Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Blog Tour: Forward to Camelot by @Susan_Sloate & @Finnkv #giveaway & #interview


Time-Travel / Thriller

Date Published: October 31, 2013
   
WHERE WERE YOU THE DAY KENNEDY WAS SAVED?

On the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination comes a new edition of the extraordinary time-travel thriller first published in 2003, now extensively revised and re-edited, and with a new Afterword from the authors.

On November 22, 1963, just hours after President Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President aboard Air Force One using JFK’s own Bible. Immediately afterward, the Bible disappeared. It has never been recovered. Today, its value would be beyond price.

In the year 2000, actress Cady Cuyler is recruited to return to 1963 for this Bible—while also discovering why her father disappeared in the same city, on the same tragic day. Finding frightening links between them will lead Cady to a far more perilous mission: to somehow prevent the President’s murder, with one unlikely ally: an ex-Marine named Lee Harvey Oswald.

Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition brings together an unlikely trio: a gallant president, the young patriot who risks his own life to save him, and the woman who knows their future, who is desperate to save them both. 

History CAN be altered …


Interview

Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

We’d like the reader to come away with the idea that when you’re faced with an overwhelming challenge, whoever you are or however little you think you can do, you can always do something to effect a positive outcome—and sometimes what you can do can be momentous.


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Writing for me has always been about looking at a situation I don’t like and through my stories, being able to fix it and make it come out the way I want it to. In the case of FORWARD TO CAMELOT, which is about the JFK assassination, that meant we didn’t just have to get the real history of the event correct (which isn’t easy—it’s one of the most controversial moments in American history). After we’d done all the research (and it took years) and felt pretty confident about what we knew of the event, in order to fix it, we then had to move forward on a completely new timeline. We had to give our characters, these very famous historical figures, a whole new set of circumstances to deal with, that didn’t actually happen, and let them behave as they might have if it had really happened this way. And we were also dealing with a lot of characters with their own agendas, multiple events happening at the same time—it was HARD making it all work. While this isn’t true of all my writing, by any means, just getting the story right in FORWARD TO CAMELOT was a huge challenge for us—the biggest I’ve ever faced in my career.



How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

Since 1989 I’ve published twenty books, fiction and nonfiction, traditional and indie. Seventeen were young-adult books—five biographies, girls’ series fiction, a history of Alcatraz (that was fun!), a book about baseball, one on pre-teen fashion, one on the history of Thanksgiving. Lots of different topics; I really enjoyed doing them. One of them, RAY CHARLES: FIND ANOTHER WAY!, for Bearport Publishing, won the silver medal in the 2007 Children’s Moonbeam Book Awards. I’m very proud of that.

Last fall I published 3 novels in 3 different genres within 90 days—which has to be a record somewhere! Two of those three novels are my favorite work: FORWARD TO CAMELOT and STEALING FIRE, a love story based on something that happened to me many years ago.  STEALING FIRE became a #2 Amazon bestseller in its category and is a finalist in the Readers’ Favorite Book Award competition.

I love STEALING FIRE because it reminds me of a vivid time in my life, and CAMELOT because it required so much of Kevin and me to complete it and make it work. It’s the first time I can look back at something I did and feel absolutely satisfied with it.



If you had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

I know Kevin has his choices, but since you’re asking me… The actress I’d most like to get is Kate Winslet, for so many reasons. She’s a wonderful actress, she’s got a lot of dimension, and I would believe her as Cady, our actress-turned-time-traveler. I think she’d be amazing.



When did you begin writing?

Practically as soon as I could hold a pencil. My mother had read to me for years, and she read my favorite stories over and over again. Then as I got older, I got story ideas of my own (mostly children’s fantasies), so I got little 3x5 spiral-bound notebooks and wrote my stories in those. Eventually I began typing them (on an old Smith-Corona MANUAL typewriter!) I got my first computer in 1988. My kids roar with laughter when I tell them that first desktop cost $1,800 for the CPU (a big box), the keyboard, monitor and inkjet printer, with 20MB of hard drive space, and at top speed, it ran at 10 MGhz.

But it was a blessing, clunky as it was, because I wrote my first books under contract on that computer. If I’d had to write them on a typewriter, it would have taken three times as long! I’ve used a computer ever since, though I still like to hand-write my notes.



How long did it take to complete your first book?

My first book was the final title in a girls’ fiction series called BLUE RIBBON, about teenage girls training to compete in the Olympic equestrian events. It was my first book under contract (October 1988), and the editor told me I had to have it finished in a month. I did, panting all the way down the wire, then did the rewrites in two weeks. Scary. But it was published, and I wrote a total of seven books for that company (which partnered with major publishers). So I have books from companies like Little, Brown and Simon & Schuster and Bantam and Ballantine.


 Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

Every author whose work I’ve loved has inspired me. Among the most inspiring are Ayn Rand, Margaret Mitchell, Noel Streatfeild (best children’s books ever), Betty Smith (who wrote A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN), Donald J. Sobol (Encyclopedia Brown series), Anne Emory, Rosamund du Jardin and too many more to count. All of the above are writers whose work I continue to read even today.


What is your favorite part of the writing process?

My two very favorite parts are getting the initial idea—that always makes you feel like you can fly, you have ideas bouncing around like pinballs—and typing the two most beautiful words in the English language: THE END.

And those moments in between when you suddenly know just what to write and how to say it. They don’t happen often, but they keep you going when you get discouraged.



Describe your latest book in 4 words.

FORWARD TO CAMELOT is: thrilling, historical, poignant and inspiring.



Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?

I tend to bounce from genre to genre, writing what interests me—not very disciplined but true nonetheless. There’s a sequel to FORWARD TO CAMELOT in the works, which I’m excited about. But first, I’m working on a story about 1950’s New York and the show-business world of that time. It’s based on stories my mother told me about her attempts to break into the business at that time. I always thought they would make a wonderful book, and I’m finally getting to it now.

Thanks so much for hosting us today—we’re excited to be here and look forward to hearing from your readers!





SUSAN SLOATE is the author of 20 previous books, including the recent bestsellerStealing Fire and Realizing You (with Ron Doades), for which she invented a new genre: the self-help novel. The original 2003 edition of Forward to Camelot became a #6 Amazon bestseller, took honors in three literary competitions and was optioned by a Hollywood company for film production.
Susan has also written young-adult fiction and non-fiction, including the children’s biography Ray Charles: Find Another Way!, which won the silver medal in the 2007 Children’s Moonbeam Awards. Mysteries Unwrapped: The Secrets of Alcatraz led to her 2009 appearance on the TV series MysteryQuest on The History Channel. Amelia Earhart: Challenging the Skies is a perennial young-adult Amazon bestseller. She has also been a sportswriter and a screenwriter, managed two recent political campaigns and founded an author’s festival in her hometown of Mount Pleasant, SC.
For updates and more information about Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition, please visit http://susansloate.com.

After beginning his career as a television news and sports writer-producer, KEVIN FINN moved on to screenwriting and has authored more than a dozen screenplays. He is a freelance script analyst and has worked for the prestigious American Film Institute Writer’s Workshop Program. He now produces promotional trailers, independent film projects including the 2012 documentary SETTING THE STAGE: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, and local content for Princeton Community Television.
His next novel, Banners Over Brooklyn, will be released in 2015.



Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Blog Tour: Abomination by Audra Middelton #giveaway


Fantasy

Date Published: June 2014

   
The seeds are planted. Which will take root, change or destruction?

A seed of destruction is sprouting in Forest End, but the kingdom is in too much of an uproar trying to locate their missing princess to notice. Princess Willow has been kidnapped by the enemy. Her mother, the Fauna Queen known as Watcher, is the only one who can reach Luminar and rescue Willow before the winter snows come. While the queen finds a way to save her daughter, the princess is able to plant seeds of change in the enemy kingdom. But if Watcher doesn’t make it back in time to stop the abomination that has been growing in Forest End, Willow’s seeds will never take root.


Review


First off, I want to say I really liekd the cover of the first book much better. Wish this one was a little more like that. 


Audra Middleton does a wonderful job of bringing back her characters and giving them new obstacles and expanding on their personalities. I felt like I found out new things about the characters I already loved. I enjoy being able to watch them grow and change based on their experiences.

There was a bit more action in this novel and it really helped to heighten the reading experience.

This is a wonderful Fantasy series!





Audra Middleton was born and raised in Washington State where she lives with her husband and their three boys. She gave up her teaching career to raise her children, and in between diaper changes and baseball games, she began writing books. Once she started, she couldn’t stop, even after she went back to teaching. 

FREE eBook and PROMO - The Frost of Springtime by @RachelLDemeter #giveaway



FREE EBOOK PROMO BLITZ
Historical Romance
Date Published: February 14, 2014
Publisher: Black Lyon Publishing, LLC

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.

On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.

But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young woman—a dancer with an understanding of devotion and redemption far surpassing her age.

Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that “home” is gone, replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.

Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.







EXCERPT

She smiled and reached for his face. “Let me have you in the most intimate of ways, let me give you a part of myself that no other man may touch. Make me yours forever.”


Aleksender responded with his caress. Broad, weathered hands skimmed over the valley of her curves as he traced each and every bend. He pressed a wet line of kisses down her neck, her torso—felt a sharp intake of breath as he ventured lower … lower …


 photo YOUHAVEASOLDIERSHEART-TEASERQUOTE_zpsd889b7d2.jpg



About the Author

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and high school sweetheart of ten years. She enjoys writing dark, edgy romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and examine the redeeming power of love.

Imagining stories and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mom would jot them down for her. She has a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether sculpting the protagonist or antagonist, she always ensures that every character is given a soul.

Rachel strives to intricately blend elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some common themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness. Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

Author Links




Buy Links

THE FROST OF SPRINGTIME KINDLE EDITION IS FREE ON AMAZON AUGUST 25-29!!




GIVEAWAY

$5 Amazon Gift Card
5 signed “The Frost of Springtime” bookmarks
 photo untitled_zps90e1b0fe.jpg





 photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png

Monday, August 25, 2014

Blog Tour: Deceitful Truths by @maggiethom2 #interview #giveaway


(Book 2 The Caspian Wine Series)
Suspense/Thriller

Date Published: March 2014

   
He created a legacy that no one could imagine…

Tarin has lost a week of her life. She doesn't know what happened but not long after she returns to work she is suspended from her job. Confused and pregnant, she quits and agrees to marry Stephen, only to be thrown into a whole new nightmare. Desperate, she grabs her son and moves across the country to get away from her abusive husband and to avoid her unforgiving father. Thrilled at getting the Tech assistant job at Knights Associates, not only will she be helping them solve cyber crimes but she'll be able to use their connections and resources to solve her own mystery. Who stole a week of her life? And will they return to steal the secret she is now protecting?

Graham and his partner Guy can't keep up with the demand. They are being flooded with requests at Knights Associates, where they offer a combined service of private investigator and that of solving cyber crimes. It appears that someone wants to get their attention, not only have they been hacked but Guy's family business, Caspian Winery, seems to be under attack as well. Hiring an assistant seems to be the answer but when Graham discovers she's been accessing their high-security accounts, he decides the cause of their predicament might be closer than he thought. Is their new assistant behind the problems they're having? If she's so innocent, why is someone after her?

Tarin and Graham discover that although they don't trust each other, they are forced to work together to solve several seemingly unrelated crimes that may lead to one disastrous conclusion. Can they figure it all out before Tarin's nightmare plays out? Before an eighty-year-old woman pays with her life? Or before Tarin learns a truth that may seal her fate, a truth that will keep her and Graham apart, a truth that neither one of them may be able to forgive or forget...

(Caspian Wine Series - Book #2. This novel is standalone but is a Sequel to “Captured Lies”)

"... Deceitful Truths showcases Maggie Thom’s talent... a masterpiece that begs to be read and savored!..." Dii at Tome Tender
Interview




Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
That there are times when you really need to decide what is right for you
and to make the leap.


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The editing and rewriting is truly the hardest part but I also find it the most rewarding part because that's when the story truly comes to full life.


How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I have three published novels. Each of them are my favorite but in a different way. Captured Lies is my favorite because it was my first. Tainted Waters is my favorite because it was my second. I wasn't sure I could write another compelling suspense/thriller. And Deceitful Truths because writing a sequel challenged me in ways I hadn't expected.


If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
I think Natalie Portman would be excellent to play my main character, Tarin. Not only is Natalie beautiful but I think a very versatile actress who would do the part justice. She can play a classy lady but also one who isn't scared to dig where she shouldn't to find answers.


When did you begin writing?
I started writing when I was nine, well at least as far as I remember. I had decided I was writing a novel, not that it ever got finished but it was enough to hook me into writing.


How long did it take to complete your first book?
My first novel, Captured Lies took about a year to write and most of it was done by pen and paper as I wrote it while running kids around to sporting events.


Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
 I would say that Sandra Brown and Robert Ludlum are not only two of my favorite authors but two who I love how they write and what they write.


What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Creating the characters and the story, plotting out what is going to happen to whom and weaving the whole story together so that it is full of twists.


Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Dig for the truth!


Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
I currently am working on two different suspense/thriller novels:
 Deadly Ties - What connection could there be between a twenty year-old   murder and a thirty year-old murder and a present day attack on      Kyara's mother? Did her  grandmother falsely go to jail for twenty-years?

            Split Seconds - Twins sisters meet for the first time as adults and soon         discover that someone has gone to great lengths to keep them apart and will    even kill to ensure that continues. 







Award winning author, Maggie Thom, took the challenge and leapt off, leaving a fulltime, twenty year career in management, to write full time. After publishing her first suspense/thriller book Captured Lies, October 2012, she published her second novel, Tainted Waters, April, 2013. Tainted Waters went on to win 2013 Suspense and Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine and Captured Lies won book of the Month through LAS Reviews (February 2014). She published her third novel, Deceitful Truths (The Caspian Wine Series - Book 2), March 2014. An avid reader and writer her whole life, she decided to break the monotony of wishing to be an author by making it happen. She is a wholehearted nature lover and likes nothing better than to take a book, hike to a remote spot by a river or waterfalls and read. Married to her best friend, she is learning that humor, love and patience help her navigate her way through her twins’ teen years. Her motto: Escape to read and Read to escape. "Maggie Thom writes a fast paced thriller laced with romance that keeps the reader interested and on edge!" InDtale Magazine


Sunday, August 24, 2014

Blog Tour: Roth by Jessica Frances #giveaway


Book #2 of the Invasion

New Adult Sci-Fi Romance
Date Published: August 16, 2014

   
Mattie:
I was taken and left for dead on a planet far from Earth. My new nightmare is called Roth. 
I have only Hank for an ally here and a burning rage that builds higher with each passing day. 
But we have a plan.
One that will hopefully give humans back the Earth.
One that will ensure I get revenge for what was taken from me.
I will stop at nothing to get Earth back.
I am willing to die for this.

Marduke:

I made a mistake. 
I sent Mattie away from Earth and now she is in more danger than she ever was there.
The threat to her life doesn't just come from my people, but from humans as well.
I have to find her. 
She needs to know there is more at risk than just her life. 
She carries a secret, one that would lead to our deaths if anyone found out.
If we want a future together, then we need to escape Roth and leave the war and everyone behind.


What happens when their plan begins to fail? 
What will they do when a new threat presents itself, one more dangerous than anything they have ever faced before?
Will Mattie be able to survive the loss she is forced to endure?
Will Marduke be able to protect her from not only his people and hers, but also from herself?
Is there still a way to save Earth?
Is there even a way to save each other?
Or will humans fall? 
Will Earth be lost to them forever?




REVIEW

Fans of the first novel, Earth, will not be disappointed. Jessica Frances picks right back up and does not let up til the very end. There is a lot more going on in this one than the previous one. I felt like everything was heightened from the drama and action to the Chemistry and Romance. A wonderful continuation of Mattie and Marduke's story!




Born and raised in South Australia, Jessica spends her days working in a bakery, afternoons catching up on lost sleep, and nights reading and writing. After having the Taken Trilogy taking up space in her head for years, she was relieved to have a break and her mind clear. But apparently the free rent was spoken to Mattie and her friends, because now she is hearing new voices and a whole new story. The Invasion Trilogy was then born.



Giveaway