Friday, September 19, 2014

Book Blast {Spotlight} Seed of Mankind by Sabrina James Riley


Seed of Mankind
By- Sabrina James Riley

The Sumerians were a richly cultured civilization that thrived in Mesopotamia - the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq - for thousands of years.

Among their other remarkable feats, the Sumerians had a deep, organized religion that included an entire pantheon of gods and goddesses that built the foundation for aspects of modern day religion.

What if some of the most commonly known stories of our past were written by the wrong person?

Zenuah is a Sumerian man who, after learning to survive in the rough Outer Lands with the others exiled from the great city-state of Sirpag (Shuruppak),has to make a choice.

Either prove to his people that their gods aren't who they say they are, or let them die.

With the help of his childhood friend, a whole family of allies, a powerful woman who steals his heart, and an intelligent magpie, Zenuah must stand up for what is right, no matter what it may cost him.

 


About the Author-
I've been writing stories for as long as I can remember; I still have a few stories I wrote in crayon on construction paper that I had stapled together to make a book that my mother saved for me.

Luckily, I've come a long way from crayons and construction paper, and have been able to type up stories almost as fast as my mind can create them.

I'm also an insanely avid reader, and along with all the award winning literature and classics on my shelf, I also have a penchant for the stories of other Indie authors...some of my all-time favorite books were self-published, and I believe that the ability to self-publish is one of the best things to happen to the world.

Can you imagine all the great stories we'd probably not have access to?

I live in Florida with my family, which includes but is not limited to: a pre-teen girl, a feisty just-on-the-brink-of-walking baby, and a 14 year old cattle dog who still thinks she is a puppy.

I'm always excited to hear from readers or other authors.

  
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Release Day ~ Unstoppable by Melody Grace



  9781286940385

Book Title: Unstoppable

Author: Melody Grace

Genre: New Adult

Release Date: September 19, 2014

“My daddy always told me, you could never run out of second chances…”

Tegan Callahan has sworn off bad boys for good. Growing up on tour with her rock star brother, she knows first-hand the damage they can do. She’s looking for a nice, safe, stable guy – until a chance encounter with a devastatingly sexy stranger makes her question everything she thought she wanted.

A troubled soul…

Ryland James arrives in Beachwood Bay on the run from his mistakes. He knows he’s the last thing Tegan needs, but somehow, he can’t stay away. There’s something about her fierce beauty that draws him in – and makes him vow to protect her, whatever the cost.
A passionate destiny…

Their bond is undeniable; the stakes, higher than ever. But the past won’t stay gone forever, and soon, Ryland must make the ultimate choice: will he risk everything he treasures in the world, or keep Tegan safe – and sacrifice her love forever?


*This book contains adult situations and explicit content. 17+*



   


About Melody Grace

melody grace


Melody Grace is the New York Times bestselling author of the Beachwood Bay series. A small-town girl turned SoCal beach lover, after spending her life with her nose in a book, she decided it was time she wrote one herself. She loves steamy romance novels, happily-ever-afters, and lusting after fictional menfolk. She is author of USA Today & international bestselling Beachwood Bay series.

Website      Facebook       Twitter


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Book Tour {Guest Post & Giveaway} The Better Man by Amy Vastine

A Themed Tour through Prism Book Tours.

The Better Man (Chicago Sisters)The Better Man
by Amy Vastine
Adult Romance 
Harlequin Heartwarming
January 1st 2014

Kendall Montgomery's six-year-old son has barely spoken in the past year, locked in his world of silent grief. Then one day, he spots his dead father across a crowded street.

Max Jordan moved to Chicago to be closer to his own son and prove he can be a better father than his deadbeat dad. His striking resemblance to Kendall's husband and his track record with fatherhood make her determined to keep her distance…until Max helps her little boy come out of his shell. But can she trust him with their future? How can she be sure he won't take off just when they need him most?



Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read.

Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.


Guest Post


Hello! I’m so excited to be here today to share my new novel, The Better Man with you. In the story, a young widow and mother is hired to remodel a restaurant managed by a man who happens to look exactly like her dead husband. It’s a messy romance but one that I hope wins your hearts.


People often ask what kind of research goes into writing a novel. I would have to say it varies depending on the type of story you’re writing. Historical romance writers should do a lot of research so they are sure to accurately represent the time period they have chosen to write about. My story is set in present day and in Chicago (close to my hometown), which made things a little easier on me. What I needed some help with was interior design and restaurant management. Since the story is often set in a restaurant, I studied the design elements and layouts of various upscale restaurants. There are some really beautiful places, where I think I don’t think I’d even care if the food was good or not. I would just want to look around!


I thought I’d share with you three of the most romantic places to eat in Chicago.


#3: Spiaggia


This place has been the site of over 1,300 engagements! It’s an intimate place with only 32 tables and delicious homemade pastas. Their website boasts that the “Hollywood elite” eat there, which is probably true. This place is not easy to get into.


#2: Vivo


Vivo has a special table located above the rest of the dining room in a converted elevator shaft. There are velvet curtains that can be closed for ultimate privacy. With its rustic wood floors and exposed brick walls & beams, Vivo has a real loft vibe. Forget about Hollywood, this is where all the rock-n-rollers come after their shows at the United Center.


#1: The Signature Room


On Valentine’s Day alone, the staff arranges about 40 engagements. Located on the 95th floor of the John Hancock, the Signature Room offers breathtaking views of the city and a harpist for your musical entertainment. Their food and cocktails aren’t too shabby either.


In the story, the restaurant is called Sato’s. It is a Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar. It’s elegant without being too pretentious. There are banquettes and oversized upholstered chairs. The lighting is chic and modern. The heroine, Kendall, paints a traditional Japanese garden on one of the wall, helping to blend the old and the new.


What makes a restaurant romantic to you? Can the ambiance make or break a place? If you could open your own restaurant, what kind would it be?


Please don’t forget to enter the contest for the prizes and thanks for stopping by :)


Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

Tour-Wide Giveaway


- Gift Card Grand Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card and a signed paperback (US) or ebook (INT) of The Better Man
- US Grand Prize: Signed paperback of The Better Man plus swag (shown above)
- 5 copies of The Better Man (paperback for US and ebooks for INT)
- Ends October 5th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Blog Tour {Excerpt} Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand


Everyone is exactly like me. There is no one like me.

Ven wrestles with these contradicting truths every day. A clone of wealthy eighteen-year-old Raven Rogen, Ven knows everything about the girl she was created to serve: the clothes she wears, the boys she loves, the friends she loves to hate. Yet she’s never met the Authentic Raven face-to-face. 

Imitations like Ven only get to leave the lab when they’re needed—to replace a dead Authentic, donate an organ, or complete a specific mission. And Raven has never needed Ven . . . until now.
When there is an attack on Raven’s life, Ven is thrust into the real world, posing as Raven to draw out the people who tried to harm her. But as Ven dives deeper into Raven’s world, she begins to question everything she was ever told. She exists for Raven, but is she prepared to sacrifice herself for a girl she’s never met?

Add to Goodreads


Excerpt


Ida turns her back to me as she quickly switches out her plain cotton sleep-shirt for the spandex material we are given to exercise in. She is one of the few girls with a penchant for modesty. The rest of us, either a result of living together for so long or our DNA programming, don’t care.


I strip off my pajamas and yank my sports bra into place with sure movements while, across from me, Lonnie does the same. Both of our bodies are toned and lean but Lonnie’s arms and calves are thicker than mine and her skin tone is more olive than my pale flesh and even paler white-blond hair. Molecular duplication at its finest. Ida’s milky skin contrasts with the dark curtain of hair that ends halfway down her neck. I catch sight of a small scar I’ve never noticed before.


“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to a spot just below her hairline.


“What’s what?” Ida secures her sports bra and turns to me.


“The scar on your neck.”


Lonnie and two other girls crowd in to look where I point. Ida strains but can’t quite see it.


“I don’t remember getting a cut there.” Ida’s brows scrunch with worry. She gives up trying to see the affected area and faces me instead. “Why would she have a scar?” Lonnie asks, pushing through for a closer look.


“Maybe her Authentic got one and they had to match it,” Clora offers.


No one says anything for a moment as we all contemplate that. I don’t say a word about the fact that I, too, have a small scar. On my forearm. Under bright lights, it’s just barely visible on my translucent skin. I don’t remember where mine came from, either.


“Girls, quit yappin’ and get a move on,” the Overseer near the door shouts, jolting me out of my thoughts.


The group disperses and the others shove their pajamas into hampers near the gym doors. A hand on my arm surprises me. It’s Anna, watching me with hard eyes.


“You got a letter.” It’s not a question.


I wonder how she knows. I’ve only told Lonnie and Ida. Am I acting that differently? Anna doesn’t wait for me to answer. “What you’ve been told is wrong. Assignments, what happens after . . . it’s not what they say.”


My volume automatically lowers to match hers. I lean in. “What are you talking about? How do you know?”


She casts a quick look toward the door. Her words are rushed. “I can’t explain. You have to trust me. Whatever you do, you can’t let them send you to Relocation. Okay?”


“But why—?”


Her chin juts. “Just promise me.”


“Fine. I promise.”


“Be careful, Ven.”


Anna removes her hand from my arm and hurries past me into the gym. A few questioning stares point in our direction as the others join her. I am about to chase her down, to demand an answer, when a voice stops me short.


“Ven.”


I turn and find Josephine waiting for me, her white uniform crisp and clean, her eyes patient and quiet like the rest of her. My heart jumps into my throat and pulses. “Yes?”
Her voice is soft. “I need you to come with me.” My heart races.
 
Purchase
Amazon

 
  About the Author:

Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. (She’s only slightly socially awkward as a result.) Since 2011, she’s published more than eight YA & NA novels including the bestselling Dirty Blood series. She splits her time between coastal Virginia and the island of Guam and loves having a mobile career and outrageous lifestyle of living in two places. Her most frequent hobbies are riding motorcycles and avoiding killer slugs.
Heather is also a publishing and success coach bent on equipping and educating artists who call themselves authors. She loves teaching fellow writers how to create the same freedom-based lifestyle she enjoys. For more information visit www.phoenixauthorink.com and find out how to create your own Outrageous Life.
She is represented by Rebecca Friedman. You can find out more about Heather and her books at www.heatherhildenbrand.com.

Or find her here:
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Facebook Fan Page
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Blog Tour {Spotlight & Giveaway} For Love and Country by Elizabeth D. Michaels

Horstberg saga


For Love and Country
For Love and Country

When A Man Is Torn Between Honoring His Country And The Woman He Loves, The Best Option Might Be To Choose Both.

When Maggie du Woernig willfully ignores her parents’ admonitions and entangles herself with Nik Koenig, she is certain he’s the only man who will make her happy. Blind to Nik’s real intentions, she throws herself recklessly into a situation that could not only destroy her life but compromise the safety of her country.

Han Heinrich has resigned himself to working in the castle stables, mostly as an excuse to have contact each day with Maggie. His aspirations for a more fulfilling career seem fruitless, in spite of his father’s position as the duke’s highest advisor. But when Han learns about Maggie’s precarious situation, he is willing to sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves, and to save the country he would die for. He only hopes that someday Maggie will forgive him.

Purchase your copy:

Praise for The Horstberg Saga:

I completely enjoyed this book. The character development is fantastic. The author has a great sense of emotional storytelling that wraps you into the story as if you know,and can fully relate to the characters. This is the kind of story that touches the heart and the spirit. Well done. I look forward to the next chapter in the Horstberg Saga.

This book kept me so interested, I had a hard time putting it down. Suspense, love without smut, emotions that so relate to everyday life. This author touched on it all. Such in depth understanding of human emotions with the characters. Firstly, I loved that this was a VOLUME! And what a great story to really sink my teeth into and get settled in with for more than just one sitting! Well written and thoroughly satisfying.

Elizabeth
Author Elizabeth D. Michaels

Elizabeth D. Michaels began writing at the age of sixteen, immersing herself ever since in the lives created by her vivid imagination. Beyond her devotion to family and friends, writing has been her passion for nearly three decades. While she has more than fifty published novels under the name Anita Stansfield and is the recipient of many awards, she boldly declares The Horstberg Saga as the story she was born to write, with many volumes in the works. She is best known for her keen ability to explore the psychological depths of human nature, bringing her characters to life through the timeless struggles they face in the midst of exquisite dramas.


Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/5/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Thursday, September 18, 2014

Blog Tour {Excerpt/Spotlight & Giveaway} Tragic Silence by E.C. Hibbs


Tragic Silence
By- E.C. Hibbs
Genre- Young Adult Paranormal

When tragedy strikes Bianka Farkas one night in her native Hungary, she loses more than a friend and her mobility. Some things are harder to understand. Waking up in a hospital, Bee struggles to remember exactly what happened the night she was attacked and witnessed a brutal murder. Memories of a mysterious figure plague her as well as bizarre and terrifying changes in her over the next few years. Facing this new horrifying reality with a surprising ally, Bee finally has the chance to take her revenge but at what cost?

Check out the trailer here!              


 

And now an excerpt-

My heart pounded fiercely; I was sure if I opened my mouth it would have fallen out onto the grass, still beating. I fought my way through groping finger-like branches, suddenly gnarled and slick with red. One snagged my hair but I carried on. My shoe landed in a puddle and water splashed up my leg.
You’re seeing things. Breathe.
I stopped and stared through the cage of twigs. There was the old man who had helped me. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. The scarlet of my eyes extended over all I saw. There was no colour except it; that perfect blood tone. The man had his back to me. He didn’t know I was there.
The pain in my chest shot up through my throat as though it had cracked open inside, and I muffled a cry. I snatched out at a branch to steady myself, but my knees buckled and I crashed to the ground. It felt like I hadn’t had a drink for days, weeks, my throat was so parched that I couldn’t even yell. Not even the little old man would have heard me. My eyes boiled in my head, and the breeze didn’t feel gentle anymore. It beat down on me like frozen knives and howled around my ears as though I was caught in a hurricane.
My mouth opened wide and my lips drew back over my teeth. I let out the only noise I could make: a spitting hiss from far back in my throat. I fell forwards and managed to catch myself before I slammed face-first into the grass. Any more voluntary movement was beyond me. The fangs shone in the light from my eyes, and I felt energy sap away like water through a sieve. I silently screamed for how much of a fool I was. Torn, I cried in my mind for the elderly man to get away, yet shouted for him to stay. I needed his warm, delicious blood so much.

I heard a familiar laugh in my head. “Did you honestly believe you could outrun me?”

About the Author-
E. C. Hibbs has lived all her life in Cheshire, northwest England. A lover of stories from an early age, she wrote her first 'book' when she was five, and throughout school was a frequent visitor to the younger classes to read her tales to the children.
Living so near the coast, she loves anything to do with the sea. She studied Animal Behaviour at university and longs to work with marine mammals in the future. As well as nature and animals, she also has a soft spot for history, and loves paying visits to castles, cathedrals and museums.
There are many things she could be without, but writing isn't one of them. She carries a pen everywhere, in case an idea appears, and takes pride in still seeing the world as brimming with magic. Besides writing, she reads obsessively, her favourite genres being the classics and all kinds of fantasy. She also enjoys Disney and horror films, practising Shotokan karate, drawing, archery, and playing with her very cheeky kitten.

   
Giveaway
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