The Eve by Keary Taylor Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Title : The Eve

Author : Keary Taylor

Series : The Eden Trilogy #3
Release date : November 21st 2013
Self-Published
Purchase : Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A plan was laid out as the Evolution crushed mankind, a plan that was right under Eden’s nose all along. And Eve is the key to everything. New Eden—mankind—they have a small chance at fixing their dismembered planet. 

But it will be a reckless sprint against time and the coming Bane to retrieve the final piece to the plot. New Eden’s worst fears have become reality. The Bane are back in the city and they’re smarter and more aggressive than ever. They know where the humans are and they’re coming to finish what they’ve nearly completed.

Eve has been content with the family she’s found—Avian, West, Gabriel, Royce. But she’s about to discover she may have the one family Eve never thought she would: blood. With every odd stacked against her, all the lies and all the secrets of her origins will be exposed.

The past and the future are about to come full circle.

“Start checking vehicles,” I said, racing across the street to a parking lot. “Maybe we’ll find something with keys.” “Eve,” West said as we started yanking car doors open. “You know if that kid was infected that it’s too late for Avian. He’ll get infected.” I shook my head, my jaw set hard. “No,” I said as I checked another car. No keys. “There’s a chance the boy wasn’t infected. And if it just barely happened, he won’t be able to spread the infection for a few hours.” But even as I made my argument, I knew it wasn’t true. Those bodies had been dead for days, maybe even over a week. If the kid was infected, TorBane would be fully saturated into his system.” “Got it!” West shouted. He held up a pair of keys as a floor mat came tumbling out of the truck. “Get in!” I hopped into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. I tossed our supplies in the back seat. “You don’t know how to drive,” I said, my voice breathy. “Today seems like a good day to learn,” West said, shoving the key in the ignition. The truck clicked and sputtered. It had been a sitting, rusting dinosaur for six years. We’d been stupid to think any of these vehicles might start. “Come on!” West shouted, pounding the steering wheel. He slammed one of the pedals with his foot and suddenly it roared to life. “Yes!” “That there puts it into drive, I think,” I said, pointing to the stick on the side of the driving column. West yanked on it and the truck jerked backwards and slammed into the vehicle behind us. “Okay,” West said, shifting the stick again. “R stands for reverse. So D for drive?” “Let’s assume,” I said, my blood racing and pounding in my ears. “Let’s go!” D was indeed for drive and we rocketed forward, clipping another vehicle as we swung wildly out of the parking lot and onto the street. “That woman was touched,” I said, bracing myself as we swerved madly. “She had probably gone out to look for food or something when a Hunter must have found her. West, this means they’re starting to come back into the city.” The speedometer crept up to eighty miles an hour as we peeled back onto the onramp. Just as we pulled onto the freeway, there was a figure ahead of us. There was no time to stop and the truck plowed right into it. The mechanical body broke right in half, completely cybernetic by this time. The upper half of the body crashed into the windshield, shattering it. We both screamed as the glass burst into tiny glittering pieces and an arm dangled between the two of us. “Holy…” West bellowed as the truck swerved violently back and forth and we ran over the lower half of the body. “Keep driving!” I shouted. I was about to reach for the shoulders of the body, when its hand suddenly flung out at me, and wrapped around my throat. West swore loudly. “It’s still alive?!” “Keep…” I gasped for air as West swerved in an attempt to put distance between himself and the Bane that was somehow still attacking. “Driving!” Wrapping my hands around the wrist, I squeezed until the cybernetic bones crumpled and bent and the hand let go. Plowing the heel of my hand into what was left of where its nose should have been, its head whipped back with a sickening crunch. The thing was instantly still. But still carrying active TorBane. I coughed violently, unbuckling my seatbelt. “You okay?” West asked, wild fear in his eyes as he attempted to drive straight. He leaned as far to the left as possible, attempting to put some space between him and the mangled Bane. “Yeah,” I croaked. My throat was probably bruised. “Keep driving. I’ll take care of this.” I half stood as well as I could in the cramped space. Placing my hands on its shoulders, I gave a good shove. The body slid forward two feet and to the right. But one of its arms slipped down the front of the hood and caught in the grill. “Oh, come on,” West said, looking at the body in disbelief. “Keep driving,” I repeated. I used my boot to knock out the rest of the glass hanging around the frame of the window. Crawling up onto the dash, I slowly worked my way out onto the hood of the truck. As we drove over the bumpy freeway, the arm wedged its way tighter and tighter into the grill. Finally, I simply snapped the arm off at the elbow. The rest of the body crashed to the ground. I tried yanking the rest of the arm free, but it wouldn’t budge. “Get back in here, Eve!” West shouted. “We can have it melted down later. Sit down before I kill you!” An amused chuckle worked its way through my lips as I carefully climbed back up the hood and into the vehicle. “Well, this turned into an exciting day,” West said, shaking his head. “Yeah, I think the Bane are getting back into the city,” I said, pushing my windblown hair back off my forehead. “That store was supposed to be fifteen miles inside our perimeter. They’ll be getting back into the center of the city soon. I thought I’d cleared all of them out for five hundred miles after the beacon went off.” “Just another day in the world of the Evolution,” West said. “Must have been a Sleeper that recently woke up. It could have been inactive when you called them all out to the desert. “For once, could the element of time just be on our side?” I said, exasperated. “What,” West said, smiling at me as he swerved around a particularly large crack in the road. “And make life simple and boring?” I shook my head and laughed. “Seriously.”

About the Author

Keary Taylor grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now resides on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two young children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night. She is the author of THE EDEN TRILOGY, the FALL OF ANGELS trilogy, and WHAT I DIDN'T SAY.

kearytaylor.com | twitter.com/kearytaylor

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Matt Archer: Bloodlines by Kendra C. Highley Blog Tour and Guest Post!

Title : Matt Archer: Bloodlines

Author : Kendra C. Highley 

Date Published : 1/4/2014

Genre : YA Paranormal

When seventeen-year-old Matt Archer set out on his last mission in the Australian Outback, he thought it would be like every other hunt. 

Not even close. 

After only two days on the ground, his best friend is possessed, a long-lost family member has returned and hidden truths have come to the surface. Add in a coven of witches bent on bringing about the end of the world and, well, this trip has started to suck. Badly.  

As his power and strength continue to grow, so does Matt’s concern that he’s becoming more and more like the creatures he’s been charged to hunt: a monster.

Faced with some of his biggest challenges to date, Matt has to decide what he needs to protect most—his family, his team…or himself. 

Excerpt!

When I was fourteen, I picked up a knife and started a fight that was named mine long before I was born. When I was fifteen, I was forced into a war against creatures the rest of humankind should never know about—and they won’t if I have anything to do about it. When I was sixteen, I became a slave to my destiny, and the spirits who guided it. Now I’m seventeen, and the fault, a man once said, is not in our stars, but in ourselves. Or in my case, my blood. Which is why I was chosen. And why I have to fight. My name is Matt Archer. And I am my father’s son.
 * * *
 “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you and drink your blood!” My best friend was in rare form this evening. Will had been ranting like that ever since he managed to spit out the bandana we’d gagged him with. No one felt like dealing with him, though, so we didn’t bother shoving the gag back in. Still, I felt responsible for his well-being, even if Will was possessed by a demon and not his usual happy asshat self. I grabbed an MRE—a hamburger patty for the entree—and ducked inside the command tent, one of the few left standing after last night’s monster attack. The interior smelled like sweat, piss and…burned bacon? “Gross, dude,” I told not-Will. “You smell like a prison latrine.” Not-Will spit at me. His face was pale in the dim light, but his eyes glowed a brilliant jade green. “You’ll beg for mercy before the end.” “That’s getting really old. Why don’t you give your voice a rest, okay?” I held up the MRE. “I’m guessing that even demons have to eat. You hungry?” Not-Will shut up for a moment, but his muscles still strained against the towing cable keeping him tied to his cot. My best friend, at six-four and two-hundred-forty pounds, was pretty strong on his own. Add in a little dark magic, and he was like a tank with legs. It had taken three guys to tie him up, and the Humvee’s towing cable—one end still attached to the vehicle—had been the only thing hefty enough to keep not-Will chained. “I would appreciate a meal,” he said in a formal, polite voice. That wasn’t like the real Will, either. “Okay. I’ll feed you and bring you some water, if only to keep your mouth full so you can’t scream at us for a while.” I opened the MRE, discarding anything not-Will could use as a weapon if he got loose. Because his hands were tied behind his back, I had to feed him. “Seriously, man, if you remember any of this after we exorcise you, you’ll never live it down,” I muttered as not-Will chomped up his food like a rabid dog. “I’ll kill you soon, so none of that matters,” not-Will said, smiling and showing me bits of carrot in his teeth. In any other situation, I’d have laughed. This evening, I had too much on mind to find any of this funny. Badass Aunt Julie poked her head in the tent while I attempted to shovel applesauce into not-Will’s mouth. She wrinkled her nose at the stench. “Poor Will.” “Hello, gorgeous.” Not-Will leered at my aunt, and his eyes roamed every part of her body. Even wearing desert print battle-dress uniform, Aunt Julie was gorgeous…and no one but my Uncle Mike had license to look at her that way. My fists clenched as he said, “Think I’ll keep you around a while after I’ve killed all the men. We could have a little fun.” Aunt Julie gave not-Will a dangerous smile. The demon must not know who he was dealing with. “I’d like to see you try. I could kill you with a nail. Or a spoon.” Her smile faded into a scowl. “Or a tire-iron. I’m not picky.” “Captain, did you need something?” I asked, not in the mood to break up a tent brawl. When in doubt, interrupt. “Sorry,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “The major got worried so I came to check on you.” I shrugged; Major Tannen—also known as my Uncle Mike and Aunt Julie’s husband—had reason to worry. Right now, it seemed like this day would never, ever end. I’d gotten most of the food into not-Will’s mouth and I was ready to escape. “Will, if you’re in there, kick that demon’s ass, okay? See you later.” We’d barely cleared the tent before he started screaming threats again. Every muscle in my back tensed up. “Tell the major I’ll be at the other end of camp.” I jabbed a thumb at the command tent. “I don’t think I can handle listening to that anymore.” Aunt Julie patted my shoulder. “We’ll fix it. Agent Archer thinks his contact with the local Nocturna Maura coven can help displace Will’s demon.” Agent Archer…maybe if I called him that—instead of Dad—this whole situation would be a little less weird. I doubted it, though. “I need some air.” I stalked to the far end of camp and settled down facing west. The sun was beginning to set, and I needed its warmth and protection for as long as it lasted. Night would bring horrors, and I had to be prepared to fight them. I reached into my left jacket pocket and pulled out the St. Christopher medal my girlfriend had given me more than a year ago. I turned it over and over in my hand. I missed Ella like crazy, and the medal gave me hope that I’d live to see another dawn. Dad came striding out of the HQ tent and headed my direction. He didn’t see Uncle Mike step out behind him, his right arm bound up in a sling. Not-Will had dislocated Uncle Mike’s shoulder in addition to breaking my nose last night. Mike watched Dad’s progress with narrowed eyes. I let out a long breath. As if I didn’t have enough to deal with; now I was caught in a tug of war between the guy who fathered me and the man who raised me. My life could easily be a three-ring circus for all the chaos and drama going on around me. “Tink, think you could, I don’t know, teleport me somewhere?” No answer. “Crap, now I’m missing you and Ella. How’s that for irony?” Still nothing. Yeah, Tink was well and truly gone. Our knife-spirits had been banished somehow. Not-Will had told us his mistress had sent them away. As angry as I’d been with Tink when we left on this mission, the absence of her presence in my head left an echoing emptiness. And despair, too. How could we complete this operation without the spirits’ help? I had to get her back somehow, if not for me, for Will. I’d seen Tink save someone else from a demon possession—maybe she’d be able to help Will, too. If only I could find her.

Guest Post!

Finding YA Voice

“Dude…you wrote this?”

That’s probably the nicest compliment I’ve ever gotten about my work. Seriously. Given that a thirteen-year-old boy said it to me, a forty-something woman, regarding a novel I wrote…well, it’s high praise indeed, especially considering that my main character is a teenager. And a guy.

Getting voice right is the most important thing for a YA author. Most of us have heard that teens “have their BS meters turned up to max.” It’s true. Try to sound too trendy, and you’ll miss the mark. Sound too adult, and you’ll lose your reader. There’s a narrow gap where a genuine teen voice can be heard. I really worried about this while writing the Matt Archer books and, to be honest, I got a lot of it wrong early on. So what changed between those early drafts and the final product?

I listened.

Disclaimer—I enjoy teenagers. They’re paradoxes, especially middle graders, and it’s interesting to watch them grow and mature right before your eyes. Working with youth groups gave me a front-row seat to see how teens talk and interact with each other. That’s where I learned the word “hip” is uncool, and how to use “dude” correctly (it’s the perfect word, actually). So’s the F-bomb, but that word is so politically loaded, you have to be careful with it. Key words aside, what I discovered they love most is to be taken seriously. If there’s a whiff of condescension or an overt message in your story, they’ll blow you off.

Poof.

So I let myself remember the angst of being a band geek surrounded by popular kids in Spanish class. I daydreamed about the heady rush of my first kiss. I relived the awful, sick feeling I had when I fought with my best friend. A lot of adults forget how intense the teenage years can be, and how real and valid the feelings are. That’s how YA authors work magic: creating characters teens can relate to in some way because we’re validating their experiences. We’re telling them they matter, even if we dress it up with monsters or aliens.

Bringing out your inner teen can be hard, but the reward is great, because teens are loyal readers. If they love one of your books, they will love all of them, defend you against your detractors and tell everyone they know how awesome they think you are. It’s that passion that makes them special, and why I love writing for that audience.

Kendra C. Highley

Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most important job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.

Contact information: 

Website:  www.kendrachighley.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/kchighley

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/KendraHighley

Blog: www.matt-archer.com

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Recruitz by Karice Bolton Highlight and Giveaway!

During the 30 day highlight Recruitz will be just 99c!! 



Blurb!

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for several months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

Add to Goodreads :  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18588895-recruitz?from_search=true

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/RecruitZ-Afterworld-Karice-Bolton-ebook/dp/B00HJOXW3C/ref=la_B005RPMP7O_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389735534&sr=1-10

Karice lives in Washington with her wonderful husband, who also happens to be her high school sweetheart and their two cute English bulldogs! She enjoys reading, baking, and trying to be crafty on her off-hours. She's also a coffee, tea, and snow addict. If she could live somewhere that had the white stuff year-round, she probably would. She also loves chatting with her readers on Facebook!

Her books include:

The Witch Avenue Series (Lonely Souls, Altered Souls, Released Souls, and Shattered Souls)

Beyond Love Series (Beyond Control, Beyond Doubt, Beyond Reason)

Watchers Trilogy (Taken, Awakening, Legions, Cataclysm)

Afterworld Series (RecruitZ)

The Camp

Find her on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karice-Bolton/218230041566833?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KariceBolton

Website: http://www.karicebolton.com

Blog: blog.karicebolton.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kariceb/

Playlist and Excert!

Thanks so much for having me during the 30 Days of RecruitZ event! The playlist for RecruitZ was over 150 songs so here are only a few of them!

Levels (Skrillex Remix)                                                         Avicii

Madness                                                                                 Muse

Man Like That                                                                       Gin Wigmore

National Anthem                                                                   Lana Del Ray

Not Your Fault                                                                       AWOLNATION

October                                                                                  Broken Bells

Original Don (feat. The Partysquad)                                   Major Lazer

Excerpt

I sat in the passenger seat horrified, but I didn’t dare drag my gaze away. The world had been told zombies no longer threatened human existence. Yet I was staring at an onslaught of them taking slow, deliberate steps toward our vehicle. We had barely pulled into our driveway when the horde descended out of nowhere.

I managed to slide my fingers along the door to the electric lock. I didn’t know why I thought that would save us. The undead had never let a lock deter them before. I looked around our house and it looked untouched. These creatures were only in our yard, coming for us at a most vulnerable time.

Gavin attempted to take the car out of auto-drive, pressing the buttons frantically and commanding it with voice controls. The car only responded with words. We didn’t control it. The car controlled us.

“Pedestrians within minimum safe distance,” the car said, acknowledging Gavin’s attempts to drive us out of danger.

No shit! We want to run the pedestrians over.

Tiny beads of sweat began forming at my hairline as I watched Gavin repeatedly engage and disengage various controls. Nothing would let us override the car’s safety features.

Gavin’s foot pressed on the accelerator trying to override the computer system, but the car still refused to budge. His foot slid off the pedal, and he quickly replaced it.

Damn these self-driving cars!

The engine red-lined with each attempt from Gavin’s override, but the brain of the car overruled Gavin’s actions with every rev of the motor. Gavin kept shaking his head as his finger slid up and down the dashboard. He glanced at me, his green eyes connecting with mine. I didn’t want to believe what I saw behind them so I turned to look out the window.

I gripped the console as I watched the twitches and spasms of the zombies’ movements closing in on us. They were everywhere…the grass, the sidewalk, the driveway. There was no mistaking the rotting, grey flesh that exposed the muscle and bone of the undead. They were something I’d run from countless times, but this time we had nowhere to run. The undead had us trapped. They would rip us to shreds in an instant.

“I think some of ‘em are new,” I said, turning my attention back to Gavin.

There were some clean-looking zombies staggering toward us, their flesh mostly intact. That made no sense. The outbreak had been contained for months. There should be no freshly infected roaming around. Everyone had been vaccinated. The only stragglers evading capture had been around awhile, so their bodies were beat up badly by the time they were caught. Not these.

“Let’s hope not,” he murmured, not bothering to look out the window to confirm nor deny my suspicions.

“We can’t run. They’d totally get us before we got away,” I said, hoping he’d correct me, tell me that we had a chance.

He didn’t.

He slammed his fist into the steering wheel and looked over at me. When the outbreak happened, we never looked back. We were always on the move, running from the disease that took our families and friends. That was the key to survival. Never stay in one place. Always stay on the move. Now we had nowhere to move. I glanced over at Gavin and saw the fear in his eyes. Even with everything we’d encountered, his eyes had never held this amount of terror.

“Babe, whatever happens…”

“Knock it off,” I said.

“We have nothing to fight them with, and a horde this size needs a distraction.”

“Don’t you dare,” I hissed, shaking my head. The fear was pulsing through me at an unstoppable rate. “We didn’t live through the outbreak to die now.”

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A Breath Of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey Review!

Title : A Breath Of Frost
Author : Alyxandra Harvey
Pages : 304
Published : January 2nd 2014 by Bloomsbury Childrens
Source : Netgalley

    

In 1814, three cousins—Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope—discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld. 

Now ghouls, hellhounds—and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters—are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders…because she keeps finding the bodies. 

Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed…or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away?

My Thoughts :

Emma and her cousins Gretchen and Penelope are at a party when the bottle Emma was wearing fell and broke. Next thing they know there is an enormous tremor and a fire breaks out. When they are evacuated Emma stumbles upon a girl full of blood, she goes to get help but the only person she finds is Cormack. When they get there unfortunately she is dead. Cormack seems to think Emma is involved and tells her to run before the order comes. She has no idea who or what the order is and doesn't know how she could be involved. 

Cormack explains that her and her cousins are in fact witches, with her mother being the strongest, and when the bottle she had broke, it released a spell that was suppressing her powers but also opened gateways to the underworld. Out of one of these gateways The Greymalkin sisters came through. They are a trio of the most evil witches ever and the order banished them years ago. How does Emma react and how will they stop the sisters from killing? 

Ok, I don't even know where  to start with A Breath Of Frost but I think Ill start with the cover. Isn't it just fan freakin tastic!! So pretty and gorgeous. Its definitely eye catching.

Now onto the book. Ill start with what I liked! I loved the characters, everyone of them grew throughout the book. Gretchen was my favourite, her quips made me laugh. She was brave and not into all the girly things! She would always end up in the library at dances. I loved her fiery spirit.

Emma was a good heroine. She had absolutely no idea magic was real and when she finds out her world is turned upside down. She is hated by the order simply because her mother outwitted them. She always seems to be at the scenes of the murders that are happening and everyone thinks she is the killer! Through all that she keeps her elegance and struggles through.

Cormack is a member of the order but has no power himself. Even though he isn't magical he still manages to hold his own in a fight. He has a soft spot for Emma but tries to hide it because its forbidden. Emma thinks he hates her and one thing I loved was seeing how their friendship developed. It was slow and sweet!

I loved the world the author created. The Greymalkin sisters were pure evil and the author described them perfectly. I loved the familiars each person had and when we found out what Penelopes was I laughed!! Her reaction was priceless. The authors writing was magical and descriptive and wonderful! She has a way of pulling you in with the details and making you apart of the world! 

But there were a few minor things that annoyed me. At times I was really confused and was wondering if I missed parts! It switched between the cousins and a madcap named Moira whom I still don't know what she brought to the story! The order was another thing, they were supposed to be The big thing in witchy circles but they didn't do much. 

Like I said they were minor annoyances but  overall A Breath of Frost was a really solid start to the series. It was magical and thrilling. It had a few twists and surprises and Im looking forward to more.   

Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer by Demelza Carlton Blog Tour and Guest Post!

Title : Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer 

Author : Demelza Carlton

Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer – Book Description

There are real monsters out there. The worst part is that they're human.

They took her away from me.

I mumbled a protest through the haze of pain and exhaustion that had turned me into little more than a zombie. I'll never be able to watch a zombie movie again without remembering this night, I thought.

"It's all right - we have to move her to take care of her. She's hurt worse than you," I was told. "We need to treat you, too. There's a gunshot wound in your shoulder."

One of the hospital staff looked grim and came over. She started firing questions at me.

"Name?"

"Nathan Miller."

"What happened?"

"I was shot."

"By whom?"

"A homicidal lunatic with a gun and bad aim."

"Her name?"

"Caitlin Lockyer."

"What happened to her?"

"Looks like someone tried to kill her."

Nathan found Caitlin on a beach covered in blood. Saving her life was just the start. Now he's the prime suspect and he has to find out who's really responsible. Both of their lives depend on it.

Who hurt her?

Why was he shot?

What did he promise?

Why doesn't his story add up?

Who was the dead man on the beach?

What will she remember when she wakes up?

A tiny taste of what's in store:

"Stay away from her, Nathan. That girl isn't good for you."

Stay away from her? I'd go crazy with worry in a day. "You don't know her."

Chris looked grim. "Neither do you. Is there anything you wouldn't do for her?"

"Yes," I snapped. "I wouldn't die for her."

Chris turned around to stare at me, her mouth hanging open.

"Do you want to know why?" I asked steadily. "I wouldn't die for her because I wouldn't be able to protect her any more. What if I missed one of the people who hurt her? I couldn't take that risk. She's too important."

Nightmares Trilogy

Dark, disturbing and definitely scary - Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer is the first book in Demelza Carlton's Nightmares Trilogy. The second book is Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nightmares-Caitlin-Lockyer-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00E7KTEEW

Apple: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/nightmares-caitlin-lockyer/id683610752?mt=11

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nightmares-of-caitlin-lockyer-demelza-carlton/1116335956?ean=2940045188265

Diesel: http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000341774/Carlton-Demelza-Nightmares-of-Caitlin-Lockyer/1.html

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Nightmares-of-Caitlin-Lockyer/book-PnqsT3aYyESjZ1TnjW5tzg/page1.html?s=T9Ro7sIJYkaSx24D-tQKqQ&r=2

Sony: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/demelza-carlton/nightmares-of-caitlin-lockyer/_/R-400000000000001105164

Demelza Carlton – Author Bio

 Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish. 

She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.

Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.

Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.

The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy.

Demelza's website:   http://www.demelzacarlton. com

Contact links:

Website: http://www.demelzacarlton.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DemelzaCarltonAuthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DemelzaCarlton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/DemelzaCarlton

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DemelzaCarlton?feature=watch

Amazon: http://viewauthor.at/DemelzaCarlton

 Guest Post : 

A Girl Can't Know What it's Like to be a Man

A female author can't write a convincing male perspective. She's just not anatomically equipped to think like a man, so it's impossible.

I guess I just don't like being told something is impossible, because the male perspectives in my books are what many readers love – yes, including the sex scenes. Oh, now there's a can of worms…or maybe just those little pink sausages…sex from a guy's perspective. I believe I'll leave that can closed at the moment and open it a little later.

Why bother? I mean, when writing a female perspective comes so naturally, why would I choose to write as if I were a man?

I write my books predominantly in first person perspective. Each character has a completely different perception and voice, so that's what I write. I see each scene through the character's head – their eyes, nose, ears, sense of touch…and occasionally taste. That colours the scene, too, limiting the amount of description I use, as real people only notice a few things about other people or anything new. So, when Nathan Miller first looks at Caitlin in Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer, he notices her injuries and her expression. He doesn't say how beautiful he thinks she is, nor her background or even her life history, as he knows it. In fact, he's got a lot in common with clams, he's so forthcoming with information. I like Nathan's perspective because it allows me to hide things.

A common adage in writing is, of course, "Show, don't tell." When you're writing suspense like I do, sometimes it's more a case of, "Hide, don't tell." Some things are hidden in plain sight, described in the text but not given any significance by the character. Yet, these tiny details are crucial to unravelling the mysteries hidden in the story.

Caitlin knows exactly what happened to her. It's why her nightmares are so vivid, driving her into a screaming panic most nights. To write this book from her perspective, as I did the original draft in 1994, would give away far too much and include graphic details of sickening abuse. If you're after that kind of information – don't worry, I didn't delete it, nor did I hide it completely. The sequel to Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer is Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller, and that book is entirely from Caitlin's perspective, graphic violence and all.

Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer is about Nathan finding out what happened to Caitlin, so that the people who hurt her can pay for their crimes. For maximum suspense, it had to be written from his perspective – no matter how anatomically ill-equipped I might be.

Nathan is definitely a man – he flirts with the nurses, worries about the state of his stomach, gets excited when he sees a girl in sexy underwear and does his utmost to be the hero and protector Caitlin needs him to be.

How do I know? How did I make sure he was a real man and not just some figment of my imagination? Of course, technically he is a figment of my imagination, but…

I have a team of beta-readers and editors who read my work and give me their honest opinion. At least half of them are male, which means perspectives vary a lot. Some complain that there is too much sex in a book and some say there isn't enough. Some say they think Nathan's just wonderful, while others want to smack him. As I always worry about the amount of sex in a book and I alternate between liking Nathan and wanting to knock him out, I take their critique very seriously.

The result? A believable male character who is far too realistic to be simply a figment of my imagination. Now, you can like, love or hate him – that's entirely your call. But, just like Caitlin, he's one of those characters who might not leave you alone, so beware…if you read Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer, you won't forget Nathan easily.

Starcrossed by Brenda Hiatt Release Promo & Giveaway

Starcrossed, a Starstruck novel by Brenda Hiatt, is out now!  To celebrate the release we are happy to share an interview with Princess Emileia and Rigel Stuart as well as an excerpt from the book.  Be sure to stay tuned to the end where there's a giveaway as well!

 The Starstruck adventure continues…

 Marsha spent the first fifteen years of her life as a nerdy nobody before discovering her true identity as the long lost princess of a secret civilization. Now M is dodging extraterrestrial paparazzi while trying to keep the truth from her adoptive aunt and uncle and everyone at school. At least she can be herself with her boyfriend and literal soulmate, Rigel. Whenever they’re together, it’s easy to forget the responsibilities that will eventually come with her new status. But when a new boy arrives at Jewel High, everything M thought she knew about herself and her future is turned upside down. Now the very destiny that lifted her from obscurity threatens to tear her away from Rigel and their happy ever after. But when two planets conspire against you, where is there to run?

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Recently Discovered Princess Grants Exclusive Interview

with Gwendolyn Gannett, Echtran Enquirer

I’m sitting here in a charming little ice cream shop in Jewel, Indiana, to chat with our newfound Princess Emileia and Rigel Stuart, the boy who recently saved her life when she was attacked by the dictator Faxon’s minions here on Earth.

Tell me, Princess, how did it feel to discover your true identity after being raises as a Duchas?

With great presence of mind, the Princess immediately shushes me. “Not so loud! And please, stick to English. I don’t want everyone in Dream Cream to freak out the way I did when Rigel first told me there are . . . people like us…living on Earth!”

Given the pains our Nuathan Ministry of Terran Obfuscation has taken to keep that secret, I suppose she has a point. I lower my voice as I continue.

Is that true, Rigel? Did the Princess ‘freak out?’

“Only for a day or so,” he replies. “Really, she handled the news like a champ—way better than I did when my parents first told me.”

So you were raised Duch— I catch myself. Like a regular Earthling, too?

“Until I was ten, yeah.”

Back to my original question, Princess—

“Please don’t call me that!” she interrupts me. “Not here. Just Marsha is fine, or M—that’s what my friends call me.”

Though it seems terribly disrespectful, far be it from me to disobey. M, then. How has your life changed since learning the truth?

“If you don’t count people trying to kill me, mostly for the better. I mean, back in August I was a complete nobody on the very bottom rung of the social ladder. Now I hardly get picked on at all—well, except by Trina, but that’ll never change. I even get invited to parties and stuff. Not that my aunt ever lets me go, but it’s still cool to be invited. But that’s not because of being, you know, who I am. Nobody at school knows about that.”

Unfortunately, this coincides with the rumors of her being mistreated by her adoptive Duchas family and the surrounding townsfolk.

Then why the change?

“Mostly because of Rigel. He’s pretty popular, what with being quarterback of our football team and just generally awesome. I’m just kind of along for the ride.”

“Not true!” Rigel interjects. “You’re the awesome one. It just took people a while to figure it out.”

The Princess laughs at this and claims, “Nobody would ever have called me awesome before—” She breaks off when Rigel raises his eyebrows at her.

Not wishing to pry, I move on. You must be dying to tell everyone the truth about yourself. Is it hard living with such a huge secret?

“Sometimes,” she confesses, “but when I think about what could happen if people found out, I’m a lot less tempted to say anything.”

And what was your life like, growing up as a—you used the word ‘nobody’ in a non-Echtran household? Was it difficult living in such primitive conditions?

She laughs again. “Since I never knew anything else, I never thought of my conditions as primitive. And it’s not like my aunt was ever actually cruel or anything, even if she isn’t always easy to get along with.”

All right, then, next question. Once a certain dictator falls, how do you see your future unfolding? Are you excited at the prospect of someday returning to the place you were born?

The Princess shrugs. “I guess so, though I have an awful lot to learn before I’ll be ready for that! All the stuff people will expect of me, I mean. Besides, I’m pretty happy right here in Jewel for now. For instance, I went to my very first Homecoming dance last week and it was amazing.”

Oh? With Rigel here as your date?

“Well, yes. He and I—”

“Went with a bunch of our friends,” Rigel butts in, cutting her off for the second time, something he’d never dare to do in Nuath, I’m sure.

This makes me very curious. You two have shared a few harrowing experiences since meeting and I’m sure that’s created a bond of sorts. (I notice they exchange a glance when I say that.) Tell me, just how close have you two become?

At this point, Rigel stands up, then the Princess stands, too. “We said we’d give you five minutes,” Rigel says, “and we’ve been here longer than that. You have your story. And please tell your readers she’s tired of being stalked, okay?”

The Princess is much more polite, but it’s clear she’s ready to leave, too, so I don’t detain them.

Overall, I’d say our Princess seems surprisingly content with her new identity and especially with her knight in shining armor, Rigel Stuart. It will be interesting to see how things progress there once she’s called upon to take up the position she was born to—but I’ll leave that story to my colleagues in Nuath, who will be on the spot to witness it firsthand. 
 

STARCROSSED EXCERPT:

 “Hey, did you hear there’s a new transfer?” Debbi Andrews asked the moment I sat next to her in Geometry class.

Petite and blond, Deb was my second-best friend after Brianna Morrison, though lately it seemed like the two of them were closer to each other than to me. Not that I could blame them, between the time I spent with Rigel and all the secrets I couldn’t tell them.

“Really? Two in one semester must be a record.” I grinned over at Rigel, who’d been the new kid at the start of the school year. “Boy or girl?”

“Boy. I haven’t seen him yet. I think he’s a junior or senior. Natalie said—”

The teacher cleared his throat then and Deb had to shut up. I was sure I’d hear more later, from Bri if not from Deb. New students were a huge deal at our little rural school.

Sure enough, the new guy was the first thing Bri talked about when we met up with her in the lunchroom a couple hours later.

“Hey, Rigel, looks like you’re off the hook for the basketball team.” Bri had been pestering Rigel for days to try out, egged on by her father, who was on the coaching staff. “This new guy, Sean, is just what our sucky team needs, according to my dad.”

“Sean?” Deb asked eagerly. “So that’s his name?”

I glanced at Rigel, who looked more relieved than curious. I, meanwhile, was having a mild deja vu moment, remembering when Bri had been all excited about the wonderful new quarterback we were getting—Rigel.

“Yeah, Sean O’Gara,” Bri told Deb.

“So, is it true he’s from Ireland? That’s what Natalie told me this morning.”

Bri nodded, her long, dark curls bouncing. “That’s what Dad said, too. I didn’t even know they played basketball in Ireland! But apparently it’s huge there.”

“Ireland? Really?” I glanced at Rigel again, remembering something he’d told me a while back, and saw he looked a little more interested. 

“Yeah, he and his family just moved here last— Ooh, that must be him!” Bri broke off to point.

Of course, we all looked. The new guy was definitely tall enough to play basketball, maybe three or four inches taller than Rigel. He was fair bordering on pale, with bright, copper-colored hair. Very good looking, though of course he couldn’t compete with Rigel in that department. Who could?

“Let’s go say hi,” Bri suggested, already heading his way. “You know, welcome him to Jewel.”

It looked to me like plenty of people—mainly girls—were already doing just that. Again I was reminded of Rigel’s first day, especially when I saw Trina Squires—cheerleader, flirt and bitch extraordinaire—saunter up to to the newcomer. Rigel and I followed Bri and Deb, since it seemed the nice thing to do. We were maybe halfway across the lunchroom when both of us stopped cold to stare at each other.

“Do you—?” Rigel asked.

I nodded. “I feel it, too.” It was the brath—the weird, almost electric vibe Martians sense when other Martians are nearby. Like what I’d felt from those two tourist women yesterday.

Sean O’Gara was one of us.

Don't miss the first book, Starstruck, only .99 cents for a limited time!

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Brenda Hiatt is the author of nearly twenty novels (so far), including traditional Regency romance, time travel romance, historical romance, and humorous mystery. She is as excited about her new STARSTRUCK series as she's ever been about any of her books. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she recently achieved her 2nd degree black belt), hiking, traveling, and pursuing new experiences and skills. She is an active member of Romance Writers of America, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and Novelists, Inc, an international organization of multipublished novelists, where she served as President in 2006. For the past dozen years, Brenda has also collected data on writers' earnings, which she shares at her website, http://brendahiatt.com You can also find Brenda on Facebook, Twitter (@Brenda_Hiatt), Tumblr, Goodreads and Wattpad.

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