Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Book Tour Blast: THE FORGOTTEN PHARAOH by Laura DeLuca

TheForgottenPharoahBookBlast


PharaohCoverJulie Gerber isn't thrilled to be pulled out of school her senior year to follow her parents halfway around the world to unearth a lost pyramid. However, when the cute British guy and the mysterious financier of their project both fight for her attention, things start to get interesting. The pharaoh known as Djedefre was cursed for the murder of his eldest brother. The work of the archaeologists brings new secrets to light, ones that prove the fallen god-king wasn't the villain history had painted him to be. Can they prove his innocence? As the team digs deeper into the mystery, members of the party vanish or end up dead. Someone is determined to keep the truth hidden at all costs, even 4,500 years later.

 

Buy on:

Amazon * Smashwords * OmniLit * Barnes &Noble 

 

Read the Reviews -
Review Andi's Young Adult Books http://andisyoungadult.blogspot.com
Review
Review Bookworm Babblings http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com
Review Manic Mama of 3 (http://manicmamaof3.wordpress.com)
Review http://mullenarmyfamily.blogspot.com

About the author:

laura deluca

Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.
Author Links:



Laura is giving away a Egyptian Prize Pack including oil diffuser, bookmark, scarab, ankh charm, bookmark, pin and incense.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt: ORANGE MOON AFFAIR by AFN Clarke


Excerpt:

“There’s only one way. Jump.”

“You come up here and do it.”

“Mother of Mary, just jump and stop whining.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“Listen to me. It’s deep where the water crashes into the pool. If you can jump clear then you’ll hit the pool just right. It’s either that or be caught, because no way can you get down that rock face.”

What a choice. Kill myself in the fall or be shot by the guys who were now fast on my trail. I looked back again. The buggy had reached the river’s edge and was less than two hundred metres away.

Still, I hesitated.

My mind was made up for me as a searchlight beam swept over me. The first round cracked past my ear as I launched myself into space.

The drop sent my guts up into my mouth as I tumbled in the air for an eternity, then hit the water with a stunning impact that knocked the breath out of me.

Somewhere a part of my brain was functioning as a rational logical machine. It took over and told my frozen, aching body that I had to swim away from the fall of water before I could surface. I was only under for about twenty seconds, but to me it seemed like an eternity before I felt someone grab my arms.

Everything went black as I passed out.

When I came to, I was lying on the bank wrapped in an emergency space blanket and Danny had his hand over my mouth. I could see a shaft of light playing on the surface of the pool from above and caught the intermittent sound of voices through the crash of the waterfall.


BLURB:
Thomas Gunn (ex-Special Forces) and his partner Julie are running for their lives. Who are they running from? And why? It all starts when Thomas decides to investigate the mysterious murder of his billionaire industrialist father. He’s shocked when his every move is blocked, especially by top levels of the UK government. But when his attempts to track down an elusive American business partner of his father’s turn lethal, he and Julie become moving targets, racing to outwit those who clearly want them dead. The danger rapidly escalates when Thomas is reluctantly compelled back into working for British Military Intelligence, exposing an international conspiracy that puts the freedom of the western world at grave risk.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
AFN Clarke is a full-time author, screenwriter, the son of a British MI6 operative, former officer in Britain's elite Parachute Regiment, pilot, sailor, racecar driver and father of four who's lived in Hong Kong, India, Libya, Iran, Europe, the UK, USA, and Australia. He's written seven books of fiction and his bestselling memoir, CONTACT, was serialized in a British newspaper and made into an award-winning BBCTV film.

This rich background allows Clarke to bring his own unique and eye opening experiences to his latest Thomas Gunn thriller series that are fast-paced, thought provoking and frighteningly real and have captured the imagination of readers world-wide. As he says: "For me, good books are a great way to shut out every day life, suspend normal ways of thinking, and allow yourself to be captivated by another world. That’s what I continually strive to deliver to my readers."

Books include: The Orange Moon Affair and The Jonas Trust Deception (Thomas Gunn thrillers), Contact, An Unquiet American, Dry Tortugas, Dreams from the Death Age and Armageddon (The Book of Baker Satire Series), Collisions, with more coming soon. Available from Amazon; coming soon to Nook, iBooks, and Kobo.

Connect with AFN Clarke:
Subscribe to AFN Clarke’s Email List: http://www.afnclarke.com/Email_Us.php
Author Website:  http://www.afnclarke.com/
Twitter: @AFNClarke


Purchase:

Amazon:


Paperback from Amazon.com:



a Rafflecopter giveaway
 



Monday, September 29, 2014

Guest Post: Limp-wristed or Kickass heroines? by Cari Silverwood


This is a little like the question you get at that well-known fast-food chain when you buy a burger – would you like a kick-ass heroine with that? In dark erotic romances (even if the romance is a little one-sided) you often have a story where the angst revolves around the man forcibly convincing her that he’s the yang to her ying. If she comes up short in the feistiness and kick-him-in-the crotch department...where’s the story?
Like they say about most books – it’s not the ending that matters so much as the journey.
We often know, or have a fair idea, as to how these stories will end, but seeing that change in her as no becomes yes or maybe or sometimes just my life with this man has a lot of pluses compared to my old one and I really do fancy him and his muscles/ motorbike/ helicopter...all of that is why we read these. Plus the odd plot twist that surprises us...and the smoking hot sex.
Nevertheless, there may be limits as to kickassedness. If she’s too good at kung fu or taking out hordes of crack-crazed criminals with a shotgun, it does get a little difficult for the man to hogtie her and sit on her. Balance is always necessary. Either that or the author has to supply him with a ton of smarts and some great luck. Sometimes this manifests as him going oh look at the pretty sunset while he locks on the handcuffs.
I started thinking about this when someone told me they loved that Jazmine in Seize me From Darkness wasn’t limp and emotionally frail. I hadn’t even considered her as kick ass. But in a way she is. Just not in the I can kill a hundred enemies with my pinkie finger way. It made me wonder how defiant people want their heroines in these books. If my story wasn’t set in the everyday world, I could add in a very tough heroine. But then I think a bit deeper and realize that a lot of the buzz I get from reading or writing these is because they’re based on the real world.
I think most readers like these dark erotic books with a high quota of ‘real’, which means most heroines won’t be taking out terrorists with machine guns. But am I wrong?


Book & Author Details:
Seize me From Darkness by Cari Silverwood
(Pierced Hearts #4) - Can be read as a STANDALONE!
Publication date: September 23rd 2014
Genres: Erotica, Romance

Synopsis:
This book is part of a dark erotic fiction series and may disturb some readers.
In this dirty, bloody world we live in, the answers to prayers aren’t always pretty angels.

Retaken by human traffickers, Jazmine’s one hope is ex-cop, ex-mercenary, Pieter, a man with a glower that stops lesser men in their tracks. She prays he can save her.

But this savior is far from perfect and his flaws may prove as devastating to Jazmine as the torture of her captors.

The fire of dominance never dies.


Purchase:

AUTHOR BIO
Cari Silverwood is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer of kinky darkness or sometimes of dark kinkiness, depending on her moods and the amount of time she's spent staring into the night. She has an ornery nature as well as a lethal curiosity that makes her want to upend plots and see what falls out when you shake them.

When others are writing bad men doing bad things you may find her writing good men who accidentally on purpose fall into the abyss and come out with their morals twisted in knots.

This might be because she comes from the land down under, Australia, or it could be her excessive consumption of wine.

Freaking out readers is her first love and her second love is freaking out the people living in her books. Her favorite hobby is convincing people she has a basement...though she really doesn't. Promise. If it existed it would be a terrifying place where you would find all the dangerous things that you never knew you craved.

Own me Until Forever, Book 5 in the Pierced Hearts series, will be out late 2014

My website, if you're curious about my other evil pursuits: http://www.carisilverwood.net/

To find out about upcoming releases, please join Cari's mailing list here carisilverwood.net/about-me.html

Author links:

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • Signed copy of Seize Me From Darkness
  • 10$ Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 



Sunday, September 28, 2014

New #Romance Release: THE LAST ONE by Tawdra Kandle

TLOReleaseDayBanner
 

The anticipated spin-off series of THE POSSE is finally here!

Meghan Hawthorne is restless. The last year has been a roller coaster: her widowed mother just married a long-time family friend. Her younger brother unexpectedly became a father and a husband. Everyone's life is changing. . .except for hers. As she begins her final summer of college, Meghan's looking for excitement and maybe a little romance. Nothing serious; this girl just wants to have fun.

But the only man for Meghan turns out to be the last one she expects.

Sam Reynolds doesn't need excitement, and he doesn't want romance. Fun is out of the question. He's been the steady, responsible one since his parents were killed, and serious is his way of life.

When Sam rescues Meghan alongside a dark Georgia backroad, she falls hard for his deep brown eyes and slow drawl. But making him see her as more than just a party girl won't be easy. Sam's tempted by the fiery young artist, even as he realizes that giving into his feelings will mean radical change. . .maybe more than he can handle.

Nobody ever said love was simple.

 

"As an almost strictly paranormal romance reader, it takes a certain type of author to convince me to dive into straight romance. Tawdra Kandle is one of the few authors I will make an exception for. Her writing style is so easy and relaxing that I have to really keep an eye on the time or I’ll stay up all night to finish one of her books." Carrie Williams, Goodreads Reviewer "Wow. Talk about romance with an edge. From the beginning the characters were so real that I was completely invested in them. The sexual tension woven into the story added so much value to the relationships. I will be reading this book many times just so I can spend more time with Meghan and Sam." Cheryl Garrett, Goodreads Reviewer "I'm in love with this book!!" Leah Fennick, Goodreads Reviewer

Buy it now at Amazon/iBooks/Barnes and Noble/Kobo/Smashwords

 

Watch the trailer here!

TK03 
 Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books run from YA paranormal romance (THE KING SERIES), through NA paranormal and contemporary romance (THE SERENDIPITY DUET, PERFECT DISH DUO, THE ONE TRILOGY) to adult contemporary and paramystery romance (CRYSTAL COVE BOOKS and RECIPE FOR DEATH SERIES). 

She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair. Follow Tawdra on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram Visit her Website and subscribe to her Newsletter for special content and giveaways!

Friday, September 26, 2014

GRAMMAR GIRL TALKS: i.e. versus e.g.


Misusing these two abbreviations is one of the top five mistakes I used to see when editing technical documents. There's so much confusion that in some of the drafts I got back from clients they had actually crossed out the right abbreviation and replaced it with the wrong one. I just had to laugh.

What Do I.e. and E.g. Mean?
I.e. and e.g. are both abbreviations for Latin terms. I.e. stands for id est and means roughly "that is." E.g. stands for exempli gratia, which means “for example.” "Great. Latin," you're probably thinking. "How am I supposed to remember that?”

How to Remember the Difference Between I.e. and E.g.
But by now, I'm sure you know that I'm not going to ask you to remember Latin. I'm going to give you a memory trick. So here's how I remember the difference. Forget about i.e. standing for "that is" or whatever it really means in Latin. From now on, i.e., which starts with i, means “in other words,” and e.g., which starts with e, means “for example.” I = in other words. E= example.

A few listeners have also written in to say that they remember the difference between i.e. and e.g. by imagining that i.e. means “in essence,” and e.g. sounds like “egg sample,” and those are good memory tricks too.

So now that you have a few tricks for remembering what the abbreviations mean, let's think about how to use them in a sentence.

E.g. means “for example,” so you use it to introduce an example: I like card games, e.g., bridge and crazy eights. Because I used e.g., you know that I have provided a list of examples of card games that I like. It's not a finite list of all card games I like; it's just a few examples.

On the other hand, i.e. means “in other words,” so you use it to introduce a further clarification: I like to play cards, i.e., bridge and crazy eights. Because I used i.e., which introduces a clarification, you know that these are the only card games that I enjoy.

Here are two more examples:
Squiggly loves watching old cartoons (e.g., DuckTales and Tugboat Mickey). The words following e.g. are examples, so you know that these are just some of the old cartoons that Squiggly enjoys.
Squiggly loves watching Donald Duck's nephews (i.e., Huey, Dewey, and Louie). The words following i.e. provide clarification: they tell you the names of Donald Duck's three nephews.

An important point is that if I've failed, and you're still confused about when to use each abbreviation, you can always just write out the words "for example" or "in other words." There's no rule that says you have to use the abbreviations.

Dos and Don'ts

Don't italicize i.e. and e.g.; even though they are abbreviations for Latin words, they've been used for so long that they're considered a standard part of the English language. Also, remember that they are abbreviations, so there is always a period after each letter.

Also, I always put a comma after i.e. and e.g. I've noticed that my spell checker always freaks out and wants me to remove the comma, but five out of six style guides recommend the comma. Seriously. I got so engrossed in the question of whether a comma is required after i.e. and e.g. that I made a  table for the website summarizing the opinions of six different style guides.

Nevertheless, even though I prefer the comma and have sources to back me up, they almost all use hedge words like “usually” and “preferred.” I've also been told that the commas are used less frequently in Britain, and the only style guide I found that advised against commas was Fowler's Modern English Usage, which has its roots in British English. The bottom line is that in American English, I recommend using a comma after i.e. and e.g. You could probably make an argument for leaving it out in some cases, but do so at your own risk. My personal rule is to use a comma every time.

Finally, I tend to reserve i.e. and e.g. to introduce parenthetical statements, but it's also perfectly fine to use i.e. and e.g. in other ways. You can put a comma before them, or if you use them to introduce a complete sentence that follows after another complete sentence, you can put a semicolon before them. You can even put an em dash before i.e. and e.g. if you are using them to introduce something dramatic. They're just abbreviations for words, so you can use them in any way you'd use the words in essence or for example.

 
Download my audiobook, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips to Clean Up Your Writing. The book is available at iTunes and Audible.com.

Guest Post: TOOLS OF THE GHOST TRADE by J.L. Bryan


Are you tired of slogging away at the same old dead-end day job?  Do you want a career with flexible hours, iffy benefits, and lots of contact with angry dead spirits?  Ghost catching might be the job for you!

At Metaphysical Manufacturing, Ltd., we fully support and encourage your efforts to enter into the dream job that we’ve just now suggested!  Part of the reason is that you’ll have to buy lots of products from us in order to be a professional ghost trapper, but we also care about you as a person and stuff.

So what will you need?

Ghost Training: We recommend you order our complete twelve-book, nineteen-video training course, which includes such useful manuals as Boogeyman Basics and How Not to Get Your Soul Ripped From Your Flesh.  After filling out our correspondence-course exam and sending us a large check, you’ll get your official ghost-grabber certification!

Ghost Sensors: Several devices can help you determine whether a ghost is in the room with you...maybe even right behind you!  The most basic is an electromagnetic frequency (EMF) meter.  Ghosts have electromagnetic fields, probably, and these can be detected with modern scientific instruments, maybe.  Definitely buy one!  We recommend you also pick up our special motion detectors and ghost thermometers—which measure how warm or cold the room is!

Ghost Goggles: Sooner or later, you’ll want to see the ghosts you’re hunting.  We recommend sooner!  We offer both night vision and thermal imaging goggles to help you find elusive spirits.  You can buy one or the other, but it’s best if you buy both!

Ghost Microphone: Use a high-powered, ultra-sensitive microphone (like the ones we sell!) to help you pick up whispers and guttural threats from the Other Side.  Spend hours recording, and countless more hours listening and trying to find voices in the static!  You’ll never have so much fun again!

Ghost Trap: This is the final “must-have” piece of gear.  Your customers will pay you to remove unwanted spirits from their homes, so you’ll want some way to do that.  We sell a range of affordable traps, from simple lead-glass jars to phone-booth-sized Faraday cages that create a solid electromagnetic barrier no wicked wraith can escape!  We recommend you buy them all.

With these simple purchases, totaling less than eighty thousand dollars, you can become a professional ghost trapper, too!  Visit our website to learn (or buy) more!
 ***

Book & Author Details:
Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L. Bryan
Publication date: September 19th 2014
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Synopsis:
Ellie Jordan’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America.

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbance presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronted an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter.

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child.


Purchase:


AUTHOR BIO
J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, his son, and some dogs and cats.

To hear about future books by J.L. Bryan, sign up for his new release newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mizJH

Website: www.jlbryanbooks.com
Twitter: @jlbryanbooks





Thursday, September 25, 2014

#Excerpt: BLOCK by J.A. Huss


Excerpt:
Hes gone. And what did I figure? That Id be the girl to change him? That Id be the girl he falls in love with? That Id be the girl who could claim his heart, even though countless others have tried and failed?
Im an idiot.
For years, my Dirty Heaven was Vaughn Asher. I lived and breathed for those Saturday nights and ever since I met him in person, my fantasy faded away, one disappointment at a time.
Hes a jerk.
Hes a sexual deviantand even though I did like that date we had, a BDSM relationship was never part of my perfect fantasy. I didnt exactly dream of wedding bells and diapers, but it was a monogamous partnership kind of dream. I would live in Denver and build my career, flying out to see him in Hollywood every weekend for parties and fun. Then hed fly back with me on Sunday nights to fuck me in ways that did not involve kneeling at his feet or having bite-sized morsels placed on my tongue. Hed kiss me goodnight on my doorstep like the perfect Prince Charming and fly home for a week of hard work and Id do the same here in my own little corner of the world.
And although I think he might be on board with the distance that I prefer in a relationship, his unique sexual requests are not part of my long-term plan. That is vacation sex. That is one-night-stand sex. That is not partnership sex.
So its better this way. Im perfectly happy like this. Im going to find myself a new fantasy prince and give him all my Dirty Heaven attention. Maybe a younger one this time. Someone more my age. Someone who doesnt need to prove his sexual prowess with games.
"Earth to Grace?"
Im going to forget all about Vaughn Asher, wipe him right out of my life.
"Hello?"
Which is easier said than done when those stupid fucking Invisible Man 2 posters are all over this fucking airport.
"See something you like up there? Because thats my soon-to-be husband."
"What?" I look over at Kristi who is handing me a cup of coffee from the Starbucks while stuffing her face with a blueberry muffin. "No!" I laugh. "No, I was looking at the IM2 poster next to Johnny Blazens Broncos."
"Oh, yeah, that Vaughn Asher is a dream. Id do him." She chuckles as we drag our luggage onto the moving sidewalk that will take us down to the end of the concourse to the gate. The Blazens have hired a jet to shuttle Denver friends and family over to Vegas and they keep all the small airlines on the very edge of the concourse, making the walk a long one.
Hmmm. "He’s OK, I guess. Not quite my idea of a dream though.
***
Book & Author Details:
Block by J.A. Huss
(Social Media #3)
Publication date: September 24th 2014
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
Grace @FilthyBlueBird
@VaughnAsher #YouAreCaredFor So the movie star says. But his idea of cared for isn’t the same as mine. Obviously a #Douche.
MovieStar @VaughnAsher
@FilthyBlueBird #BehindTheScenesIsMyScene The Blue Bird has trust issues. And tantrum issues. And commitment issues.
Grace @FilthyBlueBird
@VaughnAsher #SaidTheKettleToThePot
MovieStar @VaughnAsher
@FilthyBlueBird #YouAreMine and I won’t let you forget it.
Grace @FilthyBlueBird
@VaughnAsher #YouMustShitUnicorns that’s how delusional your fairy tale is. #GetAGripOnReality I’m outtie.
MovieStar @VaughnAsher
@FilthyBlueBird You’re an #Innie #Sweetheart My tongue licked all your #CuteLittleButtons.
#ForTheLoveOfFilth
Why is he so damn sexy? How will I ever get out from under Asher’s thumb if I can’t stop thinking about his tongue on my buttons? #HottiesNeedToPlayFair


Purchase:


Purchase book 1 - Follow:




Purchase book 2 - Like:





AUTHOR BIO
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
--Signed copies of Follow, Like, and Block

a Rafflecopter giveaway