Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Blog Tour: Simulation by Tara Tyler

After Pop Travel, Geri convinced Cooper to move back to Atlanta, but for familiar reasons, things didn't work out... In Simulation, Geri is fighting her way back to full-fledged, solo agent status, but first has to deal with one more annoying sidekick on an equally annoying case. Meanwhile, Cooper takes his mind off Geri leaving him by throwing himself into his work, investigating an illegal clone android simulation operation. Sparks fly when Cooper and Geri's cases lead them down the same path. Of course Hasan wants to help them with their cases, and connives a plan to get them back together in the niddle of all the chaos!
SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more exciting new characters. Come along for the ride.


Lazy Housewife - Flashback to the A to Z challenge 2013! Here are one-liners for the A to Z LHW tips I gave...
  • Your ATTITUDE sets the tone for your day.
  • BELIEVE in yourself and BREATHE to destress.
  • COFFEE and CHOCOLATE - yummy & healthy!
  • DISCIPLINE - it's harder on you and necessary for them.
  • ELIMINATE clutter, un-necessities, and outgrown items.
  • We need to eat more healthy FOOD!
  • GO outside. GIVE more.
  • The HUB needs love and attention and will unexpectedly surprise you in return.
  • To avoid IRONING, buy wrinkle-free clothes, hang-dry, or use Downy Wrinkle-release
  • Find JOY in every day, you'll live longer.
  • KIDS, gotta love em - and as soon as you conquer one phase, they're into another...enjoy every moment!
  • LAUNDRY LESSONS - kids can help, use a timer so you don't forget about it, and spray sanitize baskets
  • Get involved and plan ahead for a smooth MOVE
  • NO! One way to avoid this popular answer - give them only two choices, clean this or that
  • Be an OPTIMIST, others will look up to you.
  • PETS are the best medicine.
  • QUOTE - "Don't learn it." - from Barb, my neighbor. If you do, you'll have to do it all the time.
  • I can't REMEMBER, I must write it down!
  • I don't have time to exercise so I SHOWERCIZE...
  • TWITTER is like shopping at Marshall's - sift through the junk to find a gem.
  • Moping is USELESS v USEFUL - finding something to smile about.
  • Eat more VEGETABLES!!
  • WALK more!
  • XERCISE!
  • Take time for YOU!
  • Keep ZIPLOCs handy, they're very versatile.

Thanks for having me, Katie! That was fun! Hope you all enjoyed and possibly took something away. For more Lazy Housewife advice, visit us at the Really Real Housewives of America!


SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper's latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

As if the case wasn't frustrating enough, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who's looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more, distinct new characters. Come along for the ride.


Available Now!
Amazon ~~ Barnes & Noble ~~ Kindle


Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up... hence, she's also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.



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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Release, Trailer Reveal, AND Giveaway! Summer Wier is Rocking It!

 


This is a super exciting day! I read this book for the first time over a year ago and loved it! Summer has come a long way since then, and is now getting what she deserves for her had work. This book is a must read, so keep you eyes out for my review to come later this month.

 LINK by Summer Wier 
(The Shadow of Light #1) 
Published by: REUTS Publications
Publication date: September 29th 2015
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
About LINK:
For seventeen-year-old Kira, there’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than being surrounded by friends and huddled beside a campfire deep in the woods. And with a birthday in the peak of summer, that includes late night swims under the stars.

Or at least, it used to.

Kira’s relaxing contemplation of the universe is interrupted when a piece of it falls, colliding with her and starting a chain of events that could unexpectedly lead to the one thing in her life that's missing—her father.

Tossed into a pieced-together world of carnivals and gypsies, an old-fashioned farmhouse, and the alluring presence of a boy from another planet, Kira discovers she’s been transported to the center of a black hole, and there’s more to the story than science can explain. She’s now linked by starlight to the world inside the darkness. And her star is dying.

If she doesn’t return home before the star’s light disappears and her link breaks, she’ll be trapped forever. But she’s not the only one ensnared, and with time running out, she’ll have to find a way to save a part of her past and a part of her future, or risk losing everything she loves.

Dreamy, fluid, and beautiful, Link pairs the mystery of science fiction with the minor-key melody of a dark fantasy, creating a tale that is as human as it is out of this world. 
Available now from Amazon, and other retailers.



About Summer Wier:
Summer Wier is an MBA toting accountant, undercover writer, and all around jack-of-all-trades.  Link is her debut novel and the first in The Shadow of Light series. She has three short stories appearing in Fairly Twisted Tales For A Horribly Ever After and co-authors the Splinter web serial. When she’s not digging through spreadsheets or playing mom, you can find her reading/writing, cooking, or dreaming of the mountains in Montana.





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Guest Post: A Modern Girl Goes Goth

Well, not exactly. Seriously, it’s not as radical as it sounds.
I’ll admit I’m into heavy metal music (and at my age, I get some real funny looks when I attend Nightwish and Symphony X concerts). And I do tend to wear a lot of black (mostly for its slenderizing qualities). And Halloween does happen to be my favorite holiday. And, okay, my favorite piece of fine jewelry is the sapphire encrusted pendent my son gave me for Mother’s Day a few years ago—of a spider.
But I’m not talking about personal fashion. I’m talking about genre, as in Gothic romance. Back in February, I released my debut novel, Phantom Traces, and although it appears under both the contemporary and paranormal categories on the Soul Mate Publishing site, I still have a hard time calling it a true paranormal. There’s not a vampire in sight. Nary a werewolf, or a shapeshifter. And it’s set in present day, not a hundred years in the past or the future.
So what, exactly, do I write? I’ve already started on another, similar novel, set on the grounds of an abandoned mental asylum and featuring more than one ghost. But my hero and heroine are completely real, modern-day folks, who have jobs, drive cars, talk on cell phones, and have sex.
My conundrum was solved with a single click this past weekend. In perusing the website of a favorite author, I clicked a link on her “helpful links” page. Voila. I was magically transported to a website called The Gothic Romance Forum. And to my surprise, the site listed my kind of stories. Gothic romance.
I never even considered the notion of calling my stories Gothic. But a little research revealed that many of the elements defining a compelling Gothic romance matched those in my stories:
-          old buildings, ill-attended or in ruin
-          magic and witchcraft
-          unexpected/unexplained loss of electricity
-          hidden letters or maps
-          graveyards
-          and most importantly, supernatural entities, i.e. GHOSTS
I experienced an epiphany. What I write, and love to write with an inescapable passion, is Gothic romance. It’s just my stories are not set in Scotland or England, and the events didn’t take place a hundred or more years ago. And (the one biggest difference from the classic Gothic romances—my characters have sex!)
And I had a big ol’ clue staring me right in the face with Phantom Traces—my heroine is a Goth chick, complete with black garb from head to toe, multiple piercings, and enough black eye eyeliner to refill a printer ink cartridge.
Hooray! I know what I write! Contemporary Gothic romance. Or Neo-Gothic romance. Or Gothic contemporary romance. Or . . . what’s a better tag?
I’m opening it up to YOU. Please comment or email me, and tell me: what’s a great name for Gothic romance set in modern times? With all the elements of a contemporary romance?
Take your time, but I’m waiting ;-)


Claire Gem writes contemporary romance with a ghostly twist. An avid reader, she’s a fan of strong but sensitive heroes, spunky, sexy heroines, and a ghost story worth a few goose bumps. She loves creating characters so real, readers miss them when the book they reach THE END.

After achieving her MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University, Claire settled in central Massachusetts with her husband of 36 years (yes, happily-ever-after really does exist). Always fascinated by the paranormal, she holds a Certificate in Paranormal Studies from Duke University’s Rhine’s Research Center.


You can find Claire here:

She loves to hear from fans – drop her a line.

A hunky history professor in a tweed jacket, a cheeky Goth chick, and a pipe-smoking, book-hurling ghost. Put them all together in an antiquated library and, well…

Professor Jack Wood’s silver-streaked hair definitely ages him, and he can thank Killer Dawn for that. He won’t be falling into the love trap again anytime real soon. But this new librarian has him curious, with her head-to-toe black Goth garb, piercings, and a defiant attitude to match. Definitely not his type of girl, but still…

Abigail Stryker’s got her work cut out for her. The last two librarians didn’t last a month before airborne books chased them off. But Abby’s determined to make her new life a go – and to stay as far away from older men as possible. Once was enough. Might be tough to do when the library’s best patron is none other than dreamy-eyed Jack Wood. And it seems the eccentric ghost may have taken a shine to her as well.

Phantom Traces – available in ebook & audiobook

Monday, September 28, 2015

Blog Tour: Picture Imperfect by Jelsa Mepsey @chapterxchapter, @JelsaMepsey @swoonromance




ABOUT PICTURE IMPERFECT:
Publication Date:  Sept 22, 2015

Sixteen-year-old Max Prescott knows all too well the joys of cheating girlfriends and traitorous friends. He’s not eager to have his heart trampled again, but money and a fresh start can mean the difference between happiness and a dark path with his name on it.

So when Melly Hewson, a perky and enigmatic classmate, asks him to be her model for a year-long photography project, Max agrees. Melly Hewson is everything Max isn’t. She’s outgoing, witty and always knows the right words to say. And despite his best efforts, Max finds himself drawn to her.

Still, he isn’t stupid. He knows a girl like Melly will only use him and then never speak to him again. Besides, he’s been to that rodeo. As long as he keeps his feelings off the market, he won’t make the same mistakes as last time.

Yet underneath Melly’s sweet smiles lies a secret she’d rather kept hidden. And as the year goes on and the photos pile up, Max and Melly will find themselves developing through the negatives, a story that when told could push them to opposite ends of their world. But the only thing worst than the truth is, the facade that surrounds them.

Link to Goodreads:

Purchase Links:
Amazon  

Character Spotlight - Melly Hewson
Now introducing a very important character from PICTURE IMPERFECT, Melly Hewon! This picture was taken in the game Tomodachi Life.


Name: Melly Hewson
Theme Song: Fix a Heart by Demi Lovato (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9DBFTZTKPI)
Snarkiest Remark: “Could you at least try not to look constipated?”
Myers-Briggs Personality Type: ISFJ


Number of unread emails in inbox: 0
Screen name: blackunicorns
Would rename himself: Melody
Alarm is set for: 6:45a.m.
Favorite card game: Nerts
Most likely dance move if forced: The shovel
Likelihood of walking into objects: 41%
Time of day when he would most likely flounder: 7:31p.m.
Towel design: Cute vegetables
If she could put Max in any costume, it would be: a Versailles court dress. (Photo taken in the game Tomodachi Life).

Favorite picture of the year: October 3
Similarity to Jelsa Chart

Jelsa
Max
Height
5’2
5’4
Loves pickles?
Nope
Indifferent
Favorite Drink
Bubble tea
Fruity smoothies
Lefty/Righty
Mostly righty
Lefty
Average amount of sleep
6.5 hours
7.5 hours

Finally, to end this character spotlight, we have a video from Tomodachi Life of Melly singing about her least favorite food within the game.

https://youtu.be/po9YhFsZ3ds



ABOUT JELSA MEPSEY:
Jelsa Mepsey writes young adult contemporary romance fiction, drawing inspiration from daily life. With her work, she is dedicated to spurring people to think about what they have taken for granted and to shed light on the issues people avoid talking about. As an Asian-American in her 20s, she is excited to explore more of the human experience as she herself journeys through life. Writing, rock climbing 5.12 routes, and playing various instruments have resulted in the formation of many calluses on her hands over the years. When not engaging in her previously mentioned hobbies, Jelsa can be found at her local library with a stack of at least ten books, naming her various pens, or staring at her dog Waffles for inspiration.
Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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Friday, September 25, 2015

Souls Estranged by Anne B. Cole Available for Pre-Order!

I read book one, Souls Entwined earlier this year (Find my review here) so I'm excited to get my hands on and read the next installment to this story! So here are the details for Souls Estranged.


"She fled to save him from the curse. Now she must flee to save herself."


Back from their adventures in Souls Entwined, Sam Daggett begins a new relationship with Gretta Dobbs, whose memories of their time traveling experience have been erased. Determined to never leave her again, Sam vows to help Gretta, despite the bad luck curse on her heirloom ring. Within hours of their return, tragedy strikes. As Sam becomes the third victim of the bad luck curse, Gretta’s memories of her time spent in the past begin to return. Unable to remember more than snippets, she realizes that anyone close to her is in grave danger. In order to keep Sam and her family safe, she flees in the middle of the night. Finding the perfect summer job in the back hills of Virginia, Gretta unknowingly crosses paths with a serial killer. With guidance from their ancestral spirits, Roxana and Katarina, Sam desperately attempts to find Gretta before the curse strikes again.

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

Souls Entwined:  Amazon.com   Barnes and Noble.com

 Souls Estranged: Amazon.com

Souls Estranged Excerpt:
Prologue
Sunday
Sam
In the dim morning light of the hospital room, Sam Daggett watched the little cat stretch its front paws before zeroing intense green eyes on him.
“Roxana?” He scrutinized the feline for the slightest twitch of recognition.
Nothing.
Doubting Roxana’s spirit remained entwined within the gray and white cat, he moved his focus to Gretta Dobbs. She slept peacefully with her hand nestled in his. Neither of their families had returned to the hospital. Her garnet ring caught his attention and immediately a sense of foreboding crept up his spine.
His heart sped as images of his time traveling, out-of-body adventure with Gretta flashed through his mind. Roxana, Gretta’s long-dead ancestor, enabled their souls to entwine within nineteenth-century lovers in order to gather information on the cursed ring. Pride, determination, and fear filled him.
“I’m so sorry we didn’t find all of the answers we needed,” Sam whispered as he lifted her hand to his lips. He watched her eyes and listened for the beep of the heart monitor to quicken, satisfied she remained in dreamland. “I know you don’t remember our time together or what we’ve been through.”
He shuddered at the memories. His gaze fell back to the ring. Frustration filled him. The urge to rip it off her hand pounded through him, but he remembered she remained cursed with or without the ring.
Control. I must control my emotions.
He refocused his thoughts on the present and relished in the gratitude of simply being in the same room with her.
A soft sigh escaped her lips and she squeezed his hand before slipping into a deeper slumber.
“With you, nothing is impossible.” Careful not to bump his broken collarbone, Sam leaned closer and murmured, inches from her ear, “Brave and beautiful. Ready and willing to face pirates, spirits, and the horrors of the purgatories to end the family curse.” His heart hammered in his chest as memories of seeking treasure, falling in love, and losing it all flashed within his mind.
“I love you, Gretta. I’ll do everything in my power to earn your love.”
Tracing his fingers over the back of her hand, he touched the face of the ring’s oval red stone. He remembered every moment of their time together, while Gretta’s memories had been erased. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t prevent his thoughts from wandering. Concern prickled his skin as he recalled their quest to understand the ring’s curses.
The most dangerous one, a curse of bad luck, remained a mystery.
He inhaled and pushed his failures away. “Katarina told me to keep my distance from you because of potential tragedy. Nothing will keep me away. I vow to protect and love you forever.”
Gretta’s grip on his fingers tightened. With her hand remaining in his, he brushed a stray lock of hair off her cheek. She released his fingers and nuzzled into his palm with a tiny sigh. He closed his eyes, content to be back in his own body and time with her.
Yet uneasiness crept deep within and the dreadful feeling of impending tragedy grew stronger with every passing minute.

AUTHOR BIO

Anne B. Cole is a genre bending author who enjoys combining supernatural suspense, time travel, and sweet romance with a touch of magical realism in her books.

Anne lives in Indiana with her husband and three teenage children. She teaches preschool and makes time to run so she can eat ice cream and doughnuts. Anne is currently working on Souls Endure, The Final Book of The Souls Trilogy.

Website:
BLOG: www.annebcole.com/blog
                  @annebcole
FACEBOOK: Anne B. Cole, Author

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Guest Post: The Mythical Encantado

So I had this idea for a new novel and I wanted it to be paranormal. No surprise there, seeing my work. I didn’t want to go down the track of the usual mythical creatures so went searching. Don’t get me wrong, I have used most of them. I have demons, vampires, angels, shapechangers and all sorts of magical creatures.
I decided I would like to write a book with something I had not heard of. I was also fascinated by Brazil, after watching Michael Palin’s series on the country. He had been swimming with the pink dolphins also known as Boto. It became obvious that the locals had built up mythical stories around these dolphins.
I started to do research and found the Encantado. In Brazil the Encantado is known also as the enchanted one.


All About Maggie
Maggie Mundy lives in Adelaide, Australia and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia, and the local chapter SARA (South Australian Romance Authors). She recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Drama, English and Creative Writing at Flinders University. She has four books out with Rogue Phoenix Press. Two erotic novellas called Blood Scent and Blood Oath and paranormal romances called World Change and World Apart. She also has a supernatural thriller out with Soul Mate Publishing called Hidden Mortality and paranormal romance called Unknown Protector. A Death in the Family is her first self published book.

She has also performed for many years in corporate entertainment for which she wrote her own sketches, which probably explains why her head is so full of characters. She loves writing romance, but thinks falling in love can be scary, especially in her stories where creatures of the night really exist.

BLURB
A Death in the Family is a 1920’s murder mystery with a paranormal twist.
Finding out who killed her aunt means socialite Annabel Larch must delve into the past. A past filled with ghosts calling to her, and if she answers she may end up dead herself.
The mysterious Isaac Pennington may help her find some of the answers, but what will Annabel have to do to get them. This is a story involving Brazilian artifacts, heroin dens and cult worship. Isaac and Annabel have to sort through the clues to find out who killed her Aunt Gwen and try not to get killed themselves.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Release: Never Forgotten by Stacey Nash (Collective #3)


Published by: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 1st 2015

Synopsis:

Continuing on from Forget Me Not and Remember Me, this is the thrilling third novel in Stacey Nash’s unforgettable series.
Since the strike on Collective territory during Anamae’s rescue, things have taken a turn for the worse. Unprovoked attacks on innocent people have Anamae and her friends fighting day and night to minimize the damage. With hundreds of lives lost, morale amongst the resistance fighters has plummeted. But that’s the least of her worries.
Manvyke still has Anamae’s mom, Annie, secreted away somewhere and after the way they parted, Anamae worries it’s not at her mother’s bidding. Maybe Annie’s disappearance all those years ago wasn’t her choice. But with Manvyke scouring the world, there’s something far more pressing than the need to find Anamae’s mother …
It’s a fight against time to find the other keys before Manvyke. In his hands, the three relics could unlock enough power to reek a much worse havoc than the current issues at hand. If the councillor gets his hands on those keys, civilization will bow down.
THE RACE IS ON.

Excerpt:

We’re too late.

The minute I step out of the alley with my crew of resistance fighters I can tell. Blood, so 

much blood everywhere. And the silence. You’d think in the midst of such horror it’d be loud: 

people screaming, wailing, crying even. But it’s not. The silence is almost deafening.

My heart constricts like someone tugged at its laces.

We’re too late.

We can only help the survivors now and that’s the horrid truth. On autopilot, I walk then 

run to the closest victim. A woman sprawled on the ground, blood covering every inch of her, so 

I can barely make out the color of her blouse. She moans when I hold my fingers to her neck, 

checking for a pulse.

Not too late for her, thank god.

“I’ve called 911.” Will’s voice echoes through my mind. Even with the lack of inflection 

due to the telcom I can hear the sorrow in his words.

“Damn it,” Jax says through the same tech device, “we’re getting later each time.”

And he’s right, we are. More people perish with each attack and all because we can’t 

reach them in time to intercept the Collective. I’ve never felt so useless.

The woman groans—a long drawn-out noise like no other I’ve ever heard—and slowly 

sound returns to the scene. Moaning, whimpering, noises of pain, and my friends’ voices pitched 

low and soothing as we reassure the wounded it’s okay. They’ll be okay. Even though sometimes 

we know that they won’t. Like this woman. Each ragged breath now comes a little shorter and 

sharper than her last. I hate the damn Collective for stealing people’s lives, but she doesn’t need 

to see that.

“I’m here. You’re okay.” I rest my hand on her sticky arm.

Her breath hitches, she gives a last weak heave and she’s gone, her head rolling to the 

We are too late.

The saddest thing in this whole mess is that I can’t cry. I’ve seen so much it’s like 

nothing’s left in me but hatred. My compassion is drained. I glance around trying to decide 

where I’m needed most, but too many dead and wounded lay in the open-air amphitheater that 

it’s impossible to know where to turn next. In places, the bodies pile on top of each other, just 

lying where they fell.

So much loss and devastation and for what? Because the Collective want to send a 

message to us; that they’re in control, that the resistance is hurting more people, not helping. 

Somehow I don’t think us backing off will help.

A guy walks toward me, his T-shirt—an advertisement for the main band—a tattered 

mess with his bloody shoulder peeking through a gaping hole. His eyes lock on me, but they’re 

unseeing, glassed over like he’s retreated inside his mind. He steps over and around those on the 

ground as if he knows right where they are without looking.

Hate isn’t a strong enough word for how I feel about the Collective.

I dread the day we might turn up to find one of my friends, like Cynnie or Xane. I’m not 

sure how I’d react, but I like to think I won’t see them. That neither of my free-thinking friends 

would be involved in something like this, regardless of agent duty.

It doesn’t take long before the wail of sirens fills the air and as the paramedics arrive on 

the scene, we’re no longer needed. Jax and Will both appear at my side looking as somber as I 

feel. Today we have another person who’s seen too much, left with too little, and has no choice 

but to port with us. We can’t leave him for the Collective’s clean up.

Jax takes a look at the ragged, zombie-like guy and says, “I’ll catch a ride with one of the 

others.”

I nod, any words I might have had stolen by this day’s horror, then grab my charge and Will to 

port us out.


Purchase:




AUTHOR BIO:
Writing for the young and new adult market, Stacey's books all hold a lot of adventure, a good dose of danger, a smattering of romance, and plenty of KISSING! Hailing from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, she loves nothing more than immersing herself in the beauty and culture of the local area.

Author of the Collective Series; Forget Me Not, Remember Me, Never Forgotten. And the Oxley College Saga; Shh! and Wait!

Author links:


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