by Sarah | Jul 9, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
| Amazon | Goodreads |
SYNOPSIS
Maggie Summers, is in her final year of high school. On the first day she meets a new Guy after she helps his sisters. Maggie thinks he is gorgeous but there’s something about him that screams man-whore! Her twin brother Adam becomes friends with him and Maggie finds out she is right. Throw the first few months she becomes friends with Jase, as she watches him get with every girl possible!! Jase Jacks, Moved to the small town in Texas, Called bumble bee and he hated it….wanted nothing more than to move back to New York. On his first day of school he meets Maggie and her twin Brother Adam, Jase thinks she is beautiful and way too good for the likes of him. Besides she isn’t a one night stand kind of girl, so he decides to just be friends with her. After a few months Maggie meets her friend Jenny’s Cousin Christian and theystart dating. Jase hates it but there’s nothing he can do or is there…..
What will Maggie do when the worst possible thing happens to her? What will Jase do when he realizes he’s in love with Maggie? What other life changing Events happen? Will they be broken or will they be able to move forward?
That day SHATTERED all of their lives!!! They will never be the same…
18 and over readers only!
BOOK TRAILER
AUTHOR
Hello, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed my very first book!!!! I love Maggie and Jase like they are my own kids. I am married to a wonderful man that believes in me. There will be more books with the rest of the Summers family telling their stories. I am a stay-at-home mom with two kids. I love reading and thought that, one day, I would put my thoughts into a book and hope for the best. I live in Ontario, Canada, and have a huge family…three biological sisters, three step-sisters, and three step-brothers But I don’t think of them that way. They are my sisters and brothers.
https://www.facebook.com/pauliena21
http://twitter.com/pauliena21
http://pauliejimmy.wix.com/auther-pacheson
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by Sarah | Jul 7, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
Afraid to Hope
MJ Nightingale
Louisa Sears is ready to start over. Escaping her small town where prejudice, long memories, and old fashioned values haunt her, Louisa embarks on her dream of finding love, and a man who can warm up her bed at night. Pregnant at sixteen, divorced from an abusive husband at twenty, and raising a daughter alone, Louisa is now ready to live. She wants what every woman wants. A rock hard man, who knows how to love. Will Florida be the place where her dreams come true?
Jay Russell is battle scarred. A past filled with horrors from childhood, the war in Iraq, and the most devastating event of his life that occurred when he returned home, he is definitely not looking for love. When he first meets Louisa Sears, the bombshell with the fantastic body, he wants one thing, and one thing only, her body underneath him. The hot little ticket that walks by his t-shirt shop, meets all his requirements for a night of passion.
The scars in them run deep though, and they both have secrets. Can two people so deeply wounded by the past learn to trust each other enough to share those secrets? And if they do, will they be able to get past them and learn to hope again?
Amazon | B&N
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MJ Nightingale has spent over two decades teaching students how to write, and now she is doing it herself. Originally from Canada, she graduated from University with her Bachelor of Arts and then went on to get her Bachelor of Education Degree in Secondary Education.
Reading has been a part of her life since she was a child. She has been an avid lover of classical English and American literature, but romance has always held a special place in her heart. She devours historical romance novels all summer long, and any type of fiction; thrillers, crime, suspense, and drama. This is her second published book, and she has one more book, Afraid to Hope, coming out in in the summer of 2014. All three, Fire In His Eyes, Afraid to Love and Afraid to Hope, are erotic romance standalone novels and are part of her Secrets & Seduction Series.
She is also working on a new series The Bounty Hunters for 2015.
She currently lives in Florida, where she continues to teach, with her wonderful husband of nine years, and her sons. She plans on pursuing her writing career full time very soon.
**MJ Nightingale would love to hear from her readers. She can be reached at authormjnightingale@gmail.com
And you can also visit her author page on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Nightingale/185806224943537?ref=hl to see what is coming next by MJ Nightingale.
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Nightingale/185806224943537?ref=hl
Email: authormjnightingale@gmail.com
by Sarah | Jun 30, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
To post this Grand Finale and add your Social Media to the Rafflecopter,
email us at PrismBookTours(at)gmail.com with “Valley of Decision” in the subject line.
A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.
It’s the Grand Finale for
The Valley of Decision
by Shannon McDermott
“A solid fantasy that wears its spirituality lightly yet effectively.”
~Kirkus Reviews (read the entire review here)
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about the characters and the story-book world of The Valley of Decision. Did you miss any of the stops? You can check them out below:
Colorimetry – The Mountains, the Moors, and the Hills
If you ever travel north beyond the Black Mountains, into the kingdom of Belenus, you will find yourself in a vast and varied land, a country of laws unwritten, unspoken, and scrupulously obeyed…
Katie’s Clean Book Collection – The Trow
Deep in the mountain Anuin, the smithies of the Trow house mighty fires. Those crimson flames imbue the stony heart of the mountain with heat, fill it with a pulsing red glow like living rubies.
Bookworm Lisa – The Fays
Belenus, the master of the North, does not often leave his glittering palace or his green hills. You are not likely, even if you roam his kingdom, to ever see him…
Distractions of Grandeur – Review
“The best story element involved the Fay, an elvish race who for once felt truly alien. She went beyond current stereotypes and really brought out the danger of these beings, even those one might count as allies. There were echoes of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, elevating the stakes and the narrative itself.”
Finding the True Fairy Tale – Interview
Which of the characters from The Valley of Decision was your favorite to write?
The main character, Keiran the Captain of the Hosts. To even attempt what he did, a person would have to be either very desperate or very confident of his own abilities. Keiran is the second, and he has an extreme self-assurance, and sometimes conceit, that I enjoyed using. He’s also bold, another fun characteristic for a writer to work with. And because he is a very able man, and has reason to be confident, his occasional conceit adds texture to his character and makes him more interesting.
I Love to Read and Review Books 🙂 – Ten Fun Things to Know About Shannon
(1) I was born in California but grew up on the East Coast.
(2) I have seven little sisters.
(3) I like sweet potatoes baked or boiled, with butter or with sugar, made into fries and made into pies. But I cannot stand them canned.
Wishful Endings – Dokrait and the Black Mountains
The Black Mountains are high and treacherous – so many sheer, soaring cliffs, so many monstrous boulders dangerously perched. Wolves teem on the mountains, spilling into the lowlands when the winters are long. Bears and the great cats prowl those hazardous slopes, too.
Kelly P’s Blog – Interview
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Pretty much. I was eight when I first decided (and declared) my ambition to write a book. Of course, it was years later when this desire to write took on the adult dimension of “This is what I want to do with my life, this is how I want to earn my living”.
Mythical Books – The Dochraitay
The Dochraitay possess the unhappy distinction of being the foremost servants of Belenus. They fight his campaigns against Alamir and the Islemen, they grow the crops and hunt the animals eaten by the Fays, they give up their children for the mines and the army and the palace of Muireach.
Brooke Blogs – Interview
2) What is your favorite part of the writing process?
When I take my scenes, written longhand in my notebook, and transcribe them into the computer, revising and polishing as I go. It’s easier than the initial writing, and I finish with a feeling of satisfaction. The scene is done! Until my editor gets her hands on it, anyway.
Coffee Books & Art – Interview
How did you come up with the title? Names?
The title comes from a Bible verse found in the Book of Joel: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!” For the names, I established this pattern: of Gaelic origin, unusual enough that the names would not be common in our own world, but not too unusual. I avoided names like Ruairidh because it just looks too foreign. Who would care to guess how to pronounce it? So I ended with names like Torradan and Artek and Belenus – different, but easy enough.
Mel’s Shelves – Review
“There are lots of moving parts that came together in the end for a satisfying conclusion. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this, and I look forward to reading more from this author!”
The Wonderings of One Person – The Alamiri
Long ago, the Alamiri tribes came from the distant sunrise lands – climbing nameless mountains, fording forgotten rivers. Their wanderings ended here, among the forests south of the Black Mountains.
The Written Adventure – Interview
3) What gave you the idea for The Valley of Decision?
The Lord of the Rings, much as it pains me to admit it. In those books, Sauron had legions of human slaves whose only purpose in the story was to fight the good guys (and get beaten). It’s not that Tolkien was heartless in his use of these characters – remember Sam witnessing one of them being killed and sadly wondering what his name was and if he even wanted to fight – but I came to think how good it would have been if Sauron’s slaves had staged a revolt. Why should all the heroes come from the free nations fighting Sauron? Why not from the enslaved nations oppressed by him?
Mommynificent – Review
“The characters were definitely my favorite part of the book. I really enjoyed coming to understand the complexities of the three main characters, who interestingly are all male. I also really enjoyed the unfolding mystery of who the Fay are and why they are a part of this world.”
Deal Sharing Aunt – Interview
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
If there is one message in The Valley of Decision, it’s that we all have choices to make, and we can’t escape it. Not making the choice is itself a choice. My principal character, Keiran, faces the ultimate choice: Rebellion or obedience, God’s way or his? But all the characters have to choose, and their choices mean risk and sacrifice and (sometimes) reward – just as our choices do.
Platypire Reviews – Review
“Keiran, the Captain of the Hosts, was an interesting character. From the beginning of the book, I wasn’t quite sure what direction the story was going to go in, and I didn’t know what to think of him at first. As things were revealed and I got further in the story, I found myself rooting for him as a reader and enjoyed his character development.”
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – The Northmen
In the uttermost north, beyond even the kingdom of Belenus, icy mountain peaks look down on the Coldlands. The Coldlands are not on our maps, not even the borders. The Alamiri do not venture even to Belenus’ home, let alone past it. But rumors come to us – from foreigners, adventurers, and far-travelers, brave, reckless, wild men.
My Devotional Thoughts – The Hobgoblins
One more tale? All right, my love; just one.
Long ago, the great father Athair led the first Alamiri up into the Rhugarch Pass. They were men of his clan, relatives loyal and strong. When they scaled the mountain to the Rhugarch Gap, they stopped for the night.
The men settled down to their rest; the fire sank into embers; the watchman grew drowsy. And a soft, soft pattering murmured into the camp.
Christy’s Cozy Corners – Interview
What do you hope people take away from your books?
I hope that whenever someone finishes one of my books, they feel like they’ve been on a journey and it has ended well. Every story is about a character’s struggle for something, and I hope my readers will be able to feel that in my stories and be encouraged.
The Bookish Fairy – This or That
Chocolaty or fruity candy?
Chocolaty. Hands-down, 100%, all the time.
Get out of the house or stay at home?
Stay at home.
Winter or summer?
Can I pick spring or fall? I’ll go with summer.
The Valley of Decision
by Shannon McDermott
Adult Fantasy
Paperback, 416 pages
May 31st 2014 by SALT Christian Press
Where the Black Mountains pierce the sky, they divide the south from the north, Alamir from the kingdom of Belenus. Belenus, the undying master of the north, commanded Keiran – the Captain of the Hosts – to conquer Alamir. But the Captain is deep in conspiracy, and he has his own plans.
The Valley of Decision is a fantasy novel, a saga of slavery, freedom, and choices.
Amazon – SALT Christian Press
Shannon McDermott is a Christian author of speculative fiction, as well as a humorous detective series called “The Adventures of Christian Holmes”. She has written both fantasy and science fiction, and has yet to decide on which one to like better.
She was born to Wisconsin, expatriates in California, grew up on the East Coast, and now lives in the Midwest. Her principal hobbies are politics, history, novels, and coffee.
Website – Blog – Goodreads – Facebook
Tour-Wide Giveaway
– Grand Prize: $25 Amazon gift card and ebooks of The Valley of Decision and The Sunrise Windows (open INT)
– 2 print copies of The Valley of Decision (US only)
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by Sarah | Jun 26, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
SYNOPSIS
Naomi Porter was once witty, fun, and outgoing, but she has scratched outgoing off the list, along with men. She has a mediocre tech job in fabulous New York, a large smut book collection, and awesome friends, both tangible and in an online gaming community. She just doesn’t date. A future filled with cats and housedresses beats having her heart broken again.
But Naomi still likes men, even kind of stalks—mostly fantasizes about—a gorgeous one at work during lunch.
Her best friend, Kara, is determined that Naomi will be outgoing again. When Kara finds out who, as in a notorious playboy, Naomi is stalking at lunch, she plans to break Naomi of her lunchtime habit and bring her back into the real world. It’s just going to take a bit of deception.
Between all the deceiving, fangirling, and bumbling, Naomi might not be able to resist the temptation of turning her seven-month fantasy into reality. And really, so what if he’s a playboy or a demanding jerk? Her fantasies don’t include love or even like, just a bed or a couch or the back seat of a limo…
Reality might be just what she needs.
*A sexy romantic comedy intended for audiences 18+
BUY LINKS
~Meet Naomi Porter ~
– They each had some kind of jackass drink: dry martini, cosmopolitan, Manhattan, Caipirini, and one neat, overpriced single malt scotch. Except for me. I drank beer. American beer. From the tap, thank you very much.
-Whoa. Wow. Whoa. Between his gaze and his words, I imagined jumping on his lap and experiencing some of that.
– What was better than fried tortillas? Nothing. Well, except Doritos. But they were fried tortillas with cheese-flavored dusting.
-Could sharks jump out of the water? The ocean lay more than a hundred feet away. I wanted a shark to swallow me whole and drag me to the deep, salty depths of the sea after that ramble.
– But he is also hot, delicious, and the star of my day and night dreams.
-I didn’t cook. I constructed dips.
-I wanted to grab a toothpick and stuff it up my roommate’s nose. Two toothpicks to be precise, one for each nostril.
– Seriously, I never imagined being a tux girl, but holy hot hell, I could dry hump his suit. Preferably with him in it, but…
-You can never, ever, go wrong with bacon.
– I was going to faint. Or let out a whoop. Or tackle him. And it wasn’t just because he was removing his pants.
EXCERPT
“Keep an open mind. First impressions aren’t always correct,” she said from behind me as we strode down the hall.
“I’m not expecting Prince Charming but those three are wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am all the way. Is a little interest, a little romance, a first date with a toe-curling kiss too much to ask for?” I inquired over my shoulder.
“Maybe you need a wham-bam to get back into business. Like get it over, then move on to the romance and the toe-curling kisses.”
“Harrumph,” escaped me before we came out of the hallway and into the main bar. Three steps into the room, I stopped dead in my tracks. I became a deer in headlights when I noticed a person sitting sideways at the bar. Dark brown hair. Square jaw. Dark winged brows. Sensual lips with a rocks glass pressed to them. I gaped as he tipped the glass higher and amber liquid touched his lips.
Kara ran into my shoulder. “What the hell?” she asked, rubbing her jaw and stepping next to me. “Don’t pull this again. It’s only one more drink.”
“It’s him,” I somehow said, though still in shock. “My lunch guy.”
“Him? What are you talking—” She followed my frozen gawk. “Holy shit, Naomi! He’s the guy you watch at lunch? That’s not a bike—that’s a luxury car! Like an Aston Martin!” Kara had a thing for luxury cars. And shoes. And clothes. And purses.
I nodded as the woman next to him gave him a sultry stare. Jealousy flared within in me. Hopefully the daydream kind, but yeah, he was an Aston Martin compared to the three ten speeds waiting in the other room.
Kara smacked her forehead. “I should have known. Why didn’t my stupid ass put two and two together when you described him? You know who he is, right?”
Locked on him, my eyes turned huge. “What? No.”
“He’s—”
“Aggggg, not listening to Kara.” I covered my ears. “Don’t tell me.” Sure, I stalked him at lunch, but I didn’t want the possibility of becoming a full-time stalker. More than that, I didn’t want my lunchtime lustful fantasies ruined by reality. I was more than aware of it being a fantasy. I liked it as a fantasy.
AUTHOR BIO
I write young adult and romance novels. I read a lot too. I even do a bit of cooking, which is actually quite good. I also golf a lot in the summer with my awesome husband and son, but I cook way, way better than I golf.
I am Represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
SOCIAL LINKS
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Haus/227196784023975
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JeanHaus
Website – http://jeanhaus.com/jeanh/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5403174.Jean_Haus
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by Sarah | Jun 25, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
SYNOPSIS
In A Cry for Hope you meet Jamie’s carefree younger brother, Will. Now read his story…
Will McAdams is a New York City firefighter who has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, never quite measuring up to his parents standards. He lives his life without regrets, and answers to no one. The women love him and he uses that to his advantage, making it clear that he only has one use for them.
Gabby Spencer is a nurse in the burn unit of a busy New York City hospital. Her guarded personality doesn’t allow many people into her life and her patients take the place of her lack of family. She masks the pain that she is harboring deep inside with quick wit and sarcasm.
When Will becomes one of Gabby’s patients they form a special bond and soon become each other’s solace. But Will doesn’t see her like every other woman in his life. She means the world to him and he feels an underlying need to always protect her – most of all from himself. Even though he wants her more than he’s ever wanted any other woman, he’s not willing to take that next step and jeopardize everything they have. When jealousy and pain begin to overtake their once perfect friendship, will Will’s fear of falling in love and never measuring up, cause him to lose the one and only woman to ever own his heart?
* This is a companion novel to A Cry For Hope and can be read as a stand-alone.
BOOK TRAILER
EXCERPT
Gabby rambled on until our food came, only stopping when her eyes lit up at the size of her burger.
“Told ya!” I teased.
“Told me what?” she asked, taking a bite from her fry.
“I saw the look on your face when you saw the size of that burger.”
“This little thing?” she asked, looking down at her plate. I nodded. “Oh please, Will. I’ve had bigger ones than this in my mouth.” I almost spit my ice tea all over the place. “I meant burgers, pervert!”
“Mmm hmmm, I bet you did!” She smirked as she smothered her burger in ketchup and relish. “Geez, Gabby. Why don’t you have some burger with your ketchup and relish?”
“I love ketchup!” she said, licking it off her fingers.
“I can see that!”
“Don’t you?” she asked, opening her mouth wide and taking a bite.
“Yeah, but not half the bottle. Definitely not relish, though.”
“Mmmm….you don’t know what you’re missing!” she said, taking another huge bite. “Here, taste.” She held the burger up to my mouth.
“Gabby, it’s drenched in -.”
“Come on, Will. Don’t be afraid to try new things.” I opened my mouth and took a bite. It wasn’t half bad. “Not bad, is it?” she asked with her adorable grin as she picked up the napkin and wiped the ketchup off my face.
I took the top bun from my burger. “Lay it on me, Gabby girl!”
She held her hand up to give me a high five before picking up the bottle of relish and ketchup. “Woohoo! Sister Gabby has made you see the error of your ways. Bless you, Will,” she giggled.
She squirted on the ketchup and relish, and lifted her burger up to her mouth. “Come on, Will. Let’s do it together,” she teased in an overly sexy voice.
“You are a piece of work, you know that?” I chuckled.
She took a bite of her burger at the same time as me. I never thought that someone could actually look adorable chewing food, but Gabby proved that theory wrong. She swallowed it down and took a sip of her milk shake. “Was it good for you?” she asked. Neither one of us were able to control our laughter. It didn’t get any better than being here with her.
AUTHOR
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed Creative Writing. There was always something about being able to travel to a different place or become a different person with just the stroke of a pen – or in today’s world a touch of the keyboard. I am the author of The Exception To The Rule, An Unplanned Lesson, An Unplanned Life and Drowning In Love and A Cry for Hope. I am currently working on A Will To Change the companion novel to A Cry For hope….stay tuned!
My life is not as interesting as my books or the characters in them, but then again whose life is? I was born and have lived in New Jersey my whole life. I’m a mom of twin teenage boys, a teenage stepson, a crazy Border Collie and a cat with an identity crisis! I guess you can say writing is my form of Calgon! I am married to a wonderful guy – but we’ll keep that between us, I don’t want him getting a big head!
Thanks for taking the time to learn about my books and me! If you decide to read them (and I hope you do!) please be sure to go on and review it for me – yes, even if you don’t like it!
SOCIAL LINKS
by Sarah | Jun 24, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
Kingdom of Celosia Blog Tour
Crystal St. Clair
My first novel is a first of its series, a fantasy erotica romance, called Kingdom of Celosia : Hearts On Fire Amongst Cold Shadows.
Princess Faith faces a life of duty to the Kingdom of Celosia, but she dreams of freedom.
She is daily reminded of the burden she will one day carry as she is educated to become a Queen…
The greatest of these reminders is a pendant given to her by her mother which is imbued with magical properties. Matters of the heart also hinder Faith from accepting her role. She is engaged to Prince Merek, but has no feelings for him. She secretly longs for true love, despite the fact that her rank keeps her from loving the man she desires most, the stable-hand Justus. Feeling trapped by the arrangement, there is little she wouldn’t consider doing to stop the wedding, but it seems her fate is sealed.
On the borders of their land is the Dark Forest, a home for many creatures with elemental powers of untold might. In that realm, the Troll King plots to kill her father and the wolves in his court are on the hunt for her, believing she is easy prey. But Faith is much stronger than they suspect, and against all odds, she sets out to protect those she loves.
Armed with her bow, riding on the back of her trusted mount, Ruby, she must confront the forces of evil that threaten to take everything from her and conquer them in the name of Celosia.
Amazon | Smashwords
Crystal St. Clair is a busy mother who lives in the multicultural country of Canada not in an igloo, but wishes she had a pet beaver who likes syrup and pancakes. She can usually be found playing soccer with her kids while their dog steals the spot light, making others laugh, writing poetry and other stories go to her loved ones or someone in need of a smile. She is a proud sponsor member of Plan Canada – I Am A Girl foundation and volunteers for Canine Connect A Care Rescue. She is a Law Clerk graduate but hopes to become a full time author writing novels for adults and the young generations. Crystal St. Clair played Momma Bear in a Middle School production of The Bernstein Bears and wrote her first story that started her publishing interest.
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crystal-StClair-Author/520802144671029
Twitter: @mzcryz
Website: http://www.crystalstclairauthor.blogspot.ca/
Tumblr: www.mzcryz.tumblr.com
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