Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Blog Tour: The Girl in the Maze by R.K. Jackson



About the Book

Title: The Girl in the Maze
Author: R.K. Jackson
Genre: Thriller

Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, R. K. Jackson’s lyrical, twisty psychological thriller debut follows an aspiring journalist as she uncovers dark truths in a seaswept Southern town—aided by a mysterious outcast and pursued by a ruthless killer. When Martha Covington moves to Amberleen, Georgia, after her release from a psychiatric ward, she thinks her breakdown is behind her. A small town with a rich history, Amberleen feels like a fresh start. Taking a summer internship with the local historical society, Martha is tasked with gathering the stories of the Geechee residents of nearby Shell Heap Island, the descendants of slaves who have lived by their own traditions for the last three hundred years. As Martha delves into her work, the voices she thought she left behind start whispering again, and she begins to doubt her recovery. When a grisly murder occurs, Martha finds herself at the center of a perfect storm—and she’s the perfect suspect. Without a soul to vouch for her innocence or her sanity, Martha disappears into the wilderness, battling the pull of madness and struggling to piece together a supernatural puzzle of age-old resentments, broken promises, and cold-blooded murder. She finds an unexpected ally in a handsome young man fighting his own battles. With his help, Martha journeys through a terrifying labyrinth—to find the truth and clear her name, if she can survive to tell the tale.


Excerpt
tacey returned, accompanied by the tall woman Martha had glimpsed on the street earlier. It was Lydia Dussault, who had interviewed her by phone. She looked older than Martha expected—at least mid-sixties, maybe even seventy, and she looked formidable. Her white hair was drawn back into a bun and secured with a porcelain stick.
“Hello, Mrs. Dussault.”
“Call me Lydia. Welcome to Amberleen. It’s wonderful to have you here.” Lydia clasped Martha’s hand in both of hers, smiling warmly. Her eyes glistened, and Martha caught a whiff of Chanel No. 5. A large pearl graced her index finger.
“Stacey will have you fill out some paperwork, but first let me show you around and introduce you to our other staff members.”
She led Martha into a long, open room. Wooden tables ran the length of it, and one wall was covered with shelves and cubbyholes containing books and artifacts. Some shelves sagged from the weight. Tall metal filing cabinets lined the opposite wall. Cardboard boxes, stacks of old newspapers, and files with documents spilling out covered the floor and chairs.
“As you can see, we have a long way to go before we’ll have everything cataloged and organized. We may not have a lot of space, but we have an extensive collection of documents on the county’s history. We have letters written by plantation owners in the eighteen hundreds, Civil War correspondence, over five hundred historical photographs, as well as old maps and architectural drawings.”
Lydia picked up a pocket folder from the table and pulled out a yellowed ledger, each line crammed with elegant scribbles. “We just received this item today from a family on DuPont Road. It belonged to one of the local plantation owners. It has every transaction for a full year. See that?”
Martha squinted at an entry: Slave shoes, 12 pair, 50 cents.
“Now I’d like you to meet our other full-time staffer.” Lydia guided Martha across the room.
They stepped into a small office with only one window, obscured by a metal bookcase. Its occupant, a squat, balding man who looked to be in his early thirties, cleaned a camera lens.
“Nick, I’d like you to meet our new summer intern, Martha Covington.”
Nick stood and offered his hand. “Nick Loomis.”
“Nick is our chief photographer.”
“The only photographer.” Nick tapped his front tooth with a fingernail. “Pleased to meet you, Martha Covington. Welcome to the asylum.”
Martha took a step back. Her hands grew clammy.
“Martha is going to give us some much-needed help with the oral history project,” Lydia said.
“Fresh melons today?” Nick blurted, tapping his tooth again.
Martha took another step backward. “I beg your pardon?”
“Nick is also curator of the collection,” Lydia continued. “Things may look a mess around here, but Nick always remembers exactly where every item is located.”
“If you need it quick, just ask Nick,” he said, winking four times.
As they left the office, Lydia lowered her voice. “Don’t worry about Nick. He’s harmless. He just has no control over what he says. Tourette’s, you know. But he’s an excellent photographer. We located him through the same agency where we found you.”
Martha felt a sinking sensation, wondered what she had gotten herself into. She focused her attention on a series of antique photos along the wall—flaking portraits from another era.
“Now, let me show you where you’ll be working,” Lydia said.
Martha’s office at the other end of the room was a mirror image of Nick’s—metal desk, boxy monitor, filing cabinet, and a single window. On the desktop, a cassette recorder poked out from under a sprawl of audio cables.
“Well, we’re not exactly the Smithsonian Institution, are we? But there’s some important work going on here, I can tell you that. Now, let me fill you in on our big summer project.”
Lydia pulled a rolled-up map from a cubbyhole and spread it on the center table.
“This is our town, Amberleen, population seventeen thousand.” She tapped her finger on a landmass shaped like a leg of mutton. “Over here, across the sound, is Shell Heap Island. One of the last unspoiled gems of the Georgia coast.”
Martha leaned forward. Serpentine creeks and rivers surrounded the island except for one side, which faced the Atlantic. A lighthouse icon marked the northeastern point.
“The windward side has some of the most pristine beachfront property you’ll find in this part of the country. The developers have been circling over it like vultures in recent years, but so far we’ve managed to hold them back. And that’s how it should be. That island belongs to the Geechees.”
“The Geechees?” Martha pulled out her notebook and pen.
“They’re direct descendants of slaves who were freed after the Civil War. Let me show you. . . .” She opened a cabinet on the wall and pulled out a black-and-white photograph. It showed a group of people standing under the bough of a gnarled oak. A man with a bushy beard and cane sat in a ladder-back chair. A heavyset woman stood next to him—flowing dress, a scarf around her head. An older gentleman cradled a drum. Two young women gazed at the camera, wide-eyed, enigmatic.
“They’re the direct descendants of slaves. Like the Gullah, in South Carolina, only . . . now where did we put those—” She opened a shoe box, glanced inside, replaced the top. “They’ve lived in isolation, maintaining a truly distinct culture and system of beliefs.”
“What kind of beliefs?”
“They still believe in magic, ghosts, those kinds of things.”
Martha felt a chill run down her back. She wrote the word in her notebook. Ghosts?
“Don’t worry; they’re beautiful, gracious people. The elders hand down traditions to their children, traditions they brought from places like Sierra Leone and Liberia. It’s a wonderful culture, but it’s dying, you see.”
Martha nodded, jotting down the information.
“Only seventy-five are left on Shell Heap. Most of their other communities along the coast have been bought out. It’s happened on St. Simons, Daufuskie, and Hilton Head. They’ve been forced to sell, in some cases.” She moved away from the cabinet and began opening and closing file drawers. “Many of the island residents are quite elderly now. Most of the younger ones have fled. The whole culture has been preserved orally. It exists only in the words and memories of the elders. That’s where the society comes in. Last May, we received a grant from the Georgia Trust to capture that history—that’s what the book is about. I suppose we’ve recorded about five miles’ worth of tape already. That’s why we need . . . ah, here we are.”
Lydia slid open the cover of a rolltop desk, pulled out a shoe box, and handed it to Martha. The box bulged with cassette tapes, separated by labeled index cards.
“Sixteen tapes here already. We still have another thirty-three interviews to record. We want to get every surviving member of the community on tape if we can.”
“You want me to help transcribe these? All of them?” Martha felt a twinge of apprehension, mingled with excitement.
“More than that. Make sense of them. You know, clean them up. Make them sing. Your professors said you were good at that. And help with the rest of the interviews. For that, you’ll need some ‘people’ skills. A lot of these residents are shy. Some of the older ones are afraid of having their voices recorded.”
“Afraid? Why?”
“They think it gives you a mystical power over them. Any other questions?”
Martha looked at the photo of the Geechees. She tried to think of a question, but drew a blank. She couldn’t take her eyes off the image of the two girls, the ones staring at the camera. Braided hair, like woven ropes. The gnarled and mossy oak . . . and then the room started to spin and the image was fading, going dark, as if someone were turning down the lights, twisting the dimmer switch. In the darkness, a vision flashed into Martha’s head. A cloth sack, hanging from a metal hook. Something alive inside, something squirming. . . .
“Martha?”
Lydia’s voice broke through the cloak of darkness and Martha was back in the room. She clutched the edge of the table to steady herself.
“Miss Covington? Are you all right?”
“Yes. I’m fine.” She fought to control her breathing. “I’m just a little tired. It must have been that ride on the bus, all day yesterday. I guess it sapped my energy.”
Lydia blew on her ring, rubbed the pearl against her dress. “Well, I hope you get your strength back by Wednesday. There’s going to be a special night meeting of the County Commission to discuss the Tidewater Project. Are you familiar with it?”
“Yes.” Martha clicked her pen. Focus. “Before I came here, I read some news articles about it online. I understand it’s going to bring new business to the county.”
Lydia slapped the map with the palm of her hand. The ring made a sharp bang. “Business? At what cost? The Tidewater Project is just the latest bid to grab Shell Heap Island and turn it into a cash cow. It’s got our town torn into pieces. They’ve already taken so much of our coastline and turned it into hotels and subdivisions and golf resorts—Disneylands for the plaid-pants crowd. But not Shell Heap. No, they won’t get it. Not as long as I’ve still got blood stirring in my veins.”
Lydia took a deep breath and exhaled. “I apologize. To think about those vultures, pecking over the remnants of our beautiful coast . . .” She began to roll up the map. “Questions?”
Martha shook her head.
“All right then. Stacey will help you with your paperwork, and she’ll also tell you where to go for Wednesday night’s meeting.”
Stacey brought over a note card with handwritten instructions. “Here you go, Martha. Be sure to get to the meeting early, if you want to find a seat.” She grinned ruefully. “And you might want to bring a football helmet.”


Author Bio
R.K. Jackson is an award-winning science writer and editor at NASA, and previously worked as a senior editor at CNN, where he helped launch the network's Internet presence. He has attended the Advanced Novel Writing Workshop at UCLA as well as the Squaw Valley Community of Writers Workshop. Jackson’s debut novel, THE GIRL IN THE MAZE (available 9/8 from Random House Alibi), has been praised as “A twisty Southern gothic thriller with echoes of Tana French” (L.A. Times bestselling author Dianne Emley), “A terrific mystery” (The Book Lover’s Friend), and “A fast-paced psychological thriller that keeps you engaged from beginning to end” (Reading Femme). Two of his plays have been staged professionally, and his short story, "All the Devils," was featured in the Alfred Hitchcock-themed issue of Penumbra Magazine. He is currently consulting with Disney's Imagineers on the forthcoming "Spaceship of the Imagination" attraction at EPCOT.A Georgia native with roots in the state's coastal low country, he now lives with his family in California's Los Padres National Forest and is at work on a second Martha Covington thriller, THE KISS OF THE SUN.


Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R04OX3E?tag=randohouseinc7986-20
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girl-in-the-maze-rk-jackson/1121903971?ean=9781101886410&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-VD9*lkiWNd8-_-10:1
Books a Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/search?query=9781101886410&AID=10876509&PID=2665379&SID=PRHEFFDF5A7F1--9781101886410&where=eBooks
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781101886410&c=books
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-girl-in-the-maze/id979046672?mt=11
Penguin Random House: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/252808/the-girl-in-the-maze-by-r-k-jackson/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25733063-the-girl-in-the-maze?from_search=true&search_version=service_impr

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Blog Tour: Bring Me Back by Jennifer Collin (w/excerpt!)

BringMeBackTour

Bring Me Back
by Jennifer Collin
Evans Trilogy #3
Publication Date: January 29, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Tour: Bring Me Back by Jennifer Collin
Purchase on Amazon

May be read as a standalone.
Andy Evans is on the move. For six long, lonely years, he’s been running from his past, leaving his family and his life as a drug-addicted rock star far behind. His latest move takes him to the sleepy seaside town of Oamaru, New Zealand, to sell cigar-box guitars to tourists. The only running he’ll need to do will be training for half-marathon in nearby Dunedin. But when Andy sets eyes on Steampunk HQ, Oamaru's main tourist attraction, he realises his days of running might not be over, especially if a certain Steampunk fan from his past catches up with him.

Annie Martin is on the cusp of great success. Her career as a Steampunk academic is about to take off, as long as she can convince one disagreeable, New Zealand-based Professor to sign up to the anthology she’s putting together. Thankfully, Annie is a master at maintaining her poise and few people, no matter how nasty, can rattle her. Not any more. In fact, it’d been a good six years since anyone had gotten under her skin, after her best friend’s brother had vanished into thin air.

When Annie finds her future career on a collision course with her secret past, Andy Evans is the last person she expects to find tangled up in the mess. With a vengeful drug-dealer or two hot on his heels, and a vindictive academic determined to ruin her credibility, can Annie bring Andy back to his family before it’s too late? Annie and Andy are used to being alone, but if they don’t work together, there’ll be much more at stake than her livelihood and his sobriety.


Excerpt

He led her several blocks across town to the foot of a mountain. The Queenstown Skyline Gondola snaked its way up, up, up above them, a pulley system taking giant vitamin capsules into the clouds. Annie craned her neck to see where they stopped and her heart found a new home in her throat.
‘We’re going up there?’ she asked, thinking she’d much rather they were about to be ferried through the canals of Venice by a man in a stripy shirt and straw hat.
‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Have you been?’
Annie shook her head.
‘It’s awesome,’ said Andy. ‘The view is spectacular.’
Annie dropped her eyes from the heavens to the earth beneath her feet. She rubbed the palms of her hands against her skirts. Why couldn’t she just say no thanks? Because even without looking at him, she knew he was beaming at her, chuffed by his own idea, thinking he was offering her a real treat. After he’d come all this way to pick her up, how could she crush his spirit?
‘Okay,’ she said, and they joined the short queue to wait their turn.
When it came, Andy stepped into the capsule and reached back for her. She hesitated, and a small frown creased his forehead.
‘Are you alright with this?’ he asked, a little too late. She nodded and took his hand.
Because there weren’t many people waiting for a ride, they had the capsule to themselves. Annie was relieved. At least Andy would be the only witness if she went into meltdown.
She released his hand as their ascent began; hers were clammy and she didn’t want him to notice, lest his curiosity trigger that meltdown. Andy dropped himself into a seat and the capsule swung with his movement. Annie reached for something to grip and found nothing. Supressing her panic, she edged herself backwards until her calves hit the seat behind her and she sat heavily. They were already about thirty feet in the air.
‘Annie?’
‘Uh huh?’ she said. She was having trouble focusing on anything, her gaze moving madly about the cabin and then to the township getting smaller below them. She tried to swallow. ‘Do you have any water?’ she asked.
He produced a bottle from his jacket pocket. ‘You’re not okay, are you?’
She took a sip. ‘I’m fine,’ she said, looking anywhere but at him.
She felt his eyes on her for a moment as though he was deciding whether to believe her. Then he shifted in his seat, making the damn capsule swing again. Annie gripped the edge of her chair and made the mistake of checking how the far ground was below them. A long way, as it happened. Heart pounding, she looked up through the glass ceiling and discovered they had a whole lot further to go.
Andy was talking about the mountains on the other side of the township.
She cast a cursory glance in their direction. ‘Mmm hmm. They are remarkable,’ she mumbled. Then, when Andy shifted, to tell her about the lake, the capsule rocked again.
‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ she blurted.
Andy spun around, rocking the bloody capsule some more.
‘For the love of God, sit still!’ she shrieked.
‘Oh crap,’ he said. ‘You’re afraid of heights, aren’t you? Why didn’t you say something?’ He leaned forwards, rocking the capsule again, and Annie clamped her eyes shut.
‘I thought I could do it,’ she said through gritted teeth.
‘Hey,’ he said. ‘You’re perfectly safe. This thing has never had an accident. No one has ever fallen out or dropped off.’
‘There’s a first time for everything.’
Eyes still squeezed shut, she felt Andy’s hand on her knee. ‘Open your eyes, Annie, and look at me.’
‘I can’t,’ she said.
‘Pardon? Did you just say “I can’t”? I never took you for a quitter. I must’ve misheard. What was it you said?’
Annie forced her eyes open. She drew a short breath. ‘Happy?’ she hissed.
He was smiling so he must’ve been. ‘Give me your hand,’ he said.
She shook her head. ‘Can’t move.’ Her heart was thundering now, expanding in her chest, taking away space from her lungs, which, starved of oxygen, were withering.
‘Give me your hand, or I’m going to prise it off the edge of that seat. And when I do, you know this thing is going to swing.’
Annie closed her eyes and thrust her hand at him.
‘Eyes,’ he said. She opened them again, and concentrated on his face.
‘Good,’ he said. ‘Keep them on me. You’re missing out on some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, but it’ll still be there when we get to the top.’
His eyes travelled down to her hand in his and he turned it, rubbing his thumb across her palm.
‘Okay,’ he said. He cleared his throat. ‘I’m going to tell you what I told my family the other night. Where I went when I left and what I’ve been doing ever since.

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Purchase on Amazon

Disastrous love life aside, Charlotte Evans is rather content with her life. Her quaint little art gallery is plodding along nicely, and her sister Emily’s artistic career is about to take off, thanks to her tireless promotion. She even gets to see her best friend every day and drink his delicious coffee in the café next door.

But when dastardly property developer Craig Carmichael comes along, threatening to demolish her gallery and take everything away, Charlotte has an unexpected fight on her hands. Not only is she battling to stop Craig’s development, she’s also struggling against the mysterious magnetic pull that has her on a collision course with Craig himself.

Craig Carmichael is fighting the Battle for Boundary Street on more than one front. The tenants of the building he wants to knock down are mounting a strong case against him and in a hot-headed moment he put his career on the line for a project that is threatening to fail. If the project doesn’t succeed he will lose everything, but for some reason he’s having trouble maintaining his focus.

As their worlds begin to unravel around them, anyone could win. It’s what they might lose that has Charlotte and Craig wondering what it is they really want.


Purchase on Amazon

Everything happens for a reason, they say. And sometimes the reason is you're stupid and make bad decisions. Sleeping with her sister's best friend is one of the dumbest things soon-to-be divorcee Emily Evans has ever done. But she's determined to put it behind her and move on. She's walked away from her cheating husband, managed to make a new friend, and found herself a real job and somewhere to live so she doesn't have to couch-surf any more. Everything should be falling into place but for one problem – there are some mistakes from which you can't move on.

Meanwhile, Ben Cameron is getting on with his life. After all, it's the only thing to do once your heart has been stomped on by the woman of your dreams. Expanding his business and getting cosy with the girl next door are proving welcome distractions. He's even happy to babysit his nephew, as long as he can to hand him back when he's done! And thankfully, Emily Evans, the woman with the heavy boots, is avoiding him like the plague.

But Emily can't avoid him forever, and when she drops a bombshell that turns Ben's world upside-down, suddenly, getting on with his life takes on a whole new meaning.

About Jennifer Collin

JenniferCollin
Jennifer Collin writes quirky, and sometimes gritty, love stories about ordinary people dealing with what life throws at them.

She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband, two noisy children and a cantankerous cat.

She used to party, but now her idea of a good time is an uninterrupted sleep. These days, her characters do her partying for her, and she doesn't necessarily let them sleep.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Blitz: Adrian by Anna Antonia

AdrianBlitz



Adrian
by Anna Antonia
Publication Date: September 21, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Adrian_Bundle_Front Cover
Buy on Amazon
Adrian Hawthorne was a man in complete control until he met her...
Adrian Hawthorne worked hard and played even harder. Money and women were never in short-supply for this charming billionaire. But when he bumps into the curvy Victoria Montford late one night, he can't deny his attraction to her is stronger than anything he's ever felt before. What starts as seduction ends up being an all-consuming love for Victoria, one that lasts even after she abruptly leaves him to go back South.

Victoria Montford was a young woman hiding a secret from the only man she'd ever loved...

Victoria Montford was on her own in the big city. As a full-time student juggling two jobs she barely had time to sleep, much less fall in love. When she meets the tall and incredibly handsome Adrian Hawthorne at her second job, she can't ignore her yearning for him. Soon she enters a whirlwind romance that eventually ends up leaving Victoria heartbroken...and pregnant.

Four years pass before they see each other again on a crowded sidewalk. It's inevitable that they pick up right where they left off--in and out of bed. But before Adrian and Victoria can try again for their happily-ever-after, she has a confession to make. What will Adrian do when he realizes Victoria had his child and kept it a secret from him?

Add to Goodreads

About Anna Antonia

Anna is a lover of all things dark and passionate. Living in theSoutheastern United States, she enjoys antiquing, DIY thrift store finds, sedate hiking along trails, and spending time with her family and menagerie of pets. Being the only girl in a household full of men makes it hard to always be a lady, but she gives it a good old college try.

Blitz: Give Me Yesterday by K. Webster & Elle Christensen

GiveMeYesterdayBlitz



Give Me Yesterday

Publication Date: September 25, 2015


Blitz: Give Me Yesterday by Elle Christensen and K. Webster


High powered divorce lawyer, Victoria Larkin, is known as the ice queen. Tough. Emotionless. What they don’t know, is that ten years ago, she lost everything. Including her hope for the future.
Chase Monroe struggles with his own demons. Devastated by guilt and on a mission to correct his past, he uses his skills as a college psychology professor to help others move beyond their grief.

When Victoria is forced to attend grief counselling, she meets Chase, and there is an instant attraction. Chase is determined to help her confront her past and find happiness. Victoria is afraid to relive her pain.

Just as they begin to step forward, tragedy strikes and throws them backwards, and they find themselves, once again, shackled to the past.

Can Chase and Victoria find the path to a happy future together? Or will they forever be wishing for yesterday?

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About Elle Christensen

I'm a lover of all things books, I've been an obsessive reader since I learned how to spell! I've been writing novels and short stories since I was twelve, but they say to write the genre you love the most, so as an adult, I fell easily into writing romance. My husband is my biggest supporter and he's a great sport when it comes to fighting the people in my imagination for my attention. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them!


About K Webster

K Webster2
K Webster is the author of dozens romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she's active on social media connecting with her readers.

Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.

You can easily find K Webster on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads!

Website: www.authorkwebster.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bllgoP


Thursday, September 24, 2015

Blog Tour: Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke




Suburbia meets scandal in this hopeful and honest portrayal of that moment in every woman’s life when it's time to make a change, even if that means risking losing it all. Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke is a must-read for women looking to reconnect with their passions, and live authentically.

When pillar of the community and PTA mom, Max, allowed her husband, Nick, to record a sex video of them on his cell phone, she thought of it as simply a way to keep Nick interested and entertained during his frequent business trips. But suddenly, Max is trending everywhere—her video lighting up the blogosphere and Twitter, thanks to the fact that she’s a genuine, imperfect woman. Now the paparazzi are chronicling her every move; her daughter wants to disown her; and her marriage has completely fallen apart. Just as things can't get any more chaotic, Max's college boyfriend, shows up two decades after he broke her heart. Now Max must learn to stop going through the motions of her life on auto-pilot and start living authentically, or risk forever being a suburban lemming running towards the cliff of old age.



An award winning writer and blogger, Stephanie's second grade teacher told her she should be a writer and she hasn't wavered in her path since. In her past life – before kids – Stephanie was an arts reporter and music journalist. She spent her twenties listening to loud rock bands (including her drummer husband's) in bars all around Boston and New England. She has three boys and two slightly crazy rescue dogs (one of whom is three-legged). 

http://stephaniekepke.com/


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Blog Tour: Fates Divided by Jules Barnard

FatesDividedTour

Fates Divided
by Jules Barnard
Halven Rising #1
Publication Date: August 31, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Tour: Fates Divided by Jules Barnard

Elena Rosales has busted her ass to get into a good college. She’s the only one in her family ever to attend, and expectations are high. No pressure. But Elena’s got this one in the bag, because she’s as dependable as the molecules she studies, as reliable as the chemical reactions that comfort her in their predictability. Until they don’t.
Elena has always wondered why her mother abandoned her on her first birthday. It’s not until she turns eighteen and her chemistry experiments go berserk that she learns the truth: Her mother wasn’t human, and the Fae are willing to harm those Elena loves if she doesn’t use her power over the elements to cure them of a deadly disease.

Derek, Elena’s brooding neighbor, isn’t the friendliest guy, but he has access to an off-hours lab and is willing to help Elena create the antivirus. He has his own secrets to keep, and this business Elena is mixed up in could blow his cover. But when Elena and Derek get together, more than chemicals spark fire-and they soon discover just how complicated attraction can get when they find themselves on the other side of the portal, fighting for survival. Lives collide, and allegiance and love are tested, in Fates Divided.

Excerpt: 

His heart pounded beneath the hand she had pressed to his chest. “When I’m not near you, I’m thinking about you and wondering how long until I see you again. When I’m with you, I’m thinking of ways to get close and touch you, even if it’s only to hold you. And when you smile… I wonder if there is anything more beautiful in the world. Make that worlds.” He grinned.


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About Jules Barnard

JulesBarnard_edited-265x300
Before turning to storytelling, Jules earned a master’s degree in public health and spent many an hour running statistical analysis–until she realized her favorite part of the job was writing reports. She decided to cut out the math and add in some hot guys, and so began her career as a novelist.

Jules is a Northern California native living on the coast with her husband and two children. She has no impulse control around cupcakes and credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner.


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Audio Tour: Perfectly Innocent by Tamra Lassiter

PerfectlyInnocentAudioTour


Perfectly Innocent
by Tamra Lassiter
Publication Date: October 14, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense


Audio Tour: Perfectly Innocent by Tamra Lassiter


Ebook / Print: Amazon B&N iBooks Kobo Google Play




Innocent or guilty—there’s nothing perfect about it.

Phoebe Davidson is a good girl who’s been through some bad times. Her life changed forever when she learned that her husband was living a secret life. Now, six years later, she’s just going through the motions of her life, afraid to let anyone in.

When a horrific crime occurs in her home, she meets Logan Matthews, a police detective working the case. When Phoebe herself is charged with the murder, can she trust Logan? Can she, and should she let him into her life?


Excerpt

They didn’t handcuff me. I realize that now as I sort of wake up from the experience. I’m in a jail cell, an actual jail cell with bars and everything. Fortunately, I’m alone in my little room. There is an older gentleman in the cell next to me. He came in a while ago, belting out a tune from The Phantom of the Opera, but he apparently only knows a few words because he just kept singing The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind, over and over again until the words began to fade and were finally replaced with rhythmic snoring.

Other than the complete humiliation surrounding the occasion, spending the night in jail wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I didn’t have to look tougher than I am, or get a burly girlfriend for protection, or even take up smoking cigarettes. I really do watch too much television. I guess I should count my blessings that there weren’t more criminals arrested last night in Hickory Grove because when morning comes, it’s still just me and the tenor in the cell next door.

I spend a moment in my car with a hairbrush and compact. I brush my hands along my skirt to help smooth out some of the wrinkles. Hopefully people will think that the wrinkles are from normal wear and not from a night in the slammer. As much as it feels like it, I am not wearing a sash that says I was in jail last night.



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About Tamra Lassiter


I live outside Washington, D.C. with my wonderfully supportive husband and two daughters, one of which is approaching her teenage years. Help us all! If that isn’t enough, we have a Great Dane and an English Bulldog to keep us on our toes. It’s crazy around here and I love every minute of it!

Writing is my third career. I didn't set out to be a writer, it was just meant to be. My Mechanical Engineering degree from Virginia Tech prepared me well for my first career as an Engineer/Program Manager. My second career was in Human Resources. Long story, but I figured it out. I believe the best start for a writing career is to be a reader first and I’ve been an avid reader my whole life. I've loved to read ever since I picked up my first Nancy Drew mystery in the fourth grade. Now I love reading just about everything, but I don’t read sad books and I don’t watch sad movies either for that matter, no matter how many awards they’ve won. Life’s too short and who needs all that strife to bring us down?

Many of my words have been penned late into the evening, which explains why I’ve never viewed whatever television show you recommend to me. I would, however, love to hear your recommendations for a great read!






Blog Tour - The Trouble With Love by Lauren Layne



THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE
Sex, Love & Stiletto's #4
Lauren Layne
Loveswept 



As Lauren Layne’s salacious Sex, Love
& Stiletto series returns, a jaded columnist discovers a steamy way to get
over an old flame: falling for him all over again.

As Stiletto magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma
Sinclair writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte,
North Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the
ice queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl
behind, but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart.
Now Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons—namely, the devilishly
sexy guy who ditched her at the altar.

After giving up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams
crumble as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats
and giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a
job in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée . . . right?
But when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex
can’t help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he
remembers, this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive—and she wants
absolutely nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her
more.
 



Excerpt


Alex spun the conference room chair just slightly in the direction of Stiletto’s editor in chief.
“You’ve told them, right?” he asked.
Camille ignored him, continuing to tap out something on her iPad with the awkward, pointer-finger taps of someone only reluctantly familiar with touch screen technology. And touch screen was definitely new to her. Camille Bishop had been in the business longer than he’d been alive and tended to cling to old school methods whenever possible.
“Told them what?” Camille asked innocently. Too innocently.
He gave her a look, which she returned vacantly.
She was wearing big, oversized glasses today. Everything about Camille seemed big. Even though she had a wiry figure, her voice was loud. Her hair was bright. Her personality was . . . massive.
“No, I haven’t told them,” she hissed. “That’s what this meeting is for.”
He groaned. “Come on, Camille. Not even a heads-up?”
She pursed her lips and ignored him.
Shit.
As in, shit would definitely hit the fan when Camille dropped her little bomb on her team.
“Okay, everyone, let’s get started,” Camille said, standing and waiting until the small talk around the table trickled off. “You’ve probably noticed that there’s an extra dose of testosterone in the room today.”
At least two dozen pairs of eyes snapped to Alex. Half of those eyes had been staring even before Camille had mentioned him. There were nearly thirty people in the room, and there was only one other guy besides Alex.
And from the way the one other guy—Oliver, if he remembered correctly—was giving him the once-over, Alex was fairly sure he was the only man in the room who liked women.
He gave a weak smile at the group, wishing he could be somewhere else. Anywhere else.
Up on his floor, the Oxford guys were probably discussing last night’s game. Instead of joining them, Alex was surrounded by presentation boards covered in everything from lingerie to perfume ads.
He liked to think of himself as a relatively modern man. A little gruff and stoic at times, sure. 
But he didn’t grunt and drag women around by their hair, or brand them, or scream at them to make him homemade biscuits every morning. And he liked his nice suits and cologne and high-thread-count sheets. He was evolved.
But Stiletto was too much woman. It was like girly stuff on steroids. It made even the most modern man long for beer and onion rings.
“As most of you know, Alex Cassidy is the editor in chief for Oxford, our sometimes rival, sometimes partner. He’s the man version of me, so to speak.”
God help him.
“Anyway, he’s here because I have an important announcement to make.”
Camille paused dramatically, clearly waiting for someone to beg her for more info. She frowned when everyone merely stared at her, half-bored, half-expectantly.
Alex hid a smile. Clearly the Stiletto editor in chief had cried wolf one too many times. Her team didn’t expect this news to be earth-shattering.
And he supposed it wasn’t. Not really. But it might be to one person in the room.
A person he still refused to look at.
Camille finally snapped when the silence stretched on ten seconds past awkward. “I’m going on a sabbatical,” she said.
“A what now?” Riley asked.
“A sabbatical,” a snooty-looking blond woman on Alex’s right explained. “It’s when—”
“I know what a sabbatical is, Kandice,” said Riley. “I just didn’t realize Stiletto offered them. How do I get one? Because there’s this sex camp—”
Camille held up a hand. “No sabbaticals for you. You want one, wait until you’re editor in chief.”
“Why would I want to be editor in chief?” Riley asked.
“Exactly,” Camille said, looking pleased at the lead-in. “It’s a thankless, tiresome job, and one I didn’t want to wish on any of you while I’m gone for three months.”
“Three months?” Julie asked. “We’re leaderless for three months?”
“Not quite,” Camille said. “You need someone to steer the ship, of course. So . . .”
She made a dramatic flourishing gesture in Alex’s direction.
He waited patiently for everything to register with the Stiletto crew.

“No. A boy?!” Riley said, scandalized.



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Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren's gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.

Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you'll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.










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JUST ONE NIGHT
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