Blog Tour: Intro Laconic by WH Rose

Intro: Laconic
W.H. Rose
Publication date: September 22nd 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Taein Kim, affectionately known as “Blondie”, is an incredibly talented young man and leader of the rookie K-Pop group Eclipse. Tae has his whole life and career in front of him, but it comes to a screeching halt when a standard meet and greet leads to him finding his soulmate, a foreign girl named after the goddess of love.

Venus Woods is the young heiress of the largest tech corporation in Southeastern America. Her life revolves around meaningless events and empty white walls, devoid of color and purpose. She never thought she would meet her favorite idol group, Eclipse, let alone form the incredibly rare soulmate bond with their leader. As if that’s not life-changing enough, her absent mother is determined to have the two married, using her daughter as a bargaining chip.

Separated by lifestyle, culture, and language, the teens have wall after wall between them. None of it stops the blossom of love that blooms in their hearts when they lock eyes under the cover of a thunderstorm.

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“Did you research different bands for your book to get information to make it authentic? If so, which bands. If not, how did you come to understand band life?”

I did a lot of research for this book, but that mostly revolved around the locations Venus and Taein went to. As for understanding Eclipse as a band and making sure I did them justice, I really relied on my prior knowledge of K-pop. I’ve been a K-pop fan for around four years now, and in that time I have learned a lot about how the industry works. Every K-pop group is similar in many ways because of the way K-pop is manufactured. Most groups come from a handful of entertainment companies in Korea. They almost always are all male or all female. Band members almost always live together. They have assigned roles in the group like the lead singer, or lead rapper, or even visual (the member who is marketed as the most attractive). They almost always start when the members are in their teens. They all have to go on variety shows, make performances, and promote their music, etc. Of course, exactly how they do these things can be different, but K-pop can be quite formulaic.

Knowing this, it was easy for me to construct the bones of Eclipse as a group. I knew I needed to have members who sang and members who rapped. I knew Eclipse needed to have a manager who helped guide them. I knew that they were likely to have a meet and greet. But of course, what makes every group unique is the members. Personality, talent, and friendships have so much to do with what makes a group lovable. I really wanted to make the members important and feel like they really contributed to the band. This first book focused very heavily around Venus and Taein, but the second and third books will really shed more light on how Eclipse operates as a band and on the relationships between all of the members. Readers will definitely get a closer look into the K-pop industry (the good bits and the not so good bits) as Venus and Taein’s story progresses. 

Author Bio:

W. H. Rose is an emerging author who just released her debut novel, Mythomania, in January of 2020. Her life's passion is storytelling. Rose has always entertained those around her with her ability to create moving and impactful tales and is proud to share her first novel at the young age of eighteen. She lives in Georgia with her loving family and pet rabbit, Soba.

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Blog Tour: The Resistance by T.H. Hernandez @TheresaHernandz

The Resistance
T.H. Hernandez
(The Union Series, #5)
Publication date: February 25th 2020
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult

After the Union is invaded by the Uprising, life for Evan and her friends becomes even more dire. If they have any hopes of saving the world they know, they’re going to need help. And it looks like there may be someone already out there trying to accomplish the same thing.
Now living in an encampment in the Ruins, life is hard for most Unis in the Resistance. For Cyrus and the other Ruins survivors, it’s just more of the same.
While they train for their ultimate mission, tragedy strikes, upending everything once again. Complicating their plans, someone in their midst is working against them. Evan, Cyrus, and the rest of the Resistance need to locate reinforcements to help them bring down the Uprising while rooting out the traitor. With trust at an all-time low, no one is above suspicion as danger walks among them.

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Guest Post:

“I see you love Comic Cons. How has attending these Cons helped you with writing your series? Is there anyone in particular at these Cons you have discussed bookish stuff with that has helped you?” – rec 350+ words

Comic-Con is the king of all cons and I happen to be fortunate enough to live in San Diego. Even so, getting tickets to this prized event is tougher than having a tooth extracted without Novocain. I’ve still managed to get inside and hob nob with my fellow nerds. The last time I was on the convention floor, I was less than five feet from Stan Lee only months before he passed away.

In the years I don’t have passes, we still attend the outside experience. There is a lot to see and do for the sad pass-less people, from television and movie-themed exhibits, to scavenger hunts, and set walkthroughs. In 2019, they had the set from Brooklyn Nine-Nine and in 2018, it was Elinore’s house from The Good Place. There used to be panels at the ballpark you could attend even without at pass, but those have been sadly absent in the past few years. Even so, without being able to get into the convention center itself, you can surround yourself with throngs of people dressed like their favorite characters, partake in a variety of interactive exhibits, and win prizes, all while getting a minimum of 20,000 steps in.

Numerous authors hang out on the outside, handing out bookmarks or postcards featuring their latest releases. I’ve found more than a few good reads this way. And while the Comic-Con experience had nothing to do with The Union series, it inspired me to write SUPERHERO HIGH, about the teenage offspring of the nation’s superheroes who are all relocated to San Diego when the government’s Genetically Enhanced Asset (GEA) program ends. I wrote a scene where they all attempt to attend Comic-Con, not realizing they needed passes and lamenting about how wannabe superheroes can get inside, while they are forced to remain outside with the unenhanced riffraff.

Comic-Con is overwhelming. And that’s an understatement. It’s bodies, and merch, and panels and lots and lots of long lines to wait in, never knowing if you’ll get into the panel you’re waiting for. Which is why, no matter how exciting it is, I find more inspiration at the smaller cons. I have attended Geek Girl Con in Seattle with my daughter a few times. This much scaled-back con is still attended by the nerdiest of nerds who love all things pop culture, but from a kick-ass female perspective. I was able to get into all the panels I wanted without much of a wait.

My favorite panel was a group of teen authors discussing their love of writing and reading from their works. These talented kids inspired me in ways I never anticipated. I found myself talking with them long after the panel ended about our shared passion of reading and writing. The speakers at the smaller cons are easier to talk to than the big ones. And for that, I highly recommend people who are con-minded to seek these out.

But just like there is only one Super Bowl, there is only one Comic-Con, so if you ever have the chance to attend, take it. Just for the all-consuming experience.

Author Bio:
With flawed strong characters, characters you can relate to, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Lorhainne Eckhart writes the kind of books she wants to read. She is frequently a Top 100 bestselling author in multiple genres, and her second book ever published, The Forgotten Child, is no exception. With close to 900 reviews on Amazon, translated into German and French, this book was such a hit that the long running Friessen Family series was born. Now with over sixty titles and multiple series under her belt her big family romance series are loved by fans worldwide. A recipient of the 2013, 2015 and 2016 Readers' Favorite Award for Suspense and Romance, Lorhainne lives on the sunny west-coast Gulf Island of Salt Spring Island, is the mother of three, her oldest has autism and she is an advocate for never giving up on your dreams.

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Blog Tour: Helix by Mary Ting @MaryTing

Helix
Mary Ting
(International Sensory Assassin Network #2)
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: September 10th 2019
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Alliances are forming. The resistance is growing. Everything is about to change.
With her memory still fragmented, Ava returns to the International Sensory Assassin Network (ISAN) to find the twin sister she never knew she had.
But as Ava hunts for information, she finds herself tangled in a web of yet more lies and conspiracy. The Helix serum may not be required to access her superpowers, and the number of male assassins—previously considered too volatile to tolerate Helix—is growing in every territory.
The more Ava uncovers, the more of a threat she becomes to ISAN. Her only salvation may be to join the rebels—if she isn’t killed first.

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How has traveling as an author and meeting other authors shaped your writing time table? Do you find it hard to balance these things or do you have a set way of doing it so you're on time with deadlines?

Meeting authors and fans around the world is an amazing experience, but it also takes away time from writing and editing. The best way for me to juggle them both is to set deadlines so that I met the publisher’s deadlines.

I write the next book in the series as soon as the current book to be release is in editing. As I make my schedule, I consider the time it will take to do tours and answer question like I’m doing now, promoting on social media sites and making teasers to post.

Time management is essential just like it is for any career. Sometimes I have to give up a social event, or even move schedules around. But traveling, meeting other authors and old/new readers, is what writing is all about. I love this part of being an author. How wonderful it is to meet people from all parts of the world.

Author Bio:
International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres and her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.
Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching after twenty years. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.
Mary resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two little dogs, Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry.

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Blog Tour: Risking It All by S.M. Koz @SM_KOZ

Risking It All
S.M. Koz
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: June 18th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

A high-achieving teen who’s determined to become a fighter jet pilot is matched up with an accused criminal at an elite military boarding school in SM Koz’s YA novel, Risking It All.
Paige knows exactly what she wants—to graduate from Wallingford Academy and become a pilot in the US Air Force. She’s inherited her father’s no-nonsense attitude and whip-smart intelligence, all of which have made her the perfect Wallingford cadet.
Wallingford Academy is the last place in the world Logan wants to be. But after his girlfriend borrows his car and commits a crime, Logan takes the fall and ends up there with hopes of striking a decent plea bargain. For him, graduation can’t come soon enough.
When Paige is asked to mentor Logan, it’s the perfect opportunity to prove her leadership skills—but she doesn’t account for the feelings that start to develop or the baggage from Logan’s past which could threaten both of their futures.

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“How did you find information about the military part of your book vs the prison part of your book while doing your research? What are the biggest differences/similarities you found between these two institutions while doing so?”

This is an interesting question because throughout the book Logan was desperate to avoid prison but at certain points wondered if his life at Wallingford was any different than prison would be. To him, they both removed all his freedom.

As far as researching these institutions, I have a lot of family and friends with a military background, so that part was fairly easy. Granted, they were all enlisted as adults, rather than enrolled at a military boarding school as teens. Still, they were able to give me a good idea of what the customs and courtesies at a school would be, help me with terminology, and fill in some background information for my characters’ families. I also watched movies like Taps and a Few Good Men to get in the right mindset. For the more nuanced details at Wallingford Academy, I used information I found online for a Naval boarding school. They had a very detailed handbook, which helped immensely.

The criminal part was a bit harder since I don’t have any close friends or family who have been accused of a serious crime and/or incarcerated. I do, however, have friends who are lawyers and paralegals and I relied on them throughout the writing process. I also have limited courtroom knowledge from being a foster and adoptive parent, so I was able to draw on those experiences to some degree.

It’s not surprising Logan sometimes felt like Wallingford was prison, since both have detailed routines, standard-issued clothing, limited food choices, strict rules, and a hierarchical system. However, the purpose of this structure differs between Wallingford and prison. In prison, it’s mainly used to remove freedoms as retribution and deterrence. At Wallingford it’s used to help students develop strong time management skills, proper respect for others, a sense of responsibility, and a sense of honor, all of which help them excel in the real world after graduation. For cadets who know and appreciate this, the structure is acceptable and even welcomed, especially with the weekend breaks to be a “normal” teen. For those who don’t, like Logan, every single day can feel like prison. Of course, Wallingford has a way of growing on even the most disillusioned cadet. 

Author Bio:
SM Koz was born in Michigan, but moved to North Carolina for college and never left. She enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, photography, reading, spending time with foster kids who call her house home, and learning new things. When she’s not creating online training for pharmaceutical companies (her day job) or writing, Koz can be found at the local community college taking courses on various topics ranging from digital art to HTML to desktop publishing. SM Koz has written six novels. Although her stories differ by genre, ranging from contemporary realism to sci-fi to fanfiction, two things they all have in common are a young or new adult focus and romance. If you’d like to learn more about SM Koz, check her out on social media.

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Blog Tour: The Monster of Selkirk by C.E. Clayton

The Duality of Nature
C.E. Clayton
(The Monster of Selkirk, #1)
Publication date: April 18th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Monsters come in many forms, and not everyone knows a monster when they see one. After three hundred years of monstrous, feral elves plaguing the island nation of Selkirk, everyone believes they know what a monster is. Humans have learned to live with their savage neighbors, enacting a Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. The system has worked for centuries, until after one such purge, a babe was found in the forest.
As Tallis grows, she discovers she isn’t like everyone else. There is something a little different that makes people leery in her presence, and she only ever makes a handful of friends.
But when the elves gather their forces and emerge from the forests literally hissing Tallis’s name like a battle mantra, making friends is the least of her troubles. Tallis and her companions find themselves on an unwilling journey to not only clear her name, but to stop the elves from ravaging her homeland.

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The Heart of the Forest
C.E. Clayton
(The Monster of Selkirk, #2)
Publication date: October 17th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Tallis is learning how to deal with loss and violence as she and her friends traverse the forests of Selkirk trying to find the reason behind the elven uprising. Not to mention why they keep hissing her name. But the further into the forests they go, Tallis is finding that the elves’ depravity can still surprise her, and thoroughly test the bonds of friendship, family, and love.
Tallis’s journey eventually leads to answers they’re not prepared for. Now Tallis begins to wonder just who she really is, and if she’s the evil that will end up destroying Selkirk. But she cannot stop to process these revelations, as an unforeseen betrayal lands those she loves at the feet of the very monster responsible for all the hurt, and heartbreak.
Coming face to face with her foe, Tallis discovers all too late she has no idea how to deal with this level of pain, and death. One way or another, the monster’s path ends here, and all Tallis can hope to do is bring those she loves safely out of the heart of the forest.

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“How did you find information about the military part of your book vs the prison part of your book while doing your research? What are the biggest differences/similarities you found between these two institutions while doing so?”  

This is an interesting question because throughout the book Logan was desperate to avoid prison but at certain points wondered if his life at Wallingford was any different than prison would be. To him, they both removed all his freedom.

As far as researching these institutions, I have a lot of family and friends with a military background, so that part was fairly easy. Granted, they were all enlisted as adults, rather than enrolled at a military boarding school as teens. Still, they were able to give me a good idea of what the customs and courtesies at a school would be, help me with terminology, and fill in some background information for my characters’ families. I also watched movies like Taps and a Few Good Men to get in the right mindset. For the more nuanced details at Wallingford Academy, I used information I found online for a Naval boarding school. They had a very detailed handbook, which helped immensely.

The criminal part was a bit harder since I don’t have any close friends or family who have been accused of a serious crime and/or incarcerated. I do, however, have friends who are lawyers and paralegals and I relied on them throughout the writing process. I also have limited courtroom knowledge from being a foster and adoptive parent, so I was able to draw on those experiences to some degree.

It’s not surprising Logan sometimes felt like Wallingford was prison, since both have detailed routines, standard-issued clothing, limited food choices, strict rules, and a hierarchical system. However, the purpose of this structure differs between Wallingford and prison. In prison, it’s mainly used to remove freedoms as retribution and deterrence. At Wallingford it’s used to help students develop strong time management skills, proper respect for others, a sense of responsibility, and a sense of honor, all of which help them excel in the real world after graduation. For cadets who know and appreciate this, the structure is acceptable and even welcomed, especially with the weekend breaks to be a “normal” teen. For those who don’t, like Logan, every single day can feel like prison. Of course, Wallingford has a way of growing on even the most disillusioned cadet. 

Author Bio:
C. E. Clayton was born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area, where she attended the University of Southern California (Fight On!) for both her Bachelors and Masters, and then worked in the advertising industry for several years on accounts ranging from fast food, to cars, and video games (her personal favorite). After going the traditional career route and becoming restless, she went back to her first love–writing–and hasn’t stopped. She is now the author of “The Monster of Selkirk” series and her horror short stories have appeared in anthologies across the country. When she’s not writing you can find her treating her fur-babies like humans, constantly drinking tea, and trying to convince her husband to go to more concerts. And reading. She does read quite a bit. More about C.E. Clayton, including her blog, book reviews, social media presence, and newsletter, can be found on her website: https://www.ceclayton.com/

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Blog Tour: Magic Harvest by Mary Karlik @XpressoReads

Magic Harvest
Mary Karlik
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: September 18th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Young fae girls are disappearing.
Layla has never belonged to the fairy realm – at least, half of her hasn’t. She’s never known anyone with human blood, not even her father. When she was three, the dragon Fauth attacked the fairy festival, murdering her fae mum & stepfather. Frankly, some fairies think she should’ve been eaten too.
As she grew, despite being called names like “fuman” for being a half-blood, she’s discovered that being half-human isn’t terrible. She may lack magic, but she is immune to iron sickness, and she can wield a sword with elven skill.
Magic in the human world is disastrous.
Sixteen years later, when Layla’s half-sister is kidnapped and taken through a portal to the forbidden human realm, Layla rushes to the rescue. She’s older and stronger, and she’s not about to let her last living family member be taken from her without a fight.
Only someone who belongs to both worlds can find the truth.
The portal spits her out in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, but neither her sister or the kidnapper are anywhere to be found. Stuck in a world she only knows from school books, Layla forges unlikely alliances to find her sister. As she becomes tangled in the dark world of fairy trafficking, magic harvesting, and murder, Layla will have to find the strength within if she is to survive and save her sister.

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If I could have any magical power, what would it be?

I would love the power to to look at history in real time. Have you ever visited a place and wondered what it was like four hundred years ago, or what the first settlers thought as they traveled from the east coast of the US to the west? That’s what I want to see. I don’t want to visit—it would be too easy to mess things up. I just want to observe it. I’d love to see the expressions on the faces on those early settlers when they first saw the Grand Canyon. But I’d also like to see every day life around the world during different time periods. How cool would it be to see how they really lived and hear how they really spoke? But I think there is a danger in this too. I’d be tempted to look at the happiest memories, stay there, and forget to continue forward with my life.

And, what if someone had the ability to peak back into history and they fell in love with someone they were watching? That would be worse than reliving a happy memory because it would be aching for a memory you could never have. Maybe that power wouldn’t be great after all

So…I know it’s cheating—sort of like asking for three more wishes on the third wish—but…

If I couldn’t look at history how about if I had the ability to enter and exit any story I wanted to? Oh my, I could visit Narnia, Hogwarts, Bag End, Diagon Alley. I could talk to Charlotte. Follow Charlie through the chocolate factory. I could meet Mary Poppins. I could see the Secret Garden!

Yes. That’s it. I’ll take one magical power to pop in and out of whatever novel or story I’d like at any time.

The first story I’d pop into would have to be Harry Potter. I’ve been to the movie set and I’ve seen the Wizarding World of Harry Potter but to to be there, to actually walk down Diagon Alley, would be top on my list. Where would you go? 

Author Bio:
Mary Karlik has always been a dreamer. When she was a teen, she read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and then sat in every wardrobe in her Nanna’s home, trying to open the door to Narnia. She didn’t find it, but she did discover her voice as an author: one filled with her young adult self, and grounded in her roots as a Texan and her Scottish heritage, nourished by obscure Scottish folklore.
You can find her Texas roots in her YA contemporary romance Hickville series , which has been described as “100% solid storytelling,” and begins with Welcome to Hickville High, a “lovely story about growing up.”
She digs deep into her Scottish roots – there is magic there, she just knows it – for the forthcoming YA epic fantasy Fairy Trafficking series, beginning with Magic Harvest.
She makes her home in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains of Northern New Mexico where she is a certified professional ski instructor, but she also loves visiting Scotland where she is currently studying Scottish Gaelic at the University of Highlands and Islands in Skye. Mary also earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, has a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University, and is a Registered Nurse.
Mary currently serves as the President of the Young Adult Chapter of Romance Writers of America and looks forward to raising a glass or two of gin and tonic with her fellow writers every year at RWA’s national convention.

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Blog Tour: Superhero High by T.H. Hernandez @TheresaHernandz

Superhero High
T.H. Hernandez
Published by: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication date: July 5th 2018
Genres: Adventure, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Annarenee Stevens is the sole member of her family without a super power. The only time she feels powerful is in the pool. With her sights set on swimming for U.C. Berkeley, she’s ready to win it all at the State championship and secure her future.
When the government unexpectedly ends the secret Genetically Enhanced Asset (GEA) program, Annarenee is uprooted from Dayton, the only home she’s ever known, and relocated to San Diego with all of the other GEA families. Queen of her public school, Annarenee is just another zero at Superhero High, a school without any sports teams.
With the end of the program, her hero older brother now needs a college education, too, meaning the only way Annarenee is getting into Berkeley is on a scholarship. Her dream is slipping through her fingers, no matter how tightly she clings to it. To make matters worse, super hot superhero, Ren Gonzalez, is paying too much attention to her. The kind of attention that has Ren’s ex-girlfriend intent on making Annarenee’s life even more miserable.
But when heroes begin disappearing, zeros and heroes will be forced to team up in order to solve the mystery. If they don’t kill each other first.

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Guest post:

If you could have any super power, which one would it be and why?

What kid hasn’t spent at least one lazy summer day lying on their back in the grass, staring up at the sky, and discussing what super power you’d want? For me, it was many lazy days. Back when I was a kid, we had three months off, only a handful of channels on TV that showed nothing but reruns, and no smart phones. So we spent way too much time dreaming big.

I’ve always been torn between being able to fly and reading minds. Knowing what people are thinking would be such a fantastic power. As I kid, I thought it would be cool to know if Steve Harris liked me or not, but as an adult, I could negotiate the best raise or broker world peace. 

But flying…soaring through the air, unencumbered would not only be fun, but convenient. Not having to wait for a bus to go to school was the dream back then, but now, imagine traveling without having to go through airport security, or bypassing traffic?

But I have to pick one, so I’m going to go with flying. Because while reading minds would be cool in certain circumstances, I feel like it would destroy more relationships than it would be worth.

Author Bio:
T.H. Hernandez is the author of young adult books. The Union, a futuristic dystopian adventure, was a finalist in the 2015 San Diego book awards in the Young Adult Fiction category.
She loves pumpkin spice lattes, Game of Thrones, Comic-Con, Star Wars, Doctor Who marathons, Bad Lip Reading videos, and all things young adult, especially the three young adults who share her home.
When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside her head, T.H. Hernandez lives in usually sunny San Diego, California with her husband and three children, a couple of cats, and a dog who thinks he’s a cat, affectionately referred to as “the puppycat.”
You can find her online at http://thhernandez.com

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Blog Tour: Between Frost and Fury by Chani Lynn Feener @TempestChani

Between Frost and Fury
Chani Lynn Feener
(The Xenith Trilogy #2)
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: July 24th 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Delaney might have done her job a little TOO well…and now her life has once again been turned upside down by aliens, this time by a deadly (and devastatingly handsome) alien prince in this explosive second installment of Chani Lynn Feener’s The Xenith Trilogy.

Delaney has been kidnapped by aliens. Again. After only a month back on Earth with her hot new alien boyfriend Ruckus, the deadly and devastatingly handsome prince Trystan has dragged her right back to his planet.
While some girls may dream of winning a prince’s heart, Delaney just wishes this one would leave her alone. Instead, she finds herself at the center of both a tense political battle between two alien kingdoms and Trystan’s romantic attentions, both of which are absolutely ruining the life she’s built on Earth. Not to mention the fact that she’s about to be crowned queen of a planet she’s barely even visited. Just another day in the life of an ordinary human girl.
Readers won’t want to miss Between Frost and Fury, the compelling, fast-paced sequel to Chani Lynn Feener’s Amid Stars and Darkness.

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You've been abducted by Aliens, what are the things you think they need specifically from you? What would you want to learn from them?

I honestly hope I am never abducted by aliens, ever. I highly doubt it would be anything like what I wrote in the Xenith trilogy, and I’m too fond of Earth. I also don’t really posses any skills I feel would be overly valuable to an alien species? So, if I were to be abducted anyway, I think they might be interested in discovering what our fictional stories are like on Earth. I suppose if I was abducted for a specific reason, it would probably be to tell them stories. I read many different genres, so know stories for different age ranges. They might also want to know about different mythology tales, like Greek stories about Zeus and Hercules, or folktales. You can learn a lot about someone based off of the type of books they like. I think I would probably want to learn that in return as well. It’d be really interesting to hear about their bedtime stories, and their myths and folklore and the types of tropes they have in their fiction. If it wasn’t for something like that, they might want me to make them pot stickers. I make a mean pot sticker, from scratch, of course. I enjoy cooking and baking. That’s also something I’d be interesting in learning from them, how they cook. But I wouldn’t want to try any of their foods until I knew for sure humans weren’t allergic to them. That would definitely put a damper on the trip. Aside from being abducted in the first place.  

Author Bio:
Chani Lynn Feener has wanted to be a writer since the age of ten during fifth grade story time. She majored in Creative Writing at Johnson State College in Vermont, and graduated in 2012. To pay her bills, she has worked many odd jobs, including, but not limited to, telemarketing, order picking in a warehouse, and filling ink cartridges. When she isn’t writing, she’s binging TV shows, drawing, or frequenting zoos/aquariums. Chani is also the author of teen paranormal series, the Underworld Saga, originally written under the penname Tempest C. Avery. She currently resides in Connecticut, but lives on Goodreads.com.

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Blog Tour: Sons of Gods by Arthur J. Gonzalez

Sons of Gods
Arthur J. Gonzalez
Publication date: January 25th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult

Long ago, the wrath of the three God brothers marked the onset of the Great War. The other Gods watched in horror, until they, too, were forced to take sides. Their beloved Mt Olympus collapsed, ruin was brought to all Divine, and the Age of Darkness gripped the world in its clutches. But a group of Gods was wise, and before their impending deaths, they had crafted a pact, committing to one day rebuilding the Territories – the Heavens, Seas, and the Underworld. It would usher in the world they protected and honored out from its darkness. And from it would rise the new Greats: the Sons of Gods.
Cienzo has always had an affliction for metal and fire; never did he anticipate it would one day translate to wielding dormant powers. It is during a journey to fulfill a promise to his dying sister, that he is plunged into a dark and magical world, and where great responsibility is bestowed upon him.
Is he worthy of assuming the throne of the Territories? Can shattering steel and splitting fire change his mind?

Top 10 Favorite Gods and why

Hades, God of Underworld.

 Reason: Always loved Hades. Lived in a palace below the world, surrounded by wealth and minerals. 

Hypnos, God of Sleep. Something ethereal about it. 

 Reason: I am a self-professed napper. But also, can you imagine making anyone you want fall asleep at the snap of a finger? 

Morpheus, God of Dreams.

  Reason: I would wake up in the BEST mood every morning. 

Hermes, Messenger to Gods, God of Trade and Thieves.

  Reason: I imagine him having the best gossip on all the Gods and Goddesses. He’d probably be a character on the Real Housewives of Mt Olympus. 

Aphrodite, Goddess of Beauty.

  Reason: In today’s age, she’s be the most followed person on Instagram. 

Zeus, Kind of Gods, God of the Sky. 

  Reason: I like rainy days. Also, he’s the boss. It’s a win/win.

Dionysus, God of Wine & Ritual Madness. 

  Reason: Can you imagine the parties he threw? 

Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt

  Reason: Her connection to the moon has always been so beautiful and profound to be. 

Asclepius God of Medicine.

  Reason: Able to cure any disease. The ability to understand and help those in need. A beautiful God indeed, 

Eros, God of Love and Sexual Desire.

  Reason: God of Love. So deep into layers I can go here. But what a poetic, intimate God with such big responsibilities. 

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Author Bio:
Arthur J. Gonzalez is a Young Adult author of the Photo Traveler series. Originally born in Miami, FL, you can now find him living on the West side in Los Angeles. If he’s not drinking coffee or playing with his adorable Schnoodle, Sookie, then he’s probably enjoying a nap. Also, he forgets the lyrics to nearly every song.

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Blog Tour: Meet Me In the Strange by Leander Watts

Meet Me in the Strange
Leander Watts
Publication date: March 27th 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

From the author of Beautiful City of the Dead and Stonecutter comes a dreamy, atmospheric coming of age story that will appeal to readers of all ages.
Davi tries to help a new friend, Anna Z, escape a cruel and controlling brother, and the teens end up running away to follow the tour of their rock idol, the otherworldly Django Conn. The story is set in a weird and wonderful retro-futuristic city of glam-girls and glister-boys and a strange phenomenon that Anna Z calls the “Alien Drift.”

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Guest Post:

It’s all in the grooves. The pulse of drums and bass that gets us up and moving our bodies, the spiraling micro-slot on a vinyl lp record, the fresh neural pathways carved into our brain tissue. Music takes us deep, into the realms of the irrational, the ancient and postmodern, dissolving the cellular selves and making us new (and strange) again.

         So my novels keep coming from music. Shock Totem bores deep into the mother lode of James Brown’s funk. Drowning in Fire is about forgotten tri-racial isolate history and a girl-drummer in a sleazy Atlantic City lounge act. Beautiful City of the Dead is steeped in ‘80s era heavy metal. The lost-and-found loud and raucous hymns of backcountry hill folk are where the Leander Watts novels began: a capella singing (or shouting about God), holy fire, barbecue pork, and gravestone poetry.

         Then Meet Me in the Strange happened - a novel set in the retrofuturist world of glam rock. The past becomes the future. What was comes around and is again. I loved the music of David Bowie when I was a teenager (and still do.) The first concert I ever attended was the first date of Bowie’s Diamond Dogs tour. Glam rock was a huge influence on me, and still is.

         I circled back and the story began unfolding. Davi and Anna Z and Django Conn appeared and they came alive for me. I hope they come alive for others too.

Author Bio:
An avid musician, Leander Watts has played and sung for decades in a wide variety of bands. His interests range from garage rock to skronky jazz, from baroque organ to Appalachian gospel. The first rock concert he attended was David Bowie on the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974. He teaches writing and literature at the State University of New York at Geneseo (his alma mater). Leander Watts is the author of Stonecutter, Wild Ride to Heaven, Ten Thousand Charms, and Beautiful City of the Dead.

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Blog Tour: Entombed in Glass by Stacey Rourke @Rourkewrites

Entombed in Glass
Stacey Rourke
(Unfortunate Soul Chronicles, #2)
Publication date: March 29th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Mirror, mirror on the wall.
What’s behind that fated call?
He’s the seer of present, future, and past,
Yet remains a nameless face entombed in glass.
Raised as a servant in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica, Alastor worked his way up to a regal member of the Royal Guard. Only as a decorated soldier did he stand a chance of winning the hand of the woman he’s loved since childhood … Poseidon’s only daughter, Princess Vanessa. But, when the war against humans rages, dark magics are evoked to give the mermen a fighting chance. Temporarily granted legs, they charge from the sea into a doomed battle.
Doing the bidding of his masters as a trusted pawn,
The claims of his loyalty couldn’t be more wrong.
Waking on land, with bodies all around, Alastor’s lone goal becomes returning to the ocean and the only life he’s ever known. A plan that is quickly diverted when Hades, Lord of the Underworld, appears with a twisted agenda all his own. Cast to a land far from the lapping comforts of home, Alastor’s sole companion is a troubled misfit named Sterling that soon comes to depend on him. Trained to be a hero, how far is Alastor willing to go to return to the woman he loves? And can he live with the sacrifices he’s forced to make?
Each day he schemes to break free from their thrall,

and honor a self-made vow … to kill them all.

Guest Post:

How has your travel experience helped with your writing?

When I was first writing Entombed in Glass, I was finding myself somewhat blocked for imagery on my version of the Enchanted Forest. I didn’t want it to be a cookie-cutter replica of how it has been described in countless books dating back to the original tales. Then, my family took our first ever trip to Hawaii. Hiking through the lush forests there, I found my inspiration. Trunks of towering trees braided together in intricate patterns. Huge leaves provided shaded canopies from the hot midday sun. Everywhere you looked the scenery was more beautiful than the last. As soon as I got home, I had to rewrite all of my enchanted forest scenes in this new image. It had finally come alive for me in a new way I couldn’t have come up with without being immersed in it.  

This wasn’t the first time that I found inspiration in travel. Once looking out the window of a plane, I saw a sea of white fluffy clouds stretching as far as the eye could see in soft, subtle waves. It was so beautiful that if became the cloud garden in my Gryphon Series when the characters visit the Spirit Plane. Seeing new glimpses of nature is always very inspiring for me, because there is a beauty found there that can often trump anything we could imagine. For example, I can write about being on the beach, but when I go there and actually feel the sand squishing between my toes I get a more real feel for it. I taste the salt water on my lips, and feel the tightness of it drying on my skin, and I can use them elements to add more realism to my scenes. 

As if all of this wasn’t enough, when I travel I find moments where I escape the “business” of books. It stops being about launch dates, and deadlines. Or, sales rankings and blurb writing. I have often found that when I turn my brain off and just enjoy being outdoors or in a new place, it gets my creativity flowing in new ways. Inevitably I end up coming home with new story ideas, or a fun plot twist I hadn’t had before. And, heaven forbid, I don’t find inspiration, I at least am refreshed and renewed and that’s a win all its own! 

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Author Bio:
RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013
Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner for Crane 2015
Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Reel Romance Series. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.

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Blog Tour: The Amber Elixir by Ariella Moon

The Amber Elixir
Ariella Moon
(A Two Realms Novella, #1)
Publication date: October 3rd 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Viviane, the new Lady of the Lake and High Priestess of Avalon, accepts a challenge from Merlin unaware her bold actions will have tragic consequences. Two of her priestesses are turned to stone. A forbidden love deserts her. Now alone, she has six young handmaidens to train and protect.
When Morgan le Fay demands assistance with a spell that could change the balance of power in the Two Realms, Viviane refuses her. But what if Morgan’s secret knowledge could restore the stone priestesses? Will an alliance prompt Viviane’s love to return? Or will the gamble cost her all she holds dear?

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Guest Post

Magic abounds in the United Kingdom, a land steeped in history and enchantments. During research trips to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, I always encounter paranormal activity. I discover it in caves, near fairy mounds, in crop circles, atop tors, and around ancient stone ruins.

I wove one of my most powerful and unexpected magical encounters into The Amber Elixir. During a trip to Cornwall, England in 2010, I explored Tintagel, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur. The ruins of Tintagel castle are perched high atop a promontory overlooking the sea. Far below, accessible at low tide, is Merlin’s Cave.

Merlin’s Cave? You may be thinking the same thing I did. Total tourist trap.

White light explodes through the sea end of the cave even on an overcast day. Entering from the beach, it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the cave’s shadows. Among the puddles, small boulders and glistening stones the size of a toddler’s fist litter the cave floor. The stones beckoned to me, and I picked up a few and placed them in my maroon jacket pocket.

Soon, when I reached out, sea-green-and-white stones magically appeared in my palm. Clamoring rocks jumped into my hand, then found their way into my bulging pockets. Had the enchantments not overtaken me, I might have remembered. 

Magick always demands a price.

Considerably weighed down by wet stones, I departed the cave and climbed the steep, uneven stairs to the castle ruins. A few steps up, pain knifed my right knee. I didn’t realize at the time that the injury would take years to heal. Not until I was on the bus leaving Tintagel did I examine the enchanted rocks. With my mind no longer clouded by the cave’s enchantments, I noticed a few of the stones were riddled with angry entities. The hostile spirits demanded I take them back to the cave. Horror overtook me. Stuck on a tour bus, turning around was not an option.

I handed the most demonic of the stones to my seatmate, hoping she would laugh off my concern. The cool sea stone burned her hand.

“You have to get rid of it,” she said, blowing on her reddened palm.

The pain in my knee worsened. My stomach knotted. The rock’s protests shrilled in my head. I steeled myself. No way was that entity returning with me to California.

Merlin’s cave and the enchanted rocks appear twice in The Amber Elixir. Here’s an excerpt:

“Then stop dallying,” Merlin called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the cave. “The morning will soon turn to midday.”

And tonight will be the dark moon. Viviane took note of the wizard’s dung-colored mantle that laced over his chest. “Why are you dressed thus?” she asked when she caught up with him.

“Thus?”

“Your mantle. No bright colors to indicate your station as the Royal Druid.”

Merlin frowned. “We live in dangerous times. The Saxons are on the move. I prefer to not call attention to myself.”

“Oh.” She fingered the fine wool of her indigo cloak.

“Your staff,” he reminded her.

“Aye.” Viviane conjured a birch walking stick. In the past, she had slipped more than once on the glistening rocks beneath her feet. Her ears buzzed with the cave’s enchantments. She had learned to not stare at the rocks lest they appear unbidden in her hand. Many an unwary traveler had filled his pockets with the sea-green-and-white stones, lost track of the tides, and drowned.

Viviane raised her hand to shield her eyes. Even on the grayest day, a bright light shined through the sea opening at the far end of the cavern. Later, the changing tides would send water rushing through the gap, flooding the cave.

“This way.” Merlin picked his way over the stones. About halfway through the tunnel, he extended his hand and repeated, “Your staff.”

Viviane handed him the tall limb. Merlin raised the birch and knocked three times on a crevice in the curved cave wall. The crack widened and the air whirled. A shimmering portal opened in the rock. The young wizard returned the staff, and Viviane followed him through the magical doorway.

Author Bio:
Ariella Moon draws upon her experiences as a shaman and former teen to create magical Young Adult fiction. Her series include The Two Realms Trilogy, a medieval Scotland and Fairy fantasy adventure, and The Teen Wytche Saga, a series of sweet contemporary paranormal romances. Moon’s “Covert Hearts” appears in Second Chances: A Romance Writers of America Collection.
Ms. Moon spent her childhood flying to rooftops in her dreams and searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred her youth. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. She lives a nearly normal life doting on her extraordinary daughter, two shamelessly spoiled dogs, and a media-shy dragon.

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