Blog Tour: Mind's Eye by K.C. Finn @humblequill

Title:  The Mind’s Eye

Author:  K.C. Finn

Published:  April 1st, 2014 by Clean Teen Publishing

Word Count:  86,000

Genre:  YA Historical Paranormal

Content Warning:  Mild Violence

Recommended Age:  16+

Synopsis: A girl with a telepathic gift finds a boy clinging to his last hope during the war-torn climate of Europe, 1940.

At fifteen, Kit Cavendish is one the oldest evacuees to escape London at the start of the Second World War due to a long term illness that sees her stuck in a wheelchair most of the time. But Kit has an extraordinary psychic power: she can put herself into the minds of others, see through their eyes, feel their emotions, even talk to them – though she dares not speak out for fear of her secret ability being exposed.

As Kit settles into her new life in the North Wales village of Bryn Eira Bach, solitude and curiosity encourage her to gain better control of her gift. Until one day her search for information on the developing war leads her to the mind of Henri, a seventeen-year-old Norwegian boy witnessing the German occupation of his beloved city, Oslo. As Henri discovers more about the English girl occupying his mind, the psychic and emotional bonds between them strengthen and Kit guides him through an oppressive and dangerous time.

There are secrets to be uncovered, both at home and abroad, and it’s up to Kit and Henri to come together and fight their own battles in the depths of the world’s greatest war.

Amazon | GoodReads

Excerpt:

We spent Henri’s birthday under a tree drinking orange pop and trying to talk about subjects that didn’t lead back to the war. The news of Clive and Ieuan had shaken Leigh out of his selfish reverie, so if one good thing had come from the darkness it was the fact that my brother had finally actually gotten to know Henri. He even sang Happy Birthday in what he called ‘The Proper English Way’, laughing so hard he could barely get the words out for lack of breath:

“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you; you look like a monkey and you smell like one too!”

Henri laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever and a warmth settled in my chest, like things were finally going to get back to normal. When Leighton went to get more pop, Henri came to the tree and sat down beside me, putting a long arm around my shoulders and pulling me in. He kissed the side of my head gently, his warm breath sinking into my hair. He hadn’t tried to kiss me properly again even when there had been opportunity for it, and I was sort of grateful for that. As much as I wanted to feel that tingling, only-us-in-the-world sensation again, right now the atmosphere just wasn’t right. But we were always close to one another when we had the chance, I had gotten so used to his arms around me that it felt like some part of me was missing when he wasn’t there.

“I’ll have to go into the village tomorrow,” he whispered, “to pass my enlistment papers to the right people.”

An invisible blade sank slowly into my fragile heart, but I had always known this day was coming.

“It’ll take them a while to process it,” I said hopefully, “I bet they’ve already got loads of boys waiting to go to basic training.”

“Perhaps,” he said softly, his lips still resting against my head.

I turned sharply to face him, searching his deep brown eyes. “I don’t want you to go,” I said, racing to find his hand to hold it tightly.

“I won’t really be gone,” he replied, “You’ll always be able to find me.”

“That’s not the point,” I said, my curls shaking as I trembled, “This is dangerous Henri, this is war.”

“You forget where I’ve been already,” he said, turning his face away to focus hard on the distance. He kept a firm hold of my hand and gave it a good squeeze. “You came to my head in the quiet times, the safe times. But I’ve already seen the destruction, the danger and the death, Kit. I think there are two types of people during war: those who see the horror happening and run away, never looking back, and those who want to do something about it.” I felt his other arm pull me in closer against his strong body. “You know which type I am, so you know I have to go.”

I couldn’t say anything, because it was all true.

About the Author:

Born in South Wales to Raymond and Jennifer Finn, Kimberley Charlotte Elisabeth Finn (known to readers as K.C., otherwise it’d be too much of a mouthful) was one of those corny little kids who always wanted to be a writer. She was also incredibly stubborn, and so has finally achieved that dream in 2013 with the release of her first three novellas in the four-part Caecilius Rex saga, the time travel adventure The Secret Star and her new urban fantasy epic The Book Of Shade.

As a sufferer with the medical condition M.E./C.F.S., Kim works part time as a private tutor and a teacher of creative writing, devoting the remainder of her time to writing novels and studying for an MA in Education and Linguistics.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads | Blog | Website

 

Clean Teen Publishing Links:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

Reader's choice of Clean Teen Publishing eBook, bookmark swag pack, and $15 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum @bethfehlbaum

Insecure, shy, and way overweight, Colby hates the limelight as much as her pageant-pretty mom and sisters love it. It's her life: Dad's a superstar, running for office on a family values platform. Then suddenly, he ditches his marriage for a younger woman and gets caught stealing money from the campaign. Everyone hates Colby for finding out and blowing the whistle on him. From a mansion, they end up in a poor relative's trailer, where her mom's contempt swells right along with Colby's supersized jeans. Then, a cruel video of Colby half-dressed, made by her cousin Ryan, finds its way onto the internet. Colby plans her own death. A tragic family accident intervenes, and Colby's role in it seems to paint her as a hero, but she's only a fraud. Finally, threatened with exposure, Colby must face facts about her selfish mother and her own shame. Harrowing and hopeful, proof that the truth that saves us can come with a fierce and terrible price, Big Fat Disaster is that rare thing, a story that is authentically new.

BARNES AND NOBLE

In addition to writing Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Beth Fehlbaum is an experienced English teacher who frequently draws on her experience as an educator to write her books. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading. She is currently a Library Science student at Sam Houston State University.

Beth is the author of Big Fat Disaster (Merit Press/F+W Media, March 2014); Courage in Patience (Kunati Books, 2008); and Hope in Patience(WestSide Books, 2010). Hope in Patience was named a 2011 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Truth in Patience, which rounds outThe Patience Trilogy, is as yet unpublished. The Patience Trilogy has been revised and is available for acquisition!

Beth has a following in the young adult literature world and also among survivors of sexual abuse because of her work with victims’ advocacy groups. She has been the keynote speaker at the National Crime Victims’ Week Commemoration Ceremony at the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas and a presenter for Greater Texas Community Partners, where she addressed a group of social workers and foster children on the subject of “Hope”.

Beth is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, like Ashley in The Patience Trilogy, and the day-to-day manager of an eating disorder much like Colby’s in Big Fat Disaster. These life experiences give her a unique perspective, and she writes her characters’ stories in a way meant to inspire hope.

Beth lives with her family in the woods of East Texas.
You can find Beth online at http:www.bethfehlbaumbooks.comon Facebook, and on https://twitter.com/bethfehlbaum

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview Thursday and Giveaway: Welcome Dan Krokos! @DanKrokos

Welcome to Author Interview Thursday hosted by the Never Too Old for YA and NA Books group on Goodreads.

Today we're excited to welcome author Dan Krokos to the group and blog.

Welcome Dan! So great to have you here today! Let's see what you have to say!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else? 

Definitely not. I dabbled with it as a kid, but I was also dumb and unskilled and knew nothing of the world, so it wasn’t something I could really work on at the time. I didn’t even like to read during my teen years (thanks Xbox and Warcraft).

Growing up, I wanted to be an actor. I really love movies. It wasn’t until I got back into reading that I realized I wanted to make my own stories.

How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

My shortest time was 12 days. That was only because I was trying to outrun my doubts and just hammer the thing out as quickly as possible. I don’t recommend doing this, because it just ends up being more work in the end.

My average is probably a couple months. Anywhere from 2-4, sometimes longer. All depends on if the book gives me trouble, if I have an outline, and if I’m working every day, rather than plucking at it for a few hours a couple times a week.

How do you come up with themes for your stories?

 I don’t. I can’t think of themes first. I can only hope one comes out of the story by itself, unconsciously. My first goal is to not be boring, and my second is to examine life and reveal aspects of what makes us human. Anything else is a happy accident.

Do you have a schedule of when you write? 

I wish. I just do it whenever. My friend Susan Dennard gets up at like 5:30 to start writing. Isn’t that awesome? I want to be like her. I actually had more discipline back when I was working at a gas station full time.

What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

The solitude. I want to work in an office with other humans where there is interaction. Even if I don’t like the other people working there. Being alone all day is a recipe for insanity.

How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite? 

I’ve written thirteen manuscripts I think. Some of them only had a single draft, and some of them had completely new drafts, so maybe like fifteen.

I don’t think I have a favorite. I don’t like any of them all that much, to be honest. Once the book is out all you can see are the mistakes you made along the way. I do like The Planet Thieves though, and the adult book I’m on submission with right now. Hoping the next one will be my favorite!

Do you have a favorite character?

Yes. My adult book centers on a paramedic who drives an ambulance during the day, and drives the getaway car for his contract killer uncle at night. The duality of saving lives when the sun is up, and helping to end them when it goes down was a lot of fun to play with.

Where do you write?  

I recently fixed my laptop, so with the warmer weather I hope to write in cafes and stuff. I think the visual stuff happening all around you can be stimulating, but only with noise canceling headphones. Otherwise I’m at home, which has more comfort, but most of the bad kind of distraction (internet, TV)

When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? 

There was only one route for me. I wanted to be in a bookstore, and have people do all the hard work of actually creating a physical book, so that meant doing everything I could to snag an agent.

What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

My friends live all over the country, so the only way we can still hang is by playing games online. I also love television (who doesn’t), and riding my motorcycle.

What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 

I read this somewhere else, but an author (Stephen King) once said if you can do anything else, do it. Don’t write.

If you HAVE to write, then throw yourself into it completely. When I was starting out, I sacrificed social stuff in my early twenties. My friends were partying and I was writing stories about superheroes, knowing if I just worked harder than the next person, I’d eventually succeed.

So the obvious one is work hard. The second piece of advice is to go out and live life. See things. Talk to weird people. Every experience you have, good or bad, will help with your writing. Unless someone cuts your hands off. That will make writing harder.

What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? 

My favorite book is Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell. RA Salvatore, author of the dark elf books, inspired me to write. His action scenes were so good I would have to put the book down to contemplate what I’d just read. THAT specific feeling is what inspired me to write my own stories. I wanted to give that feeling to other people.

Are you working on anything now? 

I’ve taken a break from books to write a few screenplays. Right now I’m trying to decide which one to pursue.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, Dan! It was so great having you here! I can't wait for False Future to be released! Good luck with your future books!

After pumping gas for nine years to put himself through college, Dan Krokos, now twenty-eight, dropped out to write full-time (stay in school, guys). Coming soon: the final stop for Miranda North in False Future, followed by the next adventure for Mason Stark in The Black Stars.

All of Dan’s books have been optioned for film or television, and False Memory recently won the International Thriller Writer’s Award for Best Young Adult book. He enjoys playing MMORPGs (with the occasional FPS), riding motorcycles, and drinking coffee.

Goodreads/Facebook/Website/Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blast: Prophecy by Alyssa Rose Ivy @AlyssaRoseIvy

We are so excited that Alyssa Rose Ivy's SEARCH is now available! SEARCH is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Alyssa Rose Ivy’s The Empire Chronicles Series. You do NOT want to miss this series. Enter to win then go grab your copy!
 
  Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble   SEARCH Synopsis: *New Adult Paranormal Romance* Casey isn't human. The revelation should terrify her, but it doesn't. Instead it excites her. Too bad not everyone is as excited as she is. Torn between two lives, the only one she's ever known and her life as a paranormal princess, Casey has to decide whether she can trust the man she loves. Sometimes being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be.

EXCERPT: “Don’t take this the wrong way, but my place or yours?” He got a twinkle in his eyes. “What way would I take that, Casey?” I shut my eyes tight. I wasn’t supposed to get that shiver when he said my name. Not after what Nelly told me. Not after Jared. Not after finding out the truth. But I did. I reluctantly opened my eyes again. “Let’s go with mine. It’s more spacious.” His eyes studied me, waiting for my reaction. We had memories at his place. Recent memories I’d been trying to forget. “All right.” I tore my eyes from his face. He’d gotten a far off look, and I knew he was thinking about the first kiss. The one that felt more like perfection than any other kiss before or since.

  Alyssa Rose Ivy Bio: Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.       a Rafflecopter giveaway  

  Links: Twitter Author Goodreads Pinterest Website SEARCH Goodreads Facebook

Cover Reveal: Prophecy by James Moser @moser_james

Chasing Prophecy by James Moser
Publication date: January 2nd 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult

Synopsis:

"Chasing Prophecy" is the story of Mo, a teen boy just trying to survive high school in the mountain town of Boulder Creek, Washington. Boulder Creek is an isolated and mysterious place, proud of its reputation as the "Bigfoot Sighting Capital of the World". Mo falls in love with a girl named Prophecy who lives with a group that some call a commune and others call a cult. When she disappears, Mo must find the courage to face the monster that her family has become. "Chasing Prophecy" is a heartwarming contemporary coming of age story. This book chronicles the adolescence of one boy who must transform himself to save the girl of his dreams.

The author works with high school students because young adults inspire him. As such, he wanted to write about teenagers transforming themselves to overcome obstacles, which is what he watches them do every day. This book's mission is to entertain adults while inspiring teens.  The result is "Chasing Prophecy," a story about love, loss, redemption, and monsters. 

Boo Radley is the author's all-time favorite literary character, which is how the Seattle-area legend of Bigfoot entered "Chasing Prophecy".

The author lives in Seattle with his beautiful wife and lively eight year old son. When he's not reading and writing, or talking about reading and writing, he's watching too much television and snacking on frozen treats from Trader Joe's. Man, those things are good.

Author links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7735290.James_Moser

https://twitter.com/moser_james

https://www.facebook.com/1chasingprophecy

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly awaiting!

Today's pick:

Title: GRADUATION DAY (THE TESTING #3)

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Expected Publication Date: June 17, 2014

In book three of the Testing series, the United Commonwealth wants to eliminate the rebel alliance fighting to destroy The Testing for good. Cia is ready to lead the charge, but will her lethal classmates follow her into battle?

She wants to put an end to the Testing
In a scarred and brutal future, The United Commonwealth teeters on the brink of all-out civil war. The rebel resistance plots against a government that rules with cruelty and cunning. Gifted student and Testing survivor, Cia Vale, vows to fight.

But she can't do it alone.
This is the chance to lead that Cia has trained for - but who will follow? Plunging through layers of danger and deception, Cia must risk the lives of those she loves--and gamble on the loyalty of her lethal classmates.

Who can Cia trust?
The stakes are higher than ever-lives of promise cut short or fulfilled; a future ruled by fear or hope--in the electrifying conclusion to Joelle Charbonneau's epic Testing trilogy. Ready or not…it's Graduation Day.

The Final Test is the Deadliest!

I am a storyteller at heart. I have performed in a variety of operas, musical theatre and children's theatre productions across the Chicagoland area. 

While I'm happy to perform for an audience, I am equally delighted to teach private voice lessons and use my experience from the stage to create compelling characters on the page. I am the author of the Rebecca Robbins mystery series (Minotaur Books), The Paige Marshall Glee Club mysteries (Berkley) and The Testing YA triology (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).

Goodreads/Website/Facebook/Twitter

Release Day Blast: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout @JLArmentrout @DisneyHyperion @InkSlingerPR

We are extremely excited that Jennifer L. Armentrout's DON'T LOOK BACK releases today!! DON’T LOOK BACK is a young adult suspense being published by Disney Hyperion!
   
   BUY LINKS: Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes

  EXCERPT: 

 I didn’t recognize the name on the street sign. Nothing about the rural road looked familiar or friendly. Tall, imposing trees and overgrown weeds choked the front of the dilapidated home. Windows were boarded up. There was a gaping hole where the front door had been. I shivered, wanting to be far away from here…wherever here was. Walking felt harder than it should be, and I stumbled off the chilly asphalt, wincing as sharp gravel dug into my feet. My bare feet? I stopped and looked down. Chipped pink nail polish peeked through the dirt…and blood. Mud caked the legs of my pants, leaving the hems stiff. It made sense, seeing as how I wasn’t wearing any shoes, but the blood…I didn’t understand why there was blood staining the knees of my jeans. My vision clouded and dulled, as if a gray film had been dropped over my eyes. As I stared at the weathered asphalt under my feet, large and smooth rocks replaced the tiny stones. Something dark and oily seeped over the rocks, slipping through the cracks. Sucking in a sharp gasp, I blinked and the image was gone. Hands trembling, I raised them. They were also covered with dirt and scratches. My nails were broken, bloodied. A silver ring wrapped, encased in soil, around my thumb. Air froze in my chest as my gaze crawled over my arms. The sleeves of my sweater were torn, revealing pale flesh covered in bruises and gashes. My legs started to shake as I swayed forward. I tried to remember how this had happened, but my head was empty—a black void where nothing existed. A car drove by, coasting to a stop a few feet in front of me. Somewhere in the trenches of my subconscious, I recognized the flashing red and blue lights as a source of safety. Elegantly scrawled along the black-and-gray side of the cruiser were the words ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. Adams County? A flash of familiarity came and went. The driver’s door opened, and a deputy stepped out. He said something into the radio on his shoulder before he looked at me. “Miss?” He started around the cruiser, taking tentative steps. He looked young for a deputy. Barely out of high school and able to carry a gun seemed wrong somehow. Was I in high school? I didn’t know. “We’ve received some calls into dispatch concerning you,” he said gently. “Are you okay?” I tried to respond, but only a hoarse squeak came out. Clearing my throat, I winced as the motion scratched and pulled. “I…I don’t know.” “Okay.” The deputy held up his hands as he approached me, as if I were a skittish deer about to bolt. “My name is Deputy Rhode. I’m here to help you. Do you know what you’re doing out here?” “No.” Knots formed in my belly. I didn’t even know where here was. His smile strained. “What’s your name?” My name? Everyone knew their name, but as I stared at the deputy, I couldn’t answer his question. The knots started twisting more. “I don’t…I don’t know what my name is.” He blinked, and the smile was completely gone. “You don’t remember anything?” I tried again, concentrating on the empty space between my ears. That was how it felt. And I knew that wasn’t good. My eyes started to tear up. “Miss, it’s okay. We’ll get you taken care of.” He reached out, lightly taking hold of my arm. “We’ll get this sorted.” Deputy Rhode led me around the back of his cruiser. I didn’t want to sit behind the Plexiglas, because I knew that wasn’t good. Only bad people sat behind the glass in police cruisers. I wanted to object, but before I could say anything, he settled me into the seat and wrapped a coarse blanket around my shoulders. Before he locked me in the bad part of the car, he knelt and smiled reassuringly. “Everything’s going to be okay.” But I knew he was lying, trying to make me feel better. It didn’t work. How could everything be okay when I didn’t know my own name?   ABOUT DON’T LOOK BACK: Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all—popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her—even if the old Sam treated him like trash. But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory—someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive? “This engrossing thriller packs a heady atmospheric punch with plenty of theatrical scares,” Kirkus Reviews “Armentrout has written another winner. From the first page to the last, she builds both terror and confusion to the point where readers will be hooked and on the edge of their seat. This standalone contains all of Armentrout’s usual trademarks– a strong and determined heroine, witty comments and hot guys–but she adds in an extra layer by ratcheting up the suspense to the highest degree and follows it up with an ending no one will see coming.” RT BOOK REVIEWS 4 1/2 Stars TOP PICK    

  
About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.   Links: Website Twitter Facebook Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads DON’T LOOK BACK Goodreads

Book Blast: The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold @jess_s_arnold

Welcome to the Release Day Blitz for

The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold

presented by Month9Books!

You can follow the blog tour HERE!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!

Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth’s old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn’s next victim.

The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold
Publication Date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Jessica Arnold writes YA, codes ebooks, and is currently a graduate student in publishing at Emerson College in Boston. She spends most of her time in class or work or slogging through the homework swamp. If she has a spare moment, she’s always up for a round of Boggle. Given the opportunity, Jessica will pontificate at length on the virtues of the serial comma, when and where to use an en dash, and why the semicolon is the best punctuation mark pretty much ever.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win:

• Four (4) winners will receive an ebook copy of The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold (INT)
• One (1) winner will receive an ebook copy of The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold AND a $10 Amazon Gift Card or B&N Gift Card – Winner’s Choice (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Shadow Fire by KImber Leigh Wheaton

Shadow Fire

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of The Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

Praise for Shadow Fire "This book contains monsters, magic, majestic creatures, and a evil guy that wants to destroy the world. If you love hot guys.....Zane is all that plus a few tricks up his sleeve. Just read it!" Venture ~Amazon Reviewer "Adventure, magical creatures, fun characters, and romance make this book a perfect read for all ages." James ~Amazon Reviewer "I thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written." Lisa Temple ~ Goodreads "Oh, I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy, sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it down." ~Sasha Hibbs ~ Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt When we reach the deck, everyone stops to stare at me. Trying to ignore the blatant curiosity, I follow Hanna down the aft stairs to the brig. Zane and Taranis occupy cells across from each other. They're both sitting on the floor glaring daggers at each other. Hanna hands the key to me and slips away. Inching closer, I'm careful to remain out of reach of the two prisoners. As soon as they see me, both men jump up and start talking over each other. "Ashlyn! How are you feeling, Love?" Zane asks. "Ashlyn, my fiery angel, you are a ray of sunshine in this dank prison!" Taranis says. "I'm gonna let you both out, if, and only if, you promise to behave," I threaten. Both men nod their agreement. "That means no fighting. It also means we never, and I mean never, speak of what happened last night." When I get no argument, I free Zane first and then Taranis. "Do you even know what happened last night?" Zane asks, taking me into his arms. I stand rigid in his embrace, not sure if I'm ready to forgive him quite yet. "Only what Hanna told me," I snap at him. "I saved your virtue from this raving lunatic," Taranis says, pointing at Zane. "Then you decided to take it for yourself!" Zane yells back at him. "Did you not hear me?" I shout. Pulling myself from Zane's embrace, I back up and glare at both men. "No speaking of last night. Period. End of discussion." "Yes, Love," Zane replies. "Yes, virtuous virgin," Taranis replies. "Taranis!" I release a menacing growl, and wince when my right eye starts to tic. "Yes?" he asks, eyes full of mock innocence. "Run," Zane says. Taranis listens to Zane's advice and takes off up the stairs to the deck with me hot on his heels.


     Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming soon.  

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Blog

   

     Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: The Taking (The Taking #1) by Kimberly Derting @kimberlyderting @harperteen

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing. 

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day. 

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men. 

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Excerpt:

Finally, when I couldn’t think of anything else to do and when I couldn’t put it off any longer, I knocked. My throat felt suddenly too tight, which seemed silly. Of course they’d be mad, but they’d forgive me too.

It was an accident, me staying out all night. Somehow I’d have to find a way to explain that to them. To make them believe that I didn’t know exactly what had happened the night before.

I shifted nervously back and forth as I waited, thinking of a million ways to say I’m sorry. The seconds seemed to stretch and bend and last an eternity, and just when I was about to give up, when I was sure that neither one of them was home, I saw the curtain on the other side of the door—the one above the couch in the living room—part.

A face appeared.

A child’s face.

I was confused, startled by the appearance of the toddler.

I was an only child—the product of parents who’d spent my entire life doting on me, and only me. I was the center of their universe. Their sun and their moon and their stars, as my dad liked to say when I was little.

The little boy lifted his hand in a motionless wave, pressing his chubby fingers to the window and leaving a steamy impression around them. I thought of my mom, and the way she’d always told me not to touch the windows because it left fingerprints.

But when the man appeared behind him, I physically jolted. I looked at the door again; a sense of dread filled every crevice of my being, like I’d made some terrible mistake and gone to the wrong house. Like there was some other blue-gray house with my handprints forever imprinted in the walkway.

My panic subsided somewhat when I saw the worn gold numbers running alongside the front door: 9-6-1-2.

My address.

My house.

My home.

I was definitely in the right place. So who were these people? These strangers staring at me from the other side of my window?

Would you like to follow the rest of the excerpt tour? Then click below!

Kimberly is the author of the BODY FINDER series (HarperCollins), THE PLEDGE trilogy (Simon & Schuster), and THE TAKING trilogy (coming April 29th from HarperTeen). She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the ideal place to write anything dark or creepy...a gloomy day can set the perfect mood. She lives with her husband and their three beautiful (and often mouthy) children who provide an endless source of inspiration.

Goodreads/Website/Facebook/Twitter