Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop - Nearly 100 great giveaways!

Welcome to the
Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop
July 11th to 17th

Co-hosted by Tifferz Book Review

Featuring
Young Adult Romance 
& Clean Adult Romance 

Summer Lovin = Clean Romance = Marcia Lynn McClure 

If you have not yet read a Marcia Lynn McClure book here is your chance!

My Giveaway
Your choice of anyone of these Marcia Lynn McClure books:

Inspired Kathy's favorite books »

Paperback open to US, Ebook open Internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Each of these blogs is hosting a giveaway as part of this hop!

100 Ebooks for $3.99 or Less

Every month Amazon offers 100 ebooks for $3.99 or less. July has brought some great books.

June's 100 Kindle Books for $3.99 or Less





You can check out all of this months deals HERE.

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring. Anything you purchase through my affiliate link generates a small kickback. So whether you are shopping for books, movies, clothes, games, electronics, music, food or anything of the myriad of other things amazon sells use my affiliate link to shop. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

You can do this by using MY DIRECT AFFILIATE LINK-
http://www.amazon.com/?tag=iaarnaw-20

Guest Post & Giveaway: The Destiny of Shaitan by Laxmi Hariharan

Welcome to Author Laxmi Hariharan

While born in India, Laxmi Hariharan has lived in Singapore and Hong Kong and is now based in London. She has written for various publications including The Times of India, The Independent, Inside Singapore, Inside Hong Kongand Asian Age. Indian mythology inspires her work. When not writing, this chai-swigging technophile enjoys long walks in the woods, growing eye-catching flowers and indulging her inner geek. Her debut novel is The Destiny of Shaitan.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laxmihariharanauthor

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

Website: www.laxmihariharan.com

Guest Post:

Who wants to be a futurist?

“I am like Mohammed Bin Tughlaq, I am too far ahead of my time” so my father often complained to me in my growing years. I now understand that he took this as the main reason to being often misunderstood by the world. He perceived himself as being far ahead of his time. Cut to twenty years later, and here I am, claiming with a straight face that I am a futurist. It sounds so over the top when I say that right? It conjures up a image of someone who is just too cool for the real world? Over the years I have read what others who call themselves trendspotters, future-proofers or futurists, say for themselves; and I found there were certain traits I seemed to share with all of them, which is what prompted me to put myself into this eccentric segment. I have compiled my research into the following facts. How many of these facts describe some aspect of you?


1. Have you traveled and lived in at-least four different countries by the time you were thirty?
 
2. Do you prefer Percy Jackson over Harry Potter? But in general would read YA over any other kind of fiction book?

3. Are you fascinated still by the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland? And therefore were one of the first in your peer groups to experiment with drugs – but you know never really go the sleeping around thing because you fell in love at first sight and married really early. Normally your childhood or teen sweetheart or in your early twenties?

4. Is fantasy and science-fiction your favourite movie genre? Are you the only person you know (other than me who thinks The Fifth Element is one of the most entertaining movies ever made?)

5. Are you obsessed with vitamins, anti-ageing packs, anti-oxidants, flower essences, ginseng & assorted herbs from all parts of the world which help regenerate brain cells, physical cells, keeps your eyesight sharp etc. You get what I mean?

6. Were you one of the first in your peer group, to get an email address, and to get onto twitter and facebook, and the rest? And now you are like so all over social networking platforms then living in the real world is a real drag? In fact you normally end up having bizarre tweet conversations with others about the relative merits of Loki vs. Thor? And when you sit around a meeting room table with grown-ups they still can’t understand the appeal of twitter over FB – duh!

7. Are you like forever fascinated by technology & Einstein and you just don’t know why? It’s just that they are really cool?

8. You are very instinctive, and believe in the unsaid, the unheard, the unseen… you are not alone. And the force is very real all around you.

9. Friends accuse you of being ‘spaced out’; being ahead of your time and you often struggled to fit in as a teenager. In fact it is the same now; except you are just smart enough to embrace social niceties and put people at ease by saying all the right words. In fact you are so smart, you know exactly what to say to get on their right side, but beneath it all, you just want to run away and play with your devices.

10. Always dreamt of being an entrepreneur, and even now find it difficult to follow rules, have issues with authority, still think you are stuck in your rebellious teenaged self? Therefore do you think children and teenagers make more sense than grown-ups and their boring talk any day? And yet you don’t want to have your own kids because you are convinced they are too good for this Earth anyway?

Did you say yes to eight out of ten of the above? In which case congratulations! You’ve just joined the elite club of us misunderstood, socially awkward, geeky, fantasy inspired, night riders. In my experience though either you say yes to all or else none, that’s just how we futurists are. Rather extreme.

For myself, I have learnt that I do have more in common with a fifteen year old geek, or for that matter with the ten year old son of many of my friends. I believe this is also one of the reasons I look decades younger than my real age? It’s probably my East Indian genes too. But that’s another story.

The Destiny of Shaitan Book Summary

Kindle bestseller The Destiny of Shaitan is a delicious blend of gods & humans, sacred & profane; a gripping ride offering a glimpse into your own power. 
Partially set in a futuristic Bombay, this coming of age story is painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world.
When Tiina accompanies Yudi on a mission to save the universe from the ruthless Shaitan, she seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Driven by greed and fear for his own survival, Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying everything in his path.  Tiina wants Yudi to destroy Shaitan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Shaitan being killed by his son. But she finds that Yudi is hesitant to do so. The final showdown between Tiina, Yudi, and Shaitan has unexpected consequences, for Shaitan will do anything in his power to win the fight.  The stakes are high and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan's ultimate destiny be fulfilled?

For all the tour stops please visit: http://the-destiny-of-shaitan.blogspot.com/

$15 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Details:
Anyone who comments is entered into a drawing to win $15 amazon card from the author.  The best comment will get profiled on Laxmi's Reader Avatar series on her blog.

Ebook Giveaway:
1 ebook of The Destiny of Shaitan
Ends 7/24/12


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Home Sweet Home!

My son is finally home from the hospital and my cast comes off next week. It will still be a while before either of us are back to "normal" but things are looking up.

I am currently far behind on this blog and it's going to take me weeks to catch up. I have dozens of posts I didn't get up. Tons of giveaways to draw winners for and hundreds of emails I haven't been able to respond do. I'm just taking it a day at a time realizing there are things that I will likely never get done.

My apologies to those authors and publishers whose posts did not go up on time. My blog is a "hobby" and unfortunately life has made it impossible to keep up with my commitments for this blog.

Summer Reads Giveaway Hop

Summer Reads Giveaway Hop

July 6th to 11th

Co-hosted by Rex Robot Reviews

My Giveaway: 
Your choice of anyone of Marcia Lynn McClure's currently available titles.  
Paperback open to US only, Ebook open Internationally

Inspired Kathy's favorite books »

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Each of these blogs is hosting a giveaway as part of this hop. I usually update the linky to go directly to the giveaway post but due to my broken leg I cannot sit long enough to do so. If you come across a blog that does not have a giveaway posted please leave a comment so I can delete them.

2nd Annual Summer Giveaway Hop Sign Ups

2nd Annual Summer Giveaway Hop 

Co-Hosted by Mary from BookHounds & Forever Young (adult).

August 1st to 7th

What is a giveaway hop?
Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers to hop easily from one giveaway to another. 
For followers this means lots of chances to win free books.
For blogs hosting a giveaway it means lots of new visitors.
It's a win-win!

Each participating blog will host their own giveaway. There is no requirement on the minimum or maximum value of your giveaway. It's up to you to decide. You can give away books, swags, amazon gift cards, or anything else you can think of that has to do with books. Your giveaway can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. 

All participating blogs will be linked up through a Giveaway linky. 
Please keep the process to enter your giveaway as simple as possible. 
Please no long lists of dozens of different things followers can do to gain extra entries. 

As you prepare your giveaway post please remember the following:

1. The Summer Hop Images needs to be part of your post. 

2. Include the linky list with all the participating blogs at the end of your post OR link to the giveaway hop post.

3. Giveaway must be book related!

4. Keep the way to enter your giveaway as simple as possible. 1 Mandatory entry, all others must be optional.  If you have a long list of ways for people to enter you will be deleted from the linky.

Please turn off word verification and CAPTCHA if you require more than 1 comment for entries - If you are concerned about spam then enable comment moderation.

5. This must be a giveaway specifically for this hop and must run only the 7 days this hop is scheduled.

6. Keep your giveaway easy to find for the entire 7 days this hop is open.  If you post often and your post does not stay near the top of your main blog page then please post a link to your giveaway at the top of your blog or sidebar.

7. Both your blog and your giveaway must be Family Friendly.


Please mark your calendars. It is a busy time of year.  A reminder email will be sent out a few days before the hops starts.

Questions can be emailed to: toobusyreading at gmail dot com.

To Sign Up To Host A Giveaway Click on the Blue Link at the bottom of the linky that Says "Click here to enter" and fill out the form with the following information:

Your Blog Name followed by where you will ship to in parentheses
Link to your Blog or Website
Email Address to send you a reminder email

Author Interview & Book Giveaway: Spider Brains by Susan Wingate

Welcome to Author Susan Wingate

No. 1 Amazon Bestselling, Award-winning author, SUSAN WINGATE, is co-host of the very popular talk radio show, DIALOGUE: BETWEEN THE LINES.

Susan has written ten novels, two short story collections, a few plays, one screenplay and tons of poems. Her novels DROWNING and BOBBY'S DINER have received rave reviews and multiple awards.

Susan’s pseudonyms include, Myah Lin (literary fiction) and JJ Adams (noir mystery).

http://www.susanwingate.com/



Interview:
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
SPIDER BRAINS will make you want to be a kinder person.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?
Why, yes. Yes, there is. The theme song for SPIDER BRAINS would be "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider." In fact, the eBook has the link to one of the best rap renditions of "Itsy-Bitsy" I've ever heard.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?
When I was in the second grade, I decided I wanted to become an ichthyologist. Get a dictionary or encyclopedia and look it up. Then, around the same time I changed that because I didn't live around water. So, I decided that I wanted to become a veterinarian instead. As you can see, both professions are so much like being a writer! Pfft. NOT!

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Okay. This is a first. I've never been asked this question before. Hmm. Well, maybe the actor I would like see play me might be Sandra Bullock. And, why? Because she has similar physical traits as I do. But also, because she's a spectacular actress. She can be very funny and as we have seen in the movie "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" she can be very serious too. Plus, I just love her.

Who are your favorite authors of all time?
I have a huge list but here are some amazing authors that come to mind right away:
• Kurt Vonnegut
• W Somerset Maugham
• Ernest Hemingway
• Woody Allen
• Ian McEwan
• Zora Neale Hurston
• Elizabeth George
• Scott Turow
• Jonathan Safran Foer
• Meg Cabot
• Lauren Weisberger
• Jack Kerouac
• Joan Didion
...to name a few.

What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
That we must learn from our struggles. My friend Kitty Sorgen said this just yesterday. Instead of seeing trouble and strife as roadblocks, we must see them as things to learn from. And, if anyone has ever seen the hilarious movie "Burn After Reading" that point is made crystal clear at the end.

Hidden talent?
I can talk to animals. Much the way Dr. Doolittle does. Shh... don't tell anyone. It's a secret between me and the critters. And, now, you too, Kathy.

How do you react to a bad review?
I drop to the floor, flop onto my side, paddle my legs in a circle spinning and screaming, "Die! Die! Die!" Then I go out to the firepit and burn a piece of under clothing. Just kidding. I try not to read bad reviews and when I do happen onto one, I figure that everyone deserves the right to their opinion.

Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is....
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer

Favorite places to travel?
I love France. Anywhere in France--Paris to the South of France--it's all beautiful there.

Writer a Haiku about your book
SPIDER BRAINS squish
Whenever you smash
A defenseless sweet spider

In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
I think I would like to co-author a book with Elizabeth George. The reason being that we work very similarly. Plus, I would learn a ton from that woman. She's awesome.

Thank you so much, Kathy. This has been an awesome interview.
-Susan Wingate.

Spider Brains

“Simply put, Susan Wingate is a master of the written word. ...a heart-warming tale full of wit and intrigue: a nod to Kafka’s Metamorphosis in a quirky blend with The Princess Diaries. There are laugh out loud moments with the teenage protagonist, Susie Speider, whose voice was well executed and credible. But there are also moments that tug at the heartstrings and even bring a tear to the eye, as we see Susie’s angst when she faces pain from the past, as well as redemption through the relationship with her mother. Whether or not you’re a fan of YA literature, you’ll love SPIDER BRAINS. But don’t expect anything ordinary!” ~from award-winning, no. 1 Amazon & no. 1 Barnes & Noble bestseller, Joshua Graham (author of “Darkroom” (Howard Books) and “Beyond Justice”)

After her father’s death last year and, now, in the throes of a gnarly teacher’s whim as she thinks ahead to college, a small black arachnid bites fifteen-year-old Susie Speider gets bit on the finger and sends her nights into fantastical dreams about taking revenge on a teacher–a one Ms. Morlson–who, ultimately, holds Susie’s college aspirations in the sweaty palm of her cold calloused hand. But, after Susie figures out the dreams are real, she ups the ante and visits the teacher regularly but… as the spider. And, oh, by the way! Who is that boy spider munching on flies, hiding over there in the corner?

Giveaway Details
1 copy of Spider Brains
Open to US & Canada
Ends 7/16/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway