Thursday 30 June 2016

Debut Author Bash: If I Fix You by Abigail Johnson and Giveaway!


Welcome to the Debut Author Bash!! Today I get to feature Debut Author Abigail Johnson. Find out about her book below!! She was also kind enough to answer some of my questions, so I hope you will show her some love in the comments.

Title: If I Fix You
Author: Abigail Johnson
Pages: 304
Published: October 25th 2016 by Harlequin Teen

29074768

Readers of Sarah Dessen, Cammie McGovern and Morgan Matson will adore this thought-provoking, complex and romantic contemporary novel from debut author Abigail Johnson, about finding the strength to put yourself back together when everything you know has fallen apart.
When sixteen-year-old Jill Whitaker’s mom walks out—with a sticky note as a goodbye—only Jill knows the real reason she’s gone. But how can she tell her father? Jill can hardly believe the truth herself.
Suddenly, the girl who likes to fix things—cars, relationships, romances, people—is all broken up. Used to be, her best friend, tall, blond and hot flirt Sean Addison, could make her smile in seconds. But not anymore. They don’t even talk.
With nothing making sense, Jill tries to pick up the pieces of her life. But when a new guy moves in next door, intense, seriously cute, but with scars—on the inside and out—that he thinks don’t show, Jill finds herself trying to make things better for Daniel. But over one long, hot Arizona summer, she realizes she can’t fix anyone’s life until she fixes her own. And she knows just where to start . . . 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29074768-if-i-fix-you?ac=1&from_search=true
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/If-Fix-You-Abigail-Johnson/dp/0373212402/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463758510&sr=8-2&keywords=Abigail+Johnson

Interview Questions

Where do your ideas come from?
Everywhere. I pick up things from what I read, watch, and listen to. Other times I can’t point to any one specific influence. The idea for IF I FIX YOU came from a image in my head of a girl on her roof talking to a boy leaning on his fence next door. But the book I wrote after that came from watching an old episode of The Wonder Years. 

How do you develop your writing ideas?
I just have to write them. I’m not an outliner (what I wouldn’t give to be able to outline). I almost always begin with character and let the story and everything else build from there. That usually involves asking myself a lot of question. I very rarely plan ahead, I just write and see what happens.

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
This also comes from everywhere. I do draw inspiration from people I know or I’ve met, but mostly, I think about my characters as various shades of myself. That sounds insanely narcissistic, but good or bad, I’m reflecting some part of myself in my characters—some more than others.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always been a writer, but it wasn’t until college that I realized I wanted to be an Author. I was taking a class called Personal and Exploratory Writing and loved it. I followed that with creative writing classes, and poetry classes, and this thing I liked doing, writing, blossomed into this thing I could actually pursue professionally. 

What makes you unique as a writer?
I broke my neck in a car accident when I was seventeen and the resulting spinal cord injury paralyzed me from the chest down. I spent months in the hospital regaining the ability to breathe and speak, and many more months after that in physical and occupational therapy reclaiming every possible arm and hand movement I could. I spent a lot of time describing what I wanted (first by blinking at letters on an alphabet board, and later with words). I had to think about my words very carefully because communicating back then was such a laborious process. As an author, I still think carefully about my words, even though I no longer have to struggle saying or typing them. I also think that surviving something so traumatic at such a young age has given me a unique perspective on life, especially life as a teenager. 

What writers inspire/d you?
Growing up it was Laura Ingalls Wilder and Judy Blume (I used to camp out in my closet with a sleeping bag and a flashlight and read them for hours). I’ve always been a voracious reader, and a wide one at that, but within the YA sphere—which is my favorite—I have long adored Maggie Stiefvater, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Kasie West, Morgan Matson, Jenny Han, and of course THE Sarah Dessen. I have more listed on the About page of my website. 

How has your writing career changed since you started?
Considering that I didn’t have a writing career until this year, I’d say a lot :) I now regularly use phrases like, “My agent called” or “I just heard back from my editor” and it still blows my mind every time.

What does your writing process look like?
I like to start writing as soon as possible when I wake up, otherwise it’s too easy to get sucked into social media and returning emails and lose the entire morning before I know it. I try to write M-F (Saturdays and Sundays when I can) for however many hours it takes to reach my word goal (1-2k words a day depending on the timeline I working with). I end up doing Two-A-Days when I’ve got a deadline, writing during the day, breaking for dinner and the evening, then writing for a few more hours after everyone else has gone to bed. I set self imposed goals and deadlines even before I had an agent and I’m pretty good about sticking with them. I know some authors use sticker calendar systems to keep them accountable, I prefer the reward method. If I meet a goal/deadline I buy something I want but don’t need, like new eyeshadows from Makeup Geek. 

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I love having music and creating playlists for specific characters and scenes, but I write all my first drafts with RainyMood.com playing. Second and third drafts are when I typically start pulling songs into the mix. 

What are your writing goals for the next year?
I’m working on a new contemporary YA right now, so I’d love for that to be officially on the publication schedule. I’d also love to polish a YA thriller I recently wrote, and I like to write another contemporary too. 

Name the five biggest distractions from your writing.
Social media, fiddling with my website, designing swag or graphics, cats who insist on sitting directly on my keyboard and/or head, reading all the awesome YA books that keep coming out.

What character would you most like to be stuck in an elevator with?
My protagonist, Jill. She’d figure out a way to fix it and get us out.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I hope to hear from my readers once they’ve had a chance to read IF I FIX YOU. I’ve heard from people who are excited to read it, and they’ve been awesome.


Some Get to know me Questions

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Read more than anything, but I’m also a gamer (I cannot wait for Uncharted 4 to release) and a big movie lover. 

What’s the best vacation you ever had?
I’ve been to Mexico countless times and I love it more every time I go. 

What’s your favourite rainy day movie?
Jurassic Park is my favorite any day movie.

If you could be any age again for a week, which would you choose and why?
I’d go back to those pivotal teenage years and research my next dozen books.

If you could have personally witnessed one event in history, what would it be?
Not an event so much as a time. I would kill to see dinosaurs. 

What's you favourite place to read?
In bed at night.

When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?
YA. No contest.

If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would buy?
I’m totally thinking about the Bare Naked Ladies song now. I’d buy a house with a library exactly like the one in Beauty and the Beast.

About the Author:
Abigail was born in Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her family traded in snow storms for year round summers, and moved to Arizona. Abigail chronicled the entire cross-country road trip (in a purple spiral bound notebook that she still has) and has been writing ever since. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, writing and directing a high school production of Cinderella, and publishing her first novel.
Website: http://abigailjohnsonbooks.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AbigailsWriting

Giveaway:

1 finished copy of IF I FIX YOU, open Internationally.

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Rising Tides by Katy Haye Book Blitz and Giveaway!


Rising Tides
by Katy Hayes
Genre: YA Post-Apocalyptic
Release Date: June 24th 2016

Plumshine Books

Summary from Goodreads:



The truth won’t stay submerged foreverCity is the last civilised place left on a drowned Earth, a floating town built from metal and plastic from the Time Before. It’s the only home doctor's daughter Libby Marchmont has ever known or wanted – until her father helps the wrong patient and she's forced to flee.Cosimo came to City for one reason. Then he should have vanished back to his people on the Wastes. But what about his promise to Libby’s father?
Stranded in the middle of the sea, can the two enemies learn to trust each other? And can they survive long enough to uncover the truth: City isn’t the safe haven Libby always believed it to be …





Get your copy for just 99c/p this week only (Also on Kindle Unlimited).
Early reviews:
Readers’ Favourite described Rising Tides as: “a compelling read [with] cool and ingenious concepts, a captivating plot [and] vivid and engaging characters”.

Kelly St. Clare at YA Books Central called Rising Tides “a gem of the YA genre."



About the Author

Katy Haye spends as much time as possible in either her own or someone else's imaginary worlds. She has a fearsome green tea habit, a partiality for dark chocolate brazils and a fascination with the science of storytelling.When not lost in a good book, Katy may be found on her allotment growing veg and keeping hens in order to maximise her chances of survival in the event of a zombie apocalypse or similar catastrophe (admittedly, this would not help if the entire country flooded...).
Author Links:
   


GIVEAWAY:

Your survival kit is as follows:
1. An Amazon voucher for £10/$15US/$20CAN, AUS, NZ. Load up your Kindle with books to read, while shops remain.
2. A solar charger so when the national grid fails you can still read your books.
3. A mirror. When you are stranded in the open sea you can signal for help by reflecting the sun's light. Alternatively, if you have no wish to be rescued because you still have reading to do, flip the mirror over to depict the slogan, "Go away I'm reading."
4. Ribbon bookmark. If all your books have been washed away by the rising seas, this can be rolled up and packed into the neck of a cut-open bottle and will double-up as a water filter. Note: this will not desalinate salt water, sorry.
5. A bag to put the last of your belongings into. DO NOT LEAVE THIS BEHIND.

Wednesday 29 June 2016

The True Calling Series by Siobhan Davis Book Blitz and Giveaway!

True Calling series banner

Welcome to the book blitz for the True Calling series by Siobhan Davis! This blitz will run from 28 June till 4 July. It is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the schedule can be viewed here.

True Calling is a fully completed YA sci-fi dystopian romance series that will appeal to readers who enjoy fast-paced action adventure, sublime worldbuilding, strong character development, and tons of swoon-worthy romance. With over 500 five-star ratings on Goodreads, the True Calling series is currently FREE to download from Kindle Unlimited! If you don't read on KU you can benefit from significant discounts during the blitz - read the first 3 books for 99c!

All books in the series are listed below, and check out the cool giveaway!
- True Calling – free!
- Lovestruck - free during blitz!
- Beyond Reach – 0.99$ during blitz
- True Calling Boxset – all books plus bonus content for only $7.99

True CallingTrue Calling (True Calling #1)
By Siobhan Davis
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Age category: Young Adult

Blurb:
Welcome to Novo: Your new home in Space

For Ariana Skyee, Planet Novo was everything it promised to be until the authorities introduced "The Calling" as their response to repopulation. Now, all seventeen-year-olds are to participate in this Bachelor-style pageant to find their perfect match, marry, and have children.

But that's not Ariana's only concern. Thanks to the government-sanctioned memory erase, Ariana has no recollection of Zane, the mystery boy who haunts her dreams. Things are further complicated when the pageant commences and her feelings for fellow Cadet Cal Remus intensify. Together, they start to realize not everything about their new home is as it seems.

Entangled in a dangerous web of deceit, Ariana sets out to identify the truth. Conflicted over warnings that Cal isn’t trustworthy and alarmed at the government's increasing interest in her, she doesn’t know where to turn. But her search for the truth comes at a high personal price. When her world implodes, discovering the past shapes her future with devastating consequences.

You can find True Calling on Goodreads

You can get your free copy of True Calling here:
- Amazon
- Amazon UK
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- iBooks

All the books in this series:


True CallingLovestruckBeyond ReachLight of a Thousand StarsDestiny Rising


Lovestruck (True Calling #1.5) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Lovestruck on Goodreads. Get your free copy of Lovestruck from June 28 till July 2 on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Beyond Reach (True Calling #2) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Beyond Reach on Goodreads. You can buy Beyond Reach for only 0.99$ during the blitz on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Light of a Thousand Stars (True Calling #2.5) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Light of a Thousand Stars on Goodreads. You can buy Light of a Thousand Stars on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Destiny Rising (True Calling #3) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Destiny Rising on Goodreads. You can buy Destiny Rising on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Praise for the True Calling series:
"In a word, WOW!! Talk about a fascinating and magnetic tale!" Tome Tender

"With intergalactic battle, love that traverses countries—entire planets—and endless twists and turns, this series deserves a spot on your e-reader." A Leisure Moment

"True Calling is a dystopian sci-fi romance that is FABULOUS!" The Caffeinated Booknerd

"Fresh with original ideas, exciting characters, great storyline, and a realistic love story." Amazon reviewer.

"This series deserves to become as well-known as popular series such as The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc... it's that good." Paranormal Books.

“I cannot put my love for Siobhan Davis' True Calling series into words - it's easily one of my favorite series." RamblingB00ks

"This isn't just a book I couldn't put down, but a series I cannot put down. All I can say is wow!" Patricia Hamill. Author-Blogger. Puretextuality

"It's Hunger Games meets Twilight but only better!" Amazon reviewer.


SAMPLE FROM LOVESTRUCK:

Breathing out a longed-for sigh of relief, I watch her spin around and make a noisy exit. Ben bursts out laughing, his body heaving as he convulses. "It's worth being your friend purely for the sheer entertainment value!" He grins.

"Glad that the abuse and harassment I have to withstand on a daily basis brings you so much joy." I step forward, securing the straps of my backpack across my shoulders.

"It does!" he shrieks, walking in step beside me.

"Hopefully, that's one less admirer-slash-stalker I have to deal with." Dragging my fingers through my messy blond hair, I say a silent prayer that Madison has finally gotten the message.

"Oh right, because stalking is only okay provided you're the one that's doing it?" he teases.

"I engage in subtle stalking. That's entirely different and perfectly socially acceptable." Not that I consider my activity regarding Ariana constitutes 'stalking' in the real sense of the word. Being in awe of such a perfect specimen, and seeking out every opportunity to study and admire her, is a God-given right in my view. Anything less would be sacrilegious. And there's no harm provided she doesn't know that I'm doing it. I'm a model of discretion, and excusing the odd lapse--like today--she is blissfully ignorant of my ardent longing for her.


Not that I'm happy about the 'blissfully ignorant' part; I'd much rather she was aware of my unrequited love, but she consistently refuses to give me the time of day. Sighing loudly in exasperation, I realize that the only person hurting in all this is me.
"Man, you have it bad," Ben says, startling me from my obsessive inner monologue.

"Why is it that the one girl I so desperately want is totally oblivious to me?" I glance sideways at him.

"Maybe you should tone down that infamous 'Cal Remus' charm? Ariana strikes me as the type of girl who is attracted to authenticity," he muses, scrubbing a hand over his chin.

"And tell me how I can achieve that when she won't even say 'hi' to me?" I pin him with a look. 

"Less teasing," he suggests. 

"I can't change my whole personality for her; she has to accept me as I am." That speaks to the core of my need. I've had reason enough to think long and hard on the importance of staying true to myself. I was ten years old when Mom died; only a little kid, but I can still remember how hard she tried to please my dad, and how much of herself she had to sacrifice in order to do that. I've made many promises to myself--as I've struggled to grow up without her in my life--and the main commitment I've stuck resolutely to, is to always be the person I am, and to not compromise on that for anyone, ever. 

"I get that," Ben says quietly. We've a tight friendship, as close as brothers, and I've confided everything in him over the years, as he has with me. Above anyone else, Ben knows me as well as I know myself. He understands that I'm loath to change for any girl, even one as special as Ariana.

"Maybe you should give one of the others a chance? You're so fixated on Ariana that I don't think you see the potential in some of the other girls who want to date you." We come to a stop outside Ben's house.

Perhaps he's right, maybe I am biased, but I'm convinced that she's the one for me. Although even I sometimes worry that the reality won't live up to the dream. I pitch that thought from my head the second I feel it taking root, refusing to allow it to infect the strength of the feelings I have for her.

The easy option would be to date one of the many girls who follow me around campus, willing to oblige my every whim. But all they see is 'the face.' I'm considered 'lucky' to have inherited my father's good looks, but it's more of a curse than a blessing. Most of the girls who crush on me are stuck on how I look and don't give a damn about getting to know the 'real me.' There was a time when it didn't matter, and I was happy to take advantage, but I have changed, and now I want more.

SiobhanAbout the Author:
Siobhan Davis writes young adult science fiction fantasy romance books, and she is the author of the Amazon bestselling True Calling series. The first book in her new Saven series was released in December 2015.
A self-professed teenager forever--at least when it comes to books, music, and films, Siobhan is totally addicted to teen fiction and superhero/blockbuster movies. She loves baking, shoes, bags, makeup, anti-wrinkle cream, anything pink, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and Robert Pattinson (definitely Team Edward).
Before pursuing a full-time writing career, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in Human Resources over the last twenty years. She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

You can find and contact Siobhan here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google +
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Newsletter

Sample chapters, quotes, reviews and book excerpts are all available to download from the authors website

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of the True Calling series. These are the prizes you can win:
- Paperbacks of the three books in the Selection trilogy by Kiera Cass
- Paperbacks of the three books in the True Calling series by Siobhan Davis

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

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Gypsy Love by Angela McPherson and Lynn Vroman Book Blitz and Giveaway!


Gypsy Love
Angela McPherson & Lynn Vroman
Publication date: June 28th 2016
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance

Two centuries ago, Adrian vowed to seek revenge against the Gypsy woman who bound his spirit for eternity. Despite how far under the dirt Miryah Kotorara’s bones lay, he won’t stop tormenting the Kotorara bloodline. The person doesn’t matter, only the name.
Until her.
Dr. Mia Kotorara has spent the last ten years trying to forget her Gypsy heritage. Ostracized by her family and emotionally damaged, Mia throws herself into her work to fill the void. She forgets everything from her past—except for the man who solely exists in her dreams.
When reality and dreams collide, Adrian and Mia find something they never expected. Love.
Magic will bring them together, but it may not be enough to mend Mia’s broken heart and Adrian’s lust for revenge.
The Kotorara curse is never satisfied.
As the curse threatens everything they have overcome, Adrian and Mia must fight to save what matters most—each other.

EXCERPT:

She poured a glass of wine, collected it along with the bottle, and headed straight for the bathroom.
Oh, now this I could get used to.
While she turned on the water and adjusted the temperature, I sat on the commode, crossed my legs, and prepared to enjoy the show. I might have been dead, but I was still a man. And a beautiful woman about to get naked was something I'd never grow tired of, especially this woman.
Mia set her glass next to the tub while she stripped. First went her shirt…with my sanity. All that golden skin, flawless and smooth, glowed in the dim light.
Beautiful.
Mia shed her bra, and I slipped off the toilet and fell to the floor as if I were still alive. I didn't move, my eyes never leaving her perfect breasts. Christ Jesus, I'd been reduced to a pervert, but I couldn't look away even if I wanted to.
Off went her trousers and panties.
My…God. I slid back as if her nudity burned me.
She dipped a toe in the water, hissing as steam billowed through the tiny bathroom. While she acclimated to the water, I closed my eyes, feeling part disgusting and part out of control. If I could've touched her…
During my two-hundred-year stint as vapor, nothing had made me regret my predicament more than that moment. I peeled my eyes open to find her sipping wine and splashing water onto her flat stomach as the tub filled.
Torture, pure and simple.
She turned off the faucet with her toes and slid farther into her bath. I swallowed, out of habit, not necessity, and forced myself to keep my focus on her face. Looking at the rest of her turned me into a drooling prat—if I had the ability to drool.
Mia's eyes closed as she took another sip before setting the glass on the lip of the tub. Tension marred her perfect features, the water and wine obviously not working fast enough to relax her.
I wished I were the water. Wished for it more than I desired to breathe again.
After a moment, the stress left her face as her mouth parted and her breathing evened. Fear convinced my body to listen again. Odd, but I liked the woman better alive.
"You need to wake." I moved closer to the tub, getting an up-close look at heaven. I dunked my hand into the water in a futile effort to touch her. "Wake. Up."
The water rippled, but it did nothing to rouse her.
"Goddammit, woman. You need to—"
A feeling, like a vacuum, tugged at my body. I stared down at my fingers; they faded and disappeared.
"Hey, no. Hey!" I didn't have much of an existence, but I had one, and I sure as hell wanted to keep it. Desperation filled my chest when the tug turned to a squeeze.
I closed my eyes, fighting against the phantom energy. I'm not ready to go.
When the force died away, relief dropped me closer to the water.
Water. I felt it, sluicing through my fingers. What the hell?
I opened my eyes and peered down.
Mia stared right at me. "You…"
Not possible.
No.
"Can you hear me?"
Something flashed in her eyes. Recognition. "How?"
"I don't know." I brushed an unsteady hand across her cheek without focusing on the movement. My palm seared as it connected with skin so soft, it could've been velvet.
As quick as it happened, the sensation disappeared.
A swoosh rushed through me, and I found myself flat on my arse, staring at the strange, gorgeous woman in the tub. She coughed and sputtered as she leaned over the edge, gasping. "Not again."
I reached out to her. "Who are you?"
This time, she didn't hear me.

GYPSYLOVE123


Author Bio:
Born and currently residing in Texas, Angela shuffles three active children (not including her husband) all over the place. She works in a busy pediatric doctor's office as a nurse during the day and writes at night. She is addicted to coffee and chocolate, laughs a lot, often at herself and is willing to try anything once. When Angela isn't rushing kids around, working or writing, she's reading. Other than life experience, Angela turns to a wide variety of music to help spark her creative juices. She loves to dance and sing though her kids often beg her not to.
Connect with Angela:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter 
--
Born in Pennsylvania, Lynn spent most of her childhood, especially during math class, daydreaming. Today, she spends an obscene amount of time in her head, only now she writes down all the cool stuff.
With a degree in English Literature, Lynn used college as an excuse to read for four years straight. She lives in the Pocono Mountains with her husband, raising the four most incredible human beings on the planet. She writes young adult novels, both fantasy and contemporary.
Connect with Lynn:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • $50 Amazon gift card

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