Saturday, March 31, 2012

Blog Tours: CHILDREN OF THE GODS by Monica Millard: Book Excerpt and Guest Post


BOOK EXCERPT:

The Luna was sitting on one of the beds when we returned.

There were rumors that each Haloran’s consciousness was contained inside a worm. That was how they were able to transfer from one host body to the next. My stomach wriggled as I tried to imagine her allowing someone to put a worm inside her.

“I was beginning to believe a search party would be necessary,” she said, without glancing up.

“That would never be required while I am alive, my lady,” Griff responded with a bow.  “I am glad I will not have to execute my favorite guard.”

Her tone sounded light, but the look on her face suggested it had been a danger. I worried I had cast a shadow on him.

“You are as kind as you are beautiful, my lady.”

She rolled her eyes and made a sound of disgust.

In spite of my fear, I felt my skin prickle with anger. The idea of having a worm inside me was less repulsive than the thought of her taking over my body, making it her own. How many people would she mistreat while wearing my face? I could accept the worm if it did not bring her with it.

Griff bowed again and took a step forward placing a hand on my bare back to lead me to my table.

The cushions were removed now, leaving a cold metal table with a rectangular hole in the top half. I could see men below dressed all in white. One looked up and caught my eye. A shiver ran up my spine. In his hands were two hooks sharpened to deadly points.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe slowly, but it only allowed my mind to dream up scenarios for the use of such instruments. My knees gave way and again I was caught by Griff. He lifted me and gently placed me on the metal table with my back over the hole.

The cutout in the dress was not merely for decorative purposes. It was designed for beauty and function through centuries of our horror.

The Sari’s gait was nearly a dance as he made his way toward me.
“Sir, allow me to secure her,” Griff said.

“I can handle her.” He smiled a wicked smile.

Good. I wanted him to bleed and I would get the chance to make it happen.
“Sir, at least her arms?”

The Sari breathed a heavy sigh. “Fine, her hands.”




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Guest Post
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Who's writing your story?

There is a lot of advice out there on writing a novel.  It ranges anywhere from choosing a topic to how you should plot that amazing idea and everything in between.  None of it is going to fit everyone.  You have to find what works for you and make it yours. 

With that said, I want to share some of my own experience.

When I started getting serious about writing and completing my first novel, I started thinking about the people who might read my novel and I panicked a bit.  What would the people from my church think about the romantic nature of the relationship between the two main characters who were under sixteen? Would my older sister be upset by my portrayal of the older sister in the book?  What would my parents and my friends think?  Then there were agents and editors that I hadn't even factored in yet.

I started letting it affect my writing.  Little by little I let their opinions, or at least my perception of what their opinions were, trickle into my story.  Pretty soon, it wasn't just me that was writing my story.

When all was said and done and I was doing the dreaded editing, I found that my church, sister, friends, family and anyone else I was trying please weren't very good writers.  Every part that I let the people in my head have a say in, other than my characters, was terrible.  I had to go through and edit it all out because in those parts I wasn't being true to the story and worse, I wasn't being true to myself.

I'm by no means an expert, but I've learned that even if you find those who are, their expertise may not apply to you.  Be aware of who you let influence you and remember in the end no one is more qualified to tell your story than you.  (That last bit works for both writing and life.)


To view Monica's Q&A and GIVEAWAY click HERE

Friday, March 30, 2012

Blog Tours: DEATH ON HEELS by Ellen Byerrum: Q&A and GIVEAWAY

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To see the full tour schdeule via CHICK LIT PLUS click HERE 

Author Bio:
Ellen Byerrum writes the popular Crime of Fashion mysteries, set in bustling Washington, D.C., The City That Fashion Forgot. Featuring style sleuth Lacey Smithsonian, who solves crimes with fashion clues, the eighth book, Death on Heels, takes Lacey out of her comfort zone and into the Wild West where she confronts her past and an old boyfriend who is accused of murder. 
                                
While researching fashion, Byerrum has collected her own assortment of 1940s vintage dresses and suits, and the occasional accessory, but laments her lack of closet space. She has been a D.C. news reporter in Washington, a playwright, and holds a Virginia P.I. registration. Although she currently resides in Denver, fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian will continue to be based in Washington, D.C.

Byerrum is currently at work on the ninth book in the Crime of Fashion series, Veiled Revenge. You can find more about Ellen on her Web site or on Facebook.

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A.  Anything and everything. Overheard snatches of conversation are always good for sparking an idea. News and current events, personal experiences, it can all be grist for the writing mill. And I really enjoy spectacular crimes of fashion witnessed on the streets. They are always fair game for my heroine Lacey Smithsonian’s Crime of Fashion columns.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author.

A.  I love seeing my books in bookstores and on my own bookshelves. Being able to handle a book and turn the pages makes what I do very real. I haven’t bought an e-reading device and e-books are still pretty much theoretical for me.  However, I am thrilled that people buy them as well as the paperbacks. And of course one of the best perks is hearing from readers who love my books. It’s amazing to hear from people from all over the country and around the world, and a bit humbling.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A.  It is hard to keep going and keep writing when there are no immediate rewards, particularly in the middle of a writing project. So keeping your bottom glued to the chair is difficult. And it not always easy to come up with new ideas to keep the series fresh, ideas that are big enough to sustain a book. One of the hardest things is that I don’t have enough time for other projects and for reading other people’s books!  

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A. Well, I was a reporter before the books came out, I wrote plays, and I have a PI registration for the state of Virginia. I could do those things, but I always wanted to be an actress. So, in a perfect world, I’d go with actress.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A.  I’ve always liked the title Leaving Alamogordo, Now, that has nothing to do with me or my life, and I’ve never been to (or left) Alamogordo, New Mexico, but I like the sound of it. A better title might come along, especially seeing as how I’m still alive. (Like Jon Bon Jovi.)

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A.  I couldn’t possibly choose. I went through the Gone With The Wind phase, the Jane Eyre phase, and yes, even the Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged phase. Basically I love a great story, especially mysteries. Among my favorites are Raymond Chandler and Elizabeth Peters.

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A.  Neither my husband nor I could come up with a good answer. But he suggested that I might be like a character from a movie that was based on a famous play from the 1940s called The Front Page. The character is Hildy Johnson, as played by Rosalind Russell in the film version, His Girl Friday. I should mention that the character in the play is a guy, but Hollywood had a much better idea when they made Hildy a woman. And I’d like to think that, like Hildy, I’d have the moxie to tackle a suspect while running in a suit and heels.

Q.  What character from all of your book(s) are you most like?

A. Okay, okay, I suppose I’m most like my main character, Lacey Smithsonian, a fashion reporter who gets no respect. Go figure. We both love vintage clothing and mysteries. Although I was never a fashion reporter, I gave Lacey a lot of my background. Many writers are like their main characters (or vice versa), at least mentally.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Autumn, by far. I develop a syndrome known as foliage psychosis. I just gaze at the leaves and say insightful things like, “Oh, wow, look at the colors.” I was married in October and almost every fall we travel to New England during peak leaf season. I love the sights and smells of fall, as well as the warm sweaters and hot cider that go with it.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A.  I’m currently working on the next book in my mystery series, Veiled Revenge. And trying to find the time to finish a thriller tentatively entitled The Doll House in the Crawl Space.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  I’m so delighted to be here today, and because I write crime of fashion mysteries, I’d love to know what your favorite, most loved or most loathed fashion crimes are.  Thanks for having me.


GIVEAWAY:
All you have to do to win a paperback copy of DEATH ON HEELS is leave a comment below (US and Canada residents only).  Winner will be picked via RANDOM.ORG and announced here and on my Facebook  page on
April 2.

For bonus entries...

"Like" my Facebook page
or
Follow this blog

(leave a comment that you "like" me or are "following" me for a bonus entry)

Good Luck!!!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

SHOWCASE: SAVAGE CINDERELLA by PJ Sharon




BIO: PJ Sharon is author of several independently published, contemporary young adult novels, including HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES. Her stories have garnered several contest finals, including two awards for ON THIN ICE, and a place in the prestigious Valley Forge Romance Writers and the Florida Romance Writers Golden Palm contest for SAVAGE CINDERELLA.

Writing romantic fiction for the past six years, and following her destiny to write Extraordinary stories of an average teenage life, PJ is a member of RWA, CTRWA, and YARWA. She is mother to two grown sons and lives with her husband and her dog in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA.
Q.  What inspires your writing?

A.  I love stories of hope. The twists and turns that take people through bad times and bring them through to the other side, better than they were before. A lot of my inspiration comes from my own challenges and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I want the opportunity to share with teens, whatever valuable pearls of wisdom I’ve gained so they know that they are not alone in their struggles and that they can have a hopefully ever after.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

A.  I love the creative process. It’s an amazing experience coming up with the kernel of a story and then letting it grow organically into something complete and beautiful.  I enjoy sharing that process with other writers and it’s very rewarding to have readers who love what I’ve written. It’s nice to know that I’ve both entertained and perhaps even educated them in some way.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A.  The business of being an author is far more work than I ever imagined. Promoting and marketing, keeping track of sales, participating in social media, and meeting deadlines are all part of my daily routine, which leaves very little time to actually write. It’s not what I signed on for, but it is part of the job.

Q.  If you could not be an author, what would you do/be?

A. I’ve already had such a wonderful variety of experiences in life. I worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant for many years and then became a Massage Therapist, personal trainer and yoga instructor—all things I love to do. Running my private practice, ABSolute Fitness and Therapeutic Bodywork, is currently my day job. If I wasn’t writing, I’m sure I would be dedicating my time to adding to my holistic healing tool box. If I had it to do over, I would have become a Naturopathic Doctor or an acupuncturist when I was younger.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A.  The Long and Winding Road: Book One—Twists of Fate

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A.  Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A.  Pollyanna comes to mind. I have had that same sunny disposition through most of my life and I’m a firm believer in having an attitude of gratitude. Like Pollyanna, I’m very good at making lemonade when I’m handed lemons. Ironically, my birth name is Paula, and I was often called Polly as a child.

Q.  What character from all of your book(s) are you most like?

A. I think I’m a bit like each of my characters. If I had to pinpoint the similarities, I would say that I have a determination and resolute never-give-up attitude like Jordie in HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, a deep rooted faith that has pulled me through some very difficult times like Penny in ON THIN ICE, and a fighting spirit like Brinn in SAVAGE CINDERELLA. I am also stubborn, perfectionistic, and perhaps a bit too trusting—also like each of my charactersJ

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A.  I love something about each of the seasons. I’m sure that’s because I grew up in New England. I don’t think I could ever live in a place that had the same weather all the time. If I have to narrow it down, it’s a toss-up between Spring and Fall.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A.  My current work in progress is the first book in a YA Dystopian trilogy. The series will be called THE CHRONICLES OF LILY CARMICHAEL. I’m closing in on a title for Book I and I’m about a third of the way into it. The first book should be released in July.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  Thank you all for dropping by and be sure to leave a comment. I’d be happy to answer any other questions and I’ll be sending a signed copy of SAVAGE CINDERELLA to one lucky commenter. Without readers, writers would have no one to share our stories with. We’d still write them, but it’s so much more satisfying to know that someone out there will enjoy them. So thank you all, and keep reading!
My advice to teens:
1)   Find something you love to do, get really good at it, and find a way to have it serve the greater good, and you will be happy.
2)   Follow your dream and don’t let anything stand in your way.

Book Description for Savage Cinderella
Eighteen year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and  the danger—that may await her.



Buy it: Amazon
   

Contact Information for PJ Sharon
Book Trailers:   http://www.youtube.com/pjsharon64
On her Website: http://www.pjsharon.com
Follow PJ on Twitter: @pjsharon
Follow PJ’s Promotional blog @ http://pjsharonyawriter.blogspot.com
Follow PJ’s Tuesday blog @ http://secretsof7scribes.wordpress.com
Follow PJ’s Friday Healthy Teen Tips blog @ http://yabeyond.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Blog Tours: CHILDREN OF THE GODS by Monica Millard: Q&A and GIVEAWAY

 To see the full tour schdeule via 

CHICK LIT PLUS click HERE  

Author Bio:
Monica was born and raised in Alaska. She doesn’t own a dog sled team, but has worked in a place where there are buildings with caged exterior doors to keep employees from being eaten by polar bears.  She lives in Wasilla, Alaska with all her critters, some four legged and others that stand on two. She writes Science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal for young adults.

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A.  There isn’t one thing specifically.  Sometimes an idea will strike me while I’m people watching - public transportation is a great source.  There’s nothing like sitting in the transit center waiting for the bus with your headphones on making up stories to go with the people passing through.  But if I had to pin down one thing that sparks inspiration in me the most, it would have to be music.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

A. I love reading because you get to live in another world for a day or two, getting to know new people and places in an intimate way that you never could in real life.  Writing is like that but instead of only having a couple of days, you get to spend a couple of months discovering things.  And my characters never fail to surprise me.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A. Keeping the house clean.  Between writing, editing, working a day job, and spending time with my boyfriend/friends/family/animals.  Something has to be sacrificed and usually it’s the household chores. 

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A. I do have a day job, but if we were picking things I’d want to do with my life if I hadn’t finally figured out being a writer is what I want to do when I grow up, then it’d be a figure skater.  Definitely.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A. Extraordinary Machine – It’s a Fiona Apple song but there is a line in it that makes me think of how my life goes.  She says:  I’m good at being uncomfortable so I can’t stop changing all the time. 

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. I’m going to have to go with The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe because it was this book that I remember as the one that made me fall in love with reading.  It showed me a whole new world full of fantastic things.  Although I think everyone should read Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Doctor Suess.  It’s like an instruction guide for life.

Q.  Which part of your book(s) was the easiest to write?

A. The first chapter.  The bonfire scene was the spark for the whole story and it was so vivid and full of life it just wrote itself.

Q.  Which part of your book(s) was the hardest to write?

A.  The last few chapters were the hardest to write.  I always have trouble at the end of the book, no matter if it’s happy or sad even if I know the words.  I draw the last few pages out in attempt to keep it from ending.

Q.  Which character from any book are you most like?

A.  I can’t honestly see myself as any of the characters I’ve read.  I’d like to think I’m like Todd Hewitt from The Chaos Walking series but I think that’s mostly because he’s one of my favorite characters.

Q.  Which character from YOUR book(s) are you most like?

A. I wrote a novel called The Fall.  It’s not about me, but the main character Rian Winsom draws upon who I was as a teen because she is going through a lot of the things I did as a teen, minus the supernatural elements of course. 

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A  Summer, hands down.  Living in Alaska, summer here is sort of magical.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. Yes.  It’s a shifter romance called A Tail of Stars.  (love me some werewolves)

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself. Life is way more fun when you don’t care what anyone else thinks.  Also, everything is better with bacon. (except coffee – bacon doesn’t belong in coffee.  That’s just weird) Thanks for taking the time to listen to me ramble.


GIVEAWAY:
All you have to do to win an ebook edition of CHILDREN OF THE GODS is leave a comment below.  Winner will be picked via RANDOM.ORG and announced here and on my Facebook  page
on April 10. 
For bonus entries...
"Like" my Facebook page 
or
Follow this blog
(leave a comment that you "like" me or are "following" me for a bonus entry)
Good Luck!!!

                                                                                                                                                        
Connect with Monica:  Blog  I  Twitter  I  Facebook





Buy the Book: Amazon I Smashwords I  B and N

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Blog Tour: AMBER EYES by Jolyn Palliata: Q&A and Guest Post

 

To see the full tour schdeule via 
CHICK LIT PLUS click HERE

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Q&A
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Q.  What inspires your writing?

A.  I am heavily inspired by music—all types, really, but rock music in particular. There’s a line in Amber Eyes: Emotions imprint on music, the same way music imprints on the soul. I think emotions and music truly do go hand-in-hand, and it can affect your entire mindset. I use music to capture the tone of a story, or the mood of a particular scene. For Amber Eyes, I have a playlist with a song for almost every major event in the book. For other books I’ve written, I have a playlist full of music that simply fits the tone throughout. I even wrote one novel that was wholly inspired and conceived of after listen to a single song in my car. (It was Framing Hanley’s “Photographs & Gasoline” that inspired A Modern Love Story.)  

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

A. I love living vicariously through my characters. I can make them bold—take risks or say things I never could. I can put them right smack dab in the middle of my daydreams and experience them from their perspective. I can manipulate and shape them, take them for a ride, and see where we end up. Ohhh, and the fun we have!! The other part I like is the research. There’s usually something I have to research for things to come across as authentic or believable. And since I LOVE learning new things, I enjoy the research part quite a bit. A lot of research went into Amber Eyes. It was great! 

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A. The research. LOL I know, I know…I just blathered on about how much I love it, and I do. But sometimes I want to skip that part and just write. Another thing I don’t like (at all) is the necessary and painful editing/revising. (I think that’s true of most authors, though.) Other than that, setting the scene. I’m a dialogue person—I just want to hit the ground running. I don’t want to have to describe it first. (Can’t you just read my mind?) ;)  

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A. If I could magically infuse myself with any and all knowledge, I’d say an archeologist. I love NatGeo and History channel (this goes back to the “love learning” comment from before). Can you imagine exploring ancient landmarks, digging up things that were a part of civilization a 1000 years ago, and holding them in your hand? I could be Josh Bernstein’s right-hand “man” (and who wouldn’t want to be??)! My love of history and ancient artifacts/structures is evident in Amber Eyes.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled? 

A.  Organized Chaos, or maybe Chaos Walking. Oh, no, wait…I think that’s the name of a book series, isn’t it? Organized Chaos, then. Or maybe Crazy Woman Mumbling…that should paint a nice picture of what I’m like when I’m writing. ;) 

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A.  Lover Awakened and Father Mine. Both are part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and center around Zsadist, my favorite character. (That makes it hard to choose between the two.) I couldn’t get either one of these books out of my head—I’d think about them during the day, and dream about them at night. I’d say that makes them my favorites.  

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. I think this is the hardest question I’ve ever been asked. It might be easier to explain the theory of relativity. ;) Most readers can find at least one aspect to identify with in a character, I think. (Because people are complex that way.) After A LOT of thinking, I’d say I’m most like Dana in Key of Knowledge (Key Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts. Her natural defenses around Jordan remind me of how I used to be when I was dating—the whole “protecting your heart” attitude. Now I’m married, so I have an attitude ALL the time now. Kidding!  

Q.  What character from all of your book(s) are you most like?

A. Lexi in Amber Eyes. Most of her personality and ticks are based off me—both as I was in high school, and how I am now.  

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Fall—hands down, no question about it. I love the crispness of the air, the bite in your lungs. It’s refreshing and energizing after an oppressive, humid summer that always makes me feel like a slug in a skillet. (There’s some imagery for you, huh?) ;)

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book(s).

A. I’m always having fun and joking around with my readers and other writers. And I’m sure I’ve made a fool of myself on more than one occasion, but was too clueless to notice. No funny stories pop in my head, but a situation does come to mind that I have to snicker about now. When I was gearing up to publish Amber Eyes, I wanted to use a cover my friend had created for me. The problem was, she used a random picture she found on the internet and I didn’t have the royalty rights. So, I rolled up my sleeves and went to town on trying to find the artist. My first stop was DeviantART.com (one of my favorite sites), but no luck there. Then I spend hours trying to track the picture down through Google. I found the image quickly enough, but not the source—that took some deeper digging (and I am NOT internet-savvy). Eventually, I tracked it down to Giulia Manchi in Italy. And do you want to know WHERE I found her? Yup…DeviantART.com. Figures. LOL Guilia (AKA, JuLyFriDay on DeviantART) was gracious enough to give me permission to use the photo, AND assisted with my Italian translations in Amber Eyes. What a lady!

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A.  Oh, it seems I’ve always got some new idea brewing. Right now, I’m writing Twisted (Twists of Fate #2)—a paranormal romance. The Twists of Fate series revolves around two rock bands (most of which written from Fate’s point-of-view), and has been a blast to dig into. I’m also working on a rough draft of Crimson Eyes (Entwined Souls Trilogy—Book Two), the sequel to Amber Eyes. 
 
Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  I want to thank you, Emily, for having me and challenging my mind with some of these questions. (Writing a novel should be a breeze now. Ha ha!) And I’ll like to thank everyone for stopping by and seeing what I have to say. Please, feel free to contact me at any time with any additional question you may have. You can find all my contact information on my website, www.jolynpalliata.com, or email me direct at info.jolynpalliata@gmail.com. I love the interaction with my readers! Thanks again! 


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Guest Post
*********************************


 The (Disastrous) First Kiss
The almighty disastrous first kiss. Is there any other kind? Please humor me, and say ‘no’. I don’t want to know differently—that it could have been a non-humiliating, non-horrifying experience. (I almost bit him. Really?!)

First kisses should come with an instruction manual that is well thought out and meticulously reviewed prior to any sort of attempt being made.
·         Step 1: Tilt head—nose squishing is not so sexy
·         Step 2: Watch the toes when you step closer—it could lead to abruptly looking down and smacking foreheads
·         Step 3: Don’t lick your lips first—it’s wet, sloppy, and all around gross
·         Step 4: Know where you’re going to put your hands ahead of time—wandering, fumbling digits can make for an awkward situation
·         Step 5: Make sure he wants to kiss you, too!! (Oy vey.)

First kisses aren’t for novices, although by definition alone, you will be inexperienced. But you should go in with all the facts and knowledge you can acquire. This is a time for a fact finding mission! Ask your friends, watch a movie, pay attention in Health class (for certainly this had to have been covered, right?). Don’t go in blind thinking ‘I can do this’! Feel the fear, know the fear, be at one with the fear.

I did none of these things. And when it was over (oh, God…it took forever to be over), I didn’t feel like a woman, I didn’t feel pretty, and I didn’t want to yell it at the top of my lungs on the highest peak. I did, however, want to dig a hole, crawl inside, and asphyxiate on the dirt. Gladly.

Lexi (my main character) had a similar experience with Dez (her soul mate), although with far less disastrous repercussions. (I just couldn’t put her through that!) However, she should have paid attention to Step #5 (see the now-titled Mastermind Kissing Manual listed up above).

To be fair, Dez did have his reasons for denying her, and none of them were cruel in nature. But can you picture it? Imagine leaning in to kiss a guy, seeing the want and need in his eyes too, just to be rebuffed. What’s worse, is she comes to find out he remembers what it feels like. He knows, and she’s left in the dark! Can you imagine the frustration level? Who is he to decide when they should, or shouldn’t kiss? Who is he to make that choice, when he gets the luxury of remembering that tender touch…as well as far more intimate situations she hadn’t even begun contemplating yet? She eventually discovers the reason, and sees his point. Sort of. But it certainly doesn’t stop her resulting driving need to slam through his logic, and claim that almighty first kiss. (Was she not paying attention at all?!)

Okay…time to fess up. I laid it all out there for the world to read (Oh, man...what have I done?!), and now it’s your turn. What was your first kiss like? Disastrous? Or the stuff songs are written about?

Thanks for stopping by to chat!! And thank you, Emily, for having me!

 

To view my review of Amber Eyes and to enter a GIVEAWAY click HERE

Monday, March 26, 2012

Blog Tour: AMBER EYES by Jolyn Palliata: REVIEW and GIVEAWAY


To see the full tour schdeule via CHICK LIT PLUS click HERE  

MY REVIEW:
Amber Eyes is young adult written by an author that truly knows how to tell a tale.  Palliata writes in a style that will appeal to both young adults and adults alike.  The level of depth and history wrapped into this love story was quite amazing to read.  Amber Eyes was also beautifully paced.  I was pleased that Palliata took the time to tell us where Lexi and Dez have been.  That aspect added so much to the story.  I loved Neeko the cat, as well as some of the precarious situations he got into.   I was blown away at how wonderfully it all came together.  I cannot wait to see here Lexi and Dez will take us......

I rate this book 4 stars.

Book Description via AMAZON

~ Eyes are the window to the soul, in a time when souls are ancient. ~

After an accident, one she shouldn’t have walked away from, Lexi’s life finally begins. She meets Dez, a new student with the most beautiful eyes she’s ever seen. And since gazing into them, Lexi has had vivid waking dreams that pull her back through time, and into the warm embrace of a mysterious stranger—a stranger who becomes all too familiar. When offering an explanation for her detailed visions, Dez changes her world forever with two simple words: Soul mates.

For the first time in her life, Lexi feels safe and complete. But lingering in the shadows is the embodiment of evil, coveting the light within her. He’s a threat to Lexi’s very existence, and to a love that has transcended time. 

GIVEAWAY:
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April 2. 

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Author Bio:   
Jolyn’s writing career began in 2009 when she looked across the sea of cubicles at work, and thought, “I was meant for something more than this.” That thought was immediately followed by, “I wonder if I can write a novel.” Four novels and one novella later, that question has been answered. She started with Amber Eyes (Entwined Souls Trilogy – Book One), a young adult paranormal romance. They always say, with the first book, you write about what you know. And she certainly did! Drawing off her teenage years in Oshkosh, WI, Jolyn incorporated her high school and favorite haunts. She even pulled out her favorite music from back then to help recapture the teenager within.
Jolyn has absolutely no qualifications whatsoever to be a writer, other than a knack and a passion. The knack she worked hard for through betas, critique partners, writer sites, editors, etc, but the passion she’s had since she was in middle school.  Being married, and mother to one very precocious six-year-old, doesn't leave her with a whole heckofalot of time to write – not to mention working full-time – but that is where lack of sleep comes in very handy. Jolyn has a gift of functioning on minimal sleep when totally absorbed by a writing project…although she crashes like dead weight when it’s fully completed/edited (usually 2-3 months later).


Her current listing of published books includes:
·      Amber Eyes (Entwined Souls Trilogy – Book One) – young adult paranormal romance
·      Connected (Twists of Fate #1) – paranormal romance
·      A Modern Love Story – contemporary / romantic suspense


Random information and quirks about Jolyn (because everyone has them):
·      She likes to listen to loud music. Period. But especially when she has a headache (helps to drown it out).
·      When she's overtired, she gets slaphappy. (Heaven help those around her.)
·      She titles a book before she writes it, because she's anal enough to where that would bother her.
·      She can't walk into a Barnes and Noble without buying a book. Even if she has a pile of unread books at home (which she does), it just doesn't feel right to leave empty-handed.

Links to Jolyn’s world:
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