Book Review: The Break-Up Artist by Shannen Camp Crane

Most teenage girls can agree that the worst part of starting a relationship in high school, is the inevitable breakup. All the careful planning in the world doesn’t ever seem to be enough to prevent that horribly awkward moment of telling your soon-to-be ex-boyfriend “It’s not you, It’s me”. But what if you had someone to do that for you? Imagine being able to hire a breakup artist the same way you’d hire someone to do your nails. That’s where Amelia Marie Bedford comes in. Blessed with good looks and absolutely no friends, Amelia finds her true calling in the subtle art of the breakup. But when a gorgeous green-eyed client named David seems to actually be interested in her for more than just her looks, Amelia starts to falter on her “no dating your paycheck” rule. As the pre-Prom deadline closes in on her Amelia has to decide if David’s intentions are true, or if something more sinister lurks behind that perfect face.

I should probably wait a couple months to post this review. The Break-Up Artist by Shannen Crane Camp doesn't even have a cover yet and won't be released until December.  However I know myself well enough to know that if I wait any longer I won't remember the book well enough to say much more than I loved it.

I received an early review copy of this book and had no intention of reading it yet.  It was a digital review copy that I didn't have a clue how to transfer to my Kindle so I had to sit at my computer to read.  I hate reading at my computer but I opened it up to read just the first couple pages and didn't want to stop reading.  With as much as I read it has become increasingly hard for a book to grab me and suck me in.  The Break-Up Artist managed to do that.  I found it light, refreshing, humorous and I just kept reading and reading while sitting at my computer.

This book has potential to be a 5 Star book. It is still in editing so I'm hoping a couple things will be cleared up and clarified while it goes through editing. Even if nothing gets tightened up in editing I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clean, light, fun young adult books.

Rating: 4.5 Stars - Highly Recommend

Content: Clean

Source: Review copy

The Break-Up Artist will be released on December 8, 2011 by Sweetwater Books an imprint of Cedar Fort.

Book Review: Torment by Lauren Kate

Hell on earth.
That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.
It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.
At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.
What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?
The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

Grrr... I thought this series was a trilogy. The 3rd book is out so I figured it was time to read book 2 so I could finish the series and cross it off my list. I finished this book and went to start book 3 only to find out this isn't a trilogy... There will be a 4th book. So now I'm wishing I had waited until next year to read this book and will wait to read Passion until the 4th book Rapture is released.  The book does end on a cliffhanger but it wasn't a cliffhanger that left me frustrated, more of a set up for the next book.

Given a choice on what to read this falls into my favorite genre. I admit that I really do enjoy young adult paranormal books. My biggest problem is I have read so many of these books that I forget which story line fits into which series and confuse many of the characters and forget details about them.

I've read mixed reviews on the Fallen series, some people love it and others don't. Personally I'm enjoying it. I admit it's not my favorite series - it moves quite slowly at times but managed to keep my interest throughout. I did enjoy the second book more than I did the first. If this is genre you enjoy than you should read this series too. If you enjoy books like Twilight, Mortal Instruments, Hush Hush, Hex Hall, Iron Fey, Wolves of Mercy Falls, Wings, Paranormalcy, Wondrous Strange, 13 to Life, etc. then give this series a try. Personally I've read and enjoyed ALL the above mentioned young adult series so you can tell I'm not too hard to please when it comes to this genre. If you don't love this kind of book than this probably isn't for you.

Content: some language scattered throughout, some innuendo and talk of sex and desire but nothing graphic or implied.

Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book

Source: Download from Audible.com

Torment was released by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on September 28, 2010.

Book Giveaway: The Big Book of Boy Stuff by Bart King

There's this boy. Let's say he's somewhere between nine and thirteen years old or so. You'd like to see this kid get creative. You'd like to see him get some exercise. You'd like to see him get out from in front of the television. And you'd love for him to be motivated enough to find some stuff to do on his own. This boy NEEDS The Big Book of Boy Stuff!
The Big Books of boy Stuff is filled with hours of entertainment and enlightenment for adventure-seeking boys. Bart King interviewed hundreds of wise guys and smart alecks for the awesome content found in The Big Book of Boy Stuff. Boys can learn how to: Make lightning; Fool friends with practical jokes; Build and launch a water rocket; How many mosquitoes does it take to suck all the blood out of a person?

Publisher Gibbs Smith sent me an extra copy of The Big Book of Boy Stuff to giveaway. My 9 year old son LOVES this book. He got his copy of the book a year ago and I still find him reading it.

Giveaway Details:
1 copy of The Big Book of Boys Stuff
Open to US only
Ends 10/24

Book Giveaway: The Heavenly Surrender by Marcia Lynn McClure

"Dear Mr. McLean, I feel, as you do, that this arrangement will be beneficial and satisfactory for both of us. I agree that we, having committed to follow through with the previously corresponded terms, will legally marry upon my arrival next week. I expect nothing from you, save a place of residence, the required necessities of living, hard work to keep my mind and physical being occupied, and respect. I in turn will assist you in whatever is required to sustain and maintain your land and crops, while providing meals, doing mending, and fulfilling other non-intimate duties commonly performed by a man's legal wife. I will arrive in Blue Springs on the 10:00 a.m. train, April 3rd..."
Genieva Bankmans had willfully agreed to the arrangement. She had given her word and she would not dishonor it. Yet when she saw, for the first time, the man whose advertisement she'd answered...she was desperately intimidated. The handsome and powerful Brevan McLean was not what she'd expected-he was not the sort of man she'd reconciled herself to marrying. This man-the stranger whose name Genieva now bore-was strong-willed, quick-tempered and expectant of much from his new wife. Brevan McLean did not deny that he had married her for practical reasons only. He merely wanted any woman whose hard work would provide him assistance with the brutal demands of farm life. Still, Genieva would learn there were far darker things, grave secrets held unspoken by Brevan McLean concerning his family and his land. Genieva Bankmans McLean would find herself in the midst of treachery, violence and villainy-her estranged husband deeply entangled in it.

I'm thrilled to be able to host this giveaway for a signed copy of The Heavenly Surrender by Marcia Lynn McClure!

As followers of this blog already know - I adore Marcia and her books.  I have read all 30+ of her books and loved every single one of them.  They are my favorite non-guilty pleasures.

Clean, full of old-fashioned values, real romance and humor - Marcia's books are ones that I don't want to put down and can reread over and over again.  They always bring a smile to my face!

Here is your chance to get a signed copy of one of her most popular books The Heavenly Surrender!

http://marcialynnmcclure.com

Giveaway Details:
1 signed copy of The Heavenly Surrender
Open to US only
Ends 10/24

Optional Extra Entry:
+1 Become a GFC follower of Marcia's Blog: http://distractionsink.com/blog/
+1 Follow Marcia on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MarciaLMcClure
+1 Fan or Friend Marcia on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/527011.Marcia_Lynn_McClure

Author Interview & Book Giveaway - Part 2 Widow's Walk

Welcome to author Kenneth Weene.


Bio:

Life itches and torments Kenneth Weene like pesky flies. Annoyed, he pick up a paper to slap at the buzzing and often whacks himself on the head. Each whack is another story. At least having half-blinded himself, he has learned to not wave the pencil about. Ken will, however, write on until the last gray cell has retreated and there are no longer these strange ideas demanding his feeble efforts. So many poems, stories, novels; and more to come.

http://www.twitter.com/Ken_Weene

http://www.facebook.com/kenneth.weene


Interview:

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
Widow's Walk explores the meaning of spirit and the limits of religion.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I have a new book, Tales From the Dew Drop Inne: Because there's one in every town, currently in the queue at my publisher, All Things That Matter Press. There is another novel at my agent. Right now I am working on yet a fifth novel, which is an almost elegiac piece about life in Maine. Yeah, I keep busy.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
When very young, I loved anything with a dog in it. Lassie Come Home, I must have reread that one a hundred times. Then I graduated to Call of the Wild and White Fang. Next I discovered Steinbeck, read The Grapes of Wrath and never looked back.

What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Write. Read what you have written aloud. Rewrite. Read to others (not your cheering section but people who want to share meaningful feedback about the craft). Rewrite. Get an editor. Worry over every sentence, word, comma. Make love to your writing, and it will love you back.

If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why?
There are times and places I would love to visit, especially if I could do so in a cocoon of safety; but for living, I'm pretty happy here and now. Here, by the way, is Phoenix, AZ. So, some of those visits: Hitler's Germany and the camps to have a better sense of evil. Gandhi's ashram to better understand the scope of my idol. The steps of the Lincoln Memorial when King spoke to be a part of the history I consider so important in my life. Gettysburg to hear Old Abe. Dorchester Heights and Bunker Hill to help win my country's independence and Philadelphia with John, Tom, and Ben when they wrote the words. Hiroshima if I could sound an alarm. And the list goes on.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?
I wanted to be a writer. Even then I loved books. I took a rather long detour through a career as a psychologist, but finally I made it.

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Judd Hirsch for his manner or Alan Arkin because he is a great actor who could capture the nuance of me.

You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I'd take my wife out for some good sushi and then we'd go home and just be together. In other words, nothing very different.

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?
I admit it. I watch a lot of Disney. I like to escape to a world of simple answers and happy endings.

Favorite places to travel?
I've had lots of opportunities to travel in my life. My all time favorites were Paris, Venice, and India.

In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
I'd love to do something with Paul Harding. Hey, Paul, you listening?

Book trailer:
Widow's Walk - http://vidego.multicastmedia.com/player.php?p=wbgzb2yk

Widow's Walk:

Mary Flanagan, caught between her sense of religion and obligation on one hand and her very human desire for love and life on the other, is in emotional limbo. When she meets Arnie Berger, who becomes both her lover and philosophic guide, Mary's world seems to be transformed. Changes also come for Mary's children, who have been trapped in their own dilemmas. Sean, a quadriplegic, is looking for a fulfilled life. Mary's daughter, Kathleen must cope with infertility and anger in her search for happiness. The lives of all three Flanagans are turned upside down by happiness and tragedy.

Giveaway Details
2 winners will each receive a copy.
Open to US & Canada only
Ends 10/23

Optional Extra Entry
+2 Follow Kenneth on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Ken_Weene

Book Giveaway & Author Interview: Part 1 Memoirs From the Asylum

Welcome to author Kenneth Weene.


Bio:

Life itches and torments Kenneth Weene like pesky flies. Annoyed, he pick up a paper to slap at the buzzing and often whacks himself on the head. Each whack is another story. At least having half-blinded himself, he has learned to not wave the pencil about. Ken will, however, write on until the last gray cell has retreated and there are no longer these strange ideas demanding his feeble efforts. So many poems, stories, novels; and more to come.

http://www.twitter.com/Ken_Weene

http://www.facebook.com/kenneth.weene


Interview:
If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
I love history, but I want to see the future. I'm especially curious to listen to the music yet to be written and read the books that have yet to be written. Life is a banquet, and I want to savour it.

What is one book everyone should read?
Managing to withstand the temptation to name one of my books, I will name a book that has influenced me and which keeps coming back to haunt my thinking and writing. Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. If I can bend the rules and suggest the best recent book I've read, I would suggest Paul Harding's wondrously written Tinkers.

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
No, not an author, not even Shakespeare or Milton. Gandhi. Hands down. Why? Because he had such a nobility of spirit that he could lead by example and change the world. Because he had such love for mankind that it could be felt by his enemies. Not surprisingly Martin Luther King, Jr. would be a close second. Nelson Mandela is still with us, but I have to include him on the list.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
I start the day with coffee. I don't usually eat until I've been up a while. Then I eat just about anything. Yes, pizza and cold Chinese, but also oatmeal or a bagel. I'm not fussy about breakfast just as long as the coffee was good.

Night owl, or early bird?
I usually get up early and hit the computer.
By the way, my computer is a Mac and is named Frank Sinatra. If I don't plug him, he stops listening to me.
Much as I think of myself as an early bird, I do get up in the middle of the night when either a great idea or heartburn strike.

One food you would never eat?
This is a strange one. I always loved lobster. I mean I would eat it as often as I could. Spent some time in Prince Edward Island, Canada, where they catch great lobster, and I must have had lobster in some form every day for three weeks. Suddenly, in my late forties I developed a terrible allergy to that one crustacean. In itself that is unusual. Typically people who are allergic to one shellfish are allergic to all or most.
Another strange thing. My brother was as fond of crab as I was of lobster. He is now allergic to them.
Anyway, given the potential penalty of great suffering and even possible death, I don't eat those wonderful lobsters. Oh, I do miss them.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
Memoirs From the Asylum will make you ask yourself what it means to be free.

Book Trailer:
Memoirs From the Asylum - http://vidego.multicastmedia.com/player.php?p=nqm74a8k

Memoirs From the Asylum

Memoirs From the Asylum takes you not only inside the world of the state hospital but also inside the minds of patients and doctors. A tragi-comedic novel of madness, love, sexuality, violence, death, celebration, circuses, and surprising twists.

Giveaway Details
2 winners will each receive a copy.
Open to US & Canada only
Ends 10/23

Optional Extra Entry
+2 Follow Kenneth on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Ken_Weene

On the Fringe Winners!

Congratulations to the Winnesrs of

On the Fringe

The winners were selected using Random.org

syndeymeve
lindadao
Gaby18

On the Fringe:

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.
Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.
As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.
Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker will be released on October 19, 2011 by Lands Atlantic Pulbishing.

The winners have been notified. Thanks to all who entered.

Book Giveaway & Author Interview: A Short History of a Tall Jew by Dennis Danziger

Welcome to Author Dennis Danziger


Bio:

Dennis Danziger is also the author of Daddy, The Diary of an Expectant Father. He writes a regular guest column for the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-danziger) and his essays have appeared in Premiere and Education Week. He lives in L.A. with his wife, the writer Amy Friedman. Please visit his website for more info: http://www.dennisdanziger.com.

Interview

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
It will make you laugh aloud or your money back. Really.

What inspired you to want to become a writer?
In my teens, I read Art Buchwald’s columns and Philip Roth’s fiction. Before reading their work, I didn’t know anyone could be that funny, and smart, on paper.


What is one book everyone should read?
Good-night Moon, Cat in the Hat, and You Can’t Go Home Again.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
Catcher in the Rye.

What is your dream cast for your book?
Paul Rudd as Philip and Kyra Sedgewick at Helena

What is your favorite quote?
Never, never, never give up. – Winston Churchill

Who are your favorite authors of all time?
Studs Terkel, Amy Friedman, and S.J. Perlman

Finish the sentence––one book I wish I had written is....
The Book of Deuteronomy. Imagine getting something so dry and filled with rules published and so well read. Go figure.


Favorite places to travel?
San Francisco, East Berlin and Pismo Beach.

What's the best writing advice anyone has ever given you?
If you write one page a day, at the end of the year, you’ve written a book.

A Short History of a Tall Jew by Dennis Danziger

Philip Lachman, a 39-year-old public high school teacher, dad, and divorcee, is looking for true love. More specifically, he is looking for a new wife who will put up with his teenage son, a budding communist who's into designer shoes, his teenage daughter who dreams of being the queen of an oil-rich country, and his ex-wife who's determined to make his life miserable. And it gets worse from there. Philip has no leads, no numbers, no idea where to begin. But how hard can it possibly be? Any kind, caring, competent woman will do. So long as she's not an actress. But in glittery, glamorous, how-much-money-are-you-worth L.A., Philip–who barely eeks out a living as a public high school teacher––soon finds himself on the ride of his life.
A SHORT HISTORY OF A TALL JEW is a beautifully crafted, charming and laugh-out-loud page-turner that takes on both the trivialities and truths of life, love, religion, and the public education system with a wink of the eye. It's a book for any reader who's ever struggled with the vagaries of the human heart, or maybe just being human.

Giveaway Details:
1 paperback copy
Open to US only
Ends 10/23

Brave Rooney by Gerry Renert

Brave Rooney by Gerry Renert

Ordinary boy Rooney shows up at Captain Majestic Memorial School, an elementary school for superheroes. Through the story, he shows all his superhero classmates what it means to be truly brave. Story is meant to build the player's self-esteem.
Features: Over 50 interactive features and animations, 23 pages of illustrations, narrated by author Gerry Renert (three-time Emmy-nominated kids' TV writer), highlighted reading text, Read to Me or I Can Read options, visual page index.

I'm slowly working my way into the world of technology. I now have a Kindle & just got my daughter a Nook. I thought I was keeping up fairly well but apparently not... Today I was introduced to digital interactive books that come as apps for the iphone or ipad. I'm still behind the times... I don't own an iphone just my ancient dated cell phone so I reviewed a pdf version of this book and viewed the you tube video to see how the app works. Pretty cool. I know my kindergartner would love this book.

As a story this books works. Even without the digital interactive features this made an entertaining read, one that I would read over and over to my children.  So for those of you who have small children and an iPhone or iPad these new interactive digital books may be something worth looking into.

Currently the only way to get this book is through iTunes.

.

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: PDF review copy from author

Author Interview & Book Giveaway: Beatrice Munson by Lorena Bathey

Welcome to Author Lorena Bathey

Bio:

Growing up in the Bay Area of Northern California, Lorena Bathey attended St. Mary’s College in Moraga graduating with a degree in English. Then she traveled, learned about life, and developed great fodder for a book. Losing her mother to cancer and her own marriage’s demise brought her to find herself. She wrote Happy Beginnings: How I Became My Own Fairy Godmother and found speaking and empowering others was her passion.
 Lorena Bathey found after writing her first book that characters were visiting her mind and wouldn't leave. She was introduced to Marissa, Andrea, Lily, Deidre and Beatrice and her first novel, Beatrice Munson, came to life. After finishing that book she was inspired to write more novels and she knew that pursuing her passion was the best way to live her life. So a writer she became. After meeting the love of her life, they embarked on the thrilling life to follow their dreams bringing their families along for the ride. Today Lorena has nine novels in her writing queue all with screenplays in the works.
 But writing isn't the only muse that inspires Lorena. She has become a passionate photographer and likes to push the envelope taking shots while learning how to navigate Photoshop. Travel, walking, enjoying new restaurants, and Italy are other loves and things she makes sure she has time for.

Website: www.LorenaBBooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lorena-B-Books/138014032926011 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lmmtoo

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?

Mary Magdalene. I would love to hear her side of the story of what really happened.

Favorite places to travel?

I love traveling to Europe. The history and art is amazing. I find wandering around through the back streets and museums truly enlightening. Finding a local eatery and meeting the locals make the experience even sweeter.

What was your favorite children's book?

There were two that were my ultimate favorites, Ferdinand the Bull and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Engine. Both books I would read over and over again. And when I had my own children I read the books to them.

What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

Write. I know it seems simple but it is the most important thing to do. No matter how whether with pen and paper or on a laptop, put the words down.  And don't worry about how it reads just get the writing down and let the editing process clean it up.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

What I had this morning. Fried egg, bacon and cheese sandwich on sourdough bread!

Night owl, or early bird?

I am really a night owl but have made myself an early bird so I can get more done.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? 

I actually have nine novels in my writing queue. My next novel is coming out in November. It's called The House on Plunkett Street about a girl who has been coasting through her life until she moves into a new apartment and is visited by three women ghosts from three different eras in history. Each of the ghosts show Phoebe something about her life she has been ignoring. And like all my stories there are plenty of twists and turns.

What inspired you to want to become a writer?

My mother passed away from cancer at 54 in 2001 and it made a huge impact on me. It made me really look at who I was and what I wanted to be. When my husband left me a couple of years later it just meant that I had the opportunity to be more and so I seized that chance to write about what my change was like. My first book, Happy Beginnings: How I Became My Own Fairy Godmother  was my journey to finding my inner fairy godmother and becoming stronger, smarter, and making this life filled with passion and joy. While writing that book I got the idea for my first novel, Beatrice Munson which was how I began writing novels.

One food you would never eat?

Haggis!

What is your favorite Quote?

"Everything happens for a reason."

Hidden talent?

Photography. I have become quite good actually and I have become a voracious taker of photographs so I'm not sure it's so hidden anymore.

Favorite Food?

Chocolate Mousse

Favorite Candy?

Bridge Mix from See's

How do you react to a bad review?

Of course no one relishes not hearing people love your book but I really do pay attention to what they are saying. I haven't gotten any bad reviews for Beatrice Munson but I have had some people feel lukewarm about the book and say why.

I find this the best advice I can get because it helps me become a better writer. I take to heart what they say and utilize that in the future writing. So I guess that means there is no real BAD review.

You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?

Two first class tickets to Italy for me and my busband!

Which authors have influence you most how?

I have had a real love affair with Stephen King lately. I was afraid of his books as a kid since his amazing ability to scare you with your own fears made me to scared to fall asleep. But recently I have started reading his other books like, The Stand, Misery, The Green Mile and his recent work, Under the Dome. What I have found is an huge money making author who is humble in his existence while also being a master at character development and plot interaction. I find his work so easy to read but so fascinating in its ability to draw you into his characters and never want to leave.

What do you do in your free time? 

I like to do needlework. I don't sew clothing or anything, but I love to do cross stitch and needle cross. I am in the process of making a blanket for my granddaughter and then I have two new Christmas stockings to make for the new babies that have joined our family.

What's your favorite season/weather?

I love Fall. The weather gets cooler and the leaves change and we get rainy days. It's homey feeling.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

The book is about realizing who you are, who you want to be, and marrying the two together.

Beatrice Munson:

In Vista Heights, the women of the neighborhood have started to look like their homes, varying shades of beige. Lost in this world of suburbia, Marissa Lyons learns her high school nemesis has bought the house right across the street from her. Afraid that her arch enemy, Beatrice Munson, will arrive with Marissa's high school crush as her husband and cause Marissa to relieve the insecurity of high school in her her forties, she decides to face the music and head to Beatrice's house with warm cupcakes. But what Marissa finds is something she never expected. How will Marissa and the rest of the women of San Martino deal with someone like Beatrice Munson, whose defining moment in her life was to get a boob job or go on a trip to Egypt. This story is about friendship, love, learning to look at things differently, and great parties. Step into the world of Vista Heights where you might not only recognize the women, you might be one of them.

Giveaway Details:
1 paperback copy open to US only
5 Ebook copies open Internationally
Ends 10/23/11

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lorena-B-Books/138014032926011
+1 Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lmmtoo

Author Interview & Ebook Giveaway: The Protector's Saga by P.M. Dooling

Welcome to Author P.M. Dooling


Bio:

Lover of all things weird and kitsch, soda junkie, Dr. Who fan, Museum enthusiast, and author of the self-published Protectors Saga.

Blog - http://paigedooling.blogspot.com/
Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/padooling

INTERVIEW:

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?

 The past for sure, there are just so many fascinating events that would have been so wonderful to witness...as long as I didn't get myself killed in some horrible way!

If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?

 I'm going to go with dead or alive on this question and choose Stan Lee, Truman Capote, Jim Henson, J. K. Rowling, and David Bowie

What is one book everyone should read?

 The Prophet by Khalil Gibran

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

 I wrote the Protectors Saga to really just be a fun fantasy read with strong female characters, epic fight scenes, and hopefully some irresistible romance.

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?

 Hands down, it has to be Harry Potter. Who doesn't want to be able to do magic?

When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?

 A Marine Biologist, I always had this image in my head of my catching a ride through the waves on a Humpback Whale's back.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? 

 I'm working on the 4th book in the Protectors Saga, hopefully to be out sometime in December.

Favorite places to travel?
 Hawaii, I love the ocean and I love the white sand beaches. It really is like paradise! I would also have to say New Mexico. The White Sand Dunes are out of this world...like something on Dr. Who!

Favorite Candy?
 It's like picking a favorite child! Of course, I do always keep a bowl of Skittles and a bowl of Reese's Pieces by my computer.

What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?

 It's actually coming out next year, but I'm super excited about the upcoming Avengers movie.

In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?

 It would have to be J. K. Rowling


There are currently three books in The Protectors Saga, the first one is free via smashwords.  For the giveaway Paige will be giving out the second and third books.
The target audience is definitely YA who enjoy fantasy and adventure with some romance thrown in. They would most likely be rated PG-13 for some battle violence and light swearing.

The Protectors: Book 1 in the Protectors Saga - Free @ Smashwords

Every 16-year old thinks they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. For Avery Kimball this was actually true…she just didn’t know it yet. Life for Avery was completely normal, attending school, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her family. Until the day she finds out that she and her four closest friends have a destiny that will take them far away from their comfortable and safe lives on Earth. Avery learns that she and her friends are actually a group of powerful warriors known as the Protectors, who were charged with protecting the planet of Orcatia, but were killed by the evil Emperor. To save their lives, their magical mentor sent them to Earth to be re-born. It is now their duty to return to the planet and life they have no memory of, and once again serve as its Protectors, fighting the very Emperor responsible for their deaths. Along the way, Avery must contend with battling malevolent creatures, her sometimes fragile relationships with her friends and fellow Protectors, her attraction to the mysterious King of Nightfell, and her own doubts and fears about who she truly is and who she can become.

Dark Fate: Book 2 in the Protectors Saga

Dark Fate, book 2 in the Protectors Saga continues where The Protectors left off, with Avery and Jade on their way to secure the Fairies aid in battling the Emperor. Complicating matters is the undeniable, but forbidden attraction Jade feels towards the Fairy Prince Eryk, forcing Avery to not only contend with her growing responsibilities as leader, but also the strain of trying to keep her best friend and second in command from doing something that could place all of Orcatia at risk. With her own feelings deepening for the irresistible, but difficult King Draven, Avery must find a way to push aside her ever confusing emotions so that she can lead her fellow Protectors into the most dangerous battle they have yet to enter…the battle of Blackmore.

Beginning’s End: Book 3 in the Protectors Saga

In Beginning's End, book 3 of the Protectors Saga, Avery and the other Protectors must forge new alliances, forcing Jade to step out of her comfort zone and into doing things she would rather not do...like attend a royal ball. Avery's relationship with King Draven comes to a head, as dark secrets from his past are revealed, throwing Avery's world even more upside-down. All the while, the deadline for the final battle draws closer, leading to a confrontation between Avery and the Emperor that brings them full circle, and once again, only one of them can come out alive.

Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive an ebook copy of Dark Fate & Beginning's End books 2 & 3 in The Protectors Saga.
Open Internationally
Ends 10/23/11

Author Interview & 10 Ebook Giveaway: Decoy by S.B. Sebrick

Welcome to Author S.B. Sebrick.
Bio:

I was raised in Vancouver, Washington near a forest that gave my imagination plenty of room to grow. Ever since I was ten years old, constantly designing worlds and story lines via my collection of legos, it only made sense to make the jump to fantasy writing, which occurred when I turned 13. This project has changed a lot since then it's grown for the better and takes the reader on a great adrenaline-packed ride. I have a mild addiction to chocolate hazelnut anything and am fascinated by ancient martial arts and wilderness survival.

Website: http://sbsebrick.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sb_sebrick
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/S-B-Sebrick/226259580758844
Amazon.com: Decoy (Assassin's Rising)
Barnes & Noble: Decoy

Interview:

If you were a superhero what would your name be? 
Super Seth. Seriously, that's the one I chose for myself when I was five, I even wrote a theme song then inspired by Captain Planet about "Putting the bad guys down to zero".

If you could have any superpower what would you choose? 
I'd have to go with wolverine's health regeneration and adamantium claws, but I did just write a novel about a kick butt assassin so I'm sure that's influencing my decision making process just a bit.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? 
Anything besides vanilla. What's the fun of desert if you only go with one basic flavor?

Night owl, or early bird?
Aspiring early bird, perpetual night owl.

One food you would never eat? 
I will never eat a cockroach EVER again!

Pet Peeves? 
My alarm clock's high pitched shriek. The ironic thing is I can't get rid of it since it works so well at waking me up! The downside is occasionally I hear it on the radio and twitch uncontrobably. Not a good habit to demonstrate on a first date...

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. 
For the same reason you go to a theme park, for the action-packed rides!

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? 
Well, Decoy is the first book in the "Assassin's Rising" Series which should be around 4 books in total. I have alot more material and characters in mind for this world, I'm just trying to figure out how to organize them all.

What inspired you to want to become a writer? 
I'd say it's a natural evolution from playing legos for hours on end when I was ten. Making up terrific stories and exotic worlds is alot of fun :) My Aunt DiAnne and my writer's group mentor Dr. Carey had a strong impact on my work as well though. They encouraged me to keep pushing at it, no matter what.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. 
I wrote the memoirs for four winners of the Women of Achievement program during my first two years of college. At the time it was a great chance to make money off my writing but I never expected to be granted an applause at the award's ceremony at the Hilton. Writing has opened doors for me I never could have dreamed of touching on my own. It's always fueled my desire to keep honing my skills.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen? 
The Walking Drum. Kerbouchard is so good at getting into and out of trouble with his witty humor and shear luck it makes for a terrific read.


What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors? 
Keep at it. The more stories you write, the more cash streams you'll have availiable when you get something published and people start paying attention to you.

What is your favorite Quote? 
"True Nobility is not waking the next morning better than the other guy. It's waking the next morning a better man than you were the day before."

Can you see yourself in any of your characters? 
Kaltor, the main character in Decoy, has a lot of attributes I aspire to. If I wrote the way he trained, this series would be almost done by now!

What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Just do your best and forget everything else.

Nickname?
Buddy, or Sethie if you're under the age of 5.

How do you react to a bad review?
It's a challenge to write a better story.

Which authors have influenced you most how?
I'd have to say J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson have really impacted my writing style when it comes to how I write Epic Fantasy. I've learned alot about deeply immersing yourself and the writer into another world.

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book? 
I spun around in my reclining chair repeated at work, ignoring the strange looks from my co-workers.

Decoy by S.B. Sebrick

The last few grueling years of training have served Kaltor well. He’s learned to harness the magic within his body, overcome a stronger opponent, avoid capture, and everything else an assassin-in-training needs to survive.
Or so he thought.
But when those they protect at an excavation site release a demon from the Abyss itself, Kaltor realizes just how poorly prepared they all are for what’s coming. Within a single night, their mining camp of one thousand people plummets to a couple hundred terrified survivors, the majority turned against each other by the demon’s potent abilities. Then she turns towards Shaylis, the largest city in the region, for the next stage of her plan.
In a constant battle of both steel and strategy Kaltor and his friends struggle to delay, deceive and defeat their opponent, who’s spent the last thousand years planning out every detail of her assault to perfection. As the number of casualties mounts and her final plan comes to light, Kaltor is left with only one option. He must draw on the secret power within himself, knowing if his true identity is discovered, his life and the fate of the world, will be changed forever.

Ebook Giveaway:
10 winners will each receive a copy of Decoy
Open Internationally
Ends 10/23

Author Interview: The Wedding Letters by Jason Wright

Welcome to Author Jason Wright. I loved his book The Christmas Jar. In fact we now have a "Christmas Jar" sitting in our bedroom that we have been filling all year long.

Jason is here to promote his new book The Wedding Letters which gets released tomorrow!

Bio:

Jason Wright was raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a regular contributor on Fox News, offering political commentary on the presidential race and serves as founder and managing director of the widely read political destination, PoliticalDerby.com. Jason enjoys volunteering and has created a literary program dedicated to creative writing for middle school students in the central Virginia area.
Jason's first book, The James Miracle, was released in 2004; in 2005 he penned the national bestseller Christmas Jars and in September 2007 released New York Times bestseller The Wednesday Letters.
Jason fell in love with Virginias Shenandoah Valley while researching the area for The Wednesday Letters, and with the enthusiastic blessing of his wife, Kodi, he recently relocated their family to the historic town of Woodstock. A sign on their door reads, Friends welcome. Family by appointment only.

Interview:
If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Gummy bears, gummy worms and a boat made of gummy!

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
To the past! I'd love to be there when the Founding Fathers worked their magic.

What is one book everyone should read?
The Kite Runner.

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Thomas Jefferson.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Smoothie.

One food you would never eat?
Okra. (Yikes!)

Skittles or M&Ms?
This is a tricky one, because it's based on mood. But after much thought (too much, frankly!) I'd go Skittles.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
The book will remind you of the magic of the handwritten letters and make you want to create your own book of Wedding Letters.

What inspired you to want to become a writer?

Greg Orr, a well-known, award-winning poet, visited my high school English class in 1987. I knew that day I'd one day write for a living.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?

Marry Me, by Cherie Call. She actually wrote it specifically for the book. It's gorgeous!

What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

Write, write, write, don't give up, write, write and write. One more tip? Don't up. One more? Write!

What is your favorite Quote?

"Be a duck."

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
Most definitely. I see a little of myself in most of my characters, but more so in Malcolm than any other. (Malcolm is the lead in The Wednesday Letters and a supporting player in the new sequel, The Wedding Letters.)

Hidden talent?
I can flip my eyelids inside out without actually my eyelids. It's a real crowd-pleaser!

Favorite Food?
Tacos.

Favorite Candy?
See first question!

What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?
Moneyball.

Nickname?
Fletch.

If you were a bird, which one would you be?
Big bird.

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?

Dinner at the Rainforest Café in Tysons Corner, VA.

Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is….

The Nine Lessons, by Kevin Milne

Favorite places to travel?
NYC

In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
Mitch Albom.

The Wedding Letters:

More than half-a-million readers are waiting for this sequel! Jason F. Wright's New York Times bestseller The Wednesday Letters introduced us to Jack and Laurel Cooper and Jack's tradition of writing letters to his wife every Wednesday of their married lives. But the love story didn't end there. When Jack and Laurel's grandson, Noah Cooper, bumps into Rachel, it's love at first sight—at least for Noah. Rachel isn't so sure. But Noah's charm pays off, and after they become engaged, Noah introduces his bride-to-be to another Cooper family tradition—the wedding letters. Family and friends of the happy couple are invited to send letters of advice on love, life, and happiness. However, when a dark secret from Rachel's past surfaces, will Noah's parents, Malcolm and Rain, be able to help save the wedding from disaster? And what about the scrapbook of wedding letters that have already been gathered for Noah and Rachel? Could a letter really provide the answer that will bring Rachel back? Readers are sure to laugh and cry, gasp and cheer for two hearts that were meant to be one.

The Wedding Letters will be released September 27, 2011 by Shadow Mountain Publishing.

In My Mailbox

For Review:

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died five years ago, Gaby's children have drifted apart, each one preoccupied by the turbulence in their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married-and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day—she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.
But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise—she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Survivors by James Wesley Rawles

WHAT IF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT ENDED TOMORROW?
The America we are accustomed to is no more. Practically overnight the stock market has plummeted, hyperinflation has crippled commerce, and the fragile chains of supply and high-technology infrastructure have fallen. The power grids are down. Brutal rioting and looting grip every major city. The volatile era known as “the Crunch” has begun, and this new period in our history will leave no one untouched. In this unfamiliar environment, only a handful of individuals are equipped to survive.
Andrew Laine, a resourceful young U.S. Army officer stationed overseas in Afghanistan, wants nothing more than to return home to Bloomfield, New Mexico. With the world in turmoil and all air and sea traffic to America suspended, Laine must rely on his own ingenuity and the help of good Samaritans to reach his family. Andrew will do whatever it takes to make it home to his fiancée, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Major Ian Doyle is a U.S. Air Force pilot sta-tioned in Arizona with his wife, Blanca. Their young daughter, Linda, is trapped in the North- eastern riots. Three teenage orphans, Shadrach, Reuben, and Matthew Phelps, have no choice but to set out on their own when their orphanage closes at the beginning of the Crunch. Then there is Ignacio Garcia, the ruthless leader of the criminal gang called La Fuerza, who will stop at nothing to amass an army capable of razing the countryside. And over everything looms the threat of a provisional government, determined to take over America and destroy the freedoms upon which it was built. The world of Survivors is a terrifyingly familiar one. Rawles has written a novel so close to the truth, readers will forget it’s fiction. If everything you thought you knew suddenly fell apart, would you survive?

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.