Saturday, November 23, 2013

Clutch - Blog Tour & Giveaway

Clutch by Tess Oliver
Released: 5th November 2013
Synopsis:
When Taylor Flinn’s parents shipped her off to an aunt for her last year of high school, James “Clutch” Mason had convinced himself it was for the best. Taylor, the wild, impulsive and far-too-appealing seventeen-year-old had been driving him nuts. Her school girl crush on him had been the last thing he needed. Now he had time to concentrate on his booming classic car part business, his new found love-- drag racing, and keeping his twenty-year-old brother Barrett out of trouble.
But when Taylor returns from her aunt’s more grown up, utterly seductive, and attached to another guy, Clutch realizes that the only thing he ever needed or wanted was Taylor Flinn.

Teaser:
She came around the corner, unexpectedly and like a hurricane of stars. My mind went completely blank. I hung up and stuck the phone in my pocket.
Taylor’s long lashes curtained her smooth cheeks as she dropped her gaze.

The adrenaline rush left behind from getting my hands on a sixty-five Shelby morphed into an explosion of every emotion I’d ever felt. I lunged forward and grabbed her hand. She gasped as I dragged her around the back of the building. I pressed her up against the bricks and stared down at her.

Author Bio:
Tess Oliver is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of Freefall (Custom Culture, #1). She is also a full time teacher and lives in California with her husband, two kids, and a pack of pampered pets. She loves horses, chocolate, and Jane Austen books. She has a BS in Nutrition Science and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction.


Connect with the author at:

Giveaway:
Tess is giving away two $10 Amazon Gift Cards 
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Friday, November 22, 2013

Yesterday's Memories - Review & Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

As Emily drove down the winding road, she spotted a house and was instantly drawn to it.  Although there was no “For Sale” sign on the yard, it didn’t appear as if anyone was living there.  There was just something about that house that made her feel like she was meant to have it.  After some research, she found that the house was indeed vacant.  She was told by the realtor that the owner didn’t have the house listed, but said if the right buyer came along, someone who loved the house as much as his family did, then thy would sell it. 

After purchasing the home, Emily found a box full of pictures in the attic.  She loved how the house was decorated and was hoping to find furnishings similar to the pictures as possible.  To her delight, she came across an antique shop that had many of the original furniture and décor from the house.  Emily became quick friends with the shop owner, Marsha.  She learned that Marsha was very close to the family who lived in that house.  She also found out that the house held a secret.  In the library of the house, there was a “window” that allows you to travel into the past.  Emily stumbled upon this by accident.  At first she didn’t know what was happening and thought she was going crazy.  When she realized that she had traveled back in time, it intrigued her.  She was able to meet the family who had lived there before and formed a quick bond with them.  But when she finds herself falling for a man in the past, she’s wondering if she say goodbye to the present day and live in the past with him.  

Yesterday’s Memories is unlike any book I’ve read.  Although it is a romance novel, it also has time travel in it as well.  I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to a book of this genre, but found that I really liked it.   I enjoyed seeing how the characters of the present and past interact and the complexity of the romance that they shared.  Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It will make you laugh and it will make you cry, but overall it will have you believing in the magic of love.

Purchase book at:

Sharon Coady was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. After 22 years of traveling around the world because of her husband’s career in the U.S. Army, Sharon and Ed have settled in Florida with three of their daughters and five of their ten grandchildren. Sharon is a nurse working for the Veterans Administration. She is the mother of four daughters and grandmother to three granddaughters and seven grandsons. Yesterday’s Memories is her first book.
Writing has always been something that she has loved to do, after years of encouragement from her mother she finally got the courage to publish her first book. She has now finished writing her second book, a young adult paranormal which will be published soon and she has started work on a new adult novel. Once the third book is finished she plans to write sequels to both of her first books.

Connect with Sharon at:
Website* Facebook * Twitter

Sharon is giving one lucky U.S resident a signed copy of Yesterday's Memories.

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Thursday, November 21, 2013

The Smart One - Review

Review by Darcey Pickett

We follow the journey of the family from the “how’s and whys” they ended up back at home with their parents.  We see how quickly the sibling can revert back to teenage girls and see Max and Cleo go through some life altering changes.  
     
Empty Nest…not so much.  Weezy and Will thought they were going to enjoy the next stages in their life, when life decides to throw them a curve ball.  Suddenly they find themselves with a house full of their three adult children.

Weezy, mother of the three children, and married to Will.  Has had life turn out better for her than ever expected.  

Claire, the middle child has had her world crumble around her.  Her boyfriend called off their wedding, moved out of their shared apartment, and she has burned through all her cash and has found herself buried in credit card debt.  With no other option she moves home.

Martha, the oldest child, is still living at home with her parents.  She had a great career as a nurse, but the stress and anxiety became too much and she left it all behind, moved back home and works retail.

Max, the youngest, preparing to graduate from college with his girlfriend Cleo by his side.  This young couple finds themselves having to move into the basement of Max’s parent house.

I found this book to be several layered stories within from the perspective of four women in the family – Weezy, Cleo, Claire and Martha.  It was interesting to read the book from the perspective of several members of the family.  I certainly could relate to the sibling relationships and how differently each person can view life events.  Ms. Close nails family dysfunction on the head and I completely enjoyed knowing that “I” wasn’t alone when it comes to family dynamics and dysfunction.  With the holidays coming where you are bound to be spending some bit of time with your family, I highly recommend this read!


About the author:
Jennifer Close was born and raised on the North Shore of Chicago.  She is a graduate of Boston College and received her MFA in Fiction Writing from The New School in 2005.  She worked in New York in magazines for many years and now lives in Washington, DC, where she teaches creative writing at George Washington University.

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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Believe In Me - Cover Reveal

In the late ‘70s/early-‘80s, Kenny Rogers had a major hit with the song “The Gambler”. I remember that song well, even though I was very young when it first came out. The lines to the chorus are running through my head right now as I type this: “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run…”
The cover for BELIEVE IN ME was the first one that I ever tried to create for myself. It was good, I thought. Other people said it was nice… But when I compared it to the covers of the bestsellers out there, there was something that was missing. I finally put my finger on what it was – the professional edge.
I’d taken a gamble in developing my own cover, and after a year or so, it became clear that BELIEVE IN ME needed a professional face lift; that is, this became clearer to me once I started working with professional artist Barbara Ivie Green on a cover for another one of my books (my upcoming historical novel, THE FADING SUN).
It was instant, love at first sight. Barbara took my story ideas, and she made my characters come to life right before my eyes. I was amazed and so excited. I couldn’t wait to share this amazing cover with the rest of the world. So, without further ado, here it is. 

About Mishael Austin Witty
Mishael Austin Witty is a professional editor and the internationally bestselling author of SHADOWS OF THINGS TO COME, a Christian thriller/suspense novel, and BELIEVE IN ME, a sweet contemporary romance/women’s fiction novella. In addition to these books, she has newly released a zombie fairy tale, CAMPANULA, which marks a departure from the usual for her, but it was great fun to write, and she already has plans for another.

She lives in Louisville, KY (where most of the action of CAMPANULA takes place), with her husband, two cats, and two daughters. 

Connect with Mishael at:

Monday, November 18, 2013

Christmas Dinner - Release Day Book Blast & Giveaway


Christmas Dinner
By: Robyn Neeley

News anchor Amanda Turner used to love everything about the holidays—the eggnog sugar cookies, the tacky family Christmas sweaters, and a lawn decorated with so many multi-colored lights that 747s could land safely. That is until her boyfriend dumped her in front of the whole town on Christmas Eve. Humiliated, she fled her small town start a new life. Two years later, she’s finally ready to return to the scene of the emotional crime, until she learns that her ex is engaged. Now, the only thing worse than going home is going home single.

Tate Ryan, her tall, dark, and arrogant co-anchor, offers to pose as her boyfriend. There’s one problem, though: they barely like each other, and he recently scooped her story on live TV. But she needs a ride home and a boyfriend fast, so Tate will have to do.

As she watches Tate interact with her family and town residents, fully embracing the spirit of the holiday season, she starts to see his kindhearted side. She can’t help but wonder if she was wrong about him. Perhaps he isn’t the conniving co-worker that she once thought. And her new feelings for him would definitely put her on the naughty list.

Tate has his own agenda for the weekend that includes telling Amanda he’s been in love with her since the first time they met. He’s ready to reveal all during Christmas dinner but fate has other plans.

Purchase the book at:
Amazon * B&N * iTunes

Author Bio
Robyn Neeley is an East Coaster who loves to explore new places; watches way more reality TV than she cares to admit; can’t live without Dunkin Donuts coffee and has never met a cookie she didn’t like. If you have a must read romance suggestion or a fabulous cookie recipe, she wants to know. Visit her at robynneeley.com

Connect with the author at:
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Sunday, November 17, 2013

The Power To See - Blog Tour, Q&A and Giveaway


SYNOPSIS
At first glance, twenty-two-year-old Brianna’s life seems perfect. But she harbors a deadly secret—her father is the leader of a ruthless drug cartel. Brianna struggles to find her place in a world her father meticulously controls, and believes she is nothing but a pawn in her father’s deadly games.

After graduating from college with an enormous debt, Dominic finds himself lured by money and power into a job that appears too good to be true. He doesn’t realize he works for a drug cartel until he’s in too deep. Trying to keep his family safe, he takes a deal offered by Brianna’s father and agrees to marry Brianna while continuing to work for the cartel.

Brianna and Dominic must rely on one another as their lives become further entwined in the lethal drug world. When Dominic discovers a deadly secret, he begins to question everything and turns to Brianna for support. However, Brianna’s heart belongs to another man—an undercover DEA agent. 

The DEA closes in on the drug cartel, forcing Brianna and Dominic to choose sides, igniting a battle between family loyalty, love, and survival. Brianna soon realizes that she may be the only person capable of bringing down her father’s empire—if she can find a way to outsmart the master manipulator, without losing herself, and her heart, in the process.

Q&A With The Author:

Did you always want to be a writer? Or did you want to be something else? 
I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. When I went to college, I didn’t think I could make a career out of writing, so I became a teacher instead. Once I had kids and stopped teaching, I realized I could write in my “spare” time. I’ve been writing ever since.

How long does it take you to write a book?
It really depends. Usually it takes me about 1 month of outlining and planning the book, 2 months to write the first draft, and then 2-3 months of revising.

How often do you write? 
Every day after I drop my kids off at school, I write or revise for a couple of hours. Then at night after my kids are all in bed, I try to get in a couple more hours of writing. Sometimes I’ll be in the middle of writing an exciting chapter, but I have to stop to go pick my kids up from school. That is really hard. I have notes all over my house where I write thoughts down so I don’t forget them!

How do you balance other aspects of your life with your writing?
It’s hard. Writing is so very time consuming. And now with a book in print, I have to allocate time to marketing myself as well. I try to only work when my kids are at school or in bed. The weekends are for family (or reading J). It is hard to balance. My characters are always with me and I’m constantly thinking about them. We’ll be in the middle of dinner and I’ll jump up to go and write some notes down about something that should happen or what someone should say. My kids think it’s funny and they ask who I’m writing about and what’s going on with my characters. We talk about them like they’re real people!

What makes a great story? 
I love a lot of action! BUT I absolutely have to get to know the characters. I want to know not only what the character is doing, but when they’re thinking and feeling. I love when the story is infused with a slow building romance. I detest it when characters see one another and are instantly in love because they are so beautiful.

What was the hardest thing about writing a book?
Getting through that first rough draft! I love to plan the book and create the world and characters. But making it through that first draft can be torturous! Once that draft is done, the revising starts, which is hard too, but at least I have something to work with.

What kinds of things do you do in your spare time?
My kids are young so I’m constantly driving them to soccer, karate, and doing homework with them. We love to go swimming and to the beach.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 
Read. You can’t expect to write if you don’t read A LOT. You have to know your genre, audience, and what people are doing that works. Reading will make you a better writer.

Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such? 
Definitely! I have two writing partners. We bounce ideas around and critique each other’s work. I know I wouldn’t be published today without working with these two individuals. 

BUY THE BOOK

About the Author:
I graduated with Department Honors from the University of San Diego with a degree in English. While working to earn my teaching credential, I was a legal assistant for an attorney. That’s about the time I finally married my high school sweetheart. Once I received my credential from USD, I taught high school English until I had my first child.

Currently I am a stay-at-home mom. I have three kids, one large dog, a gecko, and a frog.

A couple of years ago, I entered a writing contest about motherhood and won. My essay “Caution: Warning Lable Not Included!” was published in the anthology Manual for Motherhood, reaching number one in the Parenting section of Amazon! This sparked my need to write on a daily basis, and I have been writing ever since!
My debut young adult novel The Voice was published by Lands Atlantic in January 2013. The Voice is nominated for three Novel Grounds Literary Awards: Best Indie, Favorite Five Star, and Best Book Boyfriend!

My second book,The Power to See, is a new adult novel and will be available in October 2013.

My third book,The Key, is a young adult light fantasy novel, and will be available November 16, 2013.

I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing. Being transported into another world and experiencing things beyond my imagination – what could be better? Besides being an outlet and a love, I hope to write books that encourage all to read.

Connect with the author at:

Check out the book trailer HERE.

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Friday, November 15, 2013

Marry Me - Blog Tour & Giveaway


Marry Me
By: Kristin Wallace


She'd vowed never to fall in love...

Julia Richardson is no fan of weddings. A lifetime of watching her parents treat relationships like the flavor of the month has taught her that love is for fools. Then she learns her former stepsister is having a crisis with her pregnancy. The crisis has Julia returning to the small Southern town – and the family – she’s been avoiding for years. Before she knows it, Julia’s been pressed into service running her former stepsister’s wedding planning business, Marry Me.

Julia doesn’t know a garter from a garden hose, but now she must navigate couples along the bumpy path down the aisle - despite wardrobe malfunctions, killer bees, and plenty of near disasters. In the midst of it all, Julia makes the most unexpected discovery of all…Love, with Seth Graham, the widowed local minister! Julia’s been running from love and everything spiritual for most of her life. It’s not until she finds the courage to stop running that she finds her own “I Do” moment.



Welcome To Covington Falls

A setting of a book can have as much personality as the hero and heroine and the side characters. Covington Falls certainly falls under that category. It’s a fictional, small, Southern town. I love fictional town because you can make them whatever you want. No one is going to question you about a street being wrong or what have you. I wanted to make it a small town setting because there’s an inherent intimacy with them. Neighbors know each other and they’re always in each other’s business. In a big city, that’s not the case. I also liked the idea of a Southern town because things are just different in the South. Quirky should be the South’s middle name.

I love my little, fictional, Southern town. It’s also full of little family legacies. Covington is a family name. It was grandmother’s maiden name on my mom’s side. The town was founded by two families – the Covingtons and the Rices.  Rice is my grandmother’s maiden name on my dad’s side.

Covington Falls is also a place that represents everything my heroine, Julia, both longs for and fears. It’s a place of verandahs and porch swings and white picket fences. Lemonade stands and ice cream trucks that play a tune. It’s welcome mats and the ritual of making tea.

Main Street in “downtown” Covington Falls is the center of everything. It’s where the wedding planning business (MARRY ME) is located. One of the running jokes in this book (and the two subsequent books I’ve written that are set in Covington Falls) is the store window. First Sarah and then later Julia decorate so it looks like a snapshot of a scene. And both add their own personalities to the display, which is fun.



Growing up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate.  Everything from Nancy Drew & Encyclopedia Brown to C.S. Lewis and the  Sweet Valley High series. Later she discovered romance novels. It’s no surprise then that Kristin would one day try her hand at writing them. She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter and a leap of faith. In May 2013, Kristin sold her first novel, MARRY ME, to Astraea Press. Publication date to come!

When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works as an advertising copywriter. She also enjoys singing in her church choir and playing flute in a community orchestra.

Connect with the author at:

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