Saturday, May 27, 2017

Pop-Out Girl by Irene Woodbury



Title: POP-OUT GIRL
Author: Irene Woodbury
Publisher: SynergEbooks
Pages: 188
Genre: Commercial Fiction

When Zane Hollister returns home to Las Vegas after two years in prison and discovers his showgirl-lover is with another guy, he goes ballistic. After stalking and taunting the couple for months, his toxic jealousy takes a darker turn. To wipe out Colton, Zane masterminds a devilish zip line accident and a terrifying car crash. When those fail, he resorts to kidnapping Jen and forcing her to marry him. And it gets even worse when Zane shoots Colton’s boss, Matt, by mistake as he aims for Colton in a horrific drive-by shooting.
        
With Matt lingering in a coma, Jen’s cocktail-waitress mother, Brandi, absorbs a seismic shock of her own. After hearing Matt’s name on the local news, she realizes he’s her first love of decades past—and Jen’s real father.
        
Will Matt emerge from his coma to reunite with Brandi and Jen? Do the cops nab Zane, who’s hiding out in Hawaii? And can Jen and Colton’s love survive Zane’s lethal jealousy?
           
There’s a happy ending for some, but not for all, in Pop-Out Girl.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Smashwords


Book Excerpt:
Jen was a romantic who loved weddings. From the time she was a little girl, she had daydreamed about her own, conjuring up elaborate fantasies about the dress, cake, and flowers. And so when she got an invitation to attend her friend, Carly’s, festive nuptials in Reno, she immediately RSVP’d that she’d be there.
         Getting out of Las Vegas for a fun-filled, relaxing weekend was just what Jen needed. She was still on a leave of absence from her job as a pop-out girl, a gig she loved that entailed emerging from a six-foot, multi-tiered cake and then singing, dancing, and stripping down to a teensy bikini for hordes of admiring guests at special events.
         Curvy, blond Jen was a huge hit, one of the most popular girls at Stripper Grams. But after a scary car crash, she had gone on leave and was now filling her days with dance classes, lunches with friends, and singing lessons. None of that got her through the weekends, though, which were long and lonely without Colton, her boyfriend who was out in San Francisco recovering from injuries sustained in that same freakish accident. Carly’s invitation couldn’t have come at a better time.
         Jen’s very cool, cocktail-waitress mother, Brandi, ran all over town with her to find the perfect dress. They finally chose a dove-gray silk and lace gown that would work well for a winter wedding. Jen was going to make the seven-hour drive to Reno with her friend, Brianna, another pop-out girl and one of Carly’s six bridesmaids.
         On a cold, dreary Friday morning in January 2017, an excited Jen waited to be picked up at eight. At least that’s what she’d told her mom, who was still at work, earlier. She had packed a suitcase and was flitting around the house, doing last-minute chores.
         At the stroke of seven, the doorbell rang. For an instant, Jen wondered why Brianna would arrive an hour early, but she was pumped to go so she flung open the door. To her horror, it wasn’t Brianna. There on the doorstep stood Zane Hollister, her toxically jealous ex-boyfriend who’d been making her life hell since he got out of prison six months earlier.
         Jen’s heart dropped. She gasped in fright and tried to close the door, but Zane quickly shoved his arm out and blocked her. She stared up at him, six feet of dark, brooding menace in black jeans and a worn biker jacket, hovering over her. His neck-length dark hair was a bit ragged and disheveled, his brown eyes glassy and bloodshot. He was obviously high on pills, maybe uppers, maybe downers, maybe a combination of both.
         “Hey beautiful, what’s up?” he purred in a slightly slurry, faux-light voice as he barged into the house, closing the door behind him.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

I Can Find You by Joss Landry



Title: I CAN FIND YOU (Emma Willis Series #2)
Author: Joss Landry
Publisher: Book Beatles Publishing LTD.
Pages: 372
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Emma just turned fifteen. Her powers have spiraled to include unusual magic, and she gladly relies on Hank and Christina’s friendship to mark the way. Thomas Carson’s feelings for Emma have changed, her aunt Franka tells her—a young man her aunt describes as a young buck whose testosterone plays a big role in his life.

New friends around Emma surprise her. They appear to be like nothing she could have imagined, and their goals stir more disturbance than their presence until she bumps into the scourge of her existence: entities who wish to control what humans do and say. She learns they are powerful, vindictive and will stop at nothing to obtain what they want. Will Emma be able to protect the people she loves?

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon


Book Excerpt:

Emma’s long hair stuck to her temples and her back in clumps and tangles. A dense fog enveloped her, and though she wore an old style black cloak, the cold mist penetrated her garment and chilled her to the bone.
After walking in this strange land for what seemed like hours instead of the mere minutes she suspected to be the dream’s timespan, Emma still ignored why she roamed about the alien land—a strange dream Emma doubted she would fight to remember upon waking—her attempts to wake up ineffective. 
A carriage strode by, the big wheel close enough to scrape the side of her leg. A disheveled young man sat hunched at the helm of a horse-drawn cart. He nudged the reins of two black Percherons slowly traveling up a cobblestone road. Shabby clothes, unkempt tousled dark hair, his head followed the cadence of the horses’ slow gait, like one of those toys in perpetual motion, and the word mendicant crossed Emma’s mind.
 She caught a brief impression of his thoughts as he rode passed her, warning her, of what? A sense of danger and doom filled her mind, but his words briefly captured dissolved in the fog and disappeared useless to her now.  
An echo surprised her in the distance. Too loud to be a woodpecker, the sound became sharper like the wrap of knuckles on a sturdy piece of wood.
Emma opened her eyes startled by her mom’s words through her bedroom door. She stared at the light coming through the window revealing the late hour. She glanced at the clock and clutched her heart from the thump in her chest kicking her out of bed. “I’m up, Mom.” Gathering her thoughts along with her clothes, she wondered where the word mendicant came from. 
She tripped over a corner of the sheet still caught between her legs and bounced her shoulder against the door frame. Late again, twice in one week to Mr. Wright’s class. Her social studies’ teacher warned them. He would not tolerate tardies. 
“Sorry, Mom. Hope you’re finished with the bathroom. Can’t figure why I overslept this time,” she said more to reassure her mother from worrying that she’d fought all night with frightening dreams.
“I’ll use the one downstairs, sweetie. Are you going to be all right to get to school?”
Sensing her mother’s question to be rhetorical, the light in those big brown eyes flashing the desperation she would be late herself if she drove Emma to school, Emma nodded with a toothpaste filled smile. She gargled to rinse making her eyes water from the burn of mouthwash and toothpaste. “Go, Mom. Don’t worry about me. I’ll hop a bus.” Of course, since her mom now owned the flower shop, she needed to be there earlier than in the olden days when she worked as a mere employee.
With twenty minutes to spare before she needed to be butt in chair, a little math equation ran through her thoughts. Seven minutes to get to school by car. Dad left for work, and Mom is headed in the opposite direction. 

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

PUYB Virtual Book Club Chats with George Finney



GEORGE FINNEY, ESQ., has worked in Cybersecurity for over 15 years and is the author of No More Magic Wands: Transformative Cybersecurity Change for Everyone. He is currently the Chief Information Security Officer for Southern Methodist University where he has also taught on the subject of Corporate Cybersecurity and Information Assurance. Mr. Finney is an attorney and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional as well as a Certified Information Security Systems Professional and has spoken on Cybersecurity topics across the country.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS


About the Book:

Once upon a time there was a company that made magic wands, but when they were hacked all the magic in the world couldn’t prevent their data from being stolen. If that company had a chance for a clean start, what would they have done differently? The unlikely hero isn’t a security guy. She’s a business elf who makes it her mission to change the way her company does business from the top down.

Most books on Cybersecurity are written for highly technical professionals, focus on specific compliance regulations, or are intended for reference. No More Magic Wands is different...it takes complex security concepts and puts them into practice in easy to read, relateable stories.

No More Magic Wands is available at AMAZON


Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

I started writing the book while I was teaching an undergraduate class on cybersecurity.  It was a great way to generate ideas, because I was looking at all of the things that I had come across in my career with new eyes so that I could teach it.  At the same time, I started researching how the most successful books on management and leadership go about delivering their material.

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

I met with a few agents and publishers as I was finishing the book.  They were all very supported and I guess I’m still interested in traditional publishing.  But I wanted to make the book as good as I possibly could, and I realized that I was holding back a little since I knew the traditional publishing route would involve a lot of editing and changes.

If self-published, did you hire someone to format the ebook version for you or did you do it yourself?  Can you tell us what that was like?

I actually worked with several editors, and I was able to learn enough from that process and online resources to do it on my own.  There are a lot of very technical steps that you have to follow.  One challenge for me was that I use both Mac and PC, and going back and fourth between them, I realized that the different versions of Word have some different features, like embedding fonts, that drove me crazy.  I’ll definitely hire this out next time.

If self-published, how did you determine the price?

I wanted to make the book as affordable as possible.  I’m not out to make a ton of money, I really just want to get the book in to people’s hands.  I’ve run several free promotions and I’ve gotten over a thousand downloads on Amazon, so I think I’m doing pretty well.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book?  Why?

I wanted to release it in the early Fall, since October is National Cyber Security Preparedness Month.

How did you choose your cover?

I actually designed the cover myself using some iStock photo animations and by creating my own font.  I was inspired by the TV show, Mr. Robot, a little.  The cover is a generic magician with just some hands, a moustache, and a tophat.  But it also looks a lot like the mask and tophat they use in the show.

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I do a little of both.  I write by the seat of my pants, which often means I’ll be editing on the fly as I change things or take things in different directions.  But I also was very methodical about editing once I was done…I think I spent about half as much time editing the book as it took me to write.

Did you come up with special swag for your book and how are you using it to help get the word out about your book? 

I’ve done some giveaways with the book, and I realized that with the whole Harry Potter thing, there are a ton of magic wand props you can buy.  I’ve given away a few along with the book.

Did you consider making or hiring someone to make a book trailer for your book?  If so, what’s the link?

I’ve thought about it, but just haven’t had the time!

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

This is my primary marketing strategy!  With digital copies of your book, it doesn’t cost you anything to give copies away.  And when I’ve run free promotions on Amazon, there is always a bump in sales afterwards as people get the word out.  But giving away print copies is also crucial.  I’ve been able to get copies in the hands of influential people at conferences or at lunch meetings.  Whatever I can do to keep the conversation going is important to the success of the book.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

Get feedback – you need other people to help your writing get better.  You need a small focus group or a writers group to make sure you’re not writing something that makes sense and resonates with your audience.

Edit – if you don’t have at least 4 or 5 different drafts of just edited versions after you’re finished, you’re doing something wrong.  One of my biggest breakthroughs happened in the editing process, and it took a ton of work to make all the changes, but it really made the book so much better.

Talk about it! – don’t keep you life’s work a secret!  Bounce ideas off of people.  Get to know what your audience thinks.  Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas…nobody will be as passionate about your work as you.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Keep talking about it!  Keep writing!  Find your next project!

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out? 

I’ve set up a blog and facebook page.  I signed up for several professional review services like Kirkus, which have all been wonderful.  There is so much support out there for writers who have finished a book, lots of folks want to help you, it’s been a great process.

Do you have a long term plan with your book?

Part of writing the book has energized me about my career and I want to keep that momentum going.  I’m working on a new book through my blog.

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

I love hearing from my readers.  Look up my blog and let me know what you think, www.strongestelement.com. 


PUYB Virtual Book Club Chats with 'Surgeon's Story' Mark Oristano & Giveaway! @surgeonsstory


Mark Oristano has been a professional writer/journalist since the age of 16.

After growing up in suburban New York, Oristano moved to Texas in 1970 to attend Texas Christian University.  A major in Mass Communications, Mark was hired by WFAA-TV in 1973 as a sports reporter, the start of a 30-year career covering the NFL and professional sports.

Mark has worked with notable broadcasters including Verne Lundquist, Oprah Winfrey and as a sportscaster for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network and Houston Oilers Radio Network.  He has covered Super Bowls and other major sports events throughout his career.  He was part of Ron Chapman’s legendary morning show on KVIL-FM in Dallas for nearly 20 years.

In 2002 Oristano left broadcasting to pursue his creative interests, starting a portrait photography business and becoming involved in theater including summer productions with Shakespeare Dallas. He follows his daughter Stacey’s film career who has appeared in such shows as Friday Night Lights and Bunheads.

A veteran stage actor in Dallas, Mark Oristano was writer and performer for the acclaimed one-man show “And Crown Thy Good: A True Story of 9/11.”

Oristano authored his first book, A Sportscaster’s Guide to Watching Football: Decoding America’s Favorite Game. A Sportcaster’s Guide offers inside tips about how to watch football, including stories from Oristano’s 30-year NFL career, a look at offense, defense and special teams, and cool things to say during the game to sound like a real fan.

In 2016 Oristano finished his second book, Surgeon’s Story, a true story about a surgeon that takes readers inside the operating room during open heart surgery. His second book is described as a story of dedication, talent, training, caring, resilience, guts and love.

In 1997, Mark began volunteering at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, working in the day surgery recovery room. It was at Children’s that Mark got to know Kristine Guleserian, MD, first to discuss baseball, and later, to learn about the physiology, biology, and mystery of the human heart. That friendship led to a joint book project, Surgeon’s Story, about Kristine’s life and career.
Mark is married and has two adult children and two grandchildren.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK



About the Book:

What is it like to hold the beating heart of a two-day old child in your hand?  What is it like to counsel distraught parents as they make some of the most difficult decisions of their lives?

Noted pediatric heart surgeon Dr. Kristine Guleserian has opened up her OR, and her career, to author Mark Oristano to create Surgeon’s Story - Inside OR-6 With a top Pediatric Heart Surgeon. 

Dr. Guleserian’s life, training and work are discussed in detail, framed around the incredibly dramatic story of a heart transplant operation for a two-year old girl whose own heart was rapidly dying.  Author Mark Oristano takes readers inside the operating room to get a first-hand look at pediatric heart surgeries most doctors in America would never attempt.

That’s because Dr. Guleserian is recognized as one of the top pediatric heart surgeons in America, one of a very few who have performed a transplant on a one-week old baby. Dr. Guleserian (Goo-liss-AIR-ee-yan) provided her expertise, and Oristano furnished his writing skills, to produce A Surgeon’s Story.

As preparation to write this stirring book, Oristano spent hours inside the operating room at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas watching Guleserian perform actual surgeries that each day were life or death experiences. Readers will be with Dr. Guleserian on her rounds, meeting with parents, or in the Operating Room for a heart transplant.

Oristano is successful sportscaster and photographer and has made several appearances on stage as an actor. He wrote his first book A Sportscaster’s Guide to Watching Football: Decoding America’s Favorite Game, and continues to volunteer at Children’s Medical Center.

“We hear a lot about malpractice and failures in medical care,” says Oristanto, “but I want my readers to know that parts of the American health care system work brilliantly. And our health care system will work even better if more young women would enter science and medicine and experience the type of success Dr. Guleserian has attained.” 

Readers will find all the drama, intensity, humor and compassion that they enjoy in their favorite fictionalized medical TV drama, but the actual accounts in Surgeon’s Story are even more compelling. One of the key characters in the book is 2-year-old Rylynn who was born with an often fatal disorder called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and was successfully treated by Dr. Guleserian.

Watch the Book Trailer at YouTube.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble



Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

I did no research before beginning. However, once I started the project, as the book is about heart disease in children, I had to do copious research in anatomy, physiology, cardiac anatomy and more.

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

I had a lit. agent in New York who had interest from several publishers. But all those publishers wanted Surgeon’s Story to be in the first-person voice of Dr. Guleserian, the subject. She refused, saying it was too egotistical. So, we went the self-publishing route.


If self-published, did you hire someone to format the ebook version for you or did you do it yourself?  Can you tell us what that was like?

The very good people at Authority Publishing handled all that.

If self-published, how did you determine the price?

Again, with Authority Publishing.

How did you choose your cover?

The cover features one of my photos of Dr. Guleserian in the operating room. The graphic designer had read the book, and was fascinated by the fact that Dr. G is only five feet tall. He wanted to do a photo of her in the OR with the rest of her team, and all the others would be so tall that their photos would be cut off at the shoulders. I told him the book was not about a short person who operates, but about an intensely intelligent, extremely talented woman who cuts open children’s chests and fixes their hearts, and the photo I gave him shows that. So, that’s the photo we used!

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I always edit as I go. And Dr. G had a major editing hand as well, both making sure that medical facts were correct, and that her copious quotes in the book were accurate.



Did you consider making or hiring someone to make a book trailer for your book?  If so, what’s the link?

A trailer was made by my publicist which I revised a bit. Here’s the link, although I probably need to update the end.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDCVt2Gpl_M

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

OK in moderation.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

Write the best book you can.
Rewrite the best book you can.
Edit the best book you can.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Do five things a day to promote the book.
Don’t accept less than your goals.
Give ‘em hell.

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out?

Facbook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. Mostly Facebook.

Do you have a long term plan with your book?

I figure I’ll spend at least the next year to year-and-a-half as a book promoter and marketer.

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

If you ever watched Chicago Hope, ER, St. Elsewhere, Gray’s Anatomy, or any other medical show, in Surgeon’s Story, Dr. G and I will show you what REALLY goes on.


Mark Oristano is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
  • This giveaway ends midnight July 28.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on July 29.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, May 7, 2017

The Discovery by Louis Kraft & Robert S. Goodman MD


Title: THE DISCOVERY
Author: Louis Kraft & Robert S. Goodman MD
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 311
Genre: Legal Thriller

In THE DISCOVERY by Robert S. Goodman and Louis Kraft, a young obstetrician/gynecologist delivers a premature baby after attending a dinner party. The child survives the delivery, but complications lead to a malpractice lawsuit two decades later.
In 1952, a pregnant seventeen-year-old gives birth in a Los Angeles hospital. Two nurses attend to the young woman while they wait for the doctor on call to arrive for the delivery. Dr. Harry Chapman arrives at the hospital clearheaded but with alcohol on his breath. The premature baby is born blue and placed in an incubator. The nurses turn the oxygen to the level recommended to pediatricians for preemies the year before to prevent blindness. When the baby’s color doesn’t change, Harry instructs the nurses to turn the oxygen up to maximum. They protest, but Harry insists that the nurses comply to save the baby from brain damage or death.
In 1972, Greg Weston, a twenty-year-old paralegal meets a young woman who works with a renowned pediatrician. When she questions the attractive young man about his blindness, Greg reveals that his adoptive parents told him he was born blind. After agreeing to see the doctor Gail works for, Greg becomes aware that his blindness may have occurred as a result of physician error. Greg requests his medical records from the hospital and the adoption agency, and he finds that the hospital records tell a different story about what took place after his birth. In both records, Dr. Harry Chapman is indicated as the doctor who delivered him. Greg shares his findings with a partner in his law firm, and they build a case against Dr. Chapman based on fraudulent changes in the hospital records, which allows the statute of limitations to be thrown out.
After Harry receives word that he is being sued, his attorney advises him that the malpractice insurance he carried in 1952 will not cover even a fraction of the multimillion-dollar lawsuit. The stress and uncertainty of the case, along with the accusation of fraud, breaks Harry, leading him down a road of depression and alcohol dependence. As Harry’s wife, Helen, watches her husband deteriorate, she makes an unthinkable choice to put an end to the plaintiff’s case.
In THE DISCOVERY, the authors connect the lives of two individuals across two decades, exposing vulnerabilities, bitterness, and frailties. As the case moves forward, a key witness’s testimony alters the lives of both men.
In writing THE DISCOVERY, Goodman and Kraft’s intentions were to offer readers multidimensional characters with real-world problems and to bring awareness to the severe affect malpractice lawsuits can have on physicians’ professional and personal lives.
The Discovery is available at Amazon.
Book Excerpt:
An hour later Martin pulled into Harry’s driveway and parked next to Sid’s car. Harry, who rode shotgun, swung the door open and ran to the front door, where he fumbled with his keys. Sid opened the door and waved him inside.
“You seem like a man in a rush,” Sid said.
“Only to those who peer out of windows!” Harry pushed past Sid and rushed into the living room. He didn’t see Helen and moved into the kitchen. No Helen. Harry ran to the family room, but it was empty. He looked at the bar.
“Thirsty?” Sid said from behind him.
Harry ignored the comment. “Where’s Helen?”
“In your bedroom.”
Harry crossed to the couch in front of the TV set and slumped into it.
Sid sat next to him. “From a man in a hurry, it appears that you’ve suddenly run out of gas.”
“Look, pal, I know a hell of a lot more than you do.”
“Really? You don’t say, Harry. Well, I’ve got news for you. You don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground!”
Harry glared at Sid, as he formed a fist.
Sid smirked. “Go ahead and swing away.”
“What’s going on here?” Harry said as he relaxed his hand.
“Don’t ask me; ask your wife.”
Surprised, Harry leaned back on the couch. “What are you talking about?”
“I sure as hell know!”
“Tell me!”
“Nope. You want to know, you talk to Helen.”
“She won’t talk to me.”
“Maybe she will.”
“Tell me!”
“I promised Helen that I wouldn’t repeat what she told me. To anyone.
Harry had no idea what Sid spoke of and glared at him. “You know, sometimes you are a real pain in the ass.”
“And you’re a complete schmuck. Look Harry, you had better talk with her.” Harry didn’t move. “Now!”
Allen leaned into the room. “Is everything okay?”
“Yep,” Sid said, “couldn’t be better.”
“Then join us.”
“Soon.” He turned back to Harry. “For the last time Harry, get upstairs and talk to Helen.”
Harry stood but then glared at Sid.
“Harry, use your heart when you listen to her.”
“What are you talk—?” Suddenly frightened, Harry ran to the staircase and leaped up the steps two at a time. The door to their bedroom was closed. Harry opened it and stepped into the room. It was empty, but then the door to the bathroom opened and Helen appeared. Her hair was wet and dangled over her shoulders. She had an oversized towel wrapped around her body.
“What do you want?”

Monday, May 1, 2017

PUYB Virtual Book Club Announces Shania Tyler's Lord of Shadows Blog Tour & Win 7 paranormal romance novels!


Title: LORD OF SHADOWS
Author: Shania Tyler
Publisher: ColleenNorman Publishing House
Pages: 330
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The Power of Love and Darkness
How strong you need to be to face your sealed fate?

Kelly Green had plans for her senior year of college.
Graduate. Get a job. And hopefully find love.

What she didn’t include was:
1. Getting kidnapped by an arrogant vampire 
2. Getting swept into his world of eternal darkness
3. And she certainly didn’t plan on falling for him...

Mason is the leader of the Rebels, an army fighting in a secret war that is about to get real. Vampires have enslaved elves for centuries, and Mason’s men fight for their freedom.

He’s willing do anything to see his people as the victors… whatever it takes.
This includes kidnapping a woman who isn’t what she seems and doing whatever he must in order to keep her close…

including pretending to fall in love…

But all the magic in the world of Asea can’t protect the heart and sooner or later, they’ll both have to make a choice that could change the future of an entire nation.

In the world of Asea, destiny’s course is set like a dance.
Nothing in life has been left up to chance.

“Destiny must be fulfilled.”

*Are they ready?*

*Are you?*

PURCHASE INFORMATION:

Amazon


Book Excerpt:


“Hey!” she called as he headed toward her. “What’s with the robe?”
A strong gust pushed her dress backward. She looked over her shoulder at the administration building and then back at the stranger, who stood only a few yards away.
He’d been so far away a moment ago.
Kelly did a double take, noticing for the first time that he wasn’t wearing a robe. The black was like a shadow that floated around him. The image of Pig-Pen from the Peanuts comic strip—the little boy with the cloud of dirt always circling him—stopped her from totally freaking out.
Then the image of Pig-Pen vanished and she freaked out.
“Kelly!”
She turned and saw the stranger from inside and frowned. How did he know her name?
He held out his hand, his green eyes wide and his dark hair windblown. “Come to me.”
She rushed to him, too afraid of the thing behind her to think about the consequences.
A peacefulness fell over her at his touch and then she was flush against him, chest to chest and thigh to thigh. “I—” Her body jerked and a fast wind stung her eyes. Her hair whipped in her face, and it was only then that she realized they were moving.
Her stranger, with his arm around her waist, held her with her feet off the ground and was running faster than humanly possible. “Hold onto me.”
Kelly’s jaw dropped, but her arms went around his neck to hold onto him for fear of being dropped; she could feel the strength in his body and knew he wouldn’t let her go.
What was happening to her?
Maybe she’d been drugged.
She tried to remember everything that had happened. Had she even attended the event? What if she was dreaming? It was the only explanation for the fact that she was being carried by a man who was speeding past buildings and trees like some sort of superhero. The street lamps’ rays splashed onto the sidewalk in quick patterns and everything about the dream felt real.
The man holding her certainly felt real. His thick muscles and the coolness of his leather jacket under her hands all felt real.
But then she looked up and saw they were being chased by the shadow. She thought it a dream again, especially as the shadow seemed to spread into the darkness around them, turning the already dark night into a blackness she’d never seen.
She closed her eyes and, like she did with any nightmare she’d found herself stuck in, told herself to wake up.
Her body jerked when they turned, and she heard the opening of a door before her body jolted again when they came to a complete stop.
The stranger set her down on her feet and then turned to close the door.
Kelly looked around and recognized the president’s house. She’d attended a few dinners at the house last year with her friend Amity, who’d been part of every major organization on campus.
“Come on,” the stranger said, holding out his hand.
She didn’t move. “What is going on?”
Something flickered in his green eyes, anger she thought, before he smoothed it away and said, “We have to go.”
“No.” Kelly shook her head. “I want to know what’s going on.”
The front door began to rattle, and she jumped.
“Come on!” the stranger shouted.
Kelly pressed her fingers to her temples. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”
He grabbed her arms.
She looked up into the stranger’s eyes and the intricate shades of green began to dance.
Ote-oun’a.”
Kelly blinked as a heaviness settled in her head and over her eyes. She grew tired instantly and the stranger wrapped his arms around her.
Ote-oun’a,” he whispered again. His eyes held a touch of tenderness and then darkness claimed her. “Sleep,” she heard him whisper, before there was nothing.




About the Author


As a young girl, Shania Tyler has always been fascinated with the world of vampires, dragons, fairies, elves and angles. So strong was her fascination that she always felt there is indeed such a world out there. A world where creatures of supernatural powers can transcend beyond time and space, not confined to the rules of the human world, and being able to live for eternity.

In Shania’s writings, you will find an infusion of passionate romance, action and mystery, and sometimes with a touch of suspense. She enjoys creating a dark complex world containing entities of a supernatural or otherworldly nature and being able to bring a romantic flavour to the plot and amongst the characters. It brings her great joy to see her childhood fantasies becoming a reality through the pages that she wrote. Some of her inspirations of writings include Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, J.R. Ward’s The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton .

Shania’s latest book is the paranormal romance, Lord of Shadows.

You can connect with Shania on Facebook.




Shania Tyler is giving away 7 paranormal romance paperbacks by Bella Forrest, JR Ward, I.T. Lucas, Dannika Dark, Karen Marie Moning, Patricia Briggs and Christine Feehan. BONUS: All entries will receive a free copy of FALLING INTO DARKNESS by Shania Tyler.

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive  a 7-pack paperback collection of paranormal romance novels by bestselling authors. All entries will receive a free copy of Shania Tyler's FALLING INTO DARKNESS.
  • This giveaway ends midnight May 31.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on June 1.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!




 

Pump Up Your Book Chats with 'The Feet Say Run' Daniel A. Blum



Daniel A. Blum grew up in New York, attended Brandeis University and currently lives outside of Boston with his family. His first novel Lisa33 was published by Viking in 2003. He has been featured in Poets and Writers magazine, Publisher’s Weekly and most recently, interviewed in Psychology Today.

Daniel writes a humor blog, The Rotting Post, that has developed a loyal following.

His latest release is the literary novel, The Feet Say Run.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK



About the Book:

At the age of eighty-five, Hans Jaeger finds himself a castaway among a group of survivors on a deserted island.  What is my particular crime?  he asks.   Why have I been chosen  for this fate?  And so he begins his extraordinary chronicle. 

It would be an understatement to say he has lived a full life.  He has grown up in Nazi Germany and falls in love with Jewish girl.  He fights for the Germans on two continents, watches the Reich collapse spectacularly into occupation and starvation, and marries his former governess.  After the war he goes on wildflower expeditions in the Alps, finds solace among prostitutes while his wife lay in a coma, and marries a Brazilian chambermaid in order to receive a kidney from her. 

By turns sardonic and tragic and surreal, Hans’s story is the story of all of the insanity, irony and horror of the modern world itself.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble



Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

Much of my book is set in Nazi Germany.  I read many memoirs of Germans who lived through the 1930s and the war era.  I needed to understand not just the political history, but more importantly, what ordinary people living in that time thought and felt. 

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

I went first to major publishers, through an established agent, and wound up going with the small press.

If published by a publisher, what was your deciding factor in going with them?

Gabriel’s Horn was incredibly enthusiastic about the book and open to giving me complete editorial discretion. 

If published by a publisher, are you happy with the price they chose?

As it was a small press, price was a joint decision, so yes. 

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book?  Why?

We didn’t.  It just fit with when we completed our work. 

How did you choose your cover?

We found an artist who we liked and described what we wanted. 

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I revised as I went, and then revised further after the completed draft.  It went through many revisions.

Did you come up with special swag for your book and how are you using it to help get the word out about your book? 

The publisher has had bookmarks made, but thus far, we have not distributed these.

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

I am somewhat disinclined to do this, but not closed to the idea depending on what it would work and what others think. 

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

I am not sure I can answer this.  My experience in self-promotion is extremely limited.  I’m sure I’m a better writer than a promoter. 

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Same answer as above. 

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out? 

I have been in Publisher’s Weekly and Psychology today.  I have sold via social media nad have a blog where I regularly mention it.  The publisher also uses social media.   There is no newsletter per se or ‘book blasts’. 

Do you have a long term plan with your book?

Not a plan. But of course I do hope it will gain traction.  It gets outstanding reads, is extremely well-liked, so I believe there is potential for this. 

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

A big thank you to those who read and enjoyed.  In the end the book is the most basic human forces – cruelty and compassion, hatred and love.  I hope the compassion comes through.