The May celebration is over. I want to thank everyone for joining me and for participating in the giveaways.
The final giveaway for signed paperbacks will continue for a few more days. If you haven't signed up yet, you still have a chance.
Next week I will return to my regular blog posts.
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
The Holidays Are Coming to Get You
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s November. For my American friends, that means that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. After that (for those who celebrate) comes Christmas and then New Year’s. These last few months often fly by incredibly quickly—and they can be stressful.
Don’t forget to take some time to relax and unwind in the next few months. With the weather getting colder and days getting shorter, it’s the perfect excuse to curl up with a good book and snuggle under a blanket. Take the time to slow down and take some deep breaths.
I’m going to find lots of time to take advantage of reading over the next couple of months. I’m also going to do my best to get some writing done. It’s been occurring in fits and starts, so I assume it will continue that way. Eventually, I’ll get this book finished. Eventually.
With the holidays upon us, I have a ton of paperbacks floating around that I will be putting on sale. I’ll also be doing some giveaways for audiobook codes. If any of that sounds intriguing, stay tuned. More info will be forthcoming.
New Adult Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to New Adult Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was inspired as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 96 hours!
Go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are TWO contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the Purple Team–but there is also a Red Team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page.
***THE SCAVENGER HUNT***
Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my lucky book number. Collect the lucky book numbers of all the authors on Team Purple, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).
Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by July 1, 2018, at noon Eastern Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.
LET THE HUNT BEGIN!
***MEET KELSEY KETCH***
During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate. Daughter of Isis is her debut novel.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.
Character Profile:
Name: Meriden
Age: 18, going on 19
Hair Color: Auburn
Eye Color: Green
Closest Mates: Matthew Kettlesworth, Rupert Railing
Courting: Gregory Wilson
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Character Profile:
Name: Meriden
Age: 18, going on 19
Hair Color: Auburn
Eye Color: Green
Closest Mates: Matthew Kettlesworth, Rupert Railing
Courting: Gregory Wilson
Personality: Hot-headed, sharp-tongued, protective, caring
Likes:
The high-seas. Ever since she was a small child, Meriden dreamed of sailing the high-seas, as her father and great-grandfather once had. In her heart, despite the dangers, it is her true home.
Carpentry. Meriden learned carpentry from her father, who learned it from his father, who learned it from his step-father. But Meriden also has a natural gift when it comes to wood work. This is because she can feel the wood’s emotions, such as if it was crafted with love or writhing in pain from damage.
Children. Out of all the people in Meriden’s village, she finds the children the least judgmental about her status and behavior. Perhaps it’s because she weaves amazing adventures and teaches them how to sword fight. In any case, Meriden cares for them as if they were family, even though they are not her own.
Dislikes:
Blake Baker. The man responsible for the disappearance of her father. She would never forgive him for treachery. But when she learns that Baker actually murdered her father, was responsible for Gregory’s kidnapping, and is now pursuing her, revenge slowly consumes her heart to the point of no return.
Disrespect. Don’t show any disrespect for this girl or her friends. Meriden has a very short temper for such things, and one might find a blade whizzing past their ear if you get on her wrong side.
Favorite Scene: My rage unleashed by his final words, I grabbed my knife from my belt, spun on my heel, and hurled the blade toward Scrapper’s head. While his violet eyes widened, several crewmen ducked out of the way of the flying object as it skimmed Scrapper’s ear and sunk itself into the foremast.
“Would anyone else like to comment?” I spat, my breathing rapid. There was nothing but complete silence in reply. “Good! If anyone on this ship crosses me again, I’ll aim lower. Much lower. Do I make myself clear?”
***Book Trailer***
To enter, you need to know that my lucky book number is 7.
Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on Team Purple and you’ll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!
***CONTINUE THE HUNT***
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, SF Benson!
GOOD LUCK!!
How Much Can Readers Ask of Authors?
As authors, we ask a lot from our readers. We ask them to buy our work, enjoy it, and then leave a review. It doesn’t always happen this way, but most times it does, and it’s amazing. Even if the reader doesn’t like our work, we’re still happy that they read the book.
But can readers ever ask anything of authors?
Of course they can.
They can ask us to write the best book in our abilities. They can ask that our books take them to faraway worlds and introduces them to new and interesting characters. They can ask that we make them feel when they read our book. As an author, I’m sure you’re more than happy to supply this to the reader.
But can readers ask for more?
Can they ask for free books? Both ebooks and signed paperbacks?
Recently, I had an interaction with a newsletter subscriber. I was doing a giveaway for some of my books, and this person sent me an email to tell me about a terrible time they were having. They were losing their house and having all kinds of other issues, so they explained that I could make their day a little brighter by sending them some of my signed paperbacks.
I consider myself a kind person, and I had some extra books floating around that were copies from an old publisher. The business has since closed down, and the cover information was out of date, but the interior information was the same. Since I wasn’t going to do anything else with the books, I sent them to this particular individual.
When I sent out my next newsletter, I was having another giveaway from my Life After the Undead series. They were leftovers from the publisher that closed, but—again—the interior story was still the same. Again, I wasn’t going to do anything with them, so I wanted to get them into the hands of readers who might enjoy them.
The same individual messaged me again to let me know that the books I sent a month before had been confiscated when all of their possessions were repossessed. They asked if I could kindly send more books because they were still struggling and having a difficult time.
I didn’t have any other extra copies floating around my office like I had before, and I became suspicious of their intentions. They wanted me to forgo the giveaway and just send them the books, but I wasn’t willing to do that. I wanted to be fair to all my readers—especially since this person had already received copies. They then asked if I would be willing to send pdf versions of the books I had previously sent.
At this point, my suspicion increased further. In the emails, the person kept repeating that I should “have compassion” and help them out in their time of need. I had thought I had been compassionate and kind previously when I sent the first set of copies. Plus, why would anyone repossess books?
I went with my gut instinct that something was off with the situation and decided not to send either the pdf versions or more paperback versions. Is it possible this person was telling the truth? Absolutely. But it’s also possible they were selling my work on the internet.
This is one scenario of readers asking for something that seemed weird and off, but not all encounters are like this. I’ve had others ask me for books—friends, family, fans—and if I could swing it, I’ve sent them copies. If I couldn’t, I sent them links to where they could buy them.
In general, I don’t think it’s weird for readers to ask for things from an author. After all, you never know what the answer is until you try. And, honestly, it’s really cool to get books that have been signed by the author.
However, as the author, you have the final say with whether or not you want to send readers what they are asking for. You have to judge whether or not their intentions are noble or whether they are asking too much of you.
For the authors out there, have you ever had any of these types of requests? How did you go about handling them? How much is too much for a reader to ask of you?
For the authors out there, have you ever had any of these types of requests? How did you go about handling them? How much is too much for a reader to ask of you?
I would love to know what you think! Please feel free to post in the comments or shoot me an email if you’d like to share your story privately!
Stuck In A Good Book Blog Hop
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Before I tell you about the books I’ve been stuck in, I want to let you know what I’m giving away. I’ll be giving away a signed paperback copy of my book Wucaii (open to U.S. shipping only). For a chance to win, comment with a book you’ve been stuck in!
Have you even been stuck in a book so amazing, so emotional that you couldn’t put it down? What about a book that you wish you could get sucked into the pages and live in that world forever?
I have. There have been several books that I never wanted to end. These have included some Star Wars books, books by Piers Anthony, books by Michael Crichton, books by Christopher Pike, and a host of others.
Follow the rest of the blogs in the hop to find more giveaways and other good books that people have been stuck in!
Beach Reads Giveaway Hop
Summer is almost here, and that means time to read! Who doesn't like to curl up anywhere with a book and enjoy the warm weather and a different world? I know I do!
In celebration, the Beach Reads Giveaway Hop is hooking readers up with reads for the summer, and I'm happy to participate! I'll be giving away ebooks of The Road to Salvation series (one lucky winner) and the Life After the Undead series (one lucky winner) and signed paperbacks (open to U.S. shipping only) of the Life After the Undead series (two lucky winners) and The Road to Salvation series (one lucky winner).
The Life After the Undead series (young adult, zombies)
The Road to Salvation series (young adult, demons)
For your chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment and let me know which of these books would be a favorite beach read!
Don't forget to check out the other bloggers involved in the hop!
Getting Back into the Groove
My schedule has been thrown off for this week. I went to Nebraska over the weekend and didn’t get back until Monday. It’s a long trip to drive there, but that will be the last time I do it for a visit. The next time I go, it will be to move there.
Because my week has been thrown off, I’m not posting as much as I normally do. That will change next week. I’ll get back into my groove. Since I haven’t been posting, that also means I haven’t been writing fiction. I’ve been doing some freelance stuff, but I haven’t been writing for me. That will also change in the coming weeks.
Soon enough, I will have a schedule that will allow me to be productive and creative, and I’m really looking forward to that. I have several projects that are demanding my attention. On the top of that list is getting my middle grade books ready for self-publishing.
I don’t foresee the process taking long, but it still requires time. They need to be edited again, then formatted and fitted with new covers. It’s an exciting process, and I really enjoy doing it, I just have to have the time.
Soon. It’s going to happen soon.
In the meantime, please feel free to keep yourself busy trying to win signed zombie paperbacks. The sign up is in the right hand column. May is Zombie Awareness Month, so I’ve been giving away free books. This is the last one for this month, so don’t miss out. It’s my nonfiction book, so it has some great advice on how to survive zombies.
New Adult Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to New Adult Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was inspired as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 96 hours!
Go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are TWO contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I’m a part of the TEAM PURPLE–but there is also a TEAM BLUE for a chance to win a whole different set of books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page.
Directions: Collect the lucky book numbers of all the authors on TEAM PURPLE, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).
Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 30th, at noon Eastern Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.
LET THE HUNT BEGIN!
Sneak Peek for Rougarou Chronicles Novella Book 2 by Cadence Rae.
Emmaline led me to the sitting room. There was a two plush chairs on either side of the most comfortable looking sofa with a coffee table in front on them, all facing a floor to ceiling window that had a magnificent view of the mountains and the quickly setting sun. Gorgeous could not even come close to describing this view. The sky was painted with blues, pinks, and purple as a yellowish orange sun fell behind the trees in the distance. We were on the side of the city where there were more housing developments than city living. It was nice to live in a quiet, seemly safe and drama free gated community with mansions contained in their own gated property just for extra privacy and plenty of land. The houses were far enough that you could throw a party with music blasting to high heaven and it wouldn’t faze your neighbors.
A young lady brought in ice tea and cucumber sandwiches, which I never had before but were pretty good, if I say so myself. Emmaline asked if I enjoyed the snack and tea and I replied I was satisfied with the nourishments provided. Here in the south we love our ice tea so that was a nice semblance of home, although home wasn’t the best of places and I’m happier away from there. Emmaline was sitting next to me on the sofa.
She gently took my hands in hers urging me to look at her, as I looked into her eyes she spoke, “Ari, I want you know you can always come and talk to me if you need, I’m here to listen and give advice if you want it, don’t be afraid to ask. As pack mother, just like any other mother I’ve sat with many who just needed a listening ear, someone they could confide in, or advice.” “Not my mother.” I mumbled, not really wanting her to hear but I monetarily forgot about those heightened wolf senses and more than excellent hearing. Crap!
“Ari, I’m sorry you had a mother who was less than what you needed her to be, but not all mothers are that way and as part of our pack and my son’s mate, you essentially my daughter. We take family very serious here, everyone one is important and I make sure all needs are met including emotional ones, so as your pack mother/mother in law, I promise to show you how a mother is supposed to treat their children and try to help you heal from the scars that were left by her neglect.”
I felt my eyes start to sting threatening to bring on the waterworks, but I was tired of crying so I took a deep breath and answered her, “Thank you Emmaline, that means a lot to me, I can see why Kyler loves you so much and holds you in such high esteem.”
She hugged me and as she pulled back she replied. “Thank you for that but I think Kyler may be bias, I have my flaws like everyone else. I just try my best to help and comfort others where I can. I’ve always had the desire to help others, I guess it’s part of my personality. And speaking of that, is there something I can do to help ease your doubt or fear of being Kyler’s mate or part of this pack?”
I swallowed hard, took a deep breath and blew it out slow, I hope I wasn’t overstepping my bounds by asking this but Kyler did mention it. “Well, I do have something to ask you but please by no means am I trying to be rude and you are more than welcome to tell me it’d none of my business and decline to answer.”
“Go on sweets, never be afraid to speak your mind with me.”
“Kyler said you has issues when you first found out you were Dante’s mate and you may have more insight into what I’m feeling since you have been in a similar circumstance as me.”
Emmaline gave me a sad sweet smile, I guess remembering still brings back some negative emotions, “Dante’s father was Alpha of our pack. I grew up with him but we never really talked, we ran in different crowds, so to speak. I was still just 17 until July and had a few months left of my senior year of high school, and we aren’t usually claimed by our mate until we are 18 or older. So, when Dante approached me and made it known that he planned to claim me the month after I turned 18, I freaked. How was I supposed to mate this boy, well I guess you can call him a man because he was 20 at the time, anyway I barely knew him and no way was I prepared to Alpha Female. I was shy and kept to myself and my small group of friends. Well he decided we should date so we can get to know each other, though I wasn’t very keen on this idea I agreed out of respect for my future Alpha. Don’t get me wrong, Dante took me on some romantic dates and was a gentleman, always opening doors and pulling out my chair and respected me by never trying anything past a chastised kiss after out third date. He was sweet and I was beginning to fall for him, of course I wasn’t ready to admit it to anyone, including myself. One night when he received a call from his father to go take care of some of his boys who had gotten into a bar fight before the cops arrived and complicated the matter. Not surprisingly, the boys where drunk beyond reason and fighting over a girl, who apparently had walked off when the fight begun, deciding she didn’t want either boys if they were going to be so childish. Dante hulled the boys back to pack house while his soon to be beta took the other kid home and talked him out of pressing charges seeing that they were all underage drinking. When we exited the vehicle at the pack house, Dante grabbed the boy that was in the fight by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the vehicle. That made me flinch to see him so angry and things went downhill from there, pulled the Alpha card on him and proceeded to what the kids these days say, ‘tear him a new one’. I am sure the guy was scared senseless because I know I was, I was shaking from head to toe. I’d never seen Dante use any violence or hear such anger in his voice, I’m sure his wolf was on the verge of taking over. Well, being the weakling I perceived myself to be, I ran thinking there was no way I could mate and marry a man prone to violence. I quickly packed my bags, emptied my savings I had hidden in a box under my bed, and took the first bus to anywhere.”
Right about then I was in a war between shock, fear for her, and amusement of how we had both ran fast as far as we could get. She must have seen it in my eyes or maybe she just smelled my emotions because she responded by saying, “Yes Ari, we do have some things in common and I have been in your shoes once upon a time, and it may be ironic that my son’s mate reacted the same as his mother to the mating idea.” “So what happened next? I can only imagine how furious Dante was when he realized you skipped town.” “Yes, he about lost his mind, he told me later shortly after I snuck away to my room to pack to run, his father showed up and calmed him and dished out punishment to the boy who fought and the other boys who were drunk out of their minds; drinking and drugs and any trouble with the law was not acceptable in our pack, we were taught better than that. From what Dante tells me, when he didn’t see me outside he went to my room to apologize and realized I was gone. After informing his dad of the situation, he and his beta were about to set out to follow my trail and bring me back home. However, his mother intercepted them and insisted on going along and allowing her to speak to me first before Dante came blazing in. He begrudgingly agreed and waited very impatiently outside my hotel room. His mother helped calm my fears about mating an Alpha and promised that a wolf would never allow harm to come to their mate, even by their own hand. She also said she could see the leader in me and my compassion would make me a great Alpha female and that she would guide me in growing into that leader. I guess Dante had reached his patience level because just about that time he banged on the door and demanded in. His mother opened the door, quietly chastised him for being rude and demanding, after he apologized she stepped aside and let him in the room. I could see the hardness on his face and was prepared for a tongue lashing but strangely when our eyes met he immediately calmed, his face softened, and I swear I saw love there but I was not ready to acknowledge that latter part. He slowly stalked toward me and I suddenly thrown into fight or flight mode but my mind was at war about which path to take and before I could decide he was in front of me softly cupping my face, apologizing for his outburst, promising it wouldn’t happen again. For some reason I believed him and as I nodded my head in acceptance he wrapped me in his arm where all of a sudden I felt safe and a sense of home. I have a revelation that this was where I truly belonged and apologized for running and promised not to do it again. He let go of our embrace, cupped my face in his hands a gave me the sweetest, softest kiss that made me weak in the knees, that was the point I came to terms with being his mate and Alpha Female. His father did think it was a splendid idea for us to attend pre-marriage counseling with our church pastor. To our astonishment this aided us it growing closer as a couple and learn to also be friends, which is important in a relationship.”
Go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are TWO contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I’m a part of the TEAM PURPLE–but there is also a TEAM BLUE for a chance to win a whole different set of books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page.
***THE SCAVENGER HUNT***
Directions: Collect the lucky book numbers of all the authors on TEAM PURPLE, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).
Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 30th, at noon Eastern Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.
LET THE HUNT BEGIN!
Sneak Peek for Rougarou Chronicles Novella Book 2 by Cadence Rae.
Chapter 1~ Mother of the Pack
Emmaline led me to the sitting room. There was a two plush chairs on either side of the most comfortable looking sofa with a coffee table in front on them, all facing a floor to ceiling window that had a magnificent view of the mountains and the quickly setting sun. Gorgeous could not even come close to describing this view. The sky was painted with blues, pinks, and purple as a yellowish orange sun fell behind the trees in the distance. We were on the side of the city where there were more housing developments than city living. It was nice to live in a quiet, seemly safe and drama free gated community with mansions contained in their own gated property just for extra privacy and plenty of land. The houses were far enough that you could throw a party with music blasting to high heaven and it wouldn’t faze your neighbors.
A young lady brought in ice tea and cucumber sandwiches, which I never had before but were pretty good, if I say so myself. Emmaline asked if I enjoyed the snack and tea and I replied I was satisfied with the nourishments provided. Here in the south we love our ice tea so that was a nice semblance of home, although home wasn’t the best of places and I’m happier away from there. Emmaline was sitting next to me on the sofa.
She gently took my hands in hers urging me to look at her, as I looked into her eyes she spoke, “Ari, I want you know you can always come and talk to me if you need, I’m here to listen and give advice if you want it, don’t be afraid to ask. As pack mother, just like any other mother I’ve sat with many who just needed a listening ear, someone they could confide in, or advice.” “Not my mother.” I mumbled, not really wanting her to hear but I monetarily forgot about those heightened wolf senses and more than excellent hearing. Crap!
“Ari, I’m sorry you had a mother who was less than what you needed her to be, but not all mothers are that way and as part of our pack and my son’s mate, you essentially my daughter. We take family very serious here, everyone one is important and I make sure all needs are met including emotional ones, so as your pack mother/mother in law, I promise to show you how a mother is supposed to treat their children and try to help you heal from the scars that were left by her neglect.”
I felt my eyes start to sting threatening to bring on the waterworks, but I was tired of crying so I took a deep breath and answered her, “Thank you Emmaline, that means a lot to me, I can see why Kyler loves you so much and holds you in such high esteem.”
She hugged me and as she pulled back she replied. “Thank you for that but I think Kyler may be bias, I have my flaws like everyone else. I just try my best to help and comfort others where I can. I’ve always had the desire to help others, I guess it’s part of my personality. And speaking of that, is there something I can do to help ease your doubt or fear of being Kyler’s mate or part of this pack?”
I swallowed hard, took a deep breath and blew it out slow, I hope I wasn’t overstepping my bounds by asking this but Kyler did mention it. “Well, I do have something to ask you but please by no means am I trying to be rude and you are more than welcome to tell me it’d none of my business and decline to answer.”
“Go on sweets, never be afraid to speak your mind with me.”
“Kyler said you has issues when you first found out you were Dante’s mate and you may have more insight into what I’m feeling since you have been in a similar circumstance as me.”
Emmaline gave me a sad sweet smile, I guess remembering still brings back some negative emotions, “Dante’s father was Alpha of our pack. I grew up with him but we never really talked, we ran in different crowds, so to speak. I was still just 17 until July and had a few months left of my senior year of high school, and we aren’t usually claimed by our mate until we are 18 or older. So, when Dante approached me and made it known that he planned to claim me the month after I turned 18, I freaked. How was I supposed to mate this boy, well I guess you can call him a man because he was 20 at the time, anyway I barely knew him and no way was I prepared to Alpha Female. I was shy and kept to myself and my small group of friends. Well he decided we should date so we can get to know each other, though I wasn’t very keen on this idea I agreed out of respect for my future Alpha. Don’t get me wrong, Dante took me on some romantic dates and was a gentleman, always opening doors and pulling out my chair and respected me by never trying anything past a chastised kiss after out third date. He was sweet and I was beginning to fall for him, of course I wasn’t ready to admit it to anyone, including myself. One night when he received a call from his father to go take care of some of his boys who had gotten into a bar fight before the cops arrived and complicated the matter. Not surprisingly, the boys where drunk beyond reason and fighting over a girl, who apparently had walked off when the fight begun, deciding she didn’t want either boys if they were going to be so childish. Dante hulled the boys back to pack house while his soon to be beta took the other kid home and talked him out of pressing charges seeing that they were all underage drinking. When we exited the vehicle at the pack house, Dante grabbed the boy that was in the fight by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the vehicle. That made me flinch to see him so angry and things went downhill from there, pulled the Alpha card on him and proceeded to what the kids these days say, ‘tear him a new one’. I am sure the guy was scared senseless because I know I was, I was shaking from head to toe. I’d never seen Dante use any violence or hear such anger in his voice, I’m sure his wolf was on the verge of taking over. Well, being the weakling I perceived myself to be, I ran thinking there was no way I could mate and marry a man prone to violence. I quickly packed my bags, emptied my savings I had hidden in a box under my bed, and took the first bus to anywhere.”
Right about then I was in a war between shock, fear for her, and amusement of how we had both ran fast as far as we could get. She must have seen it in my eyes or maybe she just smelled my emotions because she responded by saying, “Yes Ari, we do have some things in common and I have been in your shoes once upon a time, and it may be ironic that my son’s mate reacted the same as his mother to the mating idea.” “So what happened next? I can only imagine how furious Dante was when he realized you skipped town.” “Yes, he about lost his mind, he told me later shortly after I snuck away to my room to pack to run, his father showed up and calmed him and dished out punishment to the boy who fought and the other boys who were drunk out of their minds; drinking and drugs and any trouble with the law was not acceptable in our pack, we were taught better than that. From what Dante tells me, when he didn’t see me outside he went to my room to apologize and realized I was gone. After informing his dad of the situation, he and his beta were about to set out to follow my trail and bring me back home. However, his mother intercepted them and insisted on going along and allowing her to speak to me first before Dante came blazing in. He begrudgingly agreed and waited very impatiently outside my hotel room. His mother helped calm my fears about mating an Alpha and promised that a wolf would never allow harm to come to their mate, even by their own hand. She also said she could see the leader in me and my compassion would make me a great Alpha female and that she would guide me in growing into that leader. I guess Dante had reached his patience level because just about that time he banged on the door and demanded in. His mother opened the door, quietly chastised him for being rude and demanding, after he apologized she stepped aside and let him in the room. I could see the hardness on his face and was prepared for a tongue lashing but strangely when our eyes met he immediately calmed, his face softened, and I swear I saw love there but I was not ready to acknowledge that latter part. He slowly stalked toward me and I suddenly thrown into fight or flight mode but my mind was at war about which path to take and before I could decide he was in front of me softly cupping my face, apologizing for his outburst, promising it wouldn’t happen again. For some reason I believed him and as I nodded my head in acceptance he wrapped me in his arm where all of a sudden I felt safe and a sense of home. I have a revelation that this was where I truly belonged and apologized for running and promised not to do it again. He let go of our embrace, cupped my face in his hands a gave me the sweetest, softest kiss that made me weak in the knees, that was the point I came to terms with being his mate and Alpha Female. His father did think it was a splendid idea for us to attend pre-marriage counseling with our church pastor. To our astonishment this aided us it growing closer as a couple and learn to also be friends, which is important in a relationship.”
Lucky Number: 4
New Adult Scavenger Hunt - Coming Soon!
Hello Everyone! Hope you are excited as I am, because we have less than three weeks until the Spring 2017 New Adult Scavenger Hunt begins!
Here are the Spring 2017 #NewASH teams:
TEAM BLUE
TEAM PURPLE
The New Adult Scavenger Hunt begins at Noon Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 26th and runs through Sunday, April 30th. For more information, visit newadultscavengerhunt.com.
There's So Much to be Thankful For!
Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and I can’t wait! I love spending time with friends and family and eating ridiculous amounts of food.
While you’re recovery from your food hangover, why not relax with a good book…or several! The special pricing from Booktrope is still going on, so get some great reads now!
I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with happiness and laughter and tons of turkey.
While you’re recovery from your food hangover, why not relax with a good book…or several! The special pricing from Booktrope is still going on, so get some great reads now!
And don’t forget that the Thankful for You Blog Hop is also still going on, so try for your chances to win some amazing prizes! Including some from me!
Laughing Vixen Lounge Attack of the 14 Night of Halloween Giveaway
Halloween is just around the corner and it's time for the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway from Laughing Vixen Lounge. 7 wickedly fun shops have come together to create one spooktalcular Prize Pack ($225+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories and more! All shops are offering Gift Cards or your choice of item(s) so there will be something for everyone. Many of the shops have items perfect for any book lover along with lots of other unique, handcrafted and custom designs. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below or visit the Main Giveaway Page on the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog HERE.
Join us daily on the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog during the giveaway for our Halloween Movie Marathon featuring the Guess the Movie Game and our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt. Each event will get you daily entries in the giveaway plus a special giveaway for the Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt. Find full details for these events HERE.
October is the perfect time for watching spooky movies. Along with the Halloween Movie Marathon each of our participating shops, and many of our blog sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite movie choices with you.
The giveaway runs October 18th - November 1st and is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack and 1 winner will win the Scavenger Hunt Prize Pack. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. Please visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog HERE to see the full prize list, participating shops and daily giveaway events.
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Rockin' Reads Blog Hop and Giveaways!
Everyone needs a Rockin' Read! Stop by Sept 23rd to 30th and find out which reads have rocked 2015 for us! There will be a giveaway on each blog, so don't forget to visit them all! You can visit the main blog post here.
A friend on Facebook recommended this to me, so I went to Amazon to check it out. Mystery surrounds what the book is about, and the description is vague yet intriguing. Here’s what it says:
Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius."
Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.
The Girl With All the Gifts
is a groundbreaking thriller, emotionally charged and gripping from beginning to end.
Even in the reviews there’s this desire to keep the story a bit of a secret. I understand why. It makes it more intriguing, but at the same time, I bought it knowing it was a zombie novel (and now you know too), and I don’t think knowing that took anything away from the thrill of the book.
There are several other twists and surprises throughout the story, but I won’t reveal what those are. They have to be experienced first-hand to truly be appreciated.
What I will say is that this story was amazing! The author did an awesome job of creating a post-apocalyptic world that I haven’t seen before. He developed characters that I cared about and became emotionally attached to. By the end of it, I was smiling and pleased with the outcome. I got chills because the book made such an impact and impression on me.
There were a few stereotypes in the story, especially when it came to how science and scientists or the zombies were portrayed, but that was expected. There are certain tropes that exist within the genre, and I fully expected them to be there. However, I was pleasantly surprised that he undermines a few of those expectations later in the story.
If you’re looking for gore, this may not be the book for you. There’s some, but it’s not over the top—which often occurs in zombie books and films. There’s violence, but it’s not horrific. And if you’re reading a zombie book, you expect it to be there anyway.
I would definitely recommend this book, even if you aren’t a hardcore zombie fan. It deals much more with the human side of the zombie situation and focuses on my favorite question: What does it mean to be human?
To celebrate this Rockin' Read, I'm going to giveaway ecopies of my nonfiction zombie book Undead Obsessed: Finding Meaning in Zombies. You can enter below.
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Happy Release Day!
It's here! It's finally here! The Ifs Return is now available for your reading pleasure!
“Gage escaped.”
These are the worst words Broden could hear from his big brother Landon—just one day after they battled alongside Slade’s Ifs and his army of forest beasts.
Sure, the brothers had learned to work together to fight and capture the evil If Gage. But, now, Slade has informed them that Gage has escaped!
Fear and distrust have entered the boys’ world. Why should they help Slade if he can’t keep control of his prisoners? Will they be able to fight against a familiar foe? Plus, Landon has more news…
“Gage has magic.”
What kind of magic? Will he use it against them? As the boys are drawn into yet more adventure with the Ifs, they find out just how powerful, and dangerous, Gage’s magic can be.
“Mom, Landon’s throwing food!”
These are the worst words Broden could hear from his big brother Landon—just one day after they battled alongside Slade’s Ifs and his army of forest beasts.
Sure, the brothers had learned to work together to fight and capture the evil If Gage. But, now, Slade has informed them that Gage has escaped!
Fear and distrust have entered the boys’ world. Why should they help Slade if he can’t keep control of his prisoners? Will they be able to fight against a familiar foe? Plus, Landon has more news…
“Gage has magic.”
What kind of magic? Will he use it against them? As the boys are drawn into yet more adventure with the Ifs, they find out just how powerful, and dangerous, Gage’s magic can be.
You can find it on Amazon.
To celebrate, I will be doing giveaways. Find me on Facebook and play along. It's going to be a rip-snorting good time!
This book is the second in the series, the first book, The Ifs, can be found here.
“No, I’m not!”
Landon and Broden are brothers. And some days they DO NOT get along very well. They spend most of their days fighting, arguing and plotting ways to get revenge on each other. Then, strange things start happening… Noises in their room that are not the cat. Homework is mysteriously finished. A broken shoelace repairs all by itself. Clothes are put in the hamper on their own.
The brothers want to share their weird experiences, but they don’t know if they can trust each other. But when they find out who’s behind all the strange things around the house, they are called to battle. Battle? Whoa! Right there in the forest by their house! A battle with the most unusual creatures and wildest of beasts.
And when the battle turns more dangerous than they imagined, Landon and Broden must face their fears, put their grudges aside and learn how to work together.
Fabulous Spring Giveaway
Spring is here and it's time for a big giveaway from Laughing Vixen Lounge. 11 shops have come together to create one amazing Prize Pack ($280+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Vintage and much more! Many of the shops offer items perfect for any book lover along with lots of other unique, handcrafted and custom designs.
The Fabulous Spring Giveaway is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. Please visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog and the Main Giveaway Post HERE to see the full prize list, participating shops and daily features during the giveaway.
Since Summer is right around the corner the giveaway theme is Vacation Memories. Each of our participating shops, and many of our blog sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite vacation photos with you.
Giveaway runs May 4th - 18th. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. See full details HERE.
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Dealing with Devils is on Tour
Dealing with Devils will be on tour for the rest of this week and next. Check it out! And while you're at it, enter the giveaway for a chance to win the first two books in The Road to Salvation series or just Dealing with Devils. You can enter at the bottom of the page.
Here is the list of blogs I will be appearing on.
February 9
Mythical Books
February 10
Lisa’s World of Books
February 11
Fantasy Book Lane
February 12
CBY Book Club
February 12
Books Direct
February 13
Deal Sharing Aunt
February 16
Shut Up & Read
February 17
The World of Sarah Lou
February 18
Eclipse Reviews
February 19
Roxanne’s Realm
February 20
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
February 23
Fang-tastic Books
Here is the list of blogs I will be appearing on.
February 9
Mythical Books
February 10
Lisa’s World of Books
February 11
Fantasy Book Lane
February 12
CBY Book Club
February 12
Books Direct
February 13
Deal Sharing Aunt
February 16
Shut Up & Read
February 17
The World of Sarah Lou
February 18
Eclipse Reviews
February 19
Roxanne’s Realm
February 20
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
February 23
Fang-tastic Books
Blog Hop Giveaway
I'm participating in the Black Friday Book Bonanza.
I will be giving away two copies of Undead Obsessed, open to U.S. shipping only. For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me what your favorite zombie movie is (or show or book, whatever, just make it zombie related), and your name will be placed in the drawing. Daily entries are not allowed. No matter how many comments you leave, your name will only go into the drawing once.
Good luck! Have fun!
Here are the other blogs participating in the hop:
I will be giving away two copies of Undead Obsessed, open to U.S. shipping only. For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me what your favorite zombie movie is (or show or book, whatever, just make it zombie related), and your name will be placed in the drawing. Daily entries are not allowed. No matter how many comments you leave, your name will only go into the drawing once.
Good luck! Have fun!
Here are the other blogs participating in the hop:
Holiday Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition 7" Tablet Giveaway (Nov 1 to 30)
I am participating in this giveaway for children's books. My middle grade book, The Ifs, is one of many other wonderful books. Check it out!
About the Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition 7" Tablet
I was pretty excited to see this pretty cool new product available through Amazon. This is a HOT PRODUCT! The all-new Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet also comes with 1 year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited (which means kids get unlimited access to 5,000 books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games—at no additional cost!). It includes a quad-core processor for great performance, a vivid HD display, front and rear-facing cameras, and Dolby Audio PLUS comes with a Kid-Proof Case, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee - if they break it, return it and Amazon replaces it for free. No questions asked! Um... can you say Christmas present?
Fabulous Sponsors (Bloggers)
Thank you to the following bloggers who are sponsoring this giveaway. Please consider visiting at least one or two and thanking them personally.
Fabulous Sponsors (Authors and Publishers)
A big thank you to all of the participating authors and publishers who are sponsoring this giveaway. Below you will find their fabulous books broken down by category. Please note that these categories are not mutually exclusive. For example, some of the middle grade books featuring dogs also feature a great adventure or some great tween books also have a hint of magical realism.
* PLEASE READ *
Under each category you will see a button to "Add to Amazon Wish List" and "Add to Goodreads." If you click on these buttons, you will be directed to a Listmania list or one of my bookshelves where you can add each book to either your wish list (Amazon) or want-to-read shelf (Goodreads). Doing this will earn you entries in the giveaway below.
AMAZON: Hint...if you scroll to the bottom of the list on Amazon, you will see a button "Add All Items to Your Wish List". One click is all it takes!
GOODREADS: If you do not see the column entitled "my rating", click on "settings" and make sure that the "shelves" box is checked. This will make it super-easy to add the books to your "to-read" shelf.
Please consider purchasing one, two or more books that interest you as a "Thank You" to these generous sponsors. Some books are free, others only 99 cents!
★★★★★★★
Picture Books for the Holidays
★★★★★★★
Rhyming Picture Books
★★★★★★★
Award Winning Picture Books
★★★★★★★
Picture Books (Life Lessons)
★★★★★★★
Picture Books (Non-Fiction)
★★★★★★★
Great Books for Tweens
★★★★★★★
Chapter Books for Newly Independent Readers
★★★★★★★
Chapter Books for Reluctant Readers
★★★★★★★
Middle Grade Books Featuring Dogs
★★★★★★★
Middle Grade (Magical Realism)
★★★★★★★
Middle Grade (Science Fiction/Time Travel)
★★★★★★★
Books for Tween/Teen Girls
★★★★★★★
Middle Grade (Adventure)
★★★★★★★
Giveaway Details
Prize: One winner will receive either a new Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition 7" Tablet (US only) a $200 Amazon gift card (International) or $200 PayPal cash prize (International)Contest closes: November 30, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open to: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
NOTE: When the winner is chosen, ALL of their entries will be verified. If ANY of the winner's entries is invalid, they will be disqualified and a new winner will be chosen.
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