Archive for December 5, 2013

On Tour with Prism Book Tours...

Don’t Mess with Mother Earth Tour

BEWARE! THE PLANET IS WOUNDED…

THE GEMINI ARE RISING AND OUR TIME ON EARTH IS LIMITED…

WHO WILL SURVIVE?

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I’m thrilled to share this guest post from Jessica O’Gorek!

STARTING OUT AS A WRITER- 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

  1. When you are targeting your audience and deciding who to market to, leave your options open. I started writing my book as an adult paranormal romance and my 13 year old daughter started whining that she wouldn’t be able to read it because it had sex in it. I am so glad I listened to her because when I asked my publisher about making it a YA book they agreed that it was an exploding genre and they were more comfortable supporting the book as a YA Paranormal Romance. Sometimes your kids are your best critics so make sure you listen to them!
  2. When you are marketing your book, use pictures! That’s right; the age old saying that pictures are worth a thousand words, is very true. Graphics will grab the attention of consumers faster than any words, (other than four letter words and the word sex) so besides your book cover, what can you do? Make sure you have a great picture of yourself, or even an avatar, that you use consistently on every social site. If you have characters that people will cheer for then make some team badges with their faces on them! Can’t do graphic art? Hire an artist for a small fee to make some art for you. Make sure you buy the right to the art work as well so you can use it over and over again. You can use images on anything, Facebook posts, groups, Twitter, blogs, websites, anywhere!
  3. When you get a bad review, walk away. Seriously. Close the web page, turn off the computer and take a few deep breaths. Then, after you cry, scream, or laugh, get back on the internet and thank them. Yes, I said thank them!  This is the best response to all bad reviews. It shows you are mature enough to accept the criticism and that you are willing to learn from and grow with your readers.
  4. Brag about yourself and your work! This is still one of the hardest things for me to do. One of my mentors told me that if I wanted to be famous, or be perceived as important, I had to act like I was. I was a little horrified by this at first but I have practiced acting like I’m someone important and I think I’m finally getting the hang of it!

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Find out more by following the tour!

11/10: Launch

12/5: fuonlyknew

12/10: Bookworm Lisa

12/12: fundinmental

12/17 – The Bookish Fairy

12/20: Grand Finale

Enter to WIN a signed book + swag at stops on the tour!

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Then continue reading the post for another awesome giveaway!

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About the Book

Ethereal Fury (Gemini Rising, #1)

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Ethereal Fury

Gemini Rising #1

by Jessica O’Gorek

Paperback, 263 Pages

Published April 13, 2013 by Cogent Publishing

Angry at the human race and its methodical destruction of her resources, Mother Earth recruits souls who have just left their bodies to serve Her, and turns them against humanity. Gemini, a clan of paranormal beings, picked from these possessed humans, emerges. A powerful, rising force proceeds to carry out Mother Nature’s plan to systematically destroy towns, cities, states… and eventually, the world.

Amidst the chaos, a forbidden relationship between a human girl, Violette, and Onyx, a lead Gemini, begins. They will both find themselves in the middle of a revolutionary war that will either save, or destroy our world

Read the first seven chapters here.

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About Author Jessica O’Gorek

I was born in Chesapeake, Virginia on April 19th, 1979. I was raised within the American Indian religion and was taught great respect for the earth and all its living beings. Powwows, sweat lodges, vision quests, you name it, I’ve done it. I was the weird kid who would confront kids on the playground in elementary school when they squished a bug. I would very sincerely tell them what they were doing was morally wrong and then I would pray for the bug to come back as a butterfly in its next life.

​I grew up admiring my father, Barry Weinstock, as an author. He took me around the country to different places so he could research and write his Wilderness Survival books. One of his greatest works, “The Path of Power,” was written with a great medicine man, Sunbear. When I was twelve I started hand writing novels. My first one was two thousand pages. My dad always encouraged me and would rave about my writing. He gave me the confidence I needed to keep writing and follow my dream. My daughter, who is twelve, is currently working on her first novel. I hope to continue the legacy.

Share the Tour – Enter to WIN $50 GC

November 10 – December 27

This is a Tour-Wide International Giveaway – Share one of the tour posts, save a link to verify, and enter to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the present below.

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It’s Release Day for Isaura. The third book in Ruth Silver’s Aberrant Series.

This series has everything you could want. A YA, dystopian fantasy with elements of science fiction and some romance.

I’m in!

I have a special treat for you A character interview with Olivia!

Make sure you check out the seriously spectacular cover art, read up on what each book is all about, enjoy the excerpt, and don’t forget to enter the exciting giveaway.

You could win an ARC, the entire series, be named after a character in an upcoming Ruth Silver story or win a gift card!

Thanks so much to Ruth Silver for this epic celebration of the release of Isaura!

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Enjoy my character interview with Olivia.

Hi Olivia. It’s so nice to meet you. You’ve been through hell and back so I was thinking we would make this interview light and fun to give you a chance to unwind. Let’s get started shall we?

1)  If you could be a character in a book, which book would it be and which character?

I’d love to be King Arthur from Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur.

2)  Are you a healthy eater or do you munch the junk food?

I suppose the food the government provided everyone in Genesis could be seen as healthy. I didn’t have the opportunity until I reached Haven to experience junk food. It was delicious!

3)  Do you have a current love interest, and if so, what is it that attracts you to him?

Joshua Warren. He’s the most loyal friend anyone could ask for. He’s also got an amazing smile, can make me laugh when I’m down, and he’s easy on the eyes.

4)  What do you feel is your best character trait?

I refuse to give up. I’m definitely not a quitter. Sometimes that can get me into trouble.

5)  Is there a fond memory of when you were young that stands out?

When I was about eight, Joshua was pushing me on the swings at the park. It was just the two of us hanging out together after school. I remember throwing my head back, staring up at the sky and laughing. I wasn’t paying attention and my hand slipped. Next thing I knew, I was falling backwards on the swings. I would have hit the ground but Joshua was behind me. I fell on him, hard. I probably knocked the wind out of him, but he took it like a pro asking if I was okay.

And Four Fun Shorts

1)  Favorite thing you do to pass the time?

I love training with Joshua. Although I don’t need to do it as often, it still helps me relax.

2)  Who would you vote for as the best bad guy, fictional or real?

Craynor, the former Governor. He’s the worst bad guy there is. He kidnapped Joshua! No one is worse than him. He’s unforgivable.

3) What did you want to be when you grew up?

I never had the chance to really consider what I wanted to be when I grew up. In Genesis, food, clothing and shelter was provided to all its citizens. Jobs were assigned after “The Day of the Chosen” when we graduated from our studies. I had hoped I’d be a teacher or a journalist, like my father had been. The choice was never mine though.

4)  What do you want for Christmas?

The word Christmas was foreign to me until Jacqueline mentioned it once in Haven. I had no idea what it was, not until recently. It still puzzles me, the idea of festivities but now that things are settling in, if we did celebrate the holiday, I would want happiness for all my friends and family.

And one more!

Tell us one of your phobias.

I’m afraid I’ll wake up and find it was all a dream. That I’ll still be in Genesis and nothing has changed.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today Olivia. It’s been fun getting to know you and I wish you a safe journey!

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Now check out Isaura and the Aberrant Series!

Title: Isaura (Aberrant 3)isaura 3d white

Author: Ruth Silver

Publisher: Patchwork Press/Lazy Day Publishing

Published On: December 4th, 2013

Cover Art: Erica Crouch (paperback), Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis:

With Joshua’s recent disappearance, Olivia has little choice but to head into the dangerous Gravelands as the new government wrestles with fixing the damage to society. Joining forces with her estranged father and a girl from Haven, they go on a search-and-rescue mission to find Joshua and bring him back alive. If traveling through outlaw territory isn’t frightening enough, Olivia learns she has exposed her secret and is hunted by her allies.

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Available for purchase:

Paperback: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

eBook: Kindle | Nook

Excerpt:

“I’m fine!” I pushed harder on the gas. “They can’t be that far ahead of us.” I just hoped we were headed in the right direction.

We drove another twenty minutes north as I moved off the dirt road and onto grass. I glanced back at Rane. “Do you think Craynor could have found a place in Haven to keep Joshua?”

“I don’t know. Not much was left. There could have been a cellar or basement abandoned that didn’t get struck. That’s how I survived,” Rane admitted.

It at least gave me hope. As we drove north, the rain stopped and the clouds parted. Cresting a hill, I slammed the brakes as we jolted to an abrupt halt.

“What the hell?” Gavin’s voice echoed as the seatbelt restrained him and his arm shot up on the dashboard to steady himself. A few feet away, I saw outlaws with weapons pointed in our direction. “Hurry up!” His voice threatened in my ear as I slammed on the gas, but our car wasn’t going anywhere: the tires had blown from spikes in the road.

Locking the doors hadn’t helped. They busted the car window and flipped the lock, opening the door, dragging all three of us out.

Isaura-Final

eBook Cover

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Title: Moirai (Aberrant 2)

Author: Ruth Silver

Published: September 26, 2013 by Patchwork Press & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

Olivia has been on the run from the government of Cabal since the marriage ceremony. Finally settling in and finding herself a place to call home in Shadow, Olivia and Joshua prepare for the uprising that they and the rebel alliance have been planning for months.

With new abilities and special talents from Mindonsiphan, Olivia learns she can do more than most ordinary eighteen year olds. Learning both to hide and perfect her skills will be one of the biggest challenges she’ll be forced to face.

A constant rollercoaster of emotion and adventure await Olivia and Joshua as they embark on a journey to the rebel city of Torv, and what was once home, Genesis.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Title: Aberrant

Author: Ruth Silver

Published: April 28, 2013 by Patchwork Press & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

In the future dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government’s match in marriage and “The Day of the Chosen”, a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn’t existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she’s arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence.

Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from “The Day of the Chosen.” The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system. With Joshua’s help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

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Ruth Silver author photoAbout the Author

Ruth Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication in the spring of 2005. While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories. Her debut novel published by Lazy Day Publishing and Patchwork Press, ABERRANT, was released April 2013. The second novel in the series, MOIRAI, continues the saga. ISAURA, is the final installment in the ABERRANT trilogy. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.

Author Links

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page

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A character is named after you in an upcoming novel/novella by Ruth Silver (INTL)

Signed ARC of Aberrant by Ruth Silver (US Only)

Signed paperback ARC of Aberrant Series (US Only)

$10 Amazon Gift Card

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the present below.

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NEW Series Alert: The Balmorie Novellas by Kam McKellar {Giveaway}

About the series…

Welcome to Balmorie Estate, owned and run by the MacLaren brothers, retired US soldiers turned Innkeepers. To keep their family legacy going, they’ve moved to Scotland. They’re farming the land, restoring and renting out cottages, and converting the west wing of the five hundred year old Balmorie castle into a guest house. The last thing on their mind is love. But tell that to their first three visitors…

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Mad About Plaid – Add to GoodReads

He’s a sexy Innkeeper out for a good review. She’s a travel writer with a secret.”

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A Scot Like You – Add to GoodReads

Skinny-dipping in the loch had seemed like a good idea. Until she got caught…”

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The Trouble With Kilts – Add to GoodReads

He’s a wounded Highlander with an attitude. She can’t resist a challenge.”




You can read the full blurb for each novella on Kam McKellar’s website HERE

 

 

Available now on Amazon

 

Good Choice Reading is setting up reviews for Kam McKellar. If you would like the chance to read and review on your blog, amazon and goodreads, SIGN UP HERE

 

 

 

Open INTERNATIONAL.

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be chosen.

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Go Here to vote for Kam’s book cover on Facebook!

Kam McKellar writes fun, sexy, romantic novellas. She has a thing for sweets, accents, kilts, and men in uniform. She hopes to one day inherit her very own castle from a long lost, previously unbeknownst to her, relative. Nothing wrong with dreaming big! 😀

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the present below.

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WWW Wednesday

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Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

Chameleon

by Kenya Wright

Chameleon 

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Cameo lives in a caged supernatural city where all species are tagged at birth with silver brands embedded in their foreheads. Her X brand identifies her as a Mixbreed, but she’s so much more. Like a chameleon, she can shift from one person’s image to another.It’s a great way to make money for a habitat street kid, or Cage Punk as most people call them. Wiz, her street partner-in-crime, finds her jobs to use her abilities. Some jobs entail changing into people to take academic tests. Others require more skill and involve higher risk.So when Wiz asks Cameo to stand in for a Were-wolf teenager who doesn’t want to go to her debutante ball, it seems like just another job, until a corpse is discovered and an old friend of Wiz appears.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Christmas in Dogtown

by  Suzanne Johnson 

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A woman who spent years escaping her rural past learns that Dogtown, Louisiana, hides more family secrets than just the recipe for boudin blanc.

Resa Madere’s on the verge of losing it all. The boyfriend’s gone. The job’s history. Her beloved house is on the brink of foreclosure. She’ll do anything to save it–even spend a long Christmas holiday working in St. James Parish, Louisiana, helping her uncle run the family meat business. But the community of Dogtown, which has been home for seven generations of the Madere and Caillou families, has deep roots and deeper secrets. For Resa, going home is one thing. Getting out might not be so easy.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Braineater Jones

byStephen Kozeniewski 

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Braineater Jones wakes up face down in a swimming pool with no memory of his former life, how he died, or why he’s now a zombie. With a smart-aleck severed head as a partner, Jones descends into the undead ghetto to solve his own murder.But Jones’s investigation is complicated by his crippling addiction to human flesh. Like all walking corpses, he discovers that only a stiff drink can soothe his cravings. Unfortunately, finding liquor during Prohibition is costly and dangerous. From his Mason jar, the cantankerous Old Man rules the only speakeasy in the city that caters to the postmortem crowd.As the booze, blood, and clues coagulate, Jones gets closer to discovering the identity of his killer and the secrets behind the city’s stranglehold on liquid spirits. Death couldn’t stop him, but if the liquor dries up, the entire city will be plunged into an orgy of cannibalism.Cracking this case is a tall order. Braineater Jones won’t get out alive, but if he plays his cards right, he might manage to salvage the last scraps of his humanity.
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So, whatcha readin?

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