Author Archive

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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.

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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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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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Amazon | Barnes & Noble

*****

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

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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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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I’m a huge fan of horror and all things that go bump in the night.

I’ve featured Jeff Gunhus and his Jack Templar Series on my blog and when I spotted this beauty there was no question about it. I was reading this.

Enter if you dare and read my review.

Also, remember to enter the giveaway.

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Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus
Publication date: May 31st 2013
Genres: Adult, Supernatural, Thriller
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Synopsis

From the author of Jack Templar Monster Hunter comes a supernatural thriller for adult audiences. Jack Tremont moves his family to the quiet mountains of Western Maryland hoping to leave behind a troubled past and restart his life. Instead, he finds himself caught up in a nightmare when his daughter Sarah is targeted by Nate Huckley, a mysterious and horrifying stranger driven by a dark power that will stop at nothing to possess Sarah. When Sarah goes missing, suspicion falls on Jack and he must uncover the secrets of the small mountain town of Prescott City and face the evil secret hidden there. As he digs further, he learns the conspiracy reaches more deeply than he could have imagined. Finally, he will have to face the question, What is a father willing to do to save his child? The answer? Anything. Anything at all.

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My Review

As a parent, I was shaken by what happened to Jack and his two young daughters. They stopped at a rest area to wait out a torrential downpour. Rest area = bad things happen here!

 While Jack is using the payphone, a man approaches the girls. He thinks he’s gotten rid of the man until he reappears and acts crazier than ever, babbling about needing Sarah, Jack’s youngest daughter. How he must have her.

After a frightening confrontation the man drives away. Listening to his instincts, Jack follows and things get even crazier. It turns into a vehicular dogfight on the road, ending in a tangle of metal on metal, and right before Jack passes out, he sees a girls face peering at him through his windshield, where she landed when the guys trunk flew open on impact.

An event from Jacks past makes authorities and even his wife a bit skeptical about his report of the girl. Especially when no body is found.

The crazy guy is in a coma and not talking any time soon, and Jack has only his word that she existed at all.

The more that Jack and his wife dig, the stranger things become and a mysterious stranger warns Jack that his daughter, Sarah, is in danger.

Jack doesn’t know what to believe until Lonetree shows him the secret of the town.

Thanks to all of the horror movies I’ve watched, the authors vivid descriptions were easy to see in my mind. I could see the horrifying discoveries in detail. Thank God I couldn’t smell them. What they discovered was so far beyond belief yet Jack was unable to deny it.

Night Chills is a great title for this book. It gave me goose bumps, but I love horror, and read on into the night, delving deeper into this chilling story.

At first you get to know Jack and his family, an average couple with kids, moving to a small town to get away from the hectic life of a big city.

Then, as things go weird, you meet the towns inhabitants, some seem good, some arouse your suspicions, and some you learn quickly are the bad guys.

As for what is going on in Prescott City, you won’t begin to be able to guess. Jeff gives you a scenario straight from nightmares. Otherworldly and so evil, I shivered in scared delight. I love when the author gives me something new, something that takes a while to sink in and has me imagining the what ifs and hows of it.

This story filled me with need. I needed to know why this secret group wanted Sarah. I needed to know who the stranger with the mysterious aura, Lonetree, was. I needed to know what was in the cave and I needed to know the connection to it and the town. I needed more.

What I got was a chilling tale of dark secrets and Native American lore. Can’t ever go wrong with that.

The suspense kept growing and the author made it almost unbearable when he would leave one characters POV and leap to the others. It wasn’t irritating and it sure made the telling intense.

Before I go I wanted to mention the cover art for Night Chill. It’s an excellent portrayal of this eerie tale. I can almost feel the damp fog on my bare skin and hear the low moans of the tree branches rubbing together. And I assume that is young Sarah on the cover, offering her teddy bear. Or is it?

Jeff has proven to me that he can write a supernatural thriller that gives you goosebumps.

Now I’m more curious than ever about his fantasy series Jack Templar: Monster Hunter.

I’ll be reading them next!

5 Stars

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Jeff GunhusAuthor Jeff Gunhus

Chronicles. (www.jacktemplar.com) The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born and recognized as a 2012 Forward Reviews Book of the Year Finalist. Jeff has been a Stephen King and Dean Koontz fan since he was a kid reading their novels under the covers at night. Seeing Night Chill next to King and Koontz on the Amazon Bestseller lists has been a surreal experience. He leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole and five incredible kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.

Social Media Website Social Media Facebook Social Media Twitter Social Media Website Social Media Goodreads

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A $25 Amazon Gift Card and a signed paperback copy of Night Chill!

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Blog Tour Organized by:

Xpresso Book Tours

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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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An Alabama Christmas

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And week two begins!

Thank you to everyone who participated in Week 1, I hope you had fun.

Don’t forget to take advantage of the Betwixt Series 2-day sale, which ends tomorrow.

The book can be purchased through AMAZON and SMASHWORDS.

Now onto event two!!

I’m very excited about this surprise and can’t wait to share it with you all.

Please help me spread the word. The more the merrier.

Let’s spread some Christmas love and enjoy this awesome season.

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Surprise Christmas Present to be unwrapped on December 10th!

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Keep watching for a new giveaway each week!

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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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Thanks so much to Xpresso Tours and Karina Halle for this awesome cover reveal!

I’ve been wanting to start reading Karina’s Experiment in Terror series. But they may just have to wait.

Check out Donners of the Dead.

Spectacular cover art. I knew it would be something shadowy and disquieting!

Can not wait to read this and February will be here before ya know it.

So what do you think? What does it make you feel?

Okay, I’ll shut up and let you see the cover!

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Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle
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Publication date: February 2014
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Genres: Horror, Romance
Synopsis
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***A Standalone Horror Romance coming February 2014***

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Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive
The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.
What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

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***This is NOT New Adult***

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Author Karina Halle
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The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).
Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.
Author Links
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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from Fanged Outcast.

A brand new release by Elisabeth Wheatley.

Go HERE to enter the giveaway going on now!

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My tease from 14% into the book.

Her ugly wings flap furiously as she tries to get at my throat.

**

Without pity, I seize the opening and flip forward, my reddened fangs seeking her jugular vein.

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Synopsis

How much would you sacrifice for a love that wasn’t yours?

Hadassah managed to befriend her kind’s worst enemies and save her brother and the human girl he loves from the Vampiric King—once. After a month spent in quiet hiding under the protection of the Huntsmen, a surprise attack from a band of Kaiju shatters their brief reprieve. Faced with new challenges and new threats, Hadassah and the others must once more fight for her brother and the girl who stole his heart. And this time, the Vampiric King isn’t the only one they need fear…

Action, suspense, humor, and romance collide in this anticipated sequel from teen author, Elisabeth Wheatley.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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The Spotlight Is On

Eve’s Thieves by Mac Rome

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Genres: Mystery,Horror

 Amazon                 

A group of women have been the victims of some unusual thefts. They have had, not items, but aspects of their physical being, such as their heights, builds and youth stolen via dark magic. To stop the thieves and restore themselves, they band together to defeat the loose confederation known as Eve’s Thieves. To do it, they must battle an ancient evil, deal with betrayal … and face the darkness within themselves. But they soon find that little is as it seems. Can they trust anyone — even each other? Who is the leader of the group known as Eve’s Thieves? What will it take to stop her … and will any of them survive to do it?

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Excerpt:

Nevaeh was checking online for jobs, now that she was again able to enter the work force, when her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the number, something she’d gotten in the habit of doing lately. There was one frequent caller whose calls she no longer was taking. But she didn’t recognize this number, and there was no caller ID display, so she answered. “Hello.”

“Hello, Nevaeh? This is Linda Younger,” said the familiar voice from the phone.

“For someone named Linda Younger, you sure sound like Wynda Dancer,” Nevaeh replied flatly. “How are you, Wynda?”

“OK, I guess. And you?”

“Fine.” There was an awkward pause before Wynda said, “Peri tells me you’re not answering her calls or texts — or anyone else’s from the team, for that matter.”

“What team?” Nevaeh said. “There is no team. There’s only Peri and whatever version of her plan is left now. And apparently that plan involves keeping secrets within the ‘team.’”

“I know,” said Wynda. “But lives depend on it, including yours.”

“And Lilka’s?”

“And Lilka’s,” Wynda said, swallowing hard.

“Well, I don’t know how much she wants her life saved right now,” Nevaeh said. “I don’t know if she’s going to make it as it is.”

Wynda’s heart sank. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “How is she?”

“What do you care? You’re dead, remember?”

“Nevaeh!” Wynda shouted. “What’s wrong with Lilka?”

There was a second’s pause before Nevaeh said, “You sent her some flowers just before you ‘died?’”

“Yes,” Wynda said. “I needed to tell her, ‘I love you,’ and to try to encourage her to stay with it. I tried to tell her what was going on without telling her what was going on.”

“Well, from what Maryska has texted me — she’s the one person in the ‘group’ whose texts I’ve been reading, by the way — Lilka is in deep grief, and her mind seems to have gone a bit over the edge. She does nothing but sit in the apartment with the lights out and the curtains shut, listening to 3 Doors Down and Chicago —”

“But she hates those bands,” said Wynda. “Those are my fa— Oh.”

“Yeah,” Nevaeh said. “She spends all day listening to your music. She’s taken to wearing only black, and only outfits that have a pocket over the left breast so she can keep your note over her heart. She even pins it to her nightie so she has it there overnight.”

“But she sleeps in the buff,” Wynda said.

“Not anymore,” Nevaeh said. “Not if it means being separated from the last she has of you. The only other thing she does is call Peri a couple of times a day, asking when the next mission will be. It seems to be the only thing she looks forward to.”

“Oh, God, I wish I could tell her,” Wynda said.

“Then why don’t you?” What’s the big secret? Why are you hiding this from people, and especially the woman you love? I mean, look, I don’t get this whole ‘gay’ thing, but from what I saw before, you two really loved each other.”

“Love each other,” Wynda corrected.

“Well, you’ve got a funny way of showing it,” Nevaeh said. “And, assuming we all survive this, how do you think Lilka’s going to feel when she finds out the truth? Will she forgive you that easily? Will your love be undamaged? Will it even survive at all? She’s wounded pretty deeply, in some of the worst grief I’ve ever seen. How will she react when she finds out the hell she’s being put through was all a lie?”

Quietly, Wynda asked, “Is anyone with her?”

“Maryska’s staying with her. I don’t think Lilka’d buy any food or pay the bills at this point if someone wasn’t staying there. Maryska’s sleeping on the sofa. Lilka goes to the bedroom at night and hugs your pillow — the one you used as a bed when you were shrunken — to smell your scent on it so she can go to sleep with a little bit of you.”

Wynda’s lip quivered as she asked, “Why aren’t you talking to anybody, Nevaeh?”

“I promised Peri I’d keep your secret,” Nevaeh said. “With the way I feel, the only way I can do that is to not make contact. And, until this stupidity is over, I want nothing to do with Peri. This plan is putting Lilka through hell, and I can’t believe you’re a willing part of it.”

“Look, we really need you for the next take-down,” Wynda said.

“Well, you’ll have to do it without me. I’m out of the team until you stop putting Lilka through this nightmare. Oh, and ‘Linda?’ I don’t want to talk to you again. When Wynda Dancer is available, I’ll talk with her. Until then, goodbye.” Nevaeh hung up without giving Wynda a chance to reply.

Wynda sighed. She looked over at Peri, who had listened in on Wynda’s side of the conversation. “Well, that could have gone better,” the former Olympian said to the detective.

“Can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Why are we doing this again?” Wynda asked.

“You already know,” Peri said. “Whoever the mole is, she’s feeding our battle plans to Eve’s Thieves, directly or indirectly. My source says it’s direct. We need a strategy they won’t see coming. They think you’re dead.”

Author Mac Rome

Mac Rome is a lifelong resident of the Great Lakes region of the United States. He’s experienced life in the Appalachian foothills, along the Ohio river and in the flatlands of the former Great Black Swamp, and in large cities, small towns and rural areas. He’s a student of ancient lore and mythology and a lover of cultural exploration, history and dialects. He writes fantasy, science fiction and romance.

 Author Links:  Site     Blog        Facebook      Twitter 

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I’ve got all kinds of goodies to share with you about Natasha Boyd’s Forever, Jack.

This is book two in the Eversea Series.

First thing that caught my attention was the title. It had me wondering who Jack was.

Then I spied the cover art. So pretty.  I was thinking Message in a Bottle.

I bet you’ll feel like me after reading this post. I want to read both books in this series and get to know the characters.

Remember to enter the giveaway after checking out the synopsis and the great teaser excerpt.

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Forever, Jack by Natasha Boyd
(Eversea #2)
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Amazon

Synopsis

A feisty small-town girl and the Hollywood star who broke her heart

An all-consuming love threatened by fame

One last chance at FOREVER

Keri Ann Butler’s life changed on the night she met movie star, Jack Eversea. She thought she knew a Jack that was very different to the man adored by fans the world over. In the wake of his betrayal and abandonment, Keri Ann has had to pick up and move forward with the life   she was supposed to live and has put off far too long.

Suddenly Jack is back, and his explanations for why he left seem more and more plausible, and his declarations more seductive. But being Jack’s latest tabloid accessory isn’t on Keri Ann’s career agenda, no matter how much she is attracted to him. And how can she can ever trust   him again?

Jack knows he let the only ‘real’ thing that ever happened to him slip through his fingers. And his hands have been tied to try and stop it. Until Now.

Jack is now fighting to save his relationship with Keri Ann, even as his crazy life threatens to tear them apart. Again. The question is, can he convince her she can have it all? And have him? Forever?

Read how it all began in “Eversea “…

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Excerpt

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Nothing. I felt nothing.

“It doesn’t cut it,” he went on. “I realize that. But I’m sorry.” Jack left the wall, braced his hands on the island, and hung his dark head for a second, before looking back up at me. “You have to understand something, I didn’t stay away because I wanted to. I stayed away because I had to.” Jack gritted his teeth and winced imperceptibly. “I know that doesn’t mean much to you, and I know you are dating someone else now, but I just needed you to know that. That’s all. That’s all I came to say.”

I gripped my glass of water tighter at his mention of me dating someone else. I’d been about to lift it and take a sip and his words stopped me cold. I guess he and Colt really did have a big old pow-wow on the side of the highway. Nice.

“I guess you spoke to Colt?” I was neither confirming, nor denying. But as I watched Jack carefully, and took in his tension and the way his hands gripped the counter, I realized I was admitting it. At least as far as he was concerned.

Jack nodded and cleared his throat. “He’s a good guy. Cares for you. A lot. That’s good.”

“I know,” I said simply and watched Jack’s throat bob as he swallowed. This was fascinating.

“It’s a pity for him,” he said with an even voice, “that I won’t be walking away anytime soon.”

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Author Natasha Boyd

Natasha Boyd is a writer with a background in marketing and public relations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and lives in the coastal Carolina Lowcountry, complete with Spanish moss, alligators and mosquitoes the size of tiny birds.  She has a husband, two sons and a host of scared relatives that worry the next book will be about them.  She is a member of Georgia Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America and Island Writers Network, where she has been a featured speaker. Forever, Jack is the sequel to her award-winning and first full-length novel, Eversea.
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Two Giveaways!

First giveaway is for an eBook copy of Forever, Jack

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“What did the cover art make you think of?”

For the second giveaway you can win:

 7″ Kindle Fire HD

(USA, CA, UK other countries option for allowed kindle)

3 Signed Paperbacks of Forever, Jack (Eversea #2)

Gorgeous Seaturtle Necklace, blue-green patina, leather cord, featured on cover of book!

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

Book Blitz Organized by:

Xpresso Book Tours

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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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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Stickman

by Dennis E. Yates

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My Review

Put yourself in Doug’s shoes.

He’s waiting in the car outside the store for his girlfriend, Jane, to return with a bag of ice. What was taking her so long?

Do you ever notice how long a few minutes, or even one minute, are when you’re the one waiting.

He happens to notice someone lurking around the parking lot, scoping out the vehicles. Doug figures the guy is looking for something to steal. He wonders if he should call the police, but decides to wait and see what the guy does.

He can’t believe it when the guy breaks into the back of a van parked right in front of his car. Now, Doug knows he has to do something. Unfortunately, after taking pictures with his cell phone all day, the battery is all but dead. He manages to take some pictures of the license plate and the bumper sticker,  and actually gets the guys face peering out the back window.

You know those stickers people put on the back of their vehicles? The ones depicting the father, mother, boys, and girls, plus pets as stick figures? This van has one and it pings Doug’s radar. He’s read about the serial killer dubbed The Stickman. Could this guy be him?

Now Doug has to act. But what should he do. His cell phones dead and there’s no security guys to be found. Once the family gets in the van, he’s forced to do something. Anything.

This story reminded me of a movie, Amber Alert. Three friends observe a young girl in a car and it  looks like she’s in trouble. They recognize her face from an Amber Alert, so they follow the car.

 I wonder what I’d do in this situation. It’s such a surreal moment.  The decisions you make aren’t easy. Your thinking on the fly. Unless you are trained to react, it’s not something that comes naturally.

Stickman made me pause and wonder. I shared Doug’s indecision about what to do. As events whirled faster and faster, my feelings turned to trepidation. I felt like I was with Doug and my anxiety hit overdrive.

All the way until right at the end  I was deeply engaged in this story. The words flowed smoothly and characters and events felt genuine.

I would have given this more stars, but somewhere near the end, I felt some confusion. Like I’d missed something. I reread the end and again I felt something had been left out. Maybe it was just me. I still liked this one and will be reading more from Dennis.

3 Stars

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About Dennis Yates

Dennis Yates (born 1963) is an American writer of novels and short stories. He is a native of Portland Oregon, and a fan of long road trips, animals, engaging literature and independent films. He often dreams of escaping the Oregon rain clouds to the scorching sun and red canyons of the American Southwest.

Dennis enjoys writing psychological thrillers and dark comedy. On the lighter side, his quintessential, quirky road-trip novel The Teriyaki Samurai was a quarter-finalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakout Novel Award contest. Dennis draws deeply from his love of nature and the American landscape, which he firmly believes must play an important character in all of his writing.

He is a huge fan of such authors as Daniel Woodrell, Cormac McCarthy, Annie Proulx, William Gay, Frank Bill, John Rector, Blake Crouch and many others.

Dennis can be reached at yates.author@gmail.com  and on Twitter at @YatesScribe.