Monday, June 30, 2014

Pretty exciting news!!!!!!

I hadn't told anyone this because there wasn't a definite in the plans but now that I know for sure, I'm telling everyone!
I've seen plenty of book covers out there in the writing world that have fabulous couples on them. So many creative artists take stock photos and create these beautiful covers to die for. And then....you end up seeing the same model on ANOTHER cover.
It's like a slap in the face to that other authors book cover. I think its kinda sad when you see two books with the same model on the cover and even sadder still when readers get turned off by this.
So I got to thinking and talking to my good friend Angie. She told me to contact the lovely and talented photographer; Tava from Georgia Skies Photography.
So I took her advice and did just that. I told her what I was looking for in this new book cover for, Who We Were. I explained that we would need a couple and I explained what they should look like. This girl delivered!
We have two models; Grayson and Jessie. Grayson is the epitome of country boys and fits my male character to a T. He's a football player, how perfect, and he's stunningly cute.
Jessie fits my female character so well that I think she was made to portray Sadie on this cover. She's blonde and tall and gorgeous.
The good news is that the photo shoot will happen this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm slightly excited, can you tell?
As soon as I can I will share the photos of this awesome shoot in some sneaky peaky's.
In the meantime go to Georgia Skies page on Facebook and give her a 'like'. Maybe if we're lucky Tava will tease you a little with some photo action between the models. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Skies-Photography/146674588734694

Remember: Who We Were is coming out September 15th and I am looking for bloggers! If you're interested in sharing the book cover/participating in the release keep an eye on my Facebook page for the link

Friday, June 20, 2014

Fun Friday



Fun Friday post!! This weeks topic is :Travels – Where have you traveled as an author to promote your books?

I haven't ventured too far across the country for my book, yet. I hope someday to travel far and wide but for now the furthest I have gone is Charleston, SC for Y'all Fest.
If you haven't familiarized yourself with Y'all Fest you need to do so. It's one of the biggest teen book festivals in the South!
I was lucky enough in 2012 to be invited to Y'all Fest with my publisher, Anchor Group, to go and sign my books.
I was surrounded by some of my favorite authors including the ever fabulous Margaret Stohl, Kami Garcia and Carrie Ryan.
I was nervous as heck while the fans came to our table and met us because it was my first big convention. But those teens and fans were so generous and sweet. I got to spend a little time checking out Charleston and the history in the beautiful city.
It was so much fun I went back in 2013. This time it was bigger and better with more authors and more fans. I met my super awesome fan-friend Lynn Shaw and got to see one of the fans from the previous year, LeAnn Luckett. What wonderful sweet girls they are!
While there I saw Lisi Harrison-if you don't know who she is, please get to know her- and I introduced myself. She was so awesome and bought my book and asked me to sign it for her. It was one of the best moments of my writing career because she was this big-time author who actually took the time to talk to me and buy my book. I'll never forget that, ever!

Friday, June 6, 2014

My Top Ten Favorite YA Couples(in books)




I write YA, so it's safe to assume that I read or rather devour YA books. I'm a sucker for a good YA romance. Of course I love all of the same YA couples that most people do but there are a small few that I've come to realize aren't as popular as all of the rest and it's those couples that I adore even more.
So here is my Top Ten Favorite YA Couples (in books)

10. Ethan & Lena~ A human and a caster fall into YA love! Awe, so sweet. I adored these two. The struggles they faced were hard but eventually they came through stronger than ever. Did I like the movie? No. I actually do not like to discuss this, because it makes me mad. I love the writers and their work so I don't want to offend them by addressing the movie.

9. Clary & Jace~Yet another powerhouse YA couple who've hit the big screen. What a whirlwind ride it's  been for these two. First they're brother and sister and then they're not. Whoa! I mean WHOA! I've been rooting for this couple since the beginning and even when they were thought to be bro and sis I thought, "Hey this could work?" I know, gross right? But alas, they are not related and they can be together forever. Swoon. And yes, another movie that proves awesome. 



8.Mara Dyer & Noah Shaw~The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. This book was so intense and at the end of it all was a budding romance that I adored. I'm anticipating the next book, not patiently. I think it's time to re-read these books.

7. Abbey & Caspian~The Hollow Trilogy. Can girl fall in love with ghost? Um hell yeah she can! But that doesn't mean that it will be easy or that there wont be consequences.

6.Penryn & Raffe ~Angelfall. There aren't too many Angel/Human relationships that I can fall for but this one I can. Dude! These two are amazing and even though they aren't technically in a relationship you know they love each other.

5. Evie & Jack ~The Arcana Chronicles. One of the hottest couples in YA fiction. Holy wow! Now here is another frustrating couple. Jack can be a jerk sometimes but Evie is kinda a badass. She is also tied to Aric (Death) and I cant decide who i like more. Jack and Evie or Aric and Evie. God I hope I can decide soon.

4.Kate & Vincent~ Revenants Trilogy. So your boyfriend is a revenant and you have to sit by and watch him die and then come back to life, how would you take that? This couple has gone through so much that I literally sped read through these books just to find out what the heck happens. I even read this book while on a trip to Forks, WA. Yeah, I sorta cheated on Edward and Bella and had a book affair with these two.

3. Tessa Gray & Will Herondale ~The Infernal Devices. Do you see that this couple is more important to me than Clary and Jace? Yes, this couple is amazing. Shadowhunter falls in love with part demon part Shadowhunter. Love this story, oh yes I do. Even though Tessa is in love with Jem and meant to marry him, she did in fact marry Will. They lived together happily married for 60 years while Jem became a Silent Brother, the only thing he could become to stay alive.

2. Tessa Gray & Jem Carstairs.~ The Infernal Devices. I knew these two loved each other and I knew they'd end up together even if it took 60 years. Jem is turned back into a mortal and is no longer a Silent Brother. He and Tessa, his one true love, are together again! Swoon!!!


1.Edward & Bella~ You all should know by now that I'm a faithful Twi-hard. Twilight was one of my favorite YA books and the reason being; it brought YA to a whole new level. Twilight soared through the book ratings and showed women of all ages that YA is awesome and it's not going anywhere.
Not only did these crazy lovers prove their love would last forever(literally) they hit the big screen and proved that movies can be awesome too. Their love was so beautiful and I feel that no other YA love could be stronger. I want more Eddie and Bell's and I would happily buy up every single book S. Meyer wrote about them until the end of time. A lot of YA couples try to be like these two, but no one can be better than them, not in my opinion anyway.



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Monday, June 2, 2014

Serenity by Ava O’Shay

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covergifTitle:  Serenity
Author: Ava O’Shay
Audience: Upper Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Formats: E-book and paperback
Publisher: Ava O’Shay
Cover by: Raven Books and Design
Editor: Kara Leigh Miller
Expected Date of Publishing: June 15,2014








blurb
All it takes is one moment for their lives to change forever.  One bad hit and a head injury destroys Jolin’s football dream and leaves him with a stutter.  Knocked from his pedestal he struggles to keep a hold on a popularity he isn’t sure he even wants.  When Serenity’s strung out mom returns, the money Serenity saved for her escape disappears.  To keep her life together, Serenity is forced to make a deal with the guy who wants to take Jolin’s spot on the top. With their futures in the balance can two people on opposite sides of the social circle find a common ground and help each other survive their present and heal from their past?

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excerpt
His hands reached out and encircled her waist. “So she’ll sign the lease then?” His voice had gotten low and sent a chill through her. “Does she have a job?”
Ren wanted to step away from his touch. Her entire body screamed to jerk free of his hold but she fought to keep control over the situation. “Quill and I work. We’ll make sure you get the rent on time.”
Brock laughed. “You don’t work enough hours to pay rent and utilities. Not to mention food to eat.”
“I think your only concern would be whether I can pay you the rent on time.” Ren stood straighter.
“Can you?” he raised an eyebrow.
“Well I don’t have it right now. With the funeral costs it will be tight this month.” Ren was lying. The funeral cost weren’t even close to being paid off and she had no money set aside for rent. Anything Grams had, Mom had spent before the body was in the ground.
Brock pulled her into him. “Well then I guess that’s where your initial question comes back into play.”
“And what was that?” Ren was afraid to ask.
“What can you do for me?” He ran the back of his fingers down her cheek.
Ren swallowed. She didn’t like where this was going. Ren pulled her lip ring into her mouth and sucked on it for a minute before letting it slide out again. Brock took in a sharp breath, his thumb moved to caress the ring encircling her lip.
“What can I do for you,” Ren said, lowering her voice to a confident whisper. “More importantly what’s in it for me?” She leaned into him, raising her hand to rest against his chest.
Brock diverted his eyes from hers. She suppressed a smile when she felt his heartbeat quicken. She craved the control she had over men and if she could use it to get a few more days to pay the rent she’d play his game.
“What do you want,” she said again leaning in to brush her lips against the side of his neck.
Brock moved his hands to Ren’s shoulders and pushed her away. “I want a deal.”
Ren leaned back against the wall of the living room and crossed her arms over her chest. “What terms?”
The corner of Brock’s mouth turned up. He dipped his head and looked up through his long lashes. “You have…” he let his voice train off.
She raised an eyebrow. “A rep?”
He looked at his feet and shook his head.
“Spill it Roberts. What do you want?”
“Okay here’s the deal. I’ll give you a break on the rent. I’ll even give you some extra for the stuff you need. I want you to provide services for me.”
Ren pushed off the wall and walked away from him. “I’m not for sale.”
“I’m open to negotiation.” He followed after her.
“I’m not having sex with you for money.”
“Again I said I’m open for negotiations.”
“I already kissed you. Let you put your hands all over me. Do I get paid for that?” Ren continued to walk across the house, hoping to get some distance between them. “She hadn’t planned on even kissing him but she was drunk at the Warehouse Club and he had been a willing distraction from her mom.
“Well since we already did that for free I was thinking of upping the anti a bit.” His eyes lowered toward his crotch and then back to meet hers.
Ren turned on him. “What? You want me to suck you off for rent money? We aren’t living on the set of Gossip Girl.”
“Is that what you’re offering?”
“I don’t know that I’m offering anything.”
“I need to know if what you can do for me is worth what I’m offering.” He placed his hands on her shoulders moving his thumbs in small circles on the side of her neck. “If you’re as good as I think you’ll be it could be a couple hundred off. I expect you to be available when I call. Whenever I call.” He moved into her. “Are you worth it?”
She felt sick to her stomach. “I’m worth it,” Ren said without batting an eye.
               
about the author
After many years trudging through the social awkwardness of high school and the whirl wind of college romances I finally landed in the Seattle area writing about the hell, horror, and don't forget hot romance of youth.
I love all things outdoors and can be found hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, or doing anything that will work up a good sweat.  I love to interact with my readers and meet them at signings.

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Living in a Bookworld - http://livinginabookworld.blogspot.gr
Niecey Roy's Blog - http://www.nieceyroy.com/blog/
A One-click Addict's Book Blog - http://aone-clickaddictsbookblog.blogspot.com/
Coffee Books & Art - http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/
Books, Brownies And Barkers - http://booksnbrownies.com
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
iHeart Books by MiLo18 - https://iHeartBooksbyMiLo18.blogspot.com
This Redhead LOVES Books - http://thisredheadlovesbooks.blogspot.com/
Angee's After Thoughts - http://www.angeesafterthoughts.com
Blushing Divas Book Reviews - http://www.blushingdivasbookreviews.com
Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/
Clarissa Wild's Blog - http://clarissawild.blogspot.com
Author Christy Sloat - http://www.christysloat.blogspot.com/
Kim's Book Blog - http://mom5taz.wordpress.com
Lindsay and Janes Views and Reviews - http://lindsayandjaneviewsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/
Becca Anne's Book Reviews - http://beccaannesbookreviews.blogspot.com
Bound 2 Escape - http://www.bound2escape.com
Fiction Dreams - http://www.fictiondreams.com
Portals to new Worlds - http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com
Making your book sparkle. Janine Fourie - Tour Co-Ordinator Karen Swart -Author Services http://www.sparklebooktours.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sparklebooktours?ref=hl https://twitter.com/sparklebooktour http://www.pinterest.com/sparklebooktour/

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Spotlight and Excerpt "Finding Sage" by Logan Judy

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Title: Finding Sage
Series: The Rogue
Book # or Vol #: 1
Author: Logan Judy
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Paranormal
Formats: E-book and paperback
Publisher: Logan Judy
Pages: 358 pages
ISBN: 9781497543232
ASIN: B00JDSJXZ8
Date Published: March 30, 2014





blurb
In the future, some people known as rogues exhibit supernatural abilities.  That’s not a good thing, however, because the global government hunts them down and executes them, imprisons them, or forces them to become assassins.  Silas is such a rogue.  He lives day by day constantly paranoid about his chances of survival.   So when a wide-eyed hobo offers him a solution to his problems, a mysterious man who the U.N. seems desperate to find, he follows, not having the slightest clue what he’s just stepped into.
Alice hides a dark secret. Many rogues have come and gone in past years, but if people only knew how dark her so-called gift was, they would reject her. Attack her. Kill her. Where can she turn?
Sage is the one that connects them. The one that offers hope to them both. Little is known about him and precious few have seen him. So why is he the only one that the U.N. is afraid of?

book links
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excerpt
Click.  Clack.  Click.  Clack.  Click.  Clack.
                Carter cringed with every step as he heard the metallic clashing of the chains that bound his wrists and ankles.  United Nations soldiers surrounded him: one at each side, two behind, and two in front.  They walked with their firearms close to their chests, ready for action at any moment.  He scanned his surroundings, looking for an exit: blank white walls, glass security panels, and grey tile ceiling.  Blue uniformed soldiers guarded every door, and he saw the door to his doom approaching.  He could see no windows looking into the room, only a solid white wall and the grey door, guarded by two soldiers.
                Click.  Clack.  Click.  Clack.
                The soldiers stopped at the door.  They exchanged a few words, told the guards of the door why they were there, showed their I.D.s, then entered the room.  It was far less menacing inside than Carter had imagined.  There were none of the flickering bare light bulbs, blood stains, or pungent aromas of decaying bodies that he had conjured in his mind’s eye.  The room, like everything he had ever seen in this building, was remarkably and shockingly bare.  So bare, in fact, that it was creepy.  Was this routine for them?  Was it normal?  Was there nothing extraordinary, nothing even immoral about what they were going to do? 
                They walked him to the wall on his left, and a touchscreen panel popped up.  One of the soldiers pressed a few buttons and he felt his wrists and legs pin against the wall. 
                “Sure is a sticky situation, eh?” remarked one of the soldiers to his buddies.  Soldiers often made comments like this, but always to their friends.  Common soldiers were forbidden from talking to prisoners, especially rogues.
                Ten gunmen filed in from a door on the opposite wall and lined up with their guns pointed upwards.  Behind them approached an agent, instantly recognizable with his black and blue suit.  He held his military stance with his hands behind his back and recited the appropriate words.
                “William Carter Jackson.  You have been found in violation of Sovereign Order 21, which dictates that no biologically outstanding person, defined as those exhibiting phenomena deemed supernatural or otherwise extraordinary, shall be allowed to live, under the equal opportunity statutes of the first United Nations Sovereign Order.  Your crime has been deemed punishable by death, and will therefore be carried out in a swift and humane manner, by firing squad, authorized by this Agent Sebastian Jefferson.  Do you have any last words?”
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about the author
 
clip_image006Logan Judy is a dystopia, science fiction, and fantasy author who published his first book, Finding Sage, in 2014.  He spends his days dreaming up new worlds and new stories, as well as wishing for a Serenity sequel.  He currently lives in Indiana with his wife and their Don Quixote-like guard dog.

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follow the tour
Tour Schedule - One Week Blog tour for Finding Sage by Logan Judy from May 26 to June 1, 2014.
May 26
The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl - Spotlight with Excerpt
The Idle Musings of a Writer's Mind - Spotlight with Excerpt & Top Ten
Karen Swart - Spotlight with Excerpt, Author Interview, Dream Cast & Playlist
Eclipse Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Dream Cast & Playlist
May 27
Deal Sharing Aunt - Spotlight with Excerpt & Author Interview
Our New Generation for Reading - Spotlight with Excerpt
Becca Anne's Book Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt & Dream Cast
Night Owl Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Dream Cast, Top Ten & Playlist
May 28
Cofffee Books & Art - Spotlight with Excerpt, Guest Post, Top Ten & Playlist
MI Bookshelf - Spotlight with Excerpt
Bookworm for Kids - Spotlight with Excerpt
MHZ Book Reviews and Giveaways - Spotlight with Excerpt
May 29
Book Hostage - Spotlight with Excerpt & Author Interview 
Bajgajka Loves Books And Giveaways - Spotlight with Excerpt, Dream Cast & Playlist
The Avid Reader - Spotlight with Excerpt, Author Interview, Dream Cast, & Playlist
Raven Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt & Top Ten
May 30
Breny's Book Obsession - Spotlight with Excerpt
Indy Book Fairy - Spotlight with Excerpt
A Cauldron of Books - Spotlight with Excerpt, Dream Cast, Top Ten & Playlist
Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - Spotlight with Excerpt
May 31
2 Girls & A Book - Spotlight with Excerpt
Bound 2 Escape - Spotlight with Excerpt
Angels with Attitude Book Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Author Interview, Guest Post & Playlist
Bookraptured - Spotlight with Excerpt & Playlist
June 1
Sweet Treat Reading Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt
Step Into Fiction - Review
Author Christy Sloat - Spotlight with Excerpt & Guest Post
Fiction DReams - Spotlight with Excerpt
http://www.fictiondreams.com




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