PROMO Blitz: Highlander's Captive by Donna Fletcher

Highlander's Captive - PROMO Blitz

By Donna Fletcher

Date Published: 11/17/2013

Scottish Historical Romance

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Readers have fallen in love with Cree, the mighty Highland warrior, and Dawn, the courageous woman born without a voice. Their story started in Highlander Unchained and continued in Forbidden Highlander. Now the Highlander Trilogy comes to a conclusion in Highlander’s Captive. The story centers on Cree’s sister Wintra. Much like her brother, she is strong-minded and willful and intends to do as she pleases until...

Torr is a mighty Highland warrior on a mission. He must find the powerful warrior Cree’s sister and return her home, but it isn’t as easy as he thought it would be. As much as he is determined to complete his task, she is even more determined that he doesn’t, until...

Wintra is in no need of help from the brute warrior that her brother Cree has sent to bring her home. She has plans of her own and they include marrying the man she has fallen in love with, whether her brother likes it or not. But stuck in the woods in a snowstorm completely naked with the mighty warrior, thanks to her own foolishness, has her more persistent than ever to find her way back to the man she loves, until...

They fall in love and nothing is the same after that, especially when Torr returns Wintra home to Cree. The truth comes to light about many things, especially one long held secret that changes everything for Wintra.

EXCERPT

Wintra’s eyes shot open and her breath caught in her throat, preventing her from screaming, and screaming was exactly what she wanted to do. She stared at the face only inches from hers and wondered if she was suffering a nightmare. It was as if she was staring at two different men; one a demon and one an angel. A thin scar ran down the left side of the man’s face from above his eye to his chin, while his right side was untouched. His eyes were a piercing blue color that sent an icy chill through her and his large hand weighed heavily across her mouth. But it was the size of him covering the length of her that frightened her the most. Even through his garments and fur coverings she could feel his hard muscles. He was a powerfully built man, and she had no chance against him.

Donna Fletcher

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Blog Tour: The Reunion by A. A. Pencil

Date Published: 11/12/2013

Mystery/Thriller

C. Moore Catholic High School's 10-year reunion was organized as many reunions are - to reminisce, to see who had made a success of their lives, and in truth, to gossip on who had not.  But this party in the secluded, 1890's mansion once owned by a long dead, paranoid WWII Veteran, was to become anything but typical.  

After a horrible accident within the mansion, the alumni realize they are locked in and fighting for their lives.  Instantly, tempers rise and fingers are pointed as the number of living alumni begins to rapidly decrease.  Theories range from there being a murderer in the midst to the mansion possibly being haunted by the previous owner's ghost. 

Who or what is responsible and will anyone make it out alive?  

Find out for yourself in this combination of a mystery and psychological thriller, with a twisted ending!

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Guest Post

How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

Let’s face it. Rejection bites. Whether it happen when you ask someone out on a date (ouch!) or get that dreaded e-mail from the potential employer of your dreams, rejection hurts! It’s no different for the writer.
Imagine spending weeks, months or even years on your latest work. You’ve gone over your manuscript for the billionth time, combing through every word on every page, searching feverishly for discrepancies, loopholes and grammatical errors. If you used Microsoft Word, you’ve made sure that there are no red or green squiggly lines beneath your words! You might have presented your manuscript to your closest friends for review. (Or if you’re paranoid like me, only mom is allowed to read it.) When you’re finally pleased, you scope out different agencies who are open to submissions and try as best as possible to meet their requirements. You mutter angrily under your breath when you read that responses take six to eight weeks…or longer! Then the wait begins. You jump for joy when you get an e-mail the next day, only to realize that it was simply a confirmation e-mail. Thanks for sending us your manuscript. We will reply with 6 to 8 weeks. If you don’t hear back from us, it is safe to assume that we have decided not to go with your manuscript and will be using it as confetti for our next office party. (Okay, so maybe I made up the last part. Besides, most submissions are electronic.)
Six to eight weeks later, an e-mail comes in from an agent. You take a deep breath to brace yourself for the worst and guess what? The worst happens. 
The extent of pain from rejection letters from agents and publishers can vary. Some rejection letters seem generic. Thank you for your submission but we have decided not to use this manuscript. Others, have a kinder aura. We’ve reviewed your manuscript and although it is interesting and well written, it is not what we’re looking for. Best of luck! Then there are the calloused rejections where you wonder if the person responding is a red demon hired by the devil, sitting at a red desk and using bolts of red lighting to write. Those are the ones that rip your manuscript to shreds! Not interesting or engaging. Dull characters. Vague plot. Boring. 
So what can you do to avoid the rejection blues? Well, besides bracing yourself by remaining humble, there isn’t much one can do. What I mean when I say ‘humble’ is that you should understand that there’s nothing wrong with having confidence in your work, but be mindful that someone out there isn’t going to like it. There is no work out there where everyone has given it two or more thumbs up. The best thing you can do is to continue writing. If you’re still stuck, pour that awful feeling into the heart of your next character and see how strong they will be. Happy writing!

A. A. Pencil works part time as a school nurse at an all-boys Catholic school in New York City. As a Lupus survivor, she uses writing as a significant part of her therapy and you will see influences from classical writers such as Agatha Christie and Edgar Alan Poe in her work.  When not working or writing, she enjoys cooking, shopping and walking. She has sponsored a child in Mexico for over three years with a children's organization. She currently lives in a borough of New York City with her extended family who are her greatest supporters.

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To celebrate the release of AA Pencil's debut novel "The Reunion" - During the months of November & December - 1% of the gross sales of all novels with Lavish Publishing, LLC will be donated to the Lupus Foundation of America.  The donation will be made in May 2014 in honor of AA Pencil and National Lupus Awareness Month.

Blog Tour: This Morning I Woke Up Dead by Mindy Larson

Date Published: 11/12/2013 - Re-Launch

Paranormal Romance

What would you do? What rules would you break to be with your soul mate? This morning Hadley Christensen and Dominic Morris woke up living their dream lives. They are engaged and each has promising careers in the  medical field. They are happier and more fulfilled than they have ever been, and they are ready to begin their happily ever after.

Sadly, on her way to work, Hadley is in an accident. Before taking her last breath, she realizes she is already dead - and everyone on Earth is too. Now Hadley and Dominic must each find a way to live without one another. How do they continue when they are two parts of one flame?

Hadley is given permission by the Masters to contact Dominic in the hopes he will also realize he is already dead. If Dominic can open his mind to hear Hadley they can be together forever. Is Dominic ready to give up life the way he knows it?

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During the months of November & December - 1% of the gross sales of all novels with Lavish Publishing, LLC will be donated to the Lupus Foundation of America.  The donation will be made in May 2014 in honor of AA Pencil and National Lupus Awareness Month.

Guest Post

Five Step Guide to Surviving the Afterlife

   So you figured out you're dead, now what?

   You're not in Kansas anymore. You're no longer an Unknown. But you're still you. You were always you. You will always be. Remember this! Enjoy your time. Realizing you're dead is a big step is a big step in any soul's life cycle. You have left the little world of Earth and have entered into the big world of the afterlife, where you will be respected more, have more spiritual work, and have more things to do. It's all endless. Sometimes your experiences here will be intense and some will be fun. It will all be rewarding. A truly an amazing learning experience in your life cycle. Make the most of this time. The precious time you have in the afterlife will stick with you forever! Believe me, people, situations, experiences will be forever cemented to your soul. You will never forget, at least not on all levels. The afterlife may be difficult for some, so if you don't know what to do, read on! 

1- Make friends! Find others you may already know. Learn from everyone as much as you possible can. Make plans to hang out with your friends. Find others you trust that you can call on for advice in during your journey. You're only alone if you choice to be. Maybe you'll meet up with an old soul mate. Maybe you'll be reunited with a previous relative.  Neighbor. Boss. Maybe you'll meet someone new entirely that you will in turn spend many lifetimes with.  Or maybe not. Either way try to be open to meeting and interacting with new souls.

2- Ask questions. This is a great way to not only interact with others but also a wonderful way to learn and become more comfortable within your environment.

3- Explore your inner self. You've moved on to the afterlife so you're aware of what's important to you. Dive in deeper and ask yourself why you're the way you are. Most importantly continue to love yourself.  Pamper yourself. 

4- Get your assignment as soon as possible! Go to the big building in the sky and take that test! Maybe you'll be a Healer. A Keeper of truths. A Spirit guide for those who are just plain struggling. Be the best spirit guide you can! A routine can help if you're struggling and missing someone.  With each new charge you help, will gain confidence and feel better and better!

5-Avoid getting into trouble and follow the rules! Here in the afterlife, there is but one rule: You can not make direct contact with the Unknowns. It's not healthy for you and its especially not healthy for them. No matter how badly you want to be with someone don't ever interfere and attempt to force someone to realize their state. When they're ready, they'll know. You must believe this. Be patient. Be kind. Be true.

Best of luck to you on your continued journey!

**If more information is needed please don't hesitate to contact The Masters. 

Mindy Larsen has always had a vivid imagination that has only improved with her love of reading and writing.  She spent much of her childhood entertaining her three younger brothers with her stories and today she is bringing her imagination to life in books.

When not writing, Mindy enjoys spending time with the love of her life and four children while playing disc golf, cooking, baking, traveling and exploring.

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Blog Tour: Heart-Shaped Emblor by Alaina Ewing

Young Adult Paranormal Romance/ Sci-Fi

Date Published: 10/11/2013

Hidden powers. Otherworldly boyfriends. FORBIDDEN SECRETS. 
For Aislinn Moore, attending college at seventeen isn’t a big deal. Not when compared to the difficulties associated with seeing ethereal beings and having prophetic dreams. 
As Aislinn learns to surmount the obstacles of her talents, she awakens something inside herself—an ancient memory, long forgotten. She senses there are reasons for her gifts, but remains unable to understand them. 
When Alexander Welch enters her life, she learns of the Ewlishash—the hope bringers—and thinks she may have found her answer. Alexander is sexy, sweet, and his talents are like something straight out of a Sci-Fi flick. Aislinn wonders if she may be like him, but the more she tries to fit his mold, the more her instincts scream that her destiny holds something even greater.

Excerpt

The dream of Alexander had me rattled, and now that I had a chance to

introduce myself, my apprehension seemed to be getting the better of me.

The idea of him standing over me, watching me sleep as I dreamed of him,

made me tremble.

I wanted to believe that seeing him in my room was still part of the

dream, but the truth was, I didn’t know. That was why I needed Hope, why I

couldn’t talk to him just yet. I needed to know if my dream had anything to

do with what I’d asked my spirit guide.

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Alaina Ewing

Alaina Ewing lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two boys. She holds a degree in Multimedia Production and is the Assistant Chair for Cascade Writers, a nonprofit Milford-style workshop. She also makes jewelry, dream catchers, and enjoys working with herbs and essential oils. 

Her first novel, The Heart-Shaped Emblor, releases October 11, 2013 with Evil Girlfriend Media. The novel is the first in the Ewlishash Series. Read more about Alaina at Alaina Ewing dot com.

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Release: Conquer (Book #4 in Project Integrate Series)

The Project Integrate Series - Release Blitz

By Jamie Campbell

Young Adult Sci-Fi Romance

Date to be Published: 12/1/2013

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United They Stand.

Seventeen years ago an entire generation of aliens were sent to Earth in order to save their home planet and integrate into the human population. Now, those aliens are being hunted.

Amery Jones is your typical teenager, except for the fact she is an alien and a member of the government’s secret Project Integrate.

When Amery’s best friend Lola is kidnapped in order to get to her, there is only one person that can help – the exceedingly annoying and charming Lochie Mercury.

Together, Amery and Lochie must put aside their differences and attraction in order to rescue Lola before it’s too late.

EXCERPT

   I tried to pay attention to the rest of the lesson, I knew I needed to know the particulars of the project but it was hard to imagine doing it with Lochie. We had known each other since we were little, we started school on the same day and had been in most classes together ever since.

   I think my hatred started for him that first day. He pushed me into the sandpit where I landed with a decisive thud. All of his newly acquired friends laughed at me. I didn’t have any friends to come to my aide so I just had to push myself out of the pit and dust off the sand. I think I’ve been dusting off that sand every day ever since. And it was all because of Lochie.

   I was supposed to be nice to everyone, that was part of the deal. I had to be kind, friendly, and lovable. If I was anything but, then I could potentially be removed from the project. When I was little I might have been okay with being pulled, but not now. Not after I’ve spent seventeen years here.

   To lose my placing just because of Lochie would be like rubbing salt into my wounds – except a thousand times worse. So while I knew how I should act towards him, I still couldn’t. Not when one look at him made me want to pull my own eyeballs out of their sockets.

 

About the Author

Jamie Campbell

Jamie was born into a big, crazy family of 6 children. Being the youngest, she always got away with anything and would never shut up. Constantly letting her imagination run wild, her teachers were often frustrated when her ‘What I did on the weekend’ stories contained bunyips and princesses.

Growing up, Jamie did the sensible things and obtained a Bachelor of Business degree from Southern Cross University and worked hard to gain her membership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

Yet nothing compared to writing. Quitting the rat race to spend quality time with her laptop named Lily, Jamie has written several novels and screenplays. Spanning a number of genres and mediums, Jamie writes whatever inspires her from ghost stories to teenage love stories to tantalising murder mysteries. Nothing is off limits.

A self-confessed television addict, dog lover, Taylor Swift fan, and ghost hunter, Jamie loves nothing more than the thrill of sharing her stories.

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This ReleaseBlitz is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours

Blog Tour: The Grimm Chronicles

Young Adult

Date Published: 8/25/2013

The award-winning Young Adult adventure series reaches its penultimate volume! This collection contains the following books:

Book 7: The Giant Slayer

Europe: birthplace of Grimms' Fairy Tales. An unfamiliar land, brimming with its own breed of Corrupted who hide in the shadows, growing more evil with each passing day. For modern-day hero Alice Goodenough, this is more than enough to worry about. But she also has a fencing tournament to think about.

And a promise to keep with Sam Grayle, a Corrupted dwarf who schemes for more and more wealth. When their train breaks down in a small town in eastern Hungary, Alice finds the legacy of the hero is alive and well. Corrupted have visited this town before, and they aren't quite vanquished just yet. There's one left, hiding away, biding his time to enact a terrible price on his enemies. A little creature with big, big plans ...

Werewolves. Vampires. Giants. Europe is a different place with new dangers, new monsters and new surprises.

Book 8: Darkness Rising

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm brought their stories to life.

But why? The question has haunted the heroes for two centuries, and no one has come close to the truth. Alice Goodenough will learn the terrible truth. And it will come at a terrible cost.

The fencing tournament is in just a few short days. Alice's team is hopelessly outmatched, facing off against fencers who have more experience and an inhuman amount of energy. But the other fencers also have a special drug, one that Alice's team can use to even the playing field. Whether they should take the drug or not threatens to tear the team apart.

Meanwhile, Alice must live up to her agreement with Sam Grayle, who lusts after a hidden treasure that once belonged to the Corrupted. Alice must team up with a group of explorers and delve deep into a forbidden cave that holds more secrets than any of them expected.

Book 9: Malevolence

The Malevolence has been biding its time inside Castle Vontescue, but now Alice must finally confront it. The very same evil force that brought the Grimms' fairy tales to life now threatens the hero and all she holds dear. No one is safe in the darkness.

But what, exactly, is this centuries-old creature? To find that out, Br'er Rabbit will have to use all of his wits and decode a series of clues before time runs out. Meanwhile, Alice must keep her friends close and fight through her numerous injuries if she hopes to stop the evil.

But nothing is certain. Alice's body is breaking down. Her loved ones are in constant danger. There is no escape now ... soon, she must face off against the ancient evil that lurks within Castle Vontescue.

And there will be blood.

This volume also contains the following extras:

- The lost diary of Abigail Bauer

- An exclusive introduction

... And the following Grimms' Fairy Tales:

- Hans in Luck

- The Brave Little Tailor

- Tom Thumb

- Twelve Dancing Princesses

- Rapunzel

EXCERPT

“There’s a boat,” I told Harper. “Through these trees. It can’t be far. It’ll take us across a lake. We … well, we’re not going to be any safer on the other side, but at least we won’t be surrounded by man-eating trees.”

“Fair enough. Come on!” Harper led the way, the flashlight’s beam bouncing with each step. We followed him closely, giving every possible branch a wide berth. The groaning was getting louder, echoing all around us. The sound of creaking wood came from every direction.

McCormack, breathing heavily, started to fall behind.

“Come on, you big lug!” I shouted, grabbing him by the shirt.

“I’m … I’m … I’m done, lassy!”

“No!” I pulled him harder, swinging my axe at a twisted branch as it reached out for him. Burning blackness spread across the bark, igniting the massive tree and lighting up the forest. We both drew in a sharp breath. All of the nearby trees were swaying, their branches pulling away from the flames, their trunks reflecting the orange glow. Each trunk had a distinct face, distorted and grotesque.

We hurried to catch up, ducking low beneath the branches of another tree. Something snagged the collar of my shirt, scratching my neck. I screamed, turning and grabbing the branch with my left hand. I swung my axe at the branch, but the axe head flew off the handle, landing somewhere in the darkness.

You don’t know how to draw an axe head, Alice!

“I got ya, lass!” McCormack’s big hands wrapped around my waist and he pulled while I twisted the branch. It tore the collar of my sweater but I was free! We hurried to join the others, weaving our way around another tree.

“Up ahead!” I told them, pointing with the axe handle. The trees were thinning out, and ahead I could see the lake. On the other side of the lake were the trees with the glowing blue plums, their light reflecting on the surface of the black water.

“Careful!” Cixi said, jumping in front of Wodehouse and slicing a branch in half before its claw-like fingers could grab him. A dozen trees were still in front of us, each one swaying, each one’s branches writhing and twisting toward us. Cixi cut another branch, then another. Harper dodged and ducked, trying his best to keep the beam of the flashlight directly ahead of us.

“Gaaah!” McCormack shouted.

I turned around, cursing. The big man’s arms were pinned to his body, one thick branch squeezing him tightly around the waist.

“They’re—urk!—they’re squeezing my bladder!” he shouted.

“Hold on!” I bent down, drawing a gladius. It wasn’t an axe, but it would have to do. I pulled it from the ground and looked up. Another branch! I ducked, avoiding the shadowy limb and swinging the short sword in a wide arc. I chopped away bark, but the tree refused to burn. I chopped again and again; slowly, the burning blackness appeared. I hurried to McCormack, hacking away at the limbs holding him. Bark chipped away. The burning blackness spread, turning the branches to ash. The trunk burst into flame, sending a hickory-sweet smoke into the air. The tree burned quickly, leaving ashes scattered at our feet.

McCormack clutched his stomach, gasping. “I don’t know who ya are, lass, but I owe ya one.”

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Ken Brosky received his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and his BA in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. To date, he's had more than a dozen short stories published in literary journals, including Gargoyle, Barcelona Review and Midwestern Gothic.

This is Isabella Fontaine's first Young Adult series. In addition to managing the family farm, she also enjoys providing design-related services for those who meet the qualification of "fashion nightmare."

Our Goal

We devised 3 "rules" for this Young Adult series. All three are important to us.

1. There are no love triangles. We've set this as an explicit rule. Our main character might find love, but she won't be hounded by topless boys and she certainly will never spend her time deciding who to spend the rest of her life with.

2. Our hero, Alice, must use her brain to overcome her obstacles. That doesn't mean she can't kick some butt (she definitely can!), but she does have to rely on her knowledge to win the day.

3. Alice will never commit an act of violence against another human being without there being consequences. Sure, she can do battle with evil monsters ... but violence against human beings has real consequences. Too often our heroes of today cause physical pain to people around them in order to achieve victory. Alice is different. Alice respects nonviolence to solve real-world problems, and only uses violence to rid the world of the evil Corrupted.

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PROMO Blitz: Buried Appearances by D.E. Haggerty

Buried Appearances - PROMO Blitz

By D.E. Haggerty

Date Published: 12/1/2013

Historical Fiction

Skylar Dewitt has been ostracized her entire life due to her grandfather’s well-known sympathies with the Nazis. But now her grandfather’s body has been recovered in the Netherlands in an area famous for being a Nazi killing ground. Why would her grandfather be buried in a place legendary for assassinations of resistance members? Skylar jets off to Holland in search of answers about her grandfather’s demise. Along the way she finds long-lost family and old friends but will she solve the mystery of what happened to her grandfather? And maybe she discovers something more valuable than resolving any mystery could be: herself.    

EXCERPT

After I hang up the phone, I sit and stare at my computer for a while. I still have no clue how to carry on. I am completely and utterly stuck. I am at a loose end and don’t know what to do. I do have one promise, however, that I made to Griet before I left Michigan that I have to fulfill. I head off to the Wertheim park to fulfill that promise. 

I stand at the Auschwitz memorial in the park and try to hold back my tears. It is so breathtakingly sad here. The smashed mirrors dominating this tiny park are heartbreaking. The memorial epitomizes the dichotomy that is the war and Holland. On the one hand, I am standing in front of a heart wrenching monument to the Dutch victims of the Holocaust that died in Auschwitz but in the background I hear the tram rumble by, dogs barking as they run around the grass of the park and children playing soccer on the other side of the fence. 

The Dutch continue with their lives as I slowly kneel and place white tulips on the memorial. I have one tulip for each member of Griet’s family that perished in the camps. As I stand, I can’t help but let the tears fall. I don’t know how Griet has survived such sadness, such heartbreak. “Gaat het me u,” I hear behind me.

About the Author

D.E. Haggerty

I was born and raised in Wisconsin but think I’m a European (a cloggy to be exact). After spending my senior year of high school in Germany, I developed a bad case of wanderlust that is yet to be cured. After high school I returned to the U.S. to go to college ending up with a Bachelor’s degree in History at the tender age of 20 while still managing to spend time bouncing back and forth to Europe during my vacations (oh the benefits of a long-distance relationship). Unable to find a job after college and still suffering from wanderlust, I joined the U.S. Army as a Military Policewoman for 5 years (the Peace Corps was too much paperwork). While stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, I met my future husband, a flying Dutchman (literally). After being given my freedom from the Army, I went off to law school. I finished law school and moved to the Netherlands with my husband and became a commercial lawyer for more than a decade. During a six month break from the lawyering world, I wrote Unforeseen Consequences. Although I finished the book (and another book that I may or may not revise and publish), I went back to the law until I could no longer take it and upped stakes and moved to Germany to start a B&B. Three years after starting the B&B, I got the itch to try something else and decided to pull the manuscript for Unforeseen Consequences out of the attic and get it published as an e-book. Between tennis, running, traveling, singing off tune, reading, playing part-time lawyer and running the B&B, I’m working on my 2nd book.

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Email : dena@dehaggerty.com

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