Book Blast/ #Giveaway : Frequent Traveller by Pandora Poikilos

From the blue oceans of Antigua to the bustling streets of Vietnam, the racing adrenaline at the Green Hell, the devastating natural disaster in Japan and the stunning architecture in Germany, Cathy Dixon finds herself in a whirlwind of fine dining, plush clothes and sheer extravagance.



But is perfection a mask for untold disaster? What is Cathy's secret and how will her world change when the world knows? Will her secrets ever catch up with her or will Cathy continue to sail alongside perfection in the world she has created for herself as a Frequent Traveller?



In conjunction, with the launch of MoonStar Luxury's new website (http://moonstarluxury.com/), we invite you to step into Cathy Dixon's world where more goodies, surprises and a little mystery awaits.





Frequent Traveller, the first book in the Cathy Dixon series will be free from 31 May to 4 June 2012. (Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Frequent-Traveller-Cathy-Dixon-ebook/dp/B0067BKK6K)





Giveaway Details - 11 winners

Grand prize 1 x $50 Amazon.com voucher

10 x $5 Amazon.com vouchers





Terms and conditions

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. 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's permission. 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 affiliated with Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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BookBlast & Giveaway: (I Am A Reader) Betrayed by Ednah Walters

Betrayed is a Young Adult book.

Betrayed

Lil isn't just an average teenager. She's one of the Nephilim--the descendants of humans and angels--which gives her some serious psi skills and a mission for redemption. Just when Lil thinks she's found a balance between her normal life with human friends and her training to become a Guardian, she's warned that someone close to her will betray her. When the boy she loves starts acting strangely and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability, Lil begins to realize that someone is manipulating the people she loves... and won't stop until she's been lured to the dark side.


LINKS:



WEBSITE:

http://www.ednahwalters.com/



BLOG:



http://ednahwalters.blogspot.com/



FACEBOOK PAGE:



https://www.facebook.com/ednahyaauthor#!/GuardianLegacyBooks





YOUTUBE:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtkmEprzYaY





TWITTER:



https://twitter.com/#!/yaednah_walters




GOODREADS:





GOOGLE+



https://plus.google.com/u/0/113199492695974871853#113199492695974871853/posts





AMAZON:



http://www.amazon.com/Betrayed-A-Guardian-Legacy-Book/dp/1937053180/



B&N

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betrayed-ednah-walters/1111124607?ean=9781937053185





BOOK DEPOSITORY:



http://www.bookdepository.com/Betrayed-Ednah-Walters/9781937053185





PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

Just like Awakened, Betrayed has risen above all the other books in this genre. She has created such an amazing world for her Guardians & demons where good and evil are not as simple as it seems they should be. ~J. Whitus (Book Junkies) Walking On Bookshelves



I just love a spunky heroine so I was excited to keep reading about Lil, the demon hunter I got to know in Awakened (book one of The Guardian Legacy series). Walters takes the story and world she built so well in Awakened and adds in an intense plot with lots of twists to make for a strong sequel.~ Kelli (I'd So Rather Be Reading)





Lil is one of my favorite female leads, with all of the traits that you want a strong female lead to have. She's smart, strong, loyal and doesn't know how to back down.~ Missy (Missy's Reads & Reviews)



Lil has her work cut out for her in this book and she never failed me once!

EDNAH WALTERS BIO:



I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Hardy boys mysteries and fell in love with books



I enjoy good love stories, tingly mysteries and epic adventures. When I finished my college and decided to be a stay-at-home mother, I devoured books like they were going out of production, until reading just wasn't enough. So I started to write.



I've written picture books (unpublished), contemporary and romantic suspense (under the pen name E. B. Walters), and finally YA fantasy (as Ednah Walters).



AWAKENED (2010) is the prequel to the YA series about the Nephilim, The Guardian Legacy series. BETRAYED(book # 1) is now available wherever books are sold, HUNTED (book # 2) will be released in February 2013 andFORGOTTEN (later in 2013).



My adult contemporary with or without suspense is about a west coast Irish-American family series. I've published four Fitzgerald books: SLOW BURN (April 5th 2011), MINE UNTIL DAWN (June 29th 2011), KISS ME CRAZY (Sept 25th 2011) and DANGEROUS LOVE (Jan 29th 2012)



When I'm not writing, I do things with my family, five children and my darling husband of 18 years. I live in a picturesque valley in northern Utah, the setting for my YA series.

Giveaway Details:

$100 Amazon.com Gift Code

Ends 6/5/12



Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. 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's permission. 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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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What Are You Reading Monday? #56

Books I completed in the last week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)




Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)



Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark (p200)
Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan (ebook – Kindle)
Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles) by Susan Wiggs (Audio) (CD6)


Up Next:


Deadly Notions by Elizabeth Lynn Casey (Southern Sewing Circle #4)
Huck by Janet Elder (Audio)
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (p70)

Reviews posted this week:




Author Guest Posts/Interviews:


BookBlast & Giveaway: (I Am A Reader) Betrayed by Ednah Walters (May 29)
Book Blitz Promo Stop- (Bewitching Book Tours) - Blood and Whiskey by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall (June 1)
Blog Tour (Bewitching Book Tours): 77 Days in September by Ray Gorham (June 4)
Guest Blog (Betwitching Book Tours) - Serial Date b D V BeRkom (June 7)
Book Tour - Author Interview (Bewitching Book Tours): Katrina The Beginning by Elizabeth Lorraine (June 9)
Author Interview/Giveaway (WOW) – Finding Emma by Steena Holmes (June 13)
Blog Tour (Novel Publicity): Speculation by Edmund Jorgensen (June 20)
Book Tour - Author Interview(Bewitching Book Tour): Saint Sanguinis by Julia Phillips Smith (June 21)
Blog Tour: (Dark Minds )Maid For Pleasure by Lucy Rodgers (Jul 6)
Author Interview (Bewitching Book Tours): Big Game by CJ Ellisson (July 9)
+ BookBlast & Giveaway : (I Am A Reader) Reunited
+ BookBlast & Giveaway : (I Am A Reader) Mrs. Tuesday's Departure
+ BookBlast & Giveaway : (I Am A Reader) Ferryman & the Flame
+Book Blast & Giveaway: (Bewitching Book Tours) Immortals and Melodies by Heather Jensen

Special Blog Hop Giveaways



Splash Into Summer Hop (Co-hosted by Page Turners) (May 25 – 31) – Winner –
Freedom Hop
Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop (Co-Hosted by Tifferz Book Review) (July 11 – 17) Winner -

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):


January Brings the Snow by Sara Coldridge
Hercubear vs. The Cyclops Rabbit by Lesley Williams (ebook)
Caterpillars Don’t Check Email by Calee M Lee, illustration: Jacob Lee (ebook)
My Friend the Bear by J J Ley (ebook)
Animals At The Zoo – Volume 4 by G Alexander (ebook)
My Lucky Life In And Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke (audio)
Easter Bunnies Everywhere by Ranae Rea (ebook)
Airplane Car by Cinda Lee (ebook)
Devil’s Food Cake Murder by Joanna Fluke (Audio)
Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords (audio)


Giveaways on the blog this week and in coming weeks:


Freebie Friday – The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffery (May 25 – June 1) Winner -
Freebie Friday – A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell (June 1 – June 8) Winner -
Freebie Friday – Fine Things by Danielle Steel (June 8 – June 15) Winner –
Freebie Friday - Crossings by Danielle Steel (June 15 – June 22) Winner -
Wyoming Statehood Giveaway - Wyoming by Dana Fuller Ross (July 10 – 17) Winner –
New York Statehood Giveaway - Than New York Minute by Abby Gaines (July 26 – 31) Winner –
Montana Statehood Giveaway - Montana Creeds: Dylan by Linda Lael Miller (Nov 11 – 18) Winner -

Giveaways Winners


Freebie Friday - To Catch An Heiress by Julia Quinn (January 20 - 27) Winner – Julie Witt
Freebie Friday - The Client by John Grisham (January 27 – Feb 3) Winner – Carol Wong
Freebie Friday – Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons (May 5 – 11) Winner – Ann
Author Post/Giveaway – The Whip by (May ) Winner - Maureen Carol
Freebie Friday - To Die For by Linda Howard (May 11 – May 18) Winner – Tammy Ramey

Freebie Friday - The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffery (US Only - Ends 6/1)

The Barnes & Noble Review
Anne McCaffrey returns to Pern for more adventures of the Dragonriders in a novel sure to surprise and amaze her fans. As her readers need no reminder, Pern is a planet plagued by deadly silver strands called Thread falling from its skies, in cycles determined by the orbiting Red Star. Dragons were genetically developed by the ancients to battle Thread by burning it from the air before it can harm the life below.


In All the Weyrs of Pern, beloved Masterharper Robinton and riders F'lar and Lessa excavated the ruins of the planet's original settlement and uncovered the colonists' Artificial Intelligence Voice Address System (AIVAS). This archive contains technological advances that have been sealed away for centuries, but many people think they are an Abomination.



Now Shankolin, an Abominator who tried to destroy AIVAS, escapes imprisonment when a meteorite strikes the prison, and he sets out to organize an underground movement against AIVAS-based advances. Meanwhile, charming young F'lessan, son of F'lar and Lessa and rider of the bronze dragon Golanth, visits Landing Weyr to undertake research there. When F'lessan meets Tai, a bright and beautiful but shy Dragonrider, he is intrigued by her love of astronomy, and as they study the skies together, romance begins to bloom. F'lar and Lessa also reappear; more experienced than the younger generation, they are concerned with the coming final fall of Thread and with how society will change in its aftermath.



McCaffrey's latest installment is action-packed with disasters wreaked by the saboteurs, a comet from the Oort Cloud, and a thrilling development concerning the psychic powers of the dragons. Shankolin's tactics shake the courage of the Holders, Master Craftsmen, and commonfolk of Pern, but the Harpers prove themselves skillful counteragents. Even during the horrors of the Comet's assault, with its attendant massive flooding and tidal waves that leave hundreds without homes or possessions -- an assault that the Abominators blame on interference with AIVAS -- F'lessan, Tai, and their dragons conceive a bold plan to present to the Master Council that will deal both with those who fear change in their society and with danger from the skies.



McCaffrey sets up an ambitious array of questions in The Skies of Pern. How will the culture adapt to the advances offered by AIVAS? How will Pern adapt to life without Thread? And how will Dragonriders, who have always been honored by Holds and Halls for their protection against Thread, assimilate into this new culture once the threat of Thread has passed? Fans
will love the characters of F'lessan and Tai and will find McCaffrey's new developments deeply satisfying. (Fiona Kelleghan)


Fiona Kelleghan is a librarian at the University of Miami. Book reviews editor for Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, she has written reviews and articles for Science-Fiction Studies; Extrapolation; The New York Review of Science Fiction; Science Fiction Research Association Review; Nova Express; St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers; Magill's Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature; Neil Barron's Fantasy and Horror: A Critical and Historical Guide; Contemporary Novelists, 7th Edition; and American Women Writers. Her book Mike Resnick: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to His Work was published by Alexander Books in 2000.


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BookBlast Tour (WOW): Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore by Barbara Conelli

What Make Me Happy?
Funny question that I’ve been asked at twice this week.
• Spending time with my nephews (Andrew-11 & Logan-9)
• Working in the garden (I hoping to do some of that this long weekend)
• Working on my genealogy (I’m fascinated by those that came before me – If I could I’d try to get certified)
• Time to read (part of the reason I love summer – I have always been able to read more then)
• Time to stitch (counted xstitch) to make gifts for others. I actually have 3 more bookmarks to make for my oldest nephew’s classroom








YouTube Link:

http://youtu.be/uI0dJiaO6K0



Author info:

I wrote today’s post as part of the WOW-Women on Writing’s “The Art of Loving Your Life” Blanket Tour celebrating the release of Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore by Barbara Conelli (www.barbaraconelli.com).

Barbara Conelli is an internationally published bestselling author, seasoned travel writer specializing in Italy. In her charming, delightful and humorous Chique Books filled with Italian passion, Barb invites women to explore Italy from the comfort of their home with elegance, grace and style, encouraging them to live their own Dolce Vita no matter where they are in the world.

Her latest book, Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore offers an intimate view into the unpredictable and extravagant city of Milan, its glamorous feminine secrets, the everyday magic of its dreamy streets, the passionate romance of its elegant hideaways, and the sweet Italian art of delightfully falling in love with your life wherever you go.

If you comment on today’s post on this blog or any of the others participating in The Art of Loving Your Life tour, you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore!

To read Barbara’s post about loving life and view a list of other blogs participating in The Art of Loving Your Life tour please visit The Muffin (http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/)

Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop - May 25 - 31

I will be giving away a $10 Barnes and Noble Giftcard

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Book Blast Tour (I Am A Reader) : Master of the View by Daniel Cohen

Life can't get much better for Sam Lock. Popular, good-looking, and with a future as a professional football player. every guy at Stanton High School wishes he were Sam. That is, until his championship football game, when Sam accidentally links with an ancient source of energy known as the Veil and reveals his potential to become a powerful sorcerer. Sam is whisked off to Atlas Crown, a community of sorcerers who utilize the Veil as a part of everyday life. Once there, he trains beside a mute boy who speaks through music, an eternal sage who's the eyes and ears of the Veil, and a beautiful girl who's pretty sure Sam's an idiot. As it becomes clear Sam's meant for power magic-the most feared and misunderstood form of sorcery-people beyond Atlas Crown learn of his dangerous potential. An exiled group of power sorcerers are eager to recruit Sam, believing that he is destined to help them achieve their long-held goal. If they succeed, they could bring about the downfall of not only Atlas Crown. but all humankind.






Book Trailer




PRAISE:




"This Book was brilliant, creative, and completely magical. If you want an amazing book to read in 2012, I would suggest you go to the bookstore and pick up a copy of Masters of the Veil."

~Julia @Inkbitten





"A funny, imaginative, and delightful read!"

~Author Kate Kaynak

LINKS:

BOOK TRAILER

BLOG

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

AMAZON LINK

BN LINK

TWITTER




Character Interview

So before “Masters of the Veil,” happened, Dan sat down and interviewed some of his characters. We won’t get into the details of how Dan got into Atlas Crown (the magical community where the story takes place), but let’s just say it wasn’t easy.


Super short character bios:

Sam Lock: High school football star. Popular, sociable, and knows nothing about magic… yet.

Daphne Sunder: Beautiful, intelligent, and one of the most popular young sorcerers in Atlas Crown.

Cassiella Pyx: Shy, kind, and sort of nerdy. Even though she keeps a low profile, she is also one of the more powerful young sorcerers.

Glissandro Thicket: Glissandro is a young, mute sorcerer who speaks magically through music. He uses the horn of a skull-wolf to create his musical language. He also keeps to himself.

Petir LaVink: Grumpy young sorcerer. He hates outsiders. VERY good at magic.

Rona Rono: Teaches the best young sorcerers in Atlas Crown (Daphne, Cassiella, Glissandro, and Petir). Was a tribal king in Africa before he was brought to Atlas Crown.

May: Liaison from Atlas Crown to the outside world.


***

Here are some of the highlights of the interview.


Dan asked: “What’s your dream in life?”

Sam Lock: I’m living it, baby! Did you see how many scouts were at my last game?

Petir LaVink: You don’t belong here (at this point, Petir raises his second-skin* at Dan). You’re lucky May says you’re ok, or I would… You know what? I’m leaving (he leaves the room in a huff).


Daphne: Easy. I’m going to be head grower some day. Can you Just imagine being in charge of the seven grow fields? Just being around all the animals, and plants, and colors. It’s like the most important job in Atlas Crown.

Cassiella: I don’t know. I guess… I don’t know. It would be nice to meet somebody (she looks down at her feet). Can we go to the next question?

Glissandro: To be the first in my family to go through mystical Omani** I want to make my brother proud.

*A hand covering made from magical materials, which allows you to “grip” the Veil. Essentially, it’s how you do magic.

**Coming of age ceremony that determines what branch of magic you study


***

Dan asked: “What’s your favorite thing to do?”


Sam Lock: (Picks at his football jersey) Seriously?

Daphne: Well, me and my girlfriends love to go to the hot springs and relax. (She shrugs) And it doesn’t hurt that there’s usually some cute guys there.

Glissandro: The Tinker Hut. You should see all the magical contraptions he has. Buttons that change the fabric of your robe, dancing figures, detectors, little globes that you shake and it snows around you. And there’s always something new.

Cassiella: I like the library.

Rona Rono: I teach. There’s nothing I like more. The first time one of my students drapes* an object, well, there’s no better feeling.

*Draping is a magical technique that involves wrapping the Veil around something to give it magical properties.

***

Dan asked: “What’s the most impressive magic you’re ever seen performed?”


Sam Lock: (Grinning like an idiot) Did you say magic? You mean figuratively, right? Because there was this one-handed catch I had where I dove [rest of answer omitted because of extreme length].

Daphne: One time I was with May in the grow fields and she called like every bird in Atlas Crown. Thousand of birds, every color imaginable, all came and May tossed handfuls of seeds into the air and the birds each caught one and flew away. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. There was no chaos. The birds all fell in line like a dance. May said that another magical community had lost one of their fields—she never told me how—so she was sending a new one. It doesn’t get much better than natural magic.

Cassiella: I love watching Rona. He can drape anything. He made me a wooden flower that only blooms on the full moon, but when it opens up it gives off whatever smell would make me most happy. Last moon it smelled like honey and nettle-melon.

Rona Rono: (His eyes darken) If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip that question.


***

After the interview, the characters shared their thoughts on meeting Dan:

Sam Lock: He’s kind of small. I doubt he’d be very good on the field. He’s not like the son of a coach or something, is he? Oh. He’s a writer? Yeah, that makes more sense. So why did I meet with him?

Daphne Sunder: I guess he seems nice. Not my type. It’s not his fault though, I just wouldn’t ever date a flathand*.

*A flathand is someone who cannot connect with the Veil.

Cassiella Pyx: I really like blue eyes (at this point in the interview, Cassiella blushes). Don’t tell him I said that!

Glissandro Thicket: He kept mentioning saxophone? What’s a saxophone?

Rona Rono: (Shakes his head) He seems to have the right heart, but She [The Veil] hasn’t chosen him. It’s too bad. I would have loved to teach him.

Author Daniel A. Cohen

Daniel A. Cohen was just your average business student. Microeconomics, finance, marketing… you name it, he had to do a PowerPoint presentation on it. One dark and stormy night, he was bitten by the radioactive realization that memorizing business jargon could possibly be the most boring activity known to man.



After gaining eagle-eye vision, abs that could grate cheese, and a talent for imagining things (including his cheese-grating abs), he wrote his first novel and began his epic battle against the formidable business jargon. He continues to fight the good fight by playing saxophone and writing YA fantasy, forever hoping his Veil trilogy will help inspire others to join his cause.

Giveaway Details

Author Daniel Cohen is offering one lucky person a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card.

Last day to enter is May 31st



Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. 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's permission. 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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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Author Guest Post :Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark

Dancing Naked in Dixie
By Lauren Clark

Genre: Southern Fiction/Chick Lit/Light Romance


Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired.

With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.

Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?

Book Guest Post
Lauren Clark
Dancing Naked in Dixie



Like Julia Sullivan in Dancing Naked in Dixie, I was born and raised in the Eastern United States. That said, when I moved to the Deep South, there was a lot to learn about the area other than the location of the closest grocery store or best restaurants.

Understanding some conversation in the Deep South is like learning a new language. There recognized words, but many are used in totally different contexts. It's been fascinating adapting to an entirely new way of conversing, and after a while, it becomes strange to go back to 'my' hometown and not hear a y'all every once in a while!

If you visit anyone below the Mason Dixon Line, here are the Top Ten Southern Sayings you're most likely to hear, plus a brief translation, and an example.

1. Y'all - You all, You guys, All of you (Y'all get back home before your mama finds out!)

2. Fixin' - Getting ready to do something , About to perform a task (Are you fixin' to eat?)

3. Carry - To take a person somewhere, usually by car or truck (Can you carry MeeMaw to the Piggly-Wiggly?)

4. Mash - Press or hold (To turn on the television, just mash that button.)

5. Get up with - See you later, Call you later (I'll get up with you next week.)

6. Holler - Two meanings: To yell or raise your voice or a location (Holler at me next week! or He lives down in the holler.)

7. Bless her heart, Bless your heart - A phrase used to express empathy or sympathy (Your daddy passed away? Bless your heart.)

8. A piece - A measure of length (She lives down the road a piece.)

9. Ma'am or Sir - A polite reference to a man or a woman; used with strangers and family to convey respect for one's elders. From the time children can speak, they are taught to use these titles. (Yes, ma'am, I did clear the dinner table. No sir, I did not finish my homework.)

10. Tea - An iced beverage made with water, tea bags, and loads of sugar. "Tea" always means iced Sweet Tea, unless the person speaking says "unsweet" or "un." (Would you like some tea? Sweet or un?)

You'll find plenty of fun Southern phrases and eclectic sayings in 'Dancing Naked in Dixie.' Which are your favorites? Any I should have included?








About the Author

Lauren Clark writes contemporary novels set in the Deep South; stories sprinkled with sunshine, suspense, and secrets.

A former TV news anchor, Lauren adores flavored coffee, local book stores, and anywhere she can stick her toes in the sand. Her big loves are her family, paying it forward, and true-blue friends.

Check out her website at

Lauren Clark's Blog

GoodReads

Twitter

Facebook

BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston

Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston

Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia enjoyed, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia is not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia will lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.

From now until May 23rd Colors Like Memories is just $1.99.

Links:

Website: http://www.meradethhouston.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MeradethHouston

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ColorsLikeMemories

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/merbear95695/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13030422-colors-like-memories

Meradeth on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321667.Meradeth_Houston

Blog: http://meradethhouston.blogspot.com/

Author Meradeth Houston

I've never been a big fan of talking about myself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about me:

• I'm a California girl. This generally means I talk too fast and use "like" a lot.
• I have my doctorate in molecular anthropology. Translation: I sequence dead people's DNA and spend a whole lot of time in a lab, which I love.
• I've been writing since I was 11 years old. It's my hobby, my passion, and I'm so happy to get to share my work!
• My other passion is teaching. There's nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!
• If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because I'm terrified of heights.

Giveaway Details: 

$50 Amazon.com Gift Code

Last day to enter is May 29th



Open to anyone who can legally enter and can receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. 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's permission. 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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Guest Post: Springtime Journaling Prompt Grab Bag by Mari L. McCarthy

Springtime Journaling Prompt Grab Bag
by Mari L. McCarthy


Last year on this blog I was given the honor of guest posting A May Basket of Journaling Prompts and I'm really pleased Sue has invited CreateWriteNow back for a 2012 version.

Whether you're in the northern hemisphere and celebrating springtime or enjoying fall if you're south of the Equator, now is a transitional time. That means it's a good opportunity to open up to new possibilities, and a great way to do that is to explore impulses through your journaling.

Here are a few of my latest prompts to help get you going. Remember that the prompt is only a starting point: if you end up on the other side of the universe from where you started, that's more than acceptable.

• Go to an outside journaling spot, contemplate the scenery around you for a while, and then write about where you are today--spiritually, psychologically, mentally, physically. What are you aware of, inside and out? Savor being who you are right now.

• Choose one very small symbol of the season – perhaps a blossom in spring, or a colored leaf in fall – and one large one, like spilling outdoors in spring or cuddling by the fire in fall – and write about each. Then write about how they relate to one another; do a compare and contrast essay.

• Change hands. Write today's journal entry with your non-dominant hand. Before you stop, write about writing this way!

• Take your journal (and no inner critics) to a full length mirror. Spend a few moments just observing and breathing. Then write down what you are aware of.

• Sit down, close your eyes, and ask the question, "What one word best describes who I am today?" When you hear your word, go have a conversation with your journal about it.

• Open your journal to a fresh page and write the date. Invite your inner kid over to play in your journal with you. Close your eyes and picture your inner kid. He or she may be your actual child self, or the imaginary friend you used to have. Then PLAY!

• Have some fun with your journal for a change. Change venues. Take your journal shopping, to work, to a museum or restaurant, take it on a hiking trip or a visit to your doctor. You can write just about anywhere!


I hope you enjoy these prompts, and I certainly welcome you to add your own in the comments. Or tell us about your experience while following one of the prompts suggested here.

#

Mari L. McCarthy, journaling therapy specialist and author, owns Create Write Now, a website dedicated to all things journaling. The site includes hundreds of journaling prompts (here's a brand new free collection of 143 Juicy Journaling Prompts!), personal journaling stories, interviews, a blog, and many other resources. Mari publishes many ebooks and e-
workbooks to help journalers accomplish amazing things. She also conducts online Challenges, and you won't want to miss her upcoming Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days Challenge, June 4-10.

Author Guest Post (Bewitching Book Tours)– The Tarot's Hanged Man: More than Meets the Eye by Alayna Williams

The Tarot's Hanged Man: More than Meets the Eye
by Alayna Williams

I use Tarot cards a good deal in my writing, to give me ideas about creating characters and develop plot points. Sometimes, I pick cards on purpose that catch my eye, but more often, I deal them out at random. I let my imagination roam over the pictures to generate situations and connections. It's a fun way to work...sometimes the images touch upon an archetype that I can pull into my work.

One of the cards that captures my imagination is the Hanged Man. This card usually depicts a man hanging by a gallows or tree from his foot. He holds his hands behind his back and wears a serene expression. I've heard various explanations of this over the years, from the idea that the pose was intentional to a misprint or artist's mistake with a reversed printing plate. In our modern decks, he looks back at us, often haloed, seemingly at ease with his suspension.

The traditional meaning of this card has to do with sacrifice, spiritual transformation, suspension, and a calm before the storm. By dangling from his foot, we can see that the man could easily reach up and free himself from the one rope holding a foot, but he chooses not to. He chooses to stay in this uncomfortable position in the pursuit of enlightenment or a new perspective. From his vantage point, he sees things that we can't. He is literally suspended, in limbo, and seeing things as we do not.

The Hanged Man has its roots in an old myth about the Norse god Odin. Odin brought knowledge of the magic of rune divination to the world, but he sacrificed a great deal in order to do so. He stabbed himself with his own spear and hung himself from the world tree Yggdrasil, in order to absorb the gallow's tree's power. He hung for nine days and nights, in a twilight state between life and death, his blood nourishing the tree. He drew into himself the power of the underworld, through the tree's roots, and the power of the heavens, scraped by the tree's branches. The knowledge of the runes seeped into him and he fell to the ground on the ninth day, stunned by what he had learned.

The underlying message of the card is that progress and knowledge require sacrifice and a surrender of control. In a Tarot reading, this can be a very uncomfortable place to be in. In transition. Becoming. But it can be worth it.


Author Bio:

Alayna Williams has an MA in sociology-criminology (research interests: fear of crime and victimology) and a BA in criminology. She has worked in and around criminal justice since 1997. Although she does read Tarot cards, she's never used them in criminal profiling or to locate lost scientists. She recently took up astronomy, but for the most part her primary role in studying constellations and dark matter is to follow her amateur astronomer-husband around central Ohio toting the telescope tripod and various lenses. Like the Pythia in Dark Oracle, she's been known to belly dance. Unlike the Pythia she'd never consider herself a professional

Writing as Laura Bickle, she's the author of EMBERS and SPARKS for Pocket - Juno Books. Writing as Alayna Williams, she's the author of DARK ORACLE and ROGUE ORACLE.

More info on her urban fantasy and general nerdiness is here: http://www.salamanderstales.com/

Laura/ Alayna’s blogs

http://www.salamanderstales.blogspot.com and http://delphisdaughters.blogspot.com

She’s at Facebook

And Twitter...@Laura_Bickle

Sparky the fire salamander from EMBERS and SPARKS has his own Twitter account, @SparkySalamandr

In My Mailbox (2)

I haven’t won anything lately, but I do keep entering, so we will see maybe my luck will change soon. Hope all of you have been lucky enough to win.


For Review:



To Kill The Duke by Sam Moffie
Speculation by Edmund Jorgensen

What I Bought:



I actually pre ordered these books via Amazon and they arrived.
The Last Boyfriend (The Inn Boonsboro #2) by Nora Roberts
The Long Stitch Good Night (An Embroidery Mystery #4) by Amanda Lee
The Scarlet Pepper (A White House Gardner Mystery ##2) by Dorothy St James

Amazon Freebies
I picked a few, but haven’t upload them yet.

What Are You Reading Monday? #55

Books I completed in the last week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)



Had Cataract surgery so a slow week of reading

Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)



Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark (p183)
Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan (ebook – Kindle)
Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles) by Susan Wiggs (Audio) (CD3)


Up Next:


Deadly Notions by Elizabeth Lynn Casey (Southern Sewing Circle #4)
Huck by Janet Elder (Audio)
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (p70)

Reviews posted this week:


2012 Book Bloggers Cookbook by Christy Dorrity


Author Guest Posts/Interviews:


Guest Post (WOW): Springtime Journaling Prompt Grab Bag by Mari L. McCarthy (May 22)
Author Guest Post (Bewitching Book Tours)– Oracle Series - Alayne Williams (May 22)
BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston (May 22)
Book Blast Tour (I Am A Reader) : Master of the View by Daniel Cohen (May 24)
BookBlast Tour (WOW): Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore by Barbara Conelli (May 25)
BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Betrayed by Ednah Walters (May 29)
xBlog Tour (Bewitching Book Tours): 77 Days in September by Ray Gorham (June 4)
Guest Blog (Betwitching Book Tours) - Serial Date b D V BeRkom (June 7)
Author Interview/Giveaway (WOW) – Finding Emma by Steena Holmes (June 13)
Blog Tour (Novel Publicity): Speculation by Edmund Jorgensen (June 20)
Blog Tour: (Dark Minds )Maid For Pleasure by Lucy Rodgers (Jul 6)
Author Interview (Bewitching Book Tours): Big Game by CJ Ellisson (July 9)
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Reunited
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Mrs. Tuesday's Departure
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Ferryman & the Flame
+Book Blast: (Bewitching Book Tours) Immortals and Melodies by Heather Jensen

Special Blog Hop Giveaways



Splash Into Summer Hop (Co-hosted by Page Turners) (May 25 – 31) – Winner –
Freedom Hop
Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop (Co-Hosted by Tifferz Book Review) (July 11 – 17) Winner -

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):


January Brings the Snow by Sara Coldridge
Hercubear vs. The Cyclops Rabbit by Lesley Williams (ebook)
Caterpillars Don’t Check Email by Calee M Lee, illustration: Jacob Lee (ebook)
My Friend the Bear by J J Ley (ebook)
Animals At The Zoo – Volume 4 by G Alexander (ebook)
My Lucky Life In And Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke (audio)
Easter Bunnies Everywhere by Ranae Rea (ebook)
Airplane Car by Cinda Lee (ebook)
Devil’s Food Cake Murder by Joanna Fluke (Audio)
Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords (audio)


Giveaways on the blog this week and in coming weeks:





Freebie Friday – The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffery (May 25 – June 1) Winner -
Freebie Friday – A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell (June 1 – June 8) Winner -
Freebie Friday – Fine Things by Danielle Steel (June 8 – June 15) Winner –
Freebie Friday - Crossings by Danielle Steel (June 15 – June 22) Winner -
Wyoming Statehood Giveaway - Wyoming by Dana Fuller Ross (July 10 – 17) Winner –
New York Statehood Giveaway - Than New York Minute by Abby Gaines (July 26 – 31) Winner –
Montana Statehood Giveaway - Montana Creeds: Dylan by Linda Lael Miller (Nov 11 – 18) Winner -

Giveaways Winners


Freebie Friday - To Catch An Heiress by Julia Quinn (January 20 - 27) Winner – Julie Witt
Freebie Friday - The Client by John Grisham (January 27 – Feb 3) Winner – Carol Wong
+Freebie Friday - Play for Pizza by John Grisham (April 20 - 27) Winner – Sharon Klassen
Freebie Friday – Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons (May 5 – 11) Winner –
Freebie Friday - To Die For by Linda Howard (May 11 – May 18) Winner –

Book Review: 2012 Book Bloggers Cookbook by Christy Dorrity

My review is a little late in coming since I had cataract surgery yesterday and hadn’t quite finished the review and couldn’t see to type last night.

Title: 2012 Book Blogger’s Cookbook
Author: Christy Dorrity
Publisher: Dorrity Publishing
ASIN: B007ZS0UBY
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Pages: 118
Genre: Cookbook
Format: ebook
Source: Author for review (Kindle)

Amazon:
Great books, bloggers, and recipes meet in this second volume of a fresh and unique cookbook that helps you experience books, not just read them. This year's volume features even more tasty reads, recipes and book bloggers.

Books were selected from the author’s book review blog and paired with delectable recipes like “Caramel Crack” from Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi, "Everliving Soup" from Brodi Ashton's Everneath, and "Jagged Ham" from Elana Johnson's Possession.
Mouthwatering photos complement every recipe.

The 2012 Book Blogger’s Cookbook includes a foreword by David Farland, award winning, New York Times Bestselling author, and showcases more than one hundred reviews with links to book review blogs and author websites.

Whether you're a food lover, an avid reader or a book blogger, there’s something for you in The 2011 Book Blogger’s Cookbook.


Mine:
I’ve had the honor of reviewing this book for a second year and it’s as good as before.

I love how there are recipes to go with each book, not necessarily from the book like there in many cozy mysteries. The recipes tie in to the location of the book or a place that is visited in the book.

Plus I always find new books to be added to my TBR list. Here I a few I plan to add this year

- I’ll be adding Gypsy Knights by Rhett and Lafe Metz it doesn’t hurt that the recipe that goes with it sounds wonderful – Beignet Chess Squares

- I’ll be Adding Back When You Were Easier to love by Emily Wing Smith this looks like a nice contemporary YA

- Janitors by Tyler Whitesides looks like a fun book that takes place at school where the janitors have a secret.

- Courting Miss Lancaster by Sarah M Eden sounds like a wonderful period piece and a very English recipe of Chocolate Violet Creams to go with it.

My only regret is that this doesn’t come in print format for the recipes that I would love to try Carmel Crack and Rosemary, Sea Salt and Crème Fraiche Croissants. I’m not ready to take my iPad into the kitchen yet.

Thank you once again for coming up with a wonderful recipe for books and food combined. Looking forward to next year’s addition already

I highly recommend that you check it out on Amazon you will be able to find last year's edition also. Happy reading and cooking always a great combination.

What Are You Reading Monday? #54

Books I completed in the last week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)



Dana Dinosaur Takes a Bath by Leslie Garland (ebook)
Hello by Funesan (ebook)
Hello Hello (in the sea) by Funesan (ebook)
Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords (audio) (CD8)


Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)



Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark (p61)
Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan (ebook – Kindle)
Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles) by Susan Wiggs (Audio) (CD1)


Up Next:


Deadly Notions by Elizabeth Lynn Casey (Souther Sewing Circle #4)
Huck by Janet Elder (Audio)
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (p70)

Reviews posted this week:


Book Review: Dana Dinosaur Takes a Bath by Leslie Garland (ebook)
Book Review: Tweet ! By Rebekah Matthew (ebook)
Book Review: Hello by Funesan (Ebook)
Book Review: Hello Hello (in the sea) by Funesan (ebook)


Author Guest Posts/Interviews:


Author Interview (Bewitching Book Tours): Book My Merlin Awakening by Priya Ardia (May 14)
Guest Post (WOW): Springtime Journaling Prompt Grab Bag by Mari L. McCarthy (May 22)
Author Guest Post (Bewitching Book Tours)– Oracle Series - Alayne Williams (May 22)
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston (May 22)
Book Blast Tour (I Am A Reader) : Master of the View by Daniel Cohen (May 24)
BookBlast Tour (WOW): Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore by Barbara Conelli (May 25)
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Betrayed by Ednah Walters (May 29)
Author Interview/Giveaway (WOW) – Finding Emma by Steena Holmes (June 13)
Blog Tour (Novel Publicity): Speculation by Edmund Jorgensen (June 20)
Blog Tour: (Dark Minds )Maid For Pleasure by Lucy Rodgers (Jul 6)
+Blog Tour (Bewitching Book Tours): 77 Days in September by Ray Gorham (TBA)
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Reunited
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Mrs. Tuesday's Departure
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Ferryman & the Flame
+ BookBlast : (I Am A Reader) Colors Like Memories

Special Blog Hop Giveaways




Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):


January Brings the Snow by Sara Coldridge
Hercubear vs. The Cyclops Rabbit by Lesley Williams (ebook)
Caterpillars Don’t Check Email by Calee M Lee, illustration: Jacob Lee (ebook)
My Friend the Bear by J J Ley (ebook)
Animals At The Zoo – Volume 4 by G Alexander (ebook)
My Lucky Life In And Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke (audio)
Easter Bunnies Everywhere by Ranae Rea (ebook)
Airplane Car by Cinda Lee (ebook)
Devil’s Food Cake Murder by Joanna Fluke (Audio)
Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords (audio) (CD8)


Giveaways on the blog this week and in coming weeks:





Freebie Friday - To Die For by Linda Howard (May 11 – May 18) Winner –
Freebie Friday – (May 18 – May 25) Winner -


Giveaways Winners


Freebie Friday - To Catch An Heiress by Julia Quinn (January 20 - 27) Winner – Julie Witt
Freebie Friday - The Client by John Grisham (January 27 – Feb 3) Winner – Carol Wong
+Freebie Friday - Play for Pizza by John Grisham (April 20 - 27) Winner – Sharon Klassen
+Maryland Statehood Giveaway - Annapolis byWilliam Martin (April 28 – May 5) Winner – Mary Ann Woods
Freebie Friday – Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons (May 5 – 11) Winner –

Book Review: Hello by Funesan (Ebook)

Title: Hello
Author: Funesan
Publisher: NA
ISBN: B007QOH6QE
Release Date: , 2012
Pages: 17
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook
Source: Amazon.com


Amazon:
When you say hello, animals will jump in a joyful way.


Mine:
What a delightful and colorful book to read aloud with a child. The animals are wonderful and not always common.


\Reading Challenges:
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge
2012 100+ Books in A Year Reading Challenge
2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
Pages Read Challenge
2012 Reading Challenge Addict
An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge
Why Buy The Cow? Reading Challenge 2012
2012 E-Book Reading Challenge
Free Reads 2012 Reading Challenge
What An Animal Reading Challenge V
2012 Read to Me Picture Books Challenge

Book Review: Hello Hello (in the sea) by Funesan (ebook)

Title: Hello Hello (in the sea)
Author: Funesan
Publisher: NA
ISBN: B007UQY8E6
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Pages: 23
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook
Source: Amazon.com

Amazon:
When you say hello, sea creatures will appear.



Mine:
What a delightful and colorful book to read aloud with a child. The sea creatures are made to be friendly and teach a child that the sea can be your friend.


Reading Challenges:
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge
2012 100+ Books in A Year Reading Challenge
2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
Pages Read Challenge
2012 Reading Challenge Addict
An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge
Why Buy The Cow? Reading Challenge 2012
2012 E-Book Reading Challenge
Free Reads 2012 Reading Challenge
What An Animal Reading Challenge V
2012 Read to Me Picture Books Challenge

Book Review: Dana Dinosaur Takes a Bath by Leslie Garland (ebook)

Tiitle: Dana The Dinosaur Takes A Bath
Author: Leslie Garland
Publisher: NA
ISBN: B007XKRSGE
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Pages: 20
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook
Source: Amazon.com

Amazon:
Dana Dinosaur is on another adventure! She is going to have to take a bath.

What will Dana do? She doesn't want to come clean? She likes mud. Read this story for the details.

Dana Dinosaurs Takes A Bath- A Funny Rhyming Children's Picture Book is a great read for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers who are trying to learn how to read. They will enjoy the play on words. It truly makes reading fun.

The pictures are colorful, bright and fun. They make big kids and little kids smile and laugh out loud.

This is no doubt the best bedtime story that will promote happy dream for your little ones tonight.


Mine:
Dana hates to take baths, but in the end once in the bubbles has a wonderful time. This is a wonderful book to share with a child that hates bathtime. Who doesn’t like to have fun in the bubbles?


Reading Challenges:
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge
2012 100+ Books in A Year Reading Challenge
2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
Pages Read Challenge
2012 Reading Challenge Addict
An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge
Why Buy The Cow? Reading Challenge 2012
2012 E-Book Reading Challenge
Free Reads 2012 Reading Challenge
What An Animal Reading Challenge V
2012 Read to Me Picture Books Challenge

Book Review: Tweet ! By Rebekah Matthew (ebook)

Title: Tweet!
Author: Rebekah Matthew
Publisher: NA
ISBN: B006XY3KIG
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Pages: 11
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook
Source: Amazon.com

Amazon:
One day in the life of a little cheerful bird.


Mine:
Beautifully illustrated book that show all the places that "bird" visits and leaves behind a happy place.


Reading Challenges:
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge
2012 100+ Books in A Year Reading Challenge
2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
Pages Read Challenge
2012 Reading Challenge Addict
An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge
Why Buy The Cow? Reading Challenge 2012
2012 E-Book Reading Challenge
Free Reads 2012 Reading Challenge
What An Animal Reading Challenge V
2012 Read to Me Picture Books Challenge

Freebie Friday - To Die For by Linda Howard

Here is this weeks Freebie Friday fare

From GoodReads

Blair Mallory lives the good life. She’s pretty, confident, and the owner of a thriving up-scale fitness center. But in the shadow of success, a troubled member of the club develops a strange fixation on Blair, imitating her style and dress. Matters take a darker turn when the look-alike is shot dead–and Blair witnesses the horror.

As the media speculates on the tawdry details of the homicide and pushes Blair into the harsh spotlight, she locks horns with police lieutenant Wyatt Bloodsworth. He wants to lead an investigation without interference, while Blair is determined to probe the dead woman’s life on her own. But when someone begins to menace Blair with mounting threats, Wyatt takes notice: Was this murder indeed a lethal case of mistaken identity–and was Blair the intended victim?


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Book Blast (I'm A Reader) Kindle Fire & 9 eBooks

Blog Tour (Bewtiching Book Tours) : Women of The Dark Streets by Jess Faraday

Women of The Dark Streets

Contains
The Trickster Codex by Jess Faraday

Author: various authors
Edited by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman
Pages: 336
Pub Date: March 2012
ISBN 13: 9781602826519
Genre: lesbian paranormal anthology

Description

Enter a midnight world of the supernatural—a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and demons. A seductive world limited only by your imagination, full of dark fantasies, hidden desires, and sexy women who rule the night. Edited by award-winning editors Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman, Women of the Dark Streets presents all new tales of the paranormal from your favorite Bold Strokes authors.

Here's a taste to peak your interest

from the short story "The TricksterCodex," published this month in Women of the Dark Streets, alesbian paranormal anthology from Bold Strokes Books.

----

The infrequently patronized offices of AmeliaArcher, Private Investigator–that is, me–sit on top of a squat brown brickbuilding in downtown Los Angeles. It’s a dump. The water is unreliable and thewiring downright dangerous. But between the war and the fact that nobody hiresthe city’s only female dick with that bastard Philip Marlowe hanging around,I’m lucky to have it. My office is on the eighth floor, and the elevator isalways broken. After a year and change, I had a caboose like a marble statueand I could run up the stairs in heels without breaking a sweat.
I like to look on the bright side.


That day, I’d barely had time to toss my hat on the rack, light up a smoke,and put my size nines up on my desk when she walked through the door. Now thedame hadn’t been waiting when I got there, and I sure as Shinola hadn’t heardanyone on the stairs behind me. But who was I to complain? My first walk-in inweeks, and she was five-and-a-half feet of gorgeous, with shoulders like ageneral, black hair and eyes, and skin like red desert clay. She held herselfstraight and proud, and though she was wearing a tailored jacket and skirt,when I looked at her, I saw her barefoot and in buckskin on some high desertplain, that black hair no longer restrained by pins and fedora, but whippingfree around her shoulders in the wind.
“What’s up, Tiger Lily?” I asked.

About the Author:

Jess Faraday is the author of one novel, three book translations, a handful of short stories, and numerous nonfiction articles.

She is a graduate of the University of Arizona (B.A.) and UCLA (M.A.). Since then, she has earned her daily bread in a number of questionable ways, including translation, lexicography, copyediting, teaching high school Russian, and hawking shoes to the overprivileged offspring of Los Angeles-area B-listers.

She enjoys martial arts, the outdoors, strong coffee and a robust Pinot Noir.

Website: http://www.jessfaraday.com

Twitter:@jessfaraday

Facebook: Jess Faraday

Blog Tour (WOW): Author Interview & Giveaway - The Whip by Karen Kondazian

The Whip is your first novel. How did you enjoy the process of writing a novel and how much of your acting career influenced your writing?

It took me six years and 27 drafts to complete The Whip. I’m not sure you can call that enjoyment (possibly more like an obsession). I am a taskmaster with myself and was determined to see the book through, as I was passionate about telling Charley Parkhurst's story. But yes, often, I did find myself escaping freely; blissfully may I say, into Charley’s world. I would look at the clock and realize that it was 5 o’clock in the morning... and for some reason that was when my best work occurred. Perhaps it was because I was tired and did not struggle and obsess to write well. I just let it flow, come what may. The writing process, I found, is so much like the acting process. As an actor, you do intensive research, you create a back story for your character, and you let your mind dream the character in situations. How is the character the same as you? How is the character different from you? There is something called ‘sense memory’ in acting where a little thing, like a smell, sound, face or music can trigger an emotion. So in emotional places in the book, as an example, I would choose a detail that triggered an emotion in me, and allow the emotion to write for me. I let myself become an instrument, a channel. Unconsciously, I used everything I knew as an actor for my writing. In fact, I recommend writers to take acting classes to experience new tools for their writing.


What was your creative process like when writing The Whip? What happened before sitting down to write the novel? How did you decide you were ready to write the book?

Twenty years ago, I actually wrote a screenplay called The Whip. It needed work but nonetheless, William Morris Agency took it on and it was optioned by a Canadian producer, Kevin Sullivan. At that time, there was no cable television, where something like The Whip would have been appropriate... so all of the big networks turned it down for content reasons. Flash forward to 2005: A writer friend of mine had been nagging me for years to turn the screenplay into a novel. I had been thinking about it and reading books about writing novels, and such. Then my mother passed away. And I needed to escape into something, so I took pen to legal pad and began to write.


What do you think is required for a character to be believable? How did you create yours in The Whip?

For me to believe in a character, I have to deeply care about what happens to them. And as in life, when someone reveals their vulnerability, their wounded child inside, you begin to understand their actions and can have compassion for them. So I always try to write from the character’s point of view, the real truth about how they feel about themselves; the part that is covered and rarely shared with the world.


What do you want your book to do? Entertain people? Provoke thinking?

I’ve always believed that a novel should be a good read. A great story. A page-turner. Something that you literally can’t put down. Something that makes you sad because you are reaching the last few pages. Something that you find yourself thinking about weeks or even years later. Something that can reveal the truth about yourself. And that can inspire and transform. The Whip is about surviving terrible things in this life, and how one woman was able to pick herself up out of the mud and manure, survive, and even thrive.


What kind of research did you do to write this book?

Anything and everything about the 19th Century and about Charley Parkhurst. Of course, I used the Internet, the library, interviews in Watsonville, California (her home and burial place), books on the language and the culture of the west. The research never seemed to end. I even went as far as having to look up many of the words in the dictionary, to see what date they came into use in America.


What obstacles did you have in trying to tell your story?

Always keeping the logic clear. I often had to rearrange characters and situations and dates, as I would discover more research about the times. For example, in one instance, I had to change where a character was going (Sacramento, California) because I found out about a devastating plague that had hit the city at that time, driving everyone out of town and killing thousands of people. I also had to keep in mind to always make sure that the character's personalities grew through the years, but stayed within the truth of who they were and the unconscious 'intention' of their life.


Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us?

I’ve begun writing a fictionalized memoir called Looking For Jack Kerouac. I have had such a bizarre and fascinating life, having almost died two times and once almost killed. I've met some incredible people--both magical humans and monsters. And like most people, experienced dreadful losses. But I have survived it all. And through it all, have been protected somehow. And that’s what I want to write about. I believe that we are all protected, sometimes by not receiving the things we dream of. I believe that one of the lessons we must learn is to trust what life gives us and take it in our hands as a gift.


Where can our readers find out more about you and The Whip?

If you want to know more about me personally, my website is www.karen-kondazian.com
If you want to know about The Whip, my blog, book tours, reviews, articles, and where to buy The Whip (as a print or e-book... available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble) you can visit www.thewhipnovel.com.
We’re also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/thewhipnovel) and you can follow us on Twitter: @TheWhipNovel and @KarenKondazian


Is there anything else you wish to add?

Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” I suggest the daring adventure!

I want to especially thank Karen so much for participating on my blog, since she is out on tour promoting the book



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