Wednesday, June 29, 2016

#Excerpt: BRAWL by Kylie Hillman


Brawl
Kylie Hillman
Publication date: May 12th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports

Gabriella Mitchell is a fighter.
She fights to keep her family together after her parent’s divorce.
She fights to keep her siblings safe and in school.
She fights because it’s the only thing keeping her sane.
Stumbling across an underground MMA fight ring in Sydney, her blood roars as she watches the ruthless Hayden “Hooligan” Harvie with floor of the octagon with his latest opponent.
Gabriella decides she wants to fight professionally; to support her siblings with her fists…and she wants Hooligan to teach her.
Hooligan doesn’t think girls should fight. Especially young, pretty ones he’d love to have warming his bed for a night or two…if only he could silence his conscience long enough.
Every couple needs to fight for their love at some stage, however, with two stubborn hearts at stake, a happy ending for these two will require an all-out BRAWL.

*Only 99¢ during the blitz!*

Brawl Reviews 99c Sale Graphic All Retailers

EXCERPT:
HOOLIGAN
“Touch gloves,” I command. They do as they’re told before stepping back from each other. “And. Fight.”
Jep doesn’t waste any time. He goes for the easy takedown, aiming at Gabbi’s waist and trying to wrestle her to the ground. It’s a good move, one that I don’t expect her to be able to counteract. He easily outweighs her—almost by double, I’d guess.
What I didn’t count on, and neither did Jep by the looks of things, is Gabbi swinging onto his back and locking her right arm under his chin. Using her left arm for leverage and locking her legs tight around his waist, she pulls tight using a rear-naked choke that’s going to have him tapping out swiftly if he can’t find a way out of it.
He swings around wildly in an attempt to dislodge her. It’s ineffectual. Gabbi clings to him like a backpack. I know what I would do in this situation but I’m not sure if Jep has the killer instinct needed to do it to a girl. If I was him, I’d throw myself on my back and use my superior weight against her. There’s little chance of her maintaining her chokehold while she deals with the weight of a fully-grown man crushing her.
“Yes.” Nate punches the air. “Choke him out, ninja girl.”
A feral growl can be heard coming from his best-friend in response to his cheering. Nate smiles at me when I glance his way, smug-satisfaction evident. Gabbi must sink her hooks in deeper because Jep’s face starts to change color. With pure desperation showing in his expression, he throws himself on his back, trapping Gabbi between his body and the canvas.
I expect her to let go of him so she can tap out. The crazy girl doesn’t; instead she absorbs the impact without making a sound and sustains her tight hold. My pulse pounds in my ears as my desperation for Jep to win increases. All hope of succeeding at this stupid game I’m playing leaves me, when I witness Jep’s hand frantically tapping on the arm Gabbi has locked under his chin seconds before his eye’s roll back in his head. He succumbs to his lack of air supply and loses consciousness.
“Time. Time.” I call, rushing forward to roll Jep’s unconscious form off Gabbi. Nate and two other members jump the ropes and make their way into the ring to assist me. They deal with Jep, rousing him and making him talk to them once he’s come to, while I grab Gabbi’s hands and pull her back on her feet.
She’s unhurt; a sheen of sweat that covers her smooth skin and a rapidly rising and falling chest the only outward signs that she’s just exerted herself. Well that, and the giant shit-eating grin that’s on her face.
“I won,” she breathes the words as if she can’t quite believe them herself.
I know I can’t. This isn’t how this was supposed to go down.
“So when do we start, Coach?”
The logical part of my brain wants to scream “never”, while the part that’s strangely turned on from watching this girl use a technique I’ve used on my opponents many times to subdue a man twice her size, is yelling at me to tell her “right fucking now” so I can take her in the locker room and bend her over in the shower, making my fantasy from the other night a reality.
Letting go of her hands in an attempt to resist the overwhelming urge I’m having to pull her closer, I take a step away from her.
My displeasure is evident on my face and in my voice when I answer her.
“Tomorrow. We’ll start tomorrow.”



Brawl Teaser Capable


Author Bio:
Kylie Hillman is an Australian author who loves to chat. She can be contacted via email: authorkyliehillman@gmail.com, Facebook, or Facebook Group: Kylie Hillman's Book News & Updates.
Wife to a Harley riding, boating and fishing, four-wheel driving quintessential Aussie bloke.
Mum to two crazy, adorable, and original kids.
Crohn's Disease sufferer and awareness campaigner.
She’s also an avid tea drinker, a connoisseur of 80's/90's rock music, and is known for lacing everything she says with sarcasm and inappropriate innuendo.
Formerly working in finance, she was forced to reevaluate her plans for her life when severe Crohn's Disease brought her corporate career to a screeching halt. Restarting her childhood hobbies of writing and reading to alleviate the monotony of being sick and housebound, she found her calling and is enjoying life to the max. A typical day is spent in the "real" world where she hangs out with her awesome family and "book" world where she gets to chill with her fictional characters.
Kylie writes the books she wants to read. A lover of strong men who aren't perfect and aren't afraid to admit it, straight talking women who embrace their vulnerabilities, and real life gritty stories, she hopes these themes shine through her writing. An avid reader of all genres, Kylie hopes to release books that keep the reader on the edge of their seat- be it with suspense, romance, or laughter.


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Monday, June 27, 2016

Interview with Elle Middaugh, ELEMENTAL SECRETS


Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
YES! In fact, Holden was that character. Can you imagine the book without one of the main love interests? I can’t even imagine where the book would have ended up if Holden hadn’t become a major player in the plotline…

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?
I just wanted to be able to say, “I did it!” You know? I didn’t want to wade through months/years of publishing denials, I wanted to publish a novel! For me, finishing a project is always the hardest part and I knew that if I could just finish this project, this goal of being published, then it would be much easier to eventually do it again. Also, I really wanted to have creative control over everything. If I ever start gaining more popularity and a publishing company decides they’d like to hire me, would I consider it? Yes, I think so. But I have no idea if I’d accept. That would depend on a lot of things…

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I DEFINITELY listen to music. In fact, there are often times when I won’t be “in the mood” to write, but I’ll hear that music (the music I use to draw inspiration – basically, Blue Foundation Radio on Pandora lol) and I’ll immediately start into writing/brainstorming mode.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
Yes, I did. When I was researching how to be successful as an indie author, the two biggest suggestions were: hire a professional editor, and hire a professional cover designer. I didn’t hire a designer; I created the cover myself. But I knew that in order to have a finely polished product to market to readers, I would need pro editing. Thankfully Caitlin at Editing by C. Marie was up to the task!

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
Not at the moment, but my 3-month KDP Select contract is up, so I’m hoping to branch out to other venues soon.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I have a facebook page: www.facebook.com/ellemiddaugh. I have a twitter account: www.twitter.com/ellemiddaugh. I’m also on goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ellemiddaugh. And I have an amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/ellemiddaugh. I DID have a website/blog but I wasn’t sure that I’d actually use it much, so I deleted it. if it turns out that I DO need a website, I’ll make sure that info gets out there!

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?
YES. Lol! But not necessarily because of marketing alone. A) I was recently blessed with my third baby (he’s now 3 months old) and his demand for my time is most important right now. And B) I’m really not sure how to navigate the marketing side of indie writing lol I’m just sort of trying different things and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Honestly, at this point, I think it might be prudent to try and hire an agent since I don’t have the time or expertise to really market by myself.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?
Reach out to successful authors! I know you might think they’re far too busy to entertain your silly questions, and perhaps some of them are, but you’ll never know until you try. I had (written) conversations with two authors who gave me numerous suggestions and invaluable help.
  
Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
Haha, I prefer no pets, actually. But if I had to choose, cats over dogs for sure.

Chocolate vs. vanilla is such a difficult decision! I think I like them equally, but in different areas (Chocolate: icing, protein shake, candy. Vanilla: cake, ice cream, pudding. Etc).

I really love the smell of coffee, but I can’t get into the taste lol I do, however, love tea! Original, though, no special flavors. Green tea is about as creative as I get with my tea lol

Talk vs. text. I guess it depends on who I’m talking to, but in general I’d say text.

Night! No matter how hard I try to go to bead earlier, it never works. I write better at night, too, I think.

What’s next for you?
Well, for now I’m working on finishing the Essential Elements series. I think there’s going to end up being three books total (but we’ll see how that goes lol). 

After that, I’d really like to finish a couple stand-alone novels that I’ve started writing.
But I’d MOST like to begin working on two new series of books that I’ve been daydreaming about bringing to life :)  One is futuristic; post-apocalyptic, you might say. It has some interesting theories on what life might be like as we adapt and evolve on Earth and beyond. The other series will revolve around the seven deadly sins, with each sin getting their own book. The idea for this series came while thinking about death and spirituality, so it’s going to be a really cool, I think!



Book & Author Details:
Elemental Secrets by Elle Middaugh
(The Essential Elements, #1)
Publication date: February 27th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Valerie Moore was a beautiful, headstrong girl with below-average social skills and above-average anxiety (including a flair for over-analyzing).

With her mother long deceased, and her father recently deployed, she ends up being sent to live with her eccentric aunt in a tiny town nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania. But, being a Navy brat had made her into a bit of a loner, and making friends certainly wasn’t her strongest suit. As if the life of a typical teen wasn’t hard enough.
But Valerie soon discovers she’s not a typical teenager. Not by a long shot.
SECRETS are revealed…

…About her family, about her newfound friends and relationships, and about her whole world… Things that have been kept from her for her entire life…

But the biggest secret of all is revealed when Valerie discovers that she has Elemental powers, and a chain of inexplicable and irrevocable events unleashes throughout the little town… 


Purchase:


AUTHOR BIO:
Elle Middaugh is a newly published author, born in the sticks outside of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. After moving around the east coast a number of times, she now lives in her hometown with her husband and three children.

Reading has been a favorite past time since Elementary School and choose-your-own-adventure books. Writing has been her dream since Middle School when she first began penning her own material. Being published is the most awesome achievement in her writing career so far, but she hopes for more exciting landmarks and stepping stones in the future!

She’s a proud Navy wife; a frazzle-brained mother; a homebody who dislikes cleaning; a fan of tennis, and fitness in general; a lover of hot tea, mountain dew, and all things fiction; and she’s a bigger My Little Pony fan than her children.

Author links:

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Friday, June 24, 2016

New #Romantic Suspense Release: DUSK by Maureen A Miller


Celebrate the release of DUSK with USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller

DUSK

As a young girl, Amanda Newton witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. As an adult she is targeted by their murderer. 

Beautiful. Reserved. Mysterious. Amanda Newton, the CEO of BLUE-LINK, epitomizes control with her adept handling of the global company. But that control is threatened with a series of attacks against her. 

Ray Gordon, a former Navy SEAL is looking to open his own security firm. One more contracting job with BLUE-LINK would complete the funding. When he is hired to protect Amanda Newton, the Ice Queen herself, he never bargained on falling for her. 

Amanda has something her attacker wants. He has waited over twenty years to claim it, and he will destroy anyone close to her to get it. 

...but he's met his match in Ray Gordon. 

This is a standalone novel. You do not have to read the others in the series.

In addition for a chance to win an Amazon gift card, the author is giving away 3 digital copies of SHADOW, BOOK 1 in the series. Leave your email in the comment section and state whether you would like a .mobi or .epub version.

Buy Links:

What is BLUE-LINK?

BLUE-LINK is a fictional global company run by the enigmatic, Amanda Newton, a woman whose signature accessory is a blue diamond ring. The company is designed to assess risk for start-up entrepreneurs in foreign countries. Each book in this series is standalone and features the romance and danger encountered by the employees and associates of BLUE-LINK.

Excerpt:
Amanda sat at her office desk with her arms crossed atop the mahogany surface. She glared at the oversized monitor facing her. A grid of six faces stared back, some diffident, some determined. In the upper right-hand corner, Claudia Eichmann from the Berlin office knit her copper eyebrows together as she spoke over the others. Her words were a split-second behind the movement of her lips due to the video conferencing software.


“You are the head of this company. The backbone. The heart. What if something were to happen to you?”
An imperceptible flaring of Amanda’s nostrils might disclose her heavy sigh. “Each of you is fully capable of running BLUE-LINK. You are directors. You are the heart and backbone of your branch. You are my panel of advisors, and I only surround myself with skilled personnel.”

“We appreciate that,” Claudia continued, “but I am sure I speak for the others here in saying that we’re certainly not your equal. None of us would have wanted to take on that Eclipse lawsuit. At the end of the day, it is your company, and you are the one personally vested.”

“You need personal security,” Benjamin Forsyth from Australia inserted. “Not a seventy-five year old man.”

Amanda bristled at the attack on George.

“There is nothing sinister behind the assault in the alley,” she countered. Or the attempted break-in. “It’s simply a consequence of being affluent.”

“You are indifferent to your power,” Gerald Williams from Los Angeles chided, “recklessly walking the streets−stopping at the pub on occasion.”

That the ebony-eyed man in the center panel was correct didn’t detract from her need for freedom. She walked a narrow line and she knew it.

One flick of the power switch to the monitor would eliminate their censure, but it would not fade the echoes of their points. She respected this panel. They wouldn’t be facing her right now if she didn’t.

“You recently used a security contractor with that Eclipse Line mess. He seemed very capable and very discreet,” Gerald from LA said. “We suggest that you bring him into the office for a consult. If you don’t speak to him directly, we just may−”

“You’ll call him in on my behalf,” Amanda quickly tested. Her cheeks burned, but her demeanor remained a practiced blend of glacial elegance.

Gerald’s shoulders came into view as he shrugged. “We have a vested interest in your well-being.”

Amanda drew in a long breath and stared down at the reflection of the sun off her diamond ring. It cast a thousand microscopic prisms skittering across the polished wood surface.

“I’ll take your suggestion under advisement. Allow me to confer with the police before I make any rash decisions.”

“Rash?” Claudia from Berlin hefted a burnished eyebrow. “This is not rash. This is something that should have been addressed long ago. To us you have always seemed larger than life.” The eyebrow fell. “But perhaps you are a tad human after all.”

About The Author:
USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller's first novel, WIDOW'S TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. Working in the software industry for fifteen years in a job that required extensive travel, Maureen chose to write during those lengthy airport layovers—escapism at its best. She is currently in the middle of a 3-book Romantic Suspense series featuring SHADOW, MIST, and DUSK.
Recently, Maureen branched out into the Young Adult Science Fiction market with BEYOND and the BEYOND Series. She is having fun keeping her head in the stars! When she's not writing, Maureen enjoys supporting other authors. She is the founder of www.JustRomanticSuspense.com, and its offspring JUST sites

...Okay, that's the official third-person bio. Now let me tell you the real story. I'm an avid Tampa Bay Buccaneer fan, basically a rare breed. I will eat anything with mozzarella on it. I'm still mourning the fact that Buffy is gone. I write because I like the power. In life we have so little control. In writing we have all the control.
I truly believe that I was a soul singer in my former life, which is interesting because I can't sing. But man, I can do a mean lip-syncing rendition of Midnight Train To Georgia! :)
If I haven't scared you away by now, you can find out more about me at www.maureenamiller.com.  

Where to find Maureen
Find Maureen at her website www.maureenamiller.com

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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

#New Post-Apocalyptic Release: OUTPOST by Matthew Keith


Blurb:

In rural Kentucky, one hundred and sixty-one survivors of the apocalyptic Great Rains huddle inside a one-block, walled off section of town: a place they call Outpost.

It has been two years since the toxic rains fell, wiping out most of humanity and leaving the Earth's soil barren, devoid of life. The people of Outpost have managed to survive by working together, scavenging food from empty homes and businesses, guarding one another while they sleep.

They have persevered through their worst nightmare.
Or so they believed.

A stranger has come to them with a choice: they can come with him and be part of saving the world, but in doing so there is a strong likelihood they'll die. Or they can do nothing and hope some other community has the courage to do what they can't.

They've already suffered greater than they believed was possible, but many of them still want to fight, to join the stranger's cause. Others are skeptical. They don't believe the stranger's story and want nothing to do with furthering their own misery. They like things just the way they are... and they'll fight to keep it that way. Even if that fight is with those they call friend and neighbor.

Amazon buy link:

Author bio:
Matthew is originally from Brighton, Michigan. He now lives in Kentucky with his wife, two children, and their dog Elvis. He sings in a garage band with a group of friends- always rock 'n' roll- and absolutely loves a good movie.

His most popular novels, the Watchers series, have found their way onto over 50,000 Kindles, Nooks, and other eReaders.

To keep up with new releases or send a message, you can find his blog and mailing list at http://bit.ly/1li0lcL


Amazon Author page:


Stop by for a chat on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/matthew.keith.52831


What readers are saying about the Watchers Series:
"I felt like I was trapped in a Dream ..."
"... action packed from beginning to end ..."
"It kept me up at night!"
"... didn't want to stop reading."

What readers are saying about Sway:
"... a gritty, compelling psychological drama."
"... Sway got me. That's all there is to it."
"... a well constructed and eloquent journey ..."
"... reminded me of some of my favorite movies like 'Angel Heart', 'Memento' and more recently 'Shutter Island.'"

#Excerpt: DOPPELGANGER by Camille Taylor


Doppelganger
Camille Taylor
(Harbour Bay Series, #4)
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication date: June 21st 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

A new killer has descended on Harbour Bay, and he’s already killed five women…
Bestselling author Megan Bailey is devastated when her young cousin Stacey goes missing. She’s been watching the news and knows what this might mean. Stacey could be the newest victim of Harbour Bay’s newest serial killer. Megan is determined to do something, and enlists the help of her friend, the superintendent of police, Amelia Donovan.

Amelia has her best detective on the case…Dean Matthews.
Dean doesn’t believe in love. It makes men weak and vulnerable, and as a retired soldier, he’s experienced enough heartache to last several lifetimes. He also has difficulty dealing with emotional women. So when he shows up to interview Megan at the request of his boss, he isn’t exactly looking forward to it. Except Megan isn’t what he expected.
Megan is intelligent, witty, and not to mention, beautiful. Dean tries to maintain a professional distance, but with a killer on the loose, he breaks all his rules and gets involved. He offers Megan comfort and promises he might not be able to keep.

The body count continues to rise and Dean’s leads are empty as ever…
When Megan disappears too, Dean knows his time to solve this case is up. He must unravel the twisted web of clues the killer has left behind or risk the one woman who might finally teach him to love again.
Previous books in the series:
NotForgotten Open Wounds by Camille Taylor DeadDontLie
**Grab book 3 for FREE on June 24th!*

EXCERPT:
A pair of startling green eyes caught his and Dean felt like he’d been kicked in the gut. His heart thumped heavily in his chest as little pin-pricks of awareness washed over him and he found he had trouble breathing. His muscles tensed even as his body hardened and began to throb painfully. He bit back a curse. He’d never had such a reaction to a woman before in his life.
Her gaze flicked between him and Nick as he brought up his I.D. and made the introductions. The woman nodded and stepped back, allowing them to enter. She closed the door firmly and turned to face them, her expression fraught with worry.
“I know who you are. I just got off the phone with Amelia. She told me you’d be coming,” she said, twisting her fingers together anxiously. When she caught him watching, she stuffed her hands into her snug jeans. “I’m Megan Bailey.”
He gave her a slow onceover, unable to help himself. He was curious about this woman and the overwhelming desire he had for her. The entire world seemed to melt away until all that was left was her.
She was beautiful in an understated way with a honey complexion and a small dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose. Rich mahogany hair had been pulled back into a messy ponytail. She wasn’t overly tall, the top of her head only reaching his shoulders, but she was nicely filled out with curves in all the right places, her breasts high and full beneath her shirt, which clung to her like a second skin revealing her tucked in waist and the flare of her hips. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry.
As if sensing his perusal, Megan glanced over at him and his knees weakened. Her eyes—those gorgeous emerald pools—pulled at him, so full of torment that his heart ached. Shit, this was crazy and so unlike him.
She blinked and he heard her sharp exhale, her mouth parted, and she looked so irresistible that he was sorely tempted to cross the short distance between them and find out if she tasted as good as she looked. He was at a loss, unable to pull away as she continued to stare at him. Was she feeling as out of control as him?
He forced himself back on track. He was here to work a case, not look for his next bed partner, and while Megan was quite delectable, she would hardly do. She wasn’t the type of woman a man fooled around with unless he had forever in his mind, and Dean Matthews didn’t do forever. No matter what his body was telling him.
He certainly wasn’t sex-starved, although it had been a while since he had hit the sheets with a woman. The case was taking up all his time, and he couldn’t think of anything else even when he had a rare moment alone to sleep. It was disconcerting and he wasn’t sure he liked it, bringing about feelings he’d long ago rejected.


Author Bio:
Camille Taylor is an Australian author who resides in the Nation's Capital with her small dog. She was the typical 90's kid and was raised on Goosebumps, Roald Dahl and Paul Jennings. In her teens she began reading the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie and in later years found Christine Feehan, Janet Evanovich and Julie Garwood.

She started writing at sixteen and enjoys spending time with her family, doting on her nieces and nephews, writing the many stories floating about her head and working on her genealogy where she can trace her heritage to England, Scotland, Ireland and Russia.

Her other interests include, anything creative - such as scrapbooking and drawing and has travelled across Western Europe, New Zealand and the UAE, after spending a year living in London. She's also dabbled in tae kwon do.








Tuesday, June 21, 2016

#Review: My Lady, My Spy by Sheridan Jeane




    3.5 of 5 stars

 I have not read the previous stories in this series, but that did not take away from this book. The hero Frederick is a spy for the Crown. He's very good at his job, actually he's the top spy in the network. He's meticulous in his missions, that is, until he meets Lady Josephine. He's fallen hard for her and it affects his focus, but he's determined to meld the two sides of his life together. Lady Josephine is a widow and she's determined never to be manipulated by a man again after an unhappy marriage. She thinks Frederick is the love of her life, that is, until his actions puts her on edge with his disappearances. Can she ever trust him?

Ms. Jeane is a talented writer and while the story was well-written, I never understood the importance of retrieving the church register which was crucial to Frederick's mission. He would do anything to get it, even if it meant lying to Josephine, the woman he loved. Early on Josephine uncovers Frederick's secret life, yet she was still hurt by his disappearances and his lies. What did she expect? Her conflict was to be with a man who never lied to her, but spies must lie on a regular basis to complete the mission. Her angst didn’t resonate with me. However, the secondary conflict in the story was a nice twist.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Amazon buy link:

Monday, June 20, 2016

Interview with Beth Fehlbaum, THE PATIENCE TRILOGY


Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
Truth in Patience, the final book in The Patience Trilogy, finds sixteen-year-old Ashley Asher struggling with wanting to have a boyfriend like other girls are able to do, but struggling with the emotional and mental scars she has as a result of being sexually abused by her stepfather from the age of 8. She is safe now, living with her biological father, David, his wife, Beverly, and their son, Ben, in the small Texas town of Patience, but recovery from             childhood sexual abuse is a long, arduous journey. In addition, her mom comes knocking, wanting Ashley to return to living with her. Ashley must dig deep in order to find her voice. 

Do you have a favorite character?
Pre-recovery Ashley is very much me as a child and teen, because I was also sexually abused by my stepfather, and her stepmom, Bev, is my “teacher self.” I love all the supporting characters in Ashley’s life; even the ones who begin as unlovable generally reveal themselves to be flawed because they are human, not because they are truly unlovable.

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
Many characters actually evolved over the course of The Patience Trilogy, but among the more notable are Marvella and Gabe Brown. Marvella, the Patience High School principal’s secretary, began as a foil for the boneheaded principal and warm-hearted comic relief, but she and her son, Gabriel, who was at one time a member of a White Supremacist organization, play a pivotal part in a major plot point in Truth in Patience.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
I am traditionally published as well as published by small indy presses. My agent is Gina Panettieri of Talcott Notch Literary Services, LLC. My book, Big Fat Disaster, is published by Merit Press/F+W Media. The Patience Trilogy is published by Steady On             Books, a small independent publisher.

How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?
I was offered representation by Talcott Notch on my first round of
agent queries for Courage in Patience.

Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you doing both?
I have a contract for another book with the publisher of Big Fat Disaster, and I anticipate publishing the non-fiction companion to The Patience Trilogy with Steady On Books, since that makes sense.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I sometimes work with music—usually Celtic instrumental—but I also playlist my books. Sometimes I prefer silence. It’s unusual for me to be able to concentrate and lose myself in my story if there are a lot of people around. I prewrite in my mind quite a bit then make interlocking webs of characters and what each of them want.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I wrote Courage in Patience without an outline but it went through dozens of revisions. In my subsequent books, I have outlined at least through the first 100 pages. After that, it’s a matter of knowing where I want to go next and figuring out how to get there.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
The fabulous Evelyn Fazio (!) edited The Patience Trilogy. She is phenomenal, insightful, and wonderful to work with!

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
My books are for sale in all brick-and-mortar and online channels.
They are accessible through all major distributors.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I have a website, Beth Fehlbaum Books ; I’m on Facebook and Twitter, too.


Book & Author Details:
The Patience Trilogy by Beth Fehlbaum 
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Courage to endure.
Courage to survive.
Courage to overcome.

Tenacious 14-year-old Ashley Asher claws her way back to normalcy after enduring six years of an unimaginable Hell. Uprooted from her negligent and selfish mother, Ashley finds solace in the safety of her father’s home. Building a relationship with her stepmother, she’s finally able to open up and confront the past that haunts her.

With the help of her stepmom, therapist, and a group of troubled adolescents, Ashley battles her demons, struggling to find the normal teenage life she’s always wanted. Can Ashley find the strength and courage to overcome the horrors of her past while fighting for the future she so deserves?


Hope in Patience:
Hope to heal.

Hope to grow.

Hope to evolve.


Still shattered from the horrific events of her childhood years, 15-year-old Ashley Asher is barely holding it together. Battling her vicious and vile mother who still sees her as the villain and not the victim, Ashley’s stuck in a cycle of self-injury and self-hatred as a result--despite the many people who trying to pull her out of it.

Adolescence is hard, but throw in a new school, a new family, and a father she hardly knows, Ashley's need for self-destruction and pain intensifies. Her new therapist, Dr. Matt, may be unconventional with bizarre antics, but he'll do whatever it takes to pull Ashley out of the doldrums. Ashley just wants a crack at normalcy. But can her counselor and the friends and family who love her teach her that "crazy is the new normal" and that nobody has it easy?


Truth in Patience:

Truth in the past.

Truth in reality.

Truth for tomorrow.


Finally adjusting to life in small town Texas, Ashley Asher sees a glimmer of what happiness really is. Even her new relationship with the attentive Joshua Brandt shows promise of a first romance. But Ashley's fear of intimacy after years of unspeakable abuse may cause friction and distance in their relationship.

Determined to prove to her that she's healing, Dr. Matt, her beloved therapist, shows her that "life is messy." And he doesn't know how messy it is about to get. When her mother decides that Ashley belongs back in their hometown with her, Ashley is forced into another family feud that she isn't prepared for. Refusing to leave behind the new life she created in Texas, Ashley and her mother go head-to-head. But can Ashley finally find the courage and strength to battle her demons when her mother might be the biggest demon of all?


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AUTHOR BIO:
In addition to writing Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Beth Fehlbaum is a high school English-Language Arts teacher who frequently draws on her experience as an educator to write her books. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading.

Beth is a featured author on the 2015-2016 Spirit of Texas Reading List- High School for the Kirkus Starred Reviewed Big Fat Disaster (Merit Press/F+W Media, March 2014) and The Patience Trilogy: Courage (1), Hope (2), and Truth (3) (Steady On Books, April 2016).

Beth is a member of the RAINN (Rape , Abuse, Incest National Network) Speakers’ Bureau. She has a following in the young adult literature world and also among survivors of sexual abuse because of her work with victims’ advocacy groups.

She has been the keynote speaker at the National Crime Victims’ Week Commemoration Ceremony at the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas and a presenter for Greater Texas Community Partners, where she addressed a group of social workers and foster children on the subject of “Hope.”

Beth is in-demand as a panelist, having presented/appeared at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference, the American Library Association’s annual conference, YALSA, and N.C.T.E./ALAN, and she is a member of The Author’s Guild.

She is a survivor of a traumatic childhood, like Ashley in The Patience Trilogy, and the day-to-day manager of an eating disorder much like Colby’s in Big Fat Disaster. These life experiences give her a unique perspective, and she writes her characters’ stories in a way meant to inspire hope.

Beth lives with her family in the woods of East Texas.

You can find Beth online at http:www.bethfehlbaumbooks.comhttp://www.uncommonya.com, on Facebook, and on https://twitter.com/bethfehlbaum.

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