coming, Dio will have to race to find his father, and uncover the truth before it's too late!

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First and foremost how gorgeous is the cover of this book? Yes, I have a thing for book art, sue me.

Dio In The Dark is a modern day story about the Greek Gods and how they would be existing in a modern world. I've always had a crazy love for mythology of all kinds and in all inclinations. Rizwan does an incredible job of weaving together histories from the past with modern times and plays on what each God represents when depicting who they are in these modern times.

There's a great sense of humor in throughout the book and I'm not going to lie I don't think I'll get the image of Zeus dressed in tights as an actual superhero out of my head anytime soon. Just the fact that he was willing to go that far to kind of create himself to be seen as a hero in modern times is hilarious.

Blog Tour: The Botanist

The Botanist by AUTHOR
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

In the heat of the desert, Detective Cody Oliver inadvertently stumbles upon a strange garden adorned with exotic flowers. 

Upon closer inspection, he finds the garden is but a cover for the scores of bodies buried below. Soon, the small town of Mt. Dessicate plunges into chaos as journalists, reporters, and cameramen from across the nation descend upon the tiny, desert town to get a piece of the action.

Along with the media, a mysterious woman appears. She may be the only person who has come face to face with the killer, dubbed the Botanist, and lived to tell the tale. 

If Cody can't piece together a timeline of the land the crime scene is located on, decipher how the woman's mysterious past is connected to the killer, and bring the Botanist to justice, he may lose the people he values most.

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Creating Believable Character Relationships

By L.K.Hill

As writers, we often talk about creating believable characters, but creating believable character relationships is a whole new level of difficult.

You have to start by creating two (or more) believable characters, which means they need to be flawed, human, well-rounded, and captivating. That’s a whole other discussion, but once this is done, you have to get your characters to interact in a way that’s not only believable, but also compelling to your readers.

The short answer is that the relationships have to be gripping, real, and believable. But how do you go about making them so?

There are three things that allow characters to interact believably. If all of these elements are present, your character relationships will be nearly flawless. (There are many kinds of character relationships: romantic and platonic, friend and enemy, strangers and familial. I’ll try to apply to all types.)

Blog Tour: When You Make It Home

When You Make It Home by Claire Ashby
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Meg Michaels, a bookstore owner, has already walked away from two cheating exes. She’s learned her lesson and has her mind set on success—until she gets knocked up. Embarrassed and unwilling to discuss her situation with friends and family, she wears layers to hide the pregnancy.

When Meg gets sick at a party, she’s mortified. Even worse, Theo Taylor, the guest of honor, discovers her secret. Theo, an Army medic wounded in the war, agrees not to reveal her condition, and the two forge a bond of friendship that blossoms into love.

Theo is soon filling all of Meg’s late-night cravings—and not just the pregnancy-induced ones. But can their love overcome all the obstacles that stand between them and creating a happy family?



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When You Make It Home by Claire Ashby follows Meg Michaels, bookstore owner as she struggles through the trials and tribulations of relationships, friendships and being pregnant and alone. I’ve got to say that I pretty much love pregnancy stories because fictional babies are adorable. But what I got with this novel was so much more!

I absolutely love Ashby’s style of writing and the way she brings her characters to life. It doesn’t take too long for the reader to find out that Meg is pregnant, something she struggles with quite a bit. She is also determined to hide the pregnancy from just about everyone, except of course her best friend who also happens to be pregnant.

Blog Tour: The Lover's Secret (No Exceptions #1)

The Lover's Secret (No Exceptions #1) by J.C. Reed
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

When a sexy encounter comes like a dream...

Brooke Stewart thinks she's finally safe and can move on from her past. But after one night at the Trio Hotel and meeting the sexy stranger with the green eyes that can steal one's soul, her life is changed forever. Passions run deep. The fun is supposed to be for one night with no strings attached.

Sexy millionaire Jett Mayfield can have any woman he wants, but the night he sees Brooke, he knows what he has to do. Brooke has something Jett desperately wants, something he can't admit to the woman he tries to get to surrender. He has a secret so deep it would upend her life if she found out too soon. He's almost reached his goal, and then she gets a letter she was not meant to read. Suddenly, secrets get a completely new meaning.

When two hearts collide, at least one is bound to shatter.

A man who takes what he wants A woman who's ready to give him one night One bet that turns into a game of seduction But Mr. Sexy drives in the fast lane. And he has a secret that could destroy her

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Excerpt:

Blog Tour: Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle #1)

Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle #1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 29, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option.

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

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Playlist

Blog Tour: Five Years (A Fire in Redbridge) - Author Spotlight

Five Years (A Fire in Redbridge) by L.M. Langley
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Nothing much ever happens in Redbridge. Nothing, until Nate, a bright young man who is visiting his family during his freshman year, drives over the town bridge and onto his death.

Casey watches as her high school sweet heart leaps to his death. Together with Alex, his best friend, she will look into what happened. How far are they willing to go for someone they may not have known at all?

Casey has always been an outsider in the small town of Redbridge. Her only tether was Nate. When he died, she turned to the person who had been closest to Nate when they were in school, best friend Alex. Casey doesn't know that Alex has a few secrets of his own... secrets that are about to affect her life in unimaginable ways.

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Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I learnt to read.

What inspired Five Years?

I was reading the Barthes essay about the Death of the Author and thought, what if the author actually died?
What if you couldn't ask them any question?

Which came first for you, the characters or the plot?

The characters always come first for me, and the plot kind of followed from there.

Is there anything you found particularly challenging when you were writing Five Years?

Review: The Tearings (The Tearings #1)

The Tearings (The Tearings #1) by V.C. Repetto
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Release Date: November 22, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

From the moment the black vans appear to take the sick away, Maya knows there is something wrong. A high school sophomore, she seems to be the only one to question the sudden disappearances at school and the masks everyone is forced to wear to keep from catching the new disease spreading through the entire United States. Even when word of the new “healing centers” reaches the public, no one dares to ask what is happening.

But when Maya catches the disease, the one they call The Tearings, and is taken to one of these centers along with her mother, the truth becomes all too clear. She is separated from her family and forced to work, becoming one of the more fortunate ones who is not sent to the testing wings. Bullied by the guards to the point of death, she meets David Summers, the enigmatic young Captain who appears to loathe his position of power in the camp and who seems as drawn to Maya as she is to him.

When Maya suddenly becomes the disease’s only survivor, she must put her trust on David to find a way to escape the camp and get the truth, and the cure coursing through her veins, out to the world.

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Holy crap this book was terrifying!

Okay, okay not terrifying, but seriously freaky. The Tearings follows 16-year-old Maya as a deadly virus strikes her home town and then spreads across the U.S. When Maya catches the disease and gets taken by the black vans and forced into one of the many “healing center” it’s only a matter of time before the disease claims her.

But when Maya suddenly becomes the disease’s only survivor, she must put her trust on David, the man running the healing center, to find a way to escape the camp and get the truth, and the cure coursing through her veins, out to the world.

Blog Tour: The Upside of Being Let Down - Guest Post: London Casey

The Upside of Being Let Down by London Casey
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 7, 2014

Book Description:

The fact that AJ's sister is a stripper has been the bane of AJ's existence for as long as she can remember. Every guy that has showed interest only wanted to get closer to her sister. 

After being kicked out of college, and subsequently out of her apartment, AJ heads to the strip club for some sisterly advice. Instead, she lands in the apartment of a cute stranger who seems way too eager to help.

Bryan is a regular guy looking for the simplicity in life. A strip club is definitely not his idea of simplicity, but he is pleasantly surprised at who he finds not prancing around on stage. In the middle of a strip club his eyes are glued to a woman that is fully dressed and thus begins a rollercoaster romance that he never saw coming.

When a risky dare is set in motion, an earth shattering truth is unraveled and AJ no longer knows who she can trust. Can Bryan prove that he loves AJ and help save her bond with her sister before it's too late?

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Writing under the London Casey name, I’m given the chance to really explore the new adult genre. With The Boys of Down Crash, I loved writing about rockstars and all that comes with their life through the eyes of a band that’s growing. My next series doesn’t have rockstars in it. It’s a very deeper series, dealing with more issues and focuses more on the characters than the last new adult trilogy I wrote.

Blog Tour: Spellbound Series - Guest Post: Sherry Soule

Beautifully Broken (Spellbound #1) by AUTHOR
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: July 22, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Deadly Witchcraft. Ghostly Threats. Doomed Romance.
They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Fallen Oaks. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse.

When sixteen-year-old Shiloh Trudell takes a summer job at Craven Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan, and immediately becomes enchanted by his charms.

Finally, Shiloh’s met someone who is supercute and totally into her, but Trent is immersed in the cunning deception that surrounds the mysterious Craven Manor. So much so that he may lose sight of what is truly important to him. And she can’t decide whether she wants to shake him or kiss him. Yet neither one of them can deny the immediate, passionate connection growing between them.

But underlying everything is the fear that Trent may be the next victim on a supernatural hit list, and Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him…

With cryptic messages from a pesky wraith, Shiloh will finally begin to understand the mysterious significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist and decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town. Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.

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Supernatural Urban Legends Guest Post by author Sherry Soule

Hi everyone, I’m Sherry Soule—waving from the Bay Area. Thanks for letting me stop by today and chat about my books. It’s a thrill to get to be a guest and meet fellow booklovers. I have put together a few mysterious and intriguing urban legends about the Spellbound series that surround the cursed town of Fallen Oaks, California…

Urban Legend #1

Some researchers believe that certain demon races are actually the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. (They are also considered to be Shadow People.) The origination of the Nephilim began with the legend of an archangel named Raziel. Urban legend states that Raziel escorted a sect of angels that were to instruct humans in morality.

Blog Tour: Spellbound Series

Beautifully Broken (Spellbound #1) by AUTHOR
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: July 22, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Deadly Witchcraft. Ghostly Threats. Doomed Romance.
They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Fallen Oaks. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse.

When sixteen-year-old Shiloh Trudell takes a summer job at Craven Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan, and immediately becomes enchanted by his charms.

Finally, Shiloh’s met someone who is supercute and totally into her, but Trent is immersed in the cunning deception that surrounds the mysterious Craven Manor. So much so that he may lose sight of what is truly important to him. And she can’t decide whether she wants to shake him or kiss him. Yet neither one of them can deny the immediate, passionate connection growing between them.

But underlying everything is the fear that Trent may be the next victim on a supernatural hit list, and Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him…

With cryptic messages from a pesky wraith, Shiloh will finally begin to understand the mysterious significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist and decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town. Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.

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Excerpt:

Enjoy this excerpt from part two, SHATTERED SILENCE!

On the walls a black mass was spreading, followed by a menacing inhuman growl. At first I wasn’t sure if it was a real growl or just my imagination. My hand dug into my back pocket until the weight of the cold switchblade reassured me. I slid it free, bringing it up slowly and flipping the blade open as another snarl wrenched the air.

Something was inside Craven Manor. And it was coming for me.

The mansion thrummed with a mystical energy. I knew it came from the Sheol, the doorway into the Underworld.

What the hell?

Blog Tour: Geli Voyante's Hot or Not - Author Spotlight: Elle Field

Geli Voyante's Hot or Not by AUTHOR
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
Release Date: October 17, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

I think I will always be known as the Hot or Not girl, defined by it for the rest of my career. Even my tombstone will read: Angelica “Geli” Voyante, beloved trendsetter. Death? Not Hot.

Yet, it doesn’t sound right. Why won’t anyone realise that there is more to me than this fickle persona I have inadvertently become?'

Geli Voyante is bored of being the Hot or Not girl, even if it has the perk of sitting next to Theo, the newspaper's very Hot political columnist. She's also getting a little lonely being single.

When her arch-nemesis Tiggy Boodles gets engaged, and other loved ones start to settle down, it's time for Geli to convince Theo that she’s not as shallow as her column suggests and, more importantly, she’s the one for him. Geli should remember though that there are always two sides to every story, and that applies to people too.

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Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always been a voracious reader who scribbled down stories so I think it was inevitable that I would become a writer, it was just a case of when and what genre! I dabbled in writing children's and YA fiction as a teenager, but it wasn't until I was twenty that I properly discovered chick lit and found my genre of choice. Although, who knows, maybe I will write a children's novel one day!

What inspired Geli Voyante's Hot or Not?

A few things inspired me to write this book and, before I knew it, it all came together and the book was there! I was actually writing another book at the time - The Dirtification of Tabitha-Rose which will be released in 2014 - when I spotted something that made me stop writing that and start writing Geli.

Blog Tour: White Leaves (E.L.F. #1) - Guest Post

White Leaves (E.L.F. #1) by M.P. Ness
Age Group: Adult
Genre:Fantasy
Release Date: July 1, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Shannon Hunter, an eco-terrorist member of the elusive Earth Liberation Front (E.L.F.) from Seattle, discovers real elves bent on more than petty sabotage...

Plunged into the a world teeming with magic she never really imagined to exist, Shannon discovers the terrible reality left to both Mankind and herself. The Elves have decreed - "Mankind stands upon its own terminus, heedless of ruin" - and its high time the real protectors of nature strike back.

The only person able to do anything to prevent a supernatural war mankind cannot hope to fight; Shannon must find a way to overcome her misanthropic ways, and prevent the Elves from making a mistake that threatens not only Mankind but all life on earth.

The contemporary fairy tale, "E.L.F." is set in a dystopian vein, somewhat akin to the Harry Bates' classic, "The Day the Earth Stood Still", only fantasy, not Sci-fi, and with far more epic action.

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Dreaming and its Roles in Writing

In writing, we have many tools at our disposal. Editors, agents, and publishing houses. Writing reference books, English and literature courses, instructors, pre-existing stories from which to pull inspiration, and a world of other authors who are invaluable and quite often friendly and helpful in navigating the business end. We have bloggers, and their diligent work. And we have a world full of information all around us from which to pull ideas, plots, and the mechanics necessary for fabricating entire artificial worlds and universes and beyond.

And whose to say those creations aren’t alternate realities the moment we put pen to paper, or even before that. Whose to say an entire parallel dimension isn’t instantaneously created the moment we begin to imagine them up?

But we also have, Dreams.

Blog Tour: Black Hellebore (Heroes of Falledge #1) - Guest Post & Excerpt

Black Hellebore (Heroes of Falledge #1) by Nicole Zoltack
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Release Date: October 21, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Once a year for the past decade, Nicholas Adams returns to Falledge and leaves a black hellebore on his girlfriend's grave. While departing Falledge, he chases after a man sneaking into the laboratory and dies for his trouble. 

A witch brings him back to life, but Nicholas soon realizes he's not the same man. Turns out, magic combined with a black hellebore in his pocket changed him into a kind of a super man.

His girlfriend's twin, Julianna Paige, is Falledge's deputy, struggling to solve several murders. Nicholas, and his alter ego the Black Hellebore, helps her, even as she helps him move on and even start to love again.

Unfortunately, Nicholas wasn't the only one changed in the laboratory explosion, and now there's a supervillain bent on destroying Falledge, and killing the Black Hellebore. But falling in love might prove more dangerous than any supervillain.

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What is a Superhero and What Makes Nick a Good One?

A superhero is more than a man with superpowers. After all, super villains have superpowers too. Some superheroes, like Iron Man and Batman, don’t have superpowers at all. What sets superheroes apart is their heart, their desire to help right wrongs, their cause for justice. A superhero strives to make the world a better place.

Nicholas Adams never intended to become a superhero. He had no idea why he could run so fast or where his strength came from. It frightened him. For so long, Nicholas relied on no one but himself. Going from job to job, with no aim, no purpose, traveling from town to town. Now, he had a chance to help others more than he had ever received.

Review: Tragically Flawed

Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 19, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Riviera Benson’s past has been nothing but horrific. It’s filled with secrets that she intends to keep tightly locked away...terrifying secrets that keep her awake at night...that prevent her from getting close to anyone...anyone that is, until her work as a muralist drives her into the arms of the hot and sexy Shan. 

Benjamin Shandon, owner of Shandon Homes, works like a thousand demons are chasing him...because perhaps they are. His business has boomed, ever since the forest fire swept through the canyon and destroyed hundreds of million dollar homes. He demands excellence in everything...from his employees to his women. He slows down for nothing, keeping a schedule that no sane person would want. But Riviera interrupts everything, twisting his guts inside out, and wedging her way into his heart, destroying a promise he made to himself. 

Will they let their pasts control their future, or will they decide to let go and allow their hearts to discover each other’s? 

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Tragically Flawed follows Riviera Benson, a talented mural painter running away from her abusive past and attempting to move on with her life. After fleeing from her sadistic boyfriend Riviera finds herself in a small rural town where she meets Benjamin Shandon, owner of Shandon Homes. Shan see’s Riviera’s potential and after encouraging her to leave her evil vindictive boss Marsha Sue, he offers her a place as his lead painter at Shandon Homes and soon falls head over heels for our leading lady.

I had to sit on my review for Tragically Flawed for a few days and process the story and what wanted to say about it. There are some really great things about this novel. I love Riviera. She’s bright, beautiful inside and out, and she’s a survivor. Her character is well thought out and incredibly realistic.

Blog Tour: Tragically Flawed - Character Interview

Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 19, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Riviera Benson’s past has been nothing but horrific. It’s filled with secrets that she intends to keep tightly locked away...terrifying secrets that keep her awake at night...that prevent her from getting close to anyone...anyone that is, until her work as a muralist drives her into the arms of the hot and sexy Shan. 

Benjamin Shandon, owner of Shandon Homes, works like a thousand demons are chasing him...because perhaps they are. His business has boomed, ever since the forest fire swept through the canyon and destroyed hundreds of million dollar homes. He demands excellence in everything...from his employees to his women. He slows down for nothing, keeping a schedule that no sane person would want. But Riviera interrupts everything, twisting his guts inside out, and wedging her way into his heart, destroying a promise he made to himself. 

Will they let their pasts control their future, or will they decide to let go and allow their hearts to discover each other’s? 

♥ ♥ ♥

Riviera

Shan’s figured it out…why I’m such a mess. Or rather he thinks he has. And to his credit, he has it half right. The part about Jasper abusing me anyway. I want to tell him everything. I really do. For whatever reason, he makes me feel like I can spill my guts. But there’s that part of me that holds back…because if I tell him, he’ll know how filthy I am. The kind of life I’ve had…where I come from.

And Jasper’s only part of it. What will he do when he finds out I was homeless, and lived like those people you see on TV or in the movies? And then there’s all that other stuff I can’t stomach thinking about. Right now I feel like my entire body’s in a trash compactor.

Blog Tour: Skipping Stones - Playlist

Skipping Stones by J.B. McGee
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 16, 2013
Buy Links:

Smashwords ♥ B & N

Book Description:

They say there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Not everyone will grieve in this order, nor will everyone go through every stage. It’s during the stage of denial when Alex Hart meets Andrew Foster. He takes her one-step closer to acceptance: the stage when new, meaningful relationships are formed. The stage when the realization occurs that this is now the new state of normal.

Just when Alex thinks she is on her way to healing, she enters the bargaining phase. That’s the phase where you wonder what you could have done differently. You wonder “what if?” Specifically, what if the ones you loved hadn’t left you?

Leaving…this is what makes heading off to war so difficult and frightening for Alex. She knows all too well what it’s like to be the one on the losing end of life, which is why she’s made it her personal mission in life to save as many lives as possible. The extreme high she gets from treating trauma victims turns into Alex’s own form of therapy, or so she thinks.

When faced with her world being turned upside down, Alex may just find that her true therapy is in the one who has always saved her.

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Excerpt:

He pulls my arm back like a slingshot and as we’re gaining momentum to release the stone, I hear, “Alex!” being proclaimed through the entire neighborhood. It causes my already racing heart to speed out of control. I lose complete concentration, virtually spinning myself around as the stone is released, plummeting me into his arms, our lips just mere millimeters away from each other.

We stare into each other’s eyes. Speechless seems to be my middle name for one reason or another today. I blink. “I...” “You can’t skip a stone to save your life, can you?” He smirks.

Blog Tour: A Friendship's Love (Settler #1) - Playlist

A Friendship's Love (Settler #1) by Melanie Corona
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: August 19, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Filled with the dreams of youth, and surrounded by the love of her family and friends, Payton Martin’s world was simple. When someone closest to her is cruelly betrayed and unjustly sent away, life afterwards proves never to be the same for everyone involved, beginning a series of events beyond her control.

Somehow, through the years that follow, Payton manages to deal with the heartache of loss and rejection, all while balancing her new situation, and becoming her own woman.

Finally settled into a life that she could only once imagine, Payton is content; especially when the promise of love is presented by someone she admires and trusts. Nothing ever goes to plan, though. Once again she is faced with surviving circumstances, and choices others make on her behalf. This time, they ultimately take her across the ocean, to settle in a harsh new land.

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A Friendship's Love Playlist

The Power of Love – Gabrielle Aplin
Alive – Gabrielle Aplin
Gloriana – Turn My World Around
Breath – Taylor Swift

Blog Tour: The Big Empty - Guest Post: Ritch Gaiti

The Big Empty by Ritch Gaiti
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Release Date: June 3, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

The sign said: “Welcome to New York.” It lied.

Every instinct I had told me to get out but I couldn’t, not now. This simple case would trigger repercussions that would unnerve the city, maybe the country. I was about to open doors that had been nailed shut for a lifetime. And the only path to the truth was through a labyrinth of deceit. I trusted no one, not even myself. My stomach tightened.

The ten years had slipped by like a century. I never thought I’d see New York again and now I find myself buried in its bowels, unsure of what I was after—but I knew I had to find it. I snaked through the city bureaucracy, historical landmarks and some of the most prominent properties in the city, all intricately linked. Nothing fit, yet everything connected and answers only bred more questions. Somehow it had all been mysteriously tied back to me.

I ventured into the darkest tunnel of all, my own. I realized then why I was chosen—why I had been the only one that could find this elusive document. Deep within a maze of deceptions and betrayals, I uncovered a massive conspiracy among the most esteemed organizations in the world—and the truth that had sent my life into a tailspin ten years ago was far from true. Suddenly, this seemingly routine assignment had enormous stakes and consequences. Now it was up to me to mend an ancient injustice and the fate of an entire culture.

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The Creative Journey
By Ritch Gaiti

I spent most of my adult years on Wall Street. No, not manufacturing the money, rather developing the technology that supports it. I found it an extremely creative process. Contrary to today, technology was still new; most people did not understand it and had no idea what to do with it. Yet, they understood that it was important, whatever it was. To me, technology was a paintbrush and the business world, the canvas. In a left brained environment, I used my right brain to succeed.

I was them – part of the machine. I had my successes, paid my dues and navigated the turbulent waters of the corporation. I was very successful: a rising star, a comer, the next-in-line to be next-in-line. Then I quit. Yep, I had a few bucks in my jeans (ok, my 401k), and the time was right. I decided to pursue my right brain and ventured into writing and painting.

Review: 15 Minutes

15 Minutes by Jill Cooper
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Date: June 15, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life….

15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.

But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.

The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.

Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.

15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.

♥ ♥ ♥

Lara is my hero.

I don’t know how Jill Cooper does it, but she has the ability to create a story that constantly keeps me on the edge of my seat and 15 Minutes is no exception. 15 Minutes follows Lara Crane as she races through timelines to save her Mother and family from a dangerous enemy determined to destroy everything she holds dear.

I’ve never been a huge fan of science fiction stories, but this was probably one of the best stories I’ve read in a while. I love how Cooper jumps right into the story and the action. The plot is impeccably planned out and trust me; I’ve read enough books to know that’s hard to do.

Blog Tour: 15 Minutes - Guest Post: Jill Cooper

15 Minutes by Jill Cooper
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Date: June 15, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life….

15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.

But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.

The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.

Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.

15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.

♥ ♥ ♥


Plot Evolution and World Building

Almost sounds like a Realty TV show, doesn't it?

But for me, plot evolution is all about what writing a novel is about. I'm a pantser, which means I write with no outline and little prep work. Sometimes I write a blurb, sometimes I write down 1 page of facts or ideas, and sometimes I just have a character name. Either way I write fast, rough drafts are dirty, gritty, and full of intense raw emotion. And when I start, I have little idea where I am going.

It is kind of like chess, because I usually know about 3 chapters ahead where I am going. But once I get those 3 chapters written, well, all bets are off. What happens next? Not knowing what happens in your plot next is a lot like driving blind or sky diving blindfolded, yes those might be more dangerous.