Book Blitz + Giveaway! Crane by Stacey Rourke

Crane by Stacey Rourke 

Publication date: May 26th 2014

Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:

The Horseman is unending,

his presence shan’t lessen.

If you break the curse,

you become the legend.

Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep.

What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you?

Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse.

But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?

Excerpt

The plush terry cloth robe slipped from Ireland’s shoulders with a whispering caress before pooling in a heap around her ankles. Marble tiles chilled her bare feet as she stepped into the walk-in shower. The tips of her fingers slid across stainless steel. With a flick of her wrist, the trio of showerheads flowed to life. Welcoming heat came at her from all angles, pulsating over her curves with a rhythmic seduction. Ireland turned, a groan escaping her as the streams massaged all the right places. Steam rose, fogging the handle and creating a cloud of humidity that hugged her frame. Tipping her head back, she let the droplets rain down on her face and across her closed lids. Her lips parted, welcoming the rush of warmth that flooded between them. Until it assaulted her tongue with a rush of coppery warmth that clamped her throat shut with a wretched heave. Her hands cupped to catch the droplets, her eyes widening as thick crimson pooled in her palms, seeping between her ivory fingers. Formerly white tiles were now smattered and smeared with blackish-red gore that sprayed from the nozzles. Ireland threw herself from the shower, her feet slipping beneath her. She reached out to steady herself, but found nothing to hold on to. Nothing there to pull her back from the brink, except her own need for self-preservation … and a shadowed silhouette in the corner. Instinctively, she covered herself with her arms. Squinting, she craned her neck to see the figure that was slowly turning to face her. 

“Mason?” Her voice echoed around her before she could even speak it. 

He stared straight ahead with fixed, unseeing eyes. Blood trailed down his face from various points of origin, soaking the front of his shirt. “Cloak of night, brings Horseman’s plight. His pricy toll, will be a soul.”

“Mason? Are you okay?” 

A hard blink and his eyes found focus on her. A desperate panic flared his nostrils, forcing his breath to come fast and ragged. “Help me, you have to help me,” he pleaded, his teeth pink with the blood that streamed past his lips. 

Her trembling hand reached for him, then recoiled at her own inept state of confusion. “H-how? What do I do?”

“You have to save us,” Mason’s words became more garbled by the fresh rush of gore that bubbled up the back of his throat. His once handsome face contorted in rage. Leaning forward he balled his fists and screamed with a force that bulged the tendons of his neck, “Save us!” 

About Stacey Rourke

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

Stacey Rourke 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. Mark your calendars! Her latest literary adventure, Crane, will release May 26, 2014. She is currently hard at work on the continuations of this thrilling Legends Saga, as well as other literary projects.

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Release Blitz + Giveaway! Don't Fall by Rachel Schieffelbein

Don't Fall by Rachel Schieffelbein

Release Date: 2014

Swoon Romance

Synopsis:

In which a teenage girl endures the over-protective love of her adoptive mother until she falls for a boy who has her wanting to spread her wings, pitched as a contemporary retelling of RAPUNZEL.

Seventeen-year-old Anya leads a very secluded life in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother. She doesn't go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Her over-protective mom keeps her so sheltered that she doesn't even have a best friend. 

But Anya doesn't seem to mind. She has her books, her photography, and her daydreams, and would do anything to please her mom. Until one day at the library, the only place she's allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

Before long she's lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she's ever cared about.

Guest Post: Don't Fall Playlist

First of all, thank you so much for having me on your blog! Today I'm going to share some songs from my DON'T FALL playlist.

At the beginning of the book there are some lyrics from the song Don't Catch Me by The Gravities. Here are a few of them:

Defeat my plight with your delight.

And when you shine you shine the brightest,

and all I can give back is my best.

I love this song. I love the idea of how someone else's joy can bring out your own. Anya lives a fairly grey,  joyless life until she meets Zander. He helps to bring out the best in her, and her happiness reflects back on him, too.

Another song I listened to a lot when I needed some good lovey dovey inspiration was Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Lady Antebellum. This song is really beautiful, and romantic, and I hope some of that inspiration shines through in the book.

About Rachel Schieffelbein

Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

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$100 Blast Giveaway! Goddess Born by Kari Edgren

Pennsylvania, 1730

Selah Kilbrid keeps a dangerous secret: she has the power to heal.

A direct descendent of the Celtic goddess Brigid, it’s Selah’s sacred duty to help those in need. But as the last of the Goddess Born living in the New World, she learned from an early age to keep her supernatural abilities hidden. The Quaker community of Hopewell has always been welcoming, but there’s no doubt they would see her hanged if her gift was revealed.

When a prominent minister threatens to try her with witchcraft unless she becomes his wife, Selah has only one hope—that her betrothed, a distant cousin from Ireland, arrives as planned. Marrying Samuel would keep her secret safe, preserve her sacred bloodline, and protect her from being charged as a witch.

But when news of Samuel’s death reaches the Colonies, Selah is truly on her own. Terrified, she faces an impossible choice—forfeit her powers and marry the loathsome Nathan? Or find an imposter to pose as her husband and preserve her birthright?

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2013 RWA Golden Heart© Finalist

2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semifinalist

ABNA Publisher Weekly Reviewer 

Set in the colony of Pennsylvania in 1730, this riveting novel begins as 18-year-old Selah Kilbrid runs into Quaker minister Nathan Crowley, a man who “labor[ed] under the delusion that [Selah] would soon be his wife” despite the fact that she was betrothed to a man on his way to America from Ireland. Nathan tells Selah that if she refuses him, he will have her “charged as a witch” because of her ability to heal the sick. To avoid Nathan’s plan to marry her the following Sunday, she leaves for Philadelphia to wait for the arrival of her betrothed and marry him before returning home. In Philadelphia, she discovers that her betrothed has died at sea. She then purchases Henry, an indentured servant, and convinces him to pose as her husband and help protect her from Nathan. As the story continues, the reader learns of Selah’s family history and the powers she possesses; Selah is half human, half goddess. It's important that her secret stay safe, because if discovered, she could be killed. The characters are well developed and relatable; the reader empathizes with Selah and her plight. The fast-paced plot is exciting and keeps the reader guessing and in suspense. The end leaves room for a sequel, which, after such a tremendous beginning, would be anxiously awaited. A clear winner!   

About Kari Edgren

Kari Edgren did not dream of becoming a writer. Instead, she dreamed of everything else and was often made to stay inside during kindergarten recess to practice her letters. Despite doting parents and a decent school system, Ms. Edgren managed to make it through elementary school having completed only one book cover to cover – The Box Car Children, which she read approximately forty-seven times. Things improved during high school, but not until she read Gabrielle Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude in college, did she truly understand the power of a book. Ms. Edgren aspires to be a Vulcan, a world-acclaimed opera singer, and two inches taller. She resides in the Pacific NW where she spends a great deal of time torturing her husband and children with strange food and random historical facts. Ms. Edgren hasn’t stopped dreaming, but has finally mastered her letters enough to put the stories on paper.

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Tour Schedule

 

         

  Blast Giveaway 

 $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

 Ends 6/15/14 

 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. 

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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$50 Book Blast: Marriage Isn’t for You by Seth Adam Smith

Marriage Isn't For You: It's for the One You Love 

What is the best wedding advice you ever received? For author Seth Adam Smith, it was the advice from his father who said, Marriage is not for you. It is about the person you marry. These few words completely changed the way Seth looked at his relationship with his wife-to-be. Because at that moment he realized that an expression of love is not about the person expressing it. Rather, it is about the person they choose to be with. It is about making the person you marry feel loved. Seth's blog post on the subject was viewed by more than twenty-seven million people, and he has been featured on several national TV programs including The Today Show. Now released as a hardcover book, these sage words make the perfect gift for newly married couples, those who have been around the block a few times, or anyone who wants to learn how to make their relationships stronger. 

Praise for Marriage Isn't for You 

This is raw, this is real...it reflects what a lot of couples experience... it pulls you in. ~ --TODAY Show 

 ...a tender, honest story. ~ --TODAY.com 

 ...overwhelmingly heartfelt and touching admission. ~ ABC NEWS 

This story has become a viral sensation! ~ --The NY Daily News 

The Internet is loaded with marriage advice, but rarely does one single tidbit resonate strongly with so many people. ~ --Yahoo Lifestyle

About Seth Adam Smith

SETH ADAM SMITH was born in Anchorage, Alaska. Since 2004, he has produced videos and articles for businesses, nonprofit organizations, youth groups, artists, and political causes. He is the editor-in-chief of ForwardWalking.com. He and his wife, Kim, live in Florida.

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 Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

 Ends 5/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash.

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  

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Book Blitz & Giveaway! One Broke Girl by Rhonda Helms

One Broke Girl by Rhonda Helms (Edgewood Falls #1) 

Publication date: April 7th 2014 

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Goodreads | Amazon 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Anna Parker’s life disintegrates with one phone call. Her dad’s selling their ritzy New York City condo because her Wall Street banker mom emptied their bank account and ran off with another man. Which means Anna has to drop out of her elite college and move with Dad back to their small Ohio hometown. Anna’s determined to reclaim her life ASAP, so she’ll use the next few months to save money, help Dad get back on his feet, and find and confront her mom.

But Anna doesn’t anticipate things going so wrong. The only job she can get is working as a lunch lady in an elementary school. Their money-pit duplex is falling apart around their feet. And her dad is depressed without her mom, who’s proving hard to find.

One bright spot in the chaos is Gavin Metcalf, a kindergarten teacher she dated when they were young teens. With his easy wit and sexy smiles, he makes her forget her stresses—and the fact that her boyfriend Steven back in New York doesn’t know the truth yet about her dire circumstances. When past and present collide, Anna has to decide where her future lies…

Mini Interview with Rhonda Helms

Q: How did you come up with the idea for ONE BROKE GIRL?

A: I brainstormed the story in an online writing group, first looking for embarrassing/crazy/weird jobs to help me develop ideas. All I knew at that point was I wanted a heroine working a job she never thought she’d do. When someone mentioned “lunch lady,” the story started writing itself. I realized it was going to be a riches-to-rags story with potential for laughs and heartfelt moments.

Q: Who are your favorite New Adult authors?

A: Oh man, I go through big reading spells where I devour a ton of New Adult because I can’t quit it. I love the intimacy and immediacy of the narrative. Some of my fav authors are Erin McCarthy, Lexi Ryan, Caisey Quinn, Tammara Webber, Sophie Jordan, Marilyn Brant, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover… I could go on and on, lol.

Q: What’s your writing routine like?

A: I’m an editor by day, so I typically write in the afternoons or early evenings after my work is done. I write 5-10 pages a day, 5 days a week when I’m in drafting mode. Because I plot out scene by scene beforehand, I can sit down and bang out the story pretty quickly. 

Q: What’s next in the Edgewood Falls series?

A: Book 2 is Natalie’s story, coming out in June. I’m working on it now, yay. Book 3 will be Bianca’s story, coming out in August. And if readers love these books as much as I do, I’ll probably write more in the series. I’m loving these so much.

Q: What’s one random/weird fact about you?

A: Oh man, I have tons of quirks. Lol. Probably one of the biggest things is I carry at least 2-3 different lip balms on me at all times…in case I have a dry lip emergency or something, I guess. Hah. I can’t quit my lip balm.

About Rhonda Helms

Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also edits for Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin Publishing) and freelance edits.

When she isn't writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.

Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her family.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway! The Opposite of Nothing by Shari Slade

The Opposite of Nothing by Shari Slade 

Publication date: March 31st 2014

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Callie Evans would rather hide out in her DJ sound booth than face the fact that she’s in love with her best friend, notorious campus hottie Tayber King.

Tayber turns hooking up into an art form–no drama, no commitment, no lies, and nobody gets hurt. Nobody but Callie, that is. When she sees an opportunity to explore his sexier side using a fake online profile, she grabs it. Now her uninhibited alter-ego ‘Sasha’ is steaming up the screen, and Callie is breaking all of Tayber’s rules.

As Callie and Tayber get closer, online and off, she knows she has to confess. And risk losing him forever.

**For mature readers, contains strong language and adult situations.**

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been putting stories on paper for as long as I can remember. My first efforts were illustrated with crayon and affixed to the refrigerator with alphabet magnets. I spent several years seriously focused on poetry. All very emo. Why are you running away? Stop. Come back. I promise I won’t make you read it. I pricked my finger on the Happily Ever After three years ago and I’ve been under the romance spell ever since.

Where do you find inspiration?

All around me? Plot bunnies nibble my ankles when I’m eavesdropping in line at the grocery store, watching the news, skimming twitter or listening to a song on the radio. I’m always open to the potential for story.

Tell us about your book and how we can get it.

THE OPPOSITE OF NOTHING is a contemporary new adult novella full of dirty IMs, angst, and achy sweetness.

Callie Evans would rather hide out in her DJ sound booth than face the fact that she’s in love with her best friend, notorious campus hottie Tayber King.

Tayber turns hooking up into an art form–no drama, no commitment, no lies, and nobody gets hurt. Nobody but Callie, that is. When she sees an opportunity to explore his sexier side using a fake online profile, she grabs it. Now her uninhibited alter-ego ‘Sasha’ is steaming up the screen, and Callie is breaking all of Tayber’s rules.

As Callie and Tayber get closer, online and off, she knows she has to confess. And risk losing him forever.

You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.

What are you working on now? What’s next?

I have a few irons in the fire. There’s a secret project I’m super excited about. It is smokin’ hot and will be announced very soon. I’ll also have a short story set in the Copeland College world included in a charity anthology available in June. The anthology, SUMMER RAIN, will benefit RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and feature works from Ruthie Knox, Molly O’Keefe, Charlotte Stein, Cecelia Tan, Mary Ann Rivers, Amy Jo Cousins, Audra North, Alexandra Haughton and me. I’m so excited for this anthology it’s a wonderful cause and an amazing group of writers. Oh, yeah, and this fall, I’ll release another Copeland College novella. 

What is the best book you’ve read in the last six months?

That is such a hard question. I read so many amazing books that picking a favorite is nearly impossible. I recently read HE’S COME UNDONE by Theresa Weir and it just killed me. It deals with all the issues I love exploring: Identity, Mistakes, Awkwardness, Old Hurts. And it has so much humor. Laugh out loud funny is so hard to do, especially in the middle of an angst-fest. *hat tip*

About Shari Slade

Shari Slade is a snarky optimist. A would-be academic with big dreams and very little means. When she isn't toiling away in the non-profit sector, she's writing gritty stories about identity and people who make terrible choices in the name of love (or lust). Somehow, it all works out in the end. If she had a patronus it would be a platypus.

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