Sunday, December 29, 2013

Natural Harmony

I wish I could put into words what this journey has been like. I'm going to try, at least. 

If someone would've told me three years ago that by 27 I'd have three novels under my belt, I would've laughed in their face. Writing has always been a passion for me -- an escape from reality and a love for which I meditate on. I only dreamed of having my name on the spine of a book and I wished for the kind of amazing things people have said to me over the last year and a half about my work. 

With the arrival of my third novel I know there is so much ahead of me, so many more words and experiences. The amount of love and support that I feel from family, friends, readers and fellow authors on a daily basis in regards to my new career is astronomical and humbling. 

Natural Harmony was such a unique writing experience. I wrote it quickly and fiercely as though the story moved through me rather than from me. Something about it was different but I can't put my finger on it. I love this book in a different way than my others. Maybe it was the fact that I took complete control of this one (much like my heroine). Maybe it was the fact that it was the first book to be written start to finish after my career had already begun. Either way, this one is a different kind of baby. 

I have high hopes for this book but no matter what happens I will always be proud of it. Proud of the story, the characters, the manuscript, the cover, the fact that I coordinated the whole thing and hit the big publish button all by myself. 

I hope you enjoy it. I hope you fall in love with Wade. I hope you want to be Sabrina as much as I do. I hope you don't write Beau completely off. And I hope you never stop reading, no matter what you pick up. Just keep reading.


Natural Harmony is now available!

Amazon Kindle :  http://amzn.to/1gd99fW
Barnes & Noble Nook : http://bit.ly/1dhKOoO
Paperback : http://bit.ly/1fSo2ng

Thursday, December 19, 2013

NA Author: Adrianne James!




The Mythology department at prestigious Harvard University is tiny—and Mackenzie Duncan has just been selected as one of the lucky few. Her love for myths and legends is strong, but she never thought any of it could be real. 

After being attacked by a large wolf while walking home alone, Mackenzie realizes something is not right. She heals quickly, is suddenly super strong, and is experiencing mood swings that can't possibly be normal. The myths she's studying aren't myths at all. Werewolves are real and she's one of them. Fear of what she is, and who she might hurt sends Mackenzie running from the life she’s worked hard to build–and straight into the arms of a handsome Were named Geoff and into the home of his pack. Living with her new pack takes the edge off her confusion and self-loathing, but the arrival of new pack members changes the dynamic, and tests Geoff and Mackenzie’s growing relationship. 

The hardest part of being a werewolf is having no control and no memory of her time as a blood thirsty beast. When a moon cycle passes and she actually remembers bits and pieces of the night, she starts to ask questions, and the more questions she asks, the more she realizes she doesn’t like the answers. Can she set aside her own sense of morals to belong to a pack that is like a family or will she leave everything behind yet again in search of a life she can be proud of?

Growing up, Adrianne couldn't get her hands on enough books to satisfy her need for the make believe. If she finished a novel and didn't have a new one ready and waiting for her, she began to create her own tales of magic and wonder. Now, as an adult, books still make up majority of her free time, and now her tales get written down to be shared with the world.
During the day, Adrianne uses her camera to capture life's stories for clients of all ages and at night, after her two children are tucked in bed; she devotes herself to her written work. Adrianne is living the life she always wanted, surrounded by art and beauty, the written word and a loving family.

As a young adult and new adult author, Adrianne James has plans to bring stories of growing characters, a little romance, and perhaps a little magic and mythology down the line for her readers to enjoy.



To enter the giveaway, go to each blog and enter the corresponding code into the Rafflecopter!
This is Blog #5 and the code is: ADRIANNEKATE
Blog #20: www.jcemery.com


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Cover Reveal: I See London by Chanel Cleeton

Coming  February 3, 2014


AUTHOR NOTE ABOUT THE COVER:
I love, love, love this cover.  From the beginning I wanted an iconic London image.  I wanted something romantic, sexy, and adventurous that really captured the heart of the book.  We played around with a couple ideas, wanting to convey both the sexy NA feel and the unique setting.  It was a tough cover- my hero is half Lebanese, so finding stock images was a challenge.  Harlequin was amazing to work with and I was so lucky to have tons of input.  I actually created my own cover and sent it over to them and they did a beautiful job of taking my idea and improving on it tenfold!  There's this line in I See London about London nights being full of adventure and possibilities.  That will always be London for me and I think this cover represents that spirit perfectly.  What do you think?


Book Pre-Order Links:
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1cQXjYm
Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1khLGx1

Blurb:
Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.

Author Bio:
Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university.  In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships.  Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever.  But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet. 
Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea.  An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book.  She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband.  Chanel writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers.  Her New Adult debut, I See London, will be released by Harlequin (HQN) on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, London Falling, later in the year. 

Author Links:
Website:   www.chanelcleeton.com
Facebook:   www.facebook.com/authorchanelcleeton
Twitter:   www.twitter.com/chanelcleeton
Goodreads:   www.goodreads.com/chanelcleeton


Check it out! Chanel is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Cover Reveal/Release Announcement from Aleatha Romig!



 Coming January 14, 2014



BEHIND HIS EYES – CONSEQUENCES is a reading companion, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig, recommended to be read after completing all of the CONSEQUENCES SERIES: Consequences, Truth, and Convicted.

It is not a standalone book and should not be read as such.

This companion was written to explore the thoughts and motivations of Anthony Rawlings, the man behind the consequences. It was not intended as a total rewrite of Consequences, but meant to enhance the reader’s understanding. BHE-Consequences contains significant scenes from the novel Consequences, as experienced from Anthony’s point of view. It also contains never before read, behind the scenes information, as well as, a glossary of the characters and a timeline devoted to the events within Consequences. 

BEHIND HIS EYES CONSEQUENCES is a dark journey into the mind of the man who believes that he controls everything and controls nothing. Because there is more to learn about a man who: 

Once upon a time, signed a napkin that he knew was a contract. As an esteemed businessman, he forgot one very important rule—he forgot to read the fine print. It wasn’t an acquisition to own another person as he’d previously assumed. It was an agreement to acquire a soul.
—Aleatha Romig CONVICTED

It was a long and painful acquisition—especially from Behind His Eyes!  




Friday, December 13, 2013

What's Left of Me by Amanda Maxlyn

For more fun & giveaways, come join our Facebook Release Party & Blog Tour Event ~ Friday, December 13th – CLICK HERE

Happy Release Day to Amanda Maxlyn on her debut novel “What's Left of Me". Make sure to check out the TEASERS & enter the GIVEAWAY for a Kindle HDX and Amazon Gift Cards below!

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Life works in mysterious ways.
Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.
I refuse to cry.
And I refuse to give in.
A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.
He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.
But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.
What if it changes everything?
Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.
Love found me when I was twenty-one.
My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.
 
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About Amanda:

I am the mother of two little boys, married to the love of my life, and living in one of the smallest towns in Minnesota. When I’m not chasing or cleaning up after my boys (yes, all three), I can be found writing or snuggled up with my kindle, a glass of wine, and spending time with my fictional friends and family.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AmandaMaxlynAuthor
Website - http://amandamaxlyn.com/
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7264050.Amanda_Maxlyn
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AmandaMaxlyn
Instagram - http://instagram.com/amandamaxlyn
_____________________________________________________________

*** GIVEAWAY ***

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New Adult Sleepover Weekend 2013




What a trip! For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you know that all did not go according to plan but I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you all about my first MAJOR author event.

Friday afternoon I got into beautiful Savannah, GA and hit the ground running. I set up my table for the Saturday signing, starting meeting people (including my lovely roommate, Stephanie Lawton!) and got ready for the welcome event.

me and my roomie, Stephanie Lawton, being silly!
table favors at the welcome event and Dawn Pendleton's face in a wine glass

Stephanie and I offered up dinner and a Savannah ghost tour to one attendee and a friend and it turned out to be one of the most memorable parts. But I'll get there....

Magan Vernon autographing Dawn Pendleton's chest like a rock star



The drinks started flowing at the release party, where a few authors with new books celebrated their launch. A group of us decided we should hit the town and really start the party. Let's just say, things and people got twerked, blisters were formed on feet and booze flowed most of the night. Dawn Pendleton, Magan Vernon, Stephanie, Adrienne James, t.h. snyder, Misha Elliot, Sage Young, Amy Evans, Marissa Carmel, Jaycee Delorenzo and myself had ourselves one HELL of a time at Wet Willy's and Wild Wings and on the streets of Savannah Friday night.  I mean, no open container law?! Come on.

selfie with Casey Peeler
 
selfie with Misha Elliot



the gals and a particularly hunky waiter

The hangover hit just in time for the big day. Luckily I didn't have to be anywhere until the 12pm signing. We grabbed some lunch and then it was time to meet the readers! I sold a good about of copies of The Low Notes and Reckless Radiance and ended up meeting some awesome people. There were two ladies in particular that made a lasting impression on me. Bianca from Biblio Belles Blog and Melannie from Wine Relaxion & My Kindle were so nice and so cool, they will be my pals forever!

  After the signing I spoke on a panel about Book Boyfriends with Carey Heywood, Amy Evans, and Jennifer Snyder. It was nice to hear what we all consider to be the ideal book boyfriend and how as authors we each try to make the man we all want to fall for.
YUM!
some of beautiful Savannah before it started pouring

Then it was time for dinner at the Pirate's House (soooo southern and yummy) and our walking ghost tour! By the second house on the tour it had started to pour down rain but we were already so far from the car it didn't make much since to trek back without getting the rest of the stories. I think I took the rain in stride a little better than some of my author buds. Stephanie, Amy, Natasha Boyd, Julie, Brenda and I looked like drowned rats by the end of the creepy tour! I loved hearing the Savannah spooky history despite the makeup running down my face.
Soaked
Thanks, ghost tour.

I quickly blow dried my hair and put on my PJs for...the Pajama Karaoke party of course! The cheesy songs were belted out by lots of authors (I even joined in on some Dixie Chicks after a margarita or two) and the laughs didn't stop. 

The girls rockin' it
some of my loves :)   (OMG it's Natasha Boyd!!!)

Me, Dawn, Sarra Cannon and my badass editor Kristina Circelli getting our mustache on.

Sunday it was time to say goodbye and one lucky winner got the gift basket I made (proceeds went to a local animal rescue!). I was able to have brunch with a friend who recently moved to Savannah and then I made my way to the airport ...
 
Natural Harmony ARC, coffee, keychain, popcorn, Starbucks gift card, candle, tea infuser, chapstick, Wexley Falls mug and Penny's Pie Diner mug!


All was fine, better than fine even, when I ran into Magan Vernon, Stacey Benefiel, Carey Heywood and her husband Seth. We waited for their flights together and were able to chat about all the fun we had over the weekend. 

Stacey Benefiel, Carey Heywood, Magan Vernon and me

Then I waited. And waited. And waited. My flight to DC was supposed to leave at 2:10. After boarding the plane once and being told to get back off after about 25 mins, the flight didn't end up leaving Savannah until a little after 8. Lucky for me though, my orginal seatmate had bailed and while waiting around I'd run into S.M. Boyce for a lovely lengthy chat in the airport! She sat next to me on the flight and even was so kind as to hold my hand when things got too bumpy for my liking. 

before turbulence

DC was freezing-rain city when we landed and it only took about 10 mins at the gate before the cancelled my flight to Indianapolis. Here's where it got really bad. I'll give you the short and sweet of it. Don't worry, I'm home now and it's all good so no need to feel bad for me ha!


  • 10:15pm Indy flight cancelled
  • stood in line at ticket gate to rebook a flight while husband made hotel reservations from Indy
  • 11:30 ticket counter closes before I can book a flight
  • stood in line to collect my luggage
  • 12:30am waiting for shuttle to the hotel
  • 12:45 informed that the shuttle has stopped running for the night
  • stood in line for a cab in a t-shirt and jeans in freezing rain, wrapped in an airplane blanket
    cab line
  • 2:15 arrive at hotel and call to rebook a flight. Am told I can get on a flight the following day at 9:45 PM
  • Monday 2:00pm arrive back at the airport
  • 2:30pm start worrying that weather will prevent me from getting on the 9:45
  • 3:30 plan is set in motion to rescue me from airport hell, Sister from PA drives to DC to get me, husband in IN drives to PA.
  • 12:30am arrive in PA
  • Tuesday 7:00pm arrive in Indiana!!!! 48 hours behind schedule I made it home from the craziest trip EVER.

Other than the last leg, I had a wonderful time. I made friendships to last a lifetime and have memories to bring me smiles whenever I'm down. I've realized after this that my fellow authors are the sorority sister I never had.  I have 4 events in 2014 and if they are half as fun as NASW then I will be having an amazing year!



Thursday, December 12, 2013

NA Author: Mara Valderran!








Seventeen-year-old Zelene doesn't believe in magic or prophecies. When she's told she is part of the prophecy foretelling five powerful girls bringing peace to the war-torn worlds, she scoffs. The idea of other dimensions layered on top of the world she lives in is almost as ludicrous as the idea that she might be able to save them. After she is attacked by magic-wielding assassins, she finds she can't argue with reality.

As their enemies strike, the girls are taken back to their world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can’t seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in.

Zelene views them all with a distrustful eye, familial bonds or no, and can think of a place or two she’d like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When she learns that her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by the rebels, Zelene’s attitude changes. She doesn’t know how she is supposed to go against an army of magic-wielding rebels when her own ability to manipulate the elements is still locked within her. But can she trust the elders to rescue Ariana when it seems their medieval politics are what brought about the war in the first place? With all that is at stake, the answer becomes clear to Zelene.
Screw the worlds. She’s getting her sister back.


Mara Valderran has been coming up with stories pretty almost since she could talk, often commandeering her brother's G.I. Joes to play out her fictional tales alongside her Barbies. Once she hit adolescence and realized playing with dolls wasn't cool anymore, she started putting her ideas to paper. And she hasn’t stopped since.

Mara has worn many different artistic hats throughout her life. She has dabbled in screenwriting, plucked guitars and basses, toyed with singing, retired from acting, and drawn some pretty mean stick figures in her time. However, writing books seems to fit her best as she finds nothing more fulfilling than creating worlds and characters she can lose herself in.

Mara lives in the south with her husband and demanding cat. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or spending time at her favorite local coffee shop. 



To enter the giveaway, go to each blog and enter the corresponding code into the Rafflecopter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This is Blog #5 and the code is MARAKATE

Blog #2: www.selenalaurence.com
Blog #3: www.StephanieLawton.com
Blog #4: www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.com
Blog #5: www.katerothwrites.blogspot.com
Blog #6: http://jadenwilkes.blogspot.ca/
Blog #7: www.angellawson.com
Blog #8: www.karen-annestewart.com
Blog #9: http://naughtylittlekisses.blogspot.com
Blog #10: http://authoryolandaallen.blogspot.com/
Blog #11: http://dawnaraver.com/
Blog #12: http://tawdrakandle.com
Blog #13: http://midtown-underground.com
Blog #14: http://tyffanickemp.com
Blog #15: www.maganvernon.com
Blog #16: http://pk-Hrezo.blogspot.com
Blog #17: http://beccaoffthetop.blogspot.com/
Blog #18: http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com
Blog #19: http://ellacolblog.wordpress.com/
Blog #20: www.jcemery.com

Thursday, December 5, 2013

NA Author : KaSonndra Leigh!

“The Prelude is the part of a song that pulls you in, hypnotizing you with beauty.” 

After finishing design school six months ago, Erin Angelo left her tragic past behind in the States and started a new life in Milan, Italy. Burying the grief, silencing her demons, and living a life without any real attachments has worked well for her so far. But when Erin secures her first real job as a budding clothing designer, her controlled world is shaken to its core by the mysteriously sexy director of the local symphony.

Alek Dostov is a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. He's successful, hot, the son of a millionaire, and women all over the world flock to see one of his performances. For Alek, Erin represents the ultimate challenge: sexy, smart, and unaffected by his charms...or so she thinks. Just like Erin, Alek avoids attachments that leave him emotionally vulnerable. But unlike Erin, his pursuit of all things pleasurable is ruthless.

Knowing how wary they both are concerning any kind of committed relationship, Alek finds a way to pursue Erin, satisfying the intense attraction between them without sacrificing the freedom they both enjoy. Sometimes the deepest passion brings out the darkest emotions. And Erin finds herself completely unprepared for the forbidden world of the young maestro and his truths and even his secrets, as she struggles to deal with her own.

Music, passion, betrayal and forbidden love spun together in one of the most romantic cities in the world.



KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She lives in an L-shaped house with her two sons (nicknamed the X-men), a yorkiepoo, a cat named Hercules, and a guinea pig called Achilles. She has created a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, a desk made out of clear blue glass, and a garden dedicated to her grandmother.

To enter the giveaway, go to each blog and enter the corresponding code into the Rafflecopter.
This is Blog #5 and the code is KASKATE
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Blog #2: www.selenalaurence.com
Blog #3: www.StephanieLawton.com
Blog #4: www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.com
Blog #5: www.katerothwrites.blogspot.com
Blog #6: http://jadenwilkes.blogspot.ca/
Blog #7: www.angellawson.com
Blog #8: www.karen-annestewart.com
Blog #9: http://naughtylittlekisses.blogspot.com
Blog #10: http://authoryolandaallen.blogspot.com/
Blog #11: http://dawnaraver.com/
Blog #12: http://tawdrakandle.com
Blog #13: http://midtown-underground.com
Blog #14: http://tyffanickemp.com
Blog #15: www.maganvernon.com
Blog #16: http://pk-Hrezo.blogspot.com
Blog #17: http://beccaoffthetop.blogspot.com/
Blog #18: http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com
Blog #19: http://ellacolblog.wordpress.com/
Blog #20: www.jcemery.com