Freebie Friday - A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell (US Only - ends 6/8)

Elizabeth Nightingale found peace and tranquility on her nightly walks through the rich, dense forests surrounding Myfleet Manor. But the peace she treasured was shattered one night when she found death waiting in the woods. Chief Inspector Wexford and his colleague Inspector Burden find a most unsavory case on their hands -- and must use all their wit and wisdom to solve it . . .


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Book Blitz Promo Stop & Giveaway- (Bewitching Book Tours) - Blood and Whiskey by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall

Blood and Whiskey
The Cowboy and Vampire Thriller Series, Book Two

The worst things in life always begin with a phone call.

When a young homeless woman is snatched from the streets of Portland, Oregon, she has time to make one terrified call to her uncle Lenny in tiny LonePine, Wyoming. A way-off-the-grid survivalist and paranoid conspiracy theorist, Lenny turns to his best friend Tucker for help.

But Tucker’s got his own problems, including a vampire girlfriend.

A perpetually broke, down-on-his-luck cowboy, Tucker fell hard for Lizzie, a whip smart, big city girl and hotshot reporter. To everyone’s surprise in LonePine (all 438 of them), she fell hard for him too.

Their unlikely love is central to The Cowboy and the Vampire: A Darkly Romantic Mystery when Lizzie finds out the awful truth about her dark heritage. Tucker, with a little help from his Dad, Lenny and an overly-sensitive cow dog named Rex, take on Lizzie’s maniacal vampire father and his beautiful consort Elita. It’s a blood-spattered undead apocalypse of terror and tumbleweeds.

In Blood and Whiskey, the second book in The Cowboy and Vampire Thriller Series, Tucker, Lizzie and the rest of the gang are back with a vengeance. Lizzie is pregnant, with a growing, unquenchable thirst for human blood and trouble on the horizon. The most powerful vampires from the ruling clans are headed to LonePine to test her new powers. If they find her lacking, Lizzie, her growing baby, and all of LonePine will be destroyed — not that it would take very long.
It’s certainly an inconvenient time for Tucker to take a road trip, but sometimes friendship trumps common sense. With a duffle bag of improvised weapons, he sets out for Portland with Lenny to find the kidnapped girl. They end up in remote Plush, Oregon, where — smack dab in the middle of the sagebrush desert — they uncover a human blood farm run by a fearsome cowboy enemy resurrected from the Old West. His name is Henry Plummer and his sights are set on Lizzie.
As the truth about what they have uncovered dawns on Tucker and Lenny, they rush back to LonePine. The Vampire Illuminati have already arrived, including Rurik, a handsome Russian vampire angling to take Tucker’s place next to Lizzie.

How far will Lizzie and Tucker go to protect their unlikely love?

Blood and Whiskey is a story of love, loyalty and loss in the modern American West. With meditations on the nature of good and evil, a new cosmology for vampires — including a meta-consciousness where vampire minds reside between deaths — and a cast of gritty, quirky, realistic western characters, Blood and Whiskey tangles the vampire and cowboy myths into a groundbreaking new “modern gothic western” genre.

About the authors

Stuff Clark likes: sagebrush, the American West, clouds, whiskey and graphic novels. Stuff he hates: running quarterbacks, drivers who don’t use turn signals and the sound of flip-flops.

Stuff Kathleen likes: Russian literature, anarchy, martinis, lava and the ocean. Stuff she hates: intermissions, Halloween corn mazes and high-speed vehicular sandwiches. And the Muppets.

Learn more and stay in touch:
www.cowboyandvampire.com

www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire

Twitter: @cowboyvamp

Blog tour giveaways:

Signed set of Book 1and Book 2 for the Cowboy and Vampire series (Cowboy and Vampire, and Blood andWhiskey). 2 sets to giveaway.

AND

Entry into a drawingfor a $50 Amazon gift card for anyone that posts a review on Amazon, Goodreadsor Powell's. Email authors at cowboyandvampire@gmail with link to review to beentered. It need not be a fancy review, just an indication of reading orwanting to read it.

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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.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 –