Saturday, April 30, 2016

Cover Reveal | Breaking Down Sydney by Brittney Coon

––––––  COVER REVEAL –––––– 

Coming May 10th from Limitless Publishing


BREAKING DOWN SYDNEY by Brittney Coon
A Sydney West Novel, Book 2
Cover Designer: TOJ Publishing Services

–– SYNOPSIS ––

Sydney West’s new relationship might have survived Malibu, but her transformation from party girl to girlfriend isn’t complete…

Sydney is back in Arizona, and with the fall semester at her doorstep, doubts about her so-called summer love start to plague her. A good girl can only stay good for so long. Jason King changed her and made her wonder if love was real. But now, far from his charm, and with the party scene on campus in full swing, the magic is fading…

Jason isn’t willing to let distance drive a wedge between them…

A surprise reunion and a romantic cabin getaway is enough to reignite their summertime spark, but Sydney isn’t convinced this whole monogamous, meeting-your-parents thing Jason wants is possible. No boy has ever met her mother. Then, when a sudden family tragedy strikes, it sends her spiraling into her old habits of booze and boys.

Sydney can only hide from her past for so long…

In the fog of drowning her sorrows, Sydney realizes her former party lifestyle won’t make her happy. Her one-night stands ended with Jason. As much as she wants to believe in that far-fetched fairytale ending, she’s afraid if Jason finds out about all her summer boys, he will abandon her just like her father did.

Jason refuses to settle for the superficial shell Sydney keeps between them, though, and is determined to…

Break Down Sydney once and for all.


–– PRE-ORDER NOW ––



–– ABOUT THE AUTHOR ––
BRITTNEY COON


Brittney Coon graduated Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and a minor in Film and Media Production. Brittney has always been creative and turned to writing to share the stories playing through her head. In her spare time she reads, watches Friends, attends rock concerts, and hangs out with her cats. She currently lives in Arizona.

–– FOLLOW BRITTNEY ––

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Book Review | Like A Child by Jessica VanderWerff

 

Title: Like A Child 
Author: Jessica VanderWerff
Release Date: March 21st 2016
Published By: CreateSpace Publishing
Page Amount: 128 pages, Paperback

Blurb:

I allow the words to present themselves as they wish: often in a rush, only to tire in the end, and lie down slowly, like a child drifting off during a lullaby. In this collection of wonderfully ethereal poems, written by Jessica VanderWerff, you will always find something to lift your spirits, often with just the memory of childhood. Like a Child is a fabulous creation of 77 works, mainly about our early memories, nature, and dreams. When reading this collection, you can lose yourself for an hour, an afternoon, or a weekend. Poems like First Snow, A Rare Gift, and Summer in Sepia serve to recapture moments in time, recalling memories long forgotten, or perhaps just suppressed by the stresses and pressure of modern life.

Review:

I'm reading more poetry this year than the last few years. I have always loved poetry and there is some great new talent out there. Jessica VanderWerff is one of those new talents. Jessica and I did go to college together and worked on the literary magazine together. This does not affect my opinions of her poetry. I read her poetry in college and loved it then, as well.

I very much enjoyed this collection of poems. Some of them I recognized from the literary magazine in college but there were many new ones. I could tell how much heart was put into these poems. Jessica clearly has a great passion for poetry. Love of her family and friends could be seen throughout this collection, too. Childhood memories played a large part in this collection of poems. It is a lovely reminder of the things we enjoyed in childhood that we so often forget. The little things are so much more important than we tend to give them credit for.

Some of my favorites in this collection are:

- Captured Moments
- The Greatest Devotion
- Tattooed Dreams
- Maestro's Circus
- A Visit to Grandma
- Dreaming of Escape
- This Shall Come to Pass

I really enjoyed this collection and am looking forward to seeing what else Jessica releases into the book world. I would recommend this collection to people who like poetry or even those who are not really into it. This is a great starter. I give this one 5 quills!!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Blog Tour | Amber Alert Series by Sara Schoen ~ Interview and Giveaway



AMBER ALERT (Amber Alert Series #1)

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to violence and sensitive subject matter.

Anna was taken…

Taken from her home to live out a sick game that a guy has been playing for the last ten years.

With no certainty that anyone is looking for her, and seemingly hours away from home, she's forced to play housewife with a man that has had twelve other 'wives'.

Each of them now dead…

With 12 rules and the obvious exits blocked, from the previous girls attempts to flee. Is Anna’s only way out to play along and become a 'loving wife'? Or will she die during the chase?

Would anyone even know what happened to her?

Or would she be labeled as a runaway?

And where is she in the first place?


ABDUCTED (Amber Alert Series #2)

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to violence and sensitive subject matter.

Audrey Thomas had been raised by overprotective parents and is sick of it…

After the kidnapping and recovery of her mother, Anna Cowles, eighteen years ago, parents had a harsh awakening as they realized any child could be taken for any reason.

New laws were set in place to protect children, but those same children ignored the rules and went out of their way to get into trouble.

Audrey has always done what she wanted, no matter what the consequences were…

But what happens when her choices lead her to being taken by the one man people feared everyday for the last eighteen years, right up to his execution.

Will she make it out like her mother did?

Or will she suffer the fate of the previous twelve girls?



APPREHENDED (Amber Alert Series #3)

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to violence and sensitive subject matter.

There's a copycat on the loose…

He's playing the part of the notorious Steve Bennett, a serial kidnapper and killer.

Twelve known girls have already been taken from all over the country, but none have returned. With the orignial house of the mass kidnapper and murderer destroyed, where is he hiding the girls?

Jessi Sparks is about to find out for herself…

This is the case she’s been waiting for, and she won't let it slip through her fingers. She will risk everything to finally put an end to mass kidnappings.

But will she be risking her own life?



Interview:

Hi Sara!! I’m so happy to have you on the blog today. I’ve interviewed you and Taylor Henderson once before and I’m very glad to have you back. 
Glad to be back! Thanks for having me again!

Can you to tell us a little bit about yourself? 
I’m Sara, I started writing in middle school, but didn’t fully dedicate to it until high school. I’m currently at university, studying Biology, so writing is just a hobby for now. My passion is with animals and I hope to oneday work with them.

When did you first get into writing? Could you tell us about it?
I started in middle school with a two book series, they have since gone unedited – maybe one day I’ll get around to editing them for publication. Since then I’ve written numerous books, and am currently working on a really long spy series (it’s going to be either 4 or 5 books – really long for me)

Do you have a favorite quote from one or all of your books? 
I’m currently editing a book which will release June 7th and it’s one of my favorites and has a lot of quotes from one of my best friends, Sam. 

A few dialogue quotes to show Lauren and Kayden’s relationship.

“I’m just here to help you, GG,” he said, giving me the same breathtaking smile. Something was going on, I just had to wait for the blow to come and hope I could take it. Though in this state, I wasn’t sure I could.
“How’s that? I was pretty sure your motto was, ‘Why help you, when I can help myself?’ Which, so you know, makes you sound exactly like the arrogant jerk you are.”


“Thanks, I have you to thank for that. If you hadn’t been there to support me, I’m not sure I could have done it.” I turned to look at him and noticed the faint smile on his lips. “So where are we going?” I asked as he turned the corner out of my neighborhood. 
“How do you feel about breaking and entering?” 
I glanced at him to see if he was serious. His features were stoic, and that worried me. “I don’t like it.” 
Kayden flashed me a mischievous smile. “Well, too bad. We’re doing it anyway, Rebel.”


Do you have a designated writing space? What does it look like? 
I write best at the library. I cannot write at home no matter how hard I try, but I’ve gotten really good at writing on my phone while I’m on the bus or between classes. I hope to one day just have a desk in a nice room, but I think my inability to focus will be difficult to deal with.

Who are some of your favorite authors? Would you say that any of them have influenced your writing? 
I love Heather Graham, J.K Rowling, R.L Stein, and a few others. I’ve met a lot of indie authors during my journey and they really inspire me. Reading a great book gets me pumped to write more and finish my own.

Do you listen to music while you write? 
Yes, all the time. It’s how I focus. I listen while writing, reading, and doing homework.

What is your favorite part of being an author?
I can do anything I want in my books! 

In my spy series, I gave my characters names like Night Stripe, Demon, and Sharp Shooter to pay homage to a lot of important things in my life. Demon explains that his mom used to call him a little demon while he was growing up, and my siblings thought the same of me. Sharp Shooter is where I learned to shoot a gun, it's a gun range back at home where I took gun safety course, and Night Stripe explains hers, lightning is the only source of light during a dark stormy night, and that's exactly what she wants to be - the light in a world of darkness. 

Or I can take moments of my life and share them with people, and yes, I really did set a pop tart on fire in a toaster when I was a kid (happens in Amber Alert as a homage to myself and why my parents wouldn’t let me cook)

I can do ANYTHING! That’s so exciting! To me, and that’s my favorite part!

Which of your main characters do you think you would be best friends with in real life?
 I’d love to have Sara Night, otherwise known as Night Stripe, Lauren Scott (in my book to be released June 7), and Chelsea Lerman from Waking Up Blank. They are a lot like me, and I really connect with them as characters. To have them as friends would be amazing especially for friends.

What would you like to see happen in the future regarding your writing?
I’d love to wrok with one of the big six publishers, or just keep cranking out books. I enjoy writing, and I’d love to share my stories with the world. Besides, who doesn’t want to become a best seller one day haha. I think I’d cry from happiness.

What is your advice for aspiring authors? And/or anything you want to add before you go. 
Advice: Write, write, and keep writing. Practice makes perfect. It really does. Amber Alert was my first series released, and trust me, I know it’s rough and feels like a rough draft, but look at my newer releases, they are so much better. It’s really practicing, and learning to take and handle criticism. Not everyone will like what you write, it’s literally impossible to please everyone. So instead, please yourself Be happy with your story, and take the bad reviews with the good. Learn from them, if they are constructive, and enjoy the ones that praise you. 

Thank you for joining us today!! Best of luck to you. :) 




"No! Andy...please!"
I was roughly shoved into the back of  a black car. The door slammed shut, the front door opened soon after and he got in. There was a click, as the car was locked. He threw the car into forward, and took off at an insane speed leaving everyone I knew and cared for behind.
I watched in terror as trees whizzed by, leaving the familiar surroundings behind as the road went from pavement to dirt and the buildings were replaced with large trees and fallen branches. I didn't know where we were going, but I wanted to go home. The locks wouldn’t budge; the child safety lock prevented my escape the moment he had locked me in this god-forsaken car. I had lost my phone in the struggle, and I was stuck in here.
 There were scratch marks and dark spots on the seat. It looked as though someone had tried to claw their way out and I couldn't blame them. Every hair on my neck were standing on end with fear blazing through me. My throat was sore from the screaming, but all the drivers had ignored my pleas for help. They simply kept driving without another sideways glance in my direction.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked again, my voice hoarse from the screams and crying. It was answered the same way, with silence that slowly crept in and made me shudder.
"Shut up!'
"Where are we going?"
"Be a good girl and take orders. Now shut up!"
I wished more than anything to be back at home and under my bed, away from him. The road turned to gravel as we came upon a rundown house, its shudders were falling of the hinges, but what caught me was the windows were boarded up. To prevent escape, I felt a shiver travel up my spine as the car came to a slow stop.
He got out of the car and didn’t unlock the doors until he was at the door. That small click would have brought me relief at any point in the car ride other than now. I pushed against the other side of the car as he reached one long hand in and grabbed me by my ankle and roughly yank me out of the car on to the gravel. A scream ripped through my throat as the gravel cut into my skin and my head hit the side of the car.
"Get up!" he ordered. My head was spinning from everything that had happened, but when I didn't move, he moved me.
His hand grabbed take a large chunk of my hair before he lifted me out of the car, ignoring my cries of pain. He roughly dragged me to the house, I couldn't get my feet to walk and fell often.
The door was solid, he had to slam his body against the wooden blockade and force it open. There was a creak as it slowly opened from his blows, and he threw me inside onto the hardwood floor. There was no carpet, anywhere It would be possible to hear every step from anywhere in the home. The house was bare to the bones, the walls held no photos or phones, rooms remained empty of furniture unless it was bolted to the ground. A new wave of fear ripped through me in realization that he had done this before, he had taken precautions for it.


Sara Schoen began writing in middle school, but did not officially dedicate herself to writing until high school when encouraged by her writing partner. Before then, Sara had not thought about trying to publish her works because it seemed unlikely that anyone would take a chance on someone so young. Despite her previous thoughts, she published her first book, Amber Alert, at the age of nineteen, and began rewriting and editing a spy series that she spent years writing when she was younger. With a lot of hard work and determination, now that same series, which is close to her heart, is a bestseller.

Sara is a Biology Major with a minor in Environmental Science and a minor in Spanish at James Madison University, and spends her time writing, studying, and ghost hunting. While writing is a great hobby that turned into a passion to share with others, school is her priority.

Throughout her publishing journey, Sara has had an amazing support system from her family, friends, and significant other, who were with her every step of the way. She hopes to continue to write, and wants to inspire others to reach for their dreams no matter how far they may seem. She truly believes that dreams can come true at any age, if you put in effort and chase after what you want.

Social media links:
Twitter: @SaraNSchoen
Instagram: @Stolen_Glances



Sara Schoen

Guarded Secrets Series
Suicide Mission (FREE): http://amzn.com/B011B1JMBY
Covert Operations: http://amzn.com/B0172DGCE0

Waking Up Blank: http://amzn.com/B00YTB0EZM


Sara Schoen and Taylor Henderson

The Dying Game: http://amzn.com/B00SU83M68

Deadly Hallows: http://amzn.com/B01BI3ZQA6







 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Release Blitz | Hell on Heels by Anne Jolin

HELL ON HEELS by Anne Jolin
Genre: Women's Fiction Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 26, 2016

— Synopsis —

I use people. Not in a malicious way, but in the way an addict abuses their substance of choice. People are my vice—men specifically. I crave the emotional high they give me with a unique and reckless disregard for my own well-being—eagerly floating into an unsustainable euphoria, knowing full well that after every high comes an equal, if not more powerful, plummet into a devastating abyss. But like every junkie, I crawl willingly back into the arms of my demons.

Oh, the price we pay to feel loved. We’d all sell our souls to the devil himself for that. Perhaps I have already.

They say that acknowledging that you have a problem is one of the first steps to recovery. Well, in that case, my name is Charleston Smith and I have a f$*king problem.


— Purchase 

✯✯✯ NOW LIVE! ✯✯✯

— About The Author: Anne Jolin 

Hey y’all,
I was born and raised in Ladner, a small farm town just outside Vancouver, Canada. I grew up riding horses, shooting guns, and driving in trucks.

I never expected to be an author. A massage therapist? Yes. Take over the family construction company? Yes. But an author? No. Writing was something that snuck up on me and rooted itself into my life. It was beautiful to discover that love, and I’m truly grateful to say I’ve found my passion.

Since I’ve always been a creative person, it feels amazing to harness all of that energy and use it to tell a story I love. I enjoy incorporating bits of my real life into the stories I write. What parts are true? Hah. I’ll never tell—what would be the fun in that?

If I could leave y’all with one thing, it’s that life’s far too short to not live it out loud. Drown in your passions, hold on tight to the things that inspire you, and chase your dreams relentlessly. I can promise you without a doubt that you won’t regret it. I know I don’t.

Mad love,
Anne Jolin
xx

Monday, April 25, 2016

Blog Tour | Elementals 2: The Blood of the Hydra by Michelle Madow!!

Filled with magic, thrilling adventure, and sweet romance, Elementals: The Blood of the Hydra is the second book in the Elementals series. Join Nicole and the rest of the Elementals on their quest to save the world, or die trying, in this spellbinding sequel that fans of mythology, magic, and adventure will love!

 

Title: Elementals 2: The Blood of the Hydra
Author: Michelle Madow
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Release Date: April 18, 2016
Series: Elementals #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Format: eBook and paperback
ISBN: 9781311296788

A demigod who can kill with a touch. It’s an ability that must be kept secret from everyone, even from those trusted most.

Finding out that she was a witch was strange enough, but now Nicole must face the realization that she has the rare power to kill with just a touch. No one can know her secret—not even Blake, who she’s had undeniable chemistry with since first moving to town.

Now Nicole, Blake, and the three others with elemental powers must stop a series of monsters that they previously believed to be dead from rising once again and destroying the mortal world. The creatures they face on this journey will be more dangerous than anything they’ve encountered yet. Will they all survive the quest? And how long will it be until Nicole is forced to use her ability to kill in front of everyone, revealing the true darkness of her powers?

Find out in The Blood of the Hydra, and join the Elementals on their next journey in their quest to save the world—or die trying.

Buy Links:  Amazon

Add to your TBR List:  Goodreads

The adventure began in the first book in the series, Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows! To learn more about the first book, and to read the first four chapters for free, click here!

The Elementals series is available on Kindle Unlimited, so subscribers can read it for free!

Mini Interview:


1) What is your number one favorite book?

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It’s the only book I’ve read more than once. 

2) Which one of your books would you most like to live in?

Elementals. Because I would love to be a witch and be able to harness energy to use for different purposes! 

3) Which one of your characters do you think you'd get along the best with?

Probably Kate from Elementals, because she loves reading and learning. 

4) Which one of your characters do you think you'd have the most trouble getting along with?

Honestly… probably Nicole! Which I know sounds strange, because she’s my main character. But Nicole is super sporty and always needs to be active and on the move, and I don’t usually have a lot in common with people like that. It isn’t that we wouldn’t get along… we just probably wouldn’t have enough in common to drive us toward being friends. 

5) Can you pick one song you think sums up each of your book series?

Transcend Time: Love Story by Taylor Swift. 

The Secret Diamond Sisters: Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry.

Elementals: I honestly have no idea. Music never served as an inspiration to me while writing Elementals. So… if you’ve read the series, what songs remind you of it? Tweet me (@MichelleMadow) to let me know your thoughts! 

About Michelle Madow:


Michelle Madow writes fast-paced YA (young adult) fiction that will leave you turning the pages wanting more!

She grew up in Baltimore, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she writes books for young adults. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle went on a cross-country road trip from Florida to California and back to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

Want to get some of Michelle’s books for FREE? Click here to learn how. ☺

To get instant updates about Michelle’s new books, follow her on Amazon!

Connect with Michelle:  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Goodreads

Giveaway:

Michelle is offering up a fabulous prize during her Elementals: The Blood of the Hydra Virtual Tour event. One (1) lucky winner will receive a signed paperback copy of one of Michelle’s books! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below: