Tuesday, August 26, 2014

A Soul To Take Blitz: Book Trailer

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Welcome to the Blitz for Emily Taylor's A Soul to Take, the first novel in the Soul Stealers Trilogy. I had the pleasure of doing the cover reveal back in March. In case anyone has forgotten what the cover looks like, let's take a look shall we?

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Now isn't that a gorgeous book cover? I'm delighted to say that I will be a part of the blog tour that is coming up very soon. I'm so excited to read A Soul to Take again. I remember reading an earlier draft that was posted on a writing community known as Wattpad and I will be interested in seeing the final product. 

Information about A Soul to Take is posted below. 

Title: A Soul to Take
Series: Soul Stealers Trilogy #1
Author: Emily Taylor
Publication date: August 26th 2014
Publisher: REUTS Publications, LLC
Genre: New Adult paranormal romance with elements of dark fantasy and steampunk 


                                                                                           Synopsis 


Dying is the least of Elixia’s worries.

The world has changed. Demons are no longer legend, but part of life, integrated into our society . . . or so the Government claims. Things are never that simple, though, and neither side favors the new union. Agent Elixia Albelin knows the dark nature of demons firsthand, and will do everything in her power to protect the innocent from their wrath.

But when a mission from the Agency goes sour, Elixia finds herself in a predicament. Murdered, with her last living family-member kidnapped, her only hope is an offer from the very thing she despises: a demon. It’s no ordinary demon offering the contract, though, and his motive for such a deal is unclear. But if she’s to discover the truth and save her sister, she must commit the greatest taboo for an Agent:

Sell her soul.

Now, Marked and shackled to the terms of the contract, she must try to uncover the mystery of her sister’s abduction before her new “owner” comes to claim what is his. Her past may hold answers, but what happens when her investigation finds something far more sinister? Something not even the demons can condone?


Now isn't that a gorgeous book cover? I'm delighted to say that I will be a part of the blog tour that is coming up very soon. I'm so excited to read A Soul to Take again. I remember reading an earlier draft that was posted on a writing community known as Wattpad and I will be interested in seeing the final product. 

Information about A Soul to Take is posted below. 

Title: A Soul to Take
Series: Soul Stealers Trilogy #1
Author: Emily Taylor
Publication date: August 26th 2014
Publisher: REUTS Publications, LLC
Genre: New Adult paranormal romance with elements of dark fantasy and steampunk 


                                                                                           Synopsis 


Dying is the least of Elixia’s worries.

The world has changed. Demons are no longer legend, but part of life, integrated into our society . . . or so the Government claims. Things are never that simple, though, and neither side favors the new union. Agent Elixia Albelin knows the dark nature of demons firsthand, and will do everything in her power to protect the innocent from their wrath.

But when a mission from the Agency goes sour, Elixia finds herself in a predicament. Murdered, with her last living family-member kidnapped, her only hope is an offer from the very thing she despises: a demon. It’s no ordinary demon offering the contract, though, and his motive for such a deal is unclear. But if she’s to discover the truth and save her sister, she must commit the greatest taboo for an Agent:

Sell her soul.

Now, Marked and shackled to the terms of the contract, she must try to uncover the mystery of her sister’s abduction before her new “owner” comes to claim what is his. Her past may hold answers, but what happens when her investigation finds something far more sinister? Something not even the demons can condone?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BseDtcgEgy0


About the Author

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Besides writing, Emily Taylor currently studies Music Technology at her state’s Conservatorium and recently helped on Respect Cat Production’s feature film, In a Corner, as a Script Advisor.  After great success on InkPop and Figment, A Soul to Take is her first formally published work. You can see more from Emily on Facebook and Twitter.

Blitz organized by REUTS Publications 

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Bound to Accept by Nenia Campbell

Bound to Accept by Nenia Campbell
Bound to Accept by Nenia Campbell just came out yesterday. Unfortunately it was banned on Amazon.
If you want to read an well written erotica that accurately portrays BDSM, please check it out. You won’t be disappointed ;)
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Saturday, July 5, 2014

Thicker Than Blood Cover Reveal

Today, I am going to be doing a cover reveal for a former Inkie and friend of mine, Lindsey Sablowski. Thicker Than Blood is the third installment of The Magicians series is coming out in August 2014. Shall we take a look at the gorgeous cover shall we?







Tada! Isn't it striking? Out of all of the book covers in the Magician series, this one is my favorite. It grabs your attention and has a cool vibe. If you are interested in more, the information is posted below.

Cover designer: Alivia Anders (White Rabbit designs & creations)
Book title: Thicker Than Blood
Series: The Magicians series, #3
Author: Lindsey R. Sablowski

Official summary:

Alaire Sencler is not the man he used to be. He left behind a foul and bloody past to be with the
woman he loves, but the memories never allow him to forget what he did.

While the White magicians rise an army, their leader hides his true reasons for going to war.
Meanwhile the Dark magicians seek out a new haven, one that might keep them hidden long enough to prepare for the war that is raging on outside their doorstep.

Though Alaire has a unique gift and the woman of his dreams by his side, he has yet to come to
terms with Esmour's death and what the future holds for him. New faces and the revealing of the fifth
Dark magicians offers hope, but only the strongest will survive in the final battle.

Whoever said "blood runs thicker than water" never knew what it is like to be a part of the current.

Release date: August 2014 *official date will be released when it is determined

Add to Goodreads. Purchase links will be available in August.


Author Bio:

Lindsey R. Sablowski is a fantasy author who lives in Maryland with her boyfriend and two cats. 
Lindsey has always adored reading and writing. Some of her favorite authors include John 
Greene, Phillipa Gregory, Michael J. Sullivan, Tamora Pierce, and Mary Stewart.Her two published books, Cursed With Power and Shadows and Embers, are part of the 
Magicians series, consisting of a total of five books. The third installment in the series, titled Thicker 
Than Blood, will be releasing in August 2014.

Doesn't that sound awesome? Hopefully, you are quivering in anticipation for its release, here is a little teaser to quench your appetite.

Teaser:

(Note: This scene is told from Alaire’s POV and includes Alaire, Léal, and Rostland.)

We followed the noises and passed by more trees until Léal was in our sight. He performed a
spell which hit the tree in front of him. Rostland held me back and gestured he would advance first.

​ Slowly stepping forward, Rostland said, “Léal, you need to stop before you hurt yourself.”

​He turned around and glared, but sweat covered his face and ran past his neck.

​Léal replied, “You knew her for one year; I knew her for five. She kept saying time and time
again she was on my side, and I never once believed her until the end.”

​Rostland took another step forward, but Léal raised his hand. I considered moving closer to help
if anything spun out of control, but I was confident in Rostland.

​“Do you plan to kill me again? Come now, you’re making a fool out of yourself,” Rostland said
in a firm voice.

​Léal whispered a word and cast a spell, causing a ice shard to strike through Rostland’s chest.

Every muscle in my body tensed, but Rostland quickly ripped the icicle out and threw it on the ground.

The icicle broke apart into pieces, and the two men stared at each other.



To stay updated with her progress in upcoming books and to learn more about the Magicians 
series, you can follow her blog at: www.lrenees-fictionalwriter.blogspot.com
The Magicians series:
Cursed With Power (book 1)
Shadows and Embers (book 2)
Thicker Than Blood (book 3)
Book 4 coming 2015












Tuesday, March 18, 2014

A Soul to Take Cover Reveal

Today, I am going to be doing a cover reveal for a fellow former Inkie and a friend of mine, Emily Taylor. Her debut novel, A Soul to Take is coming out soon. Without any former delay, let's check out this gorgeous cover.

 
 
Isn't that stunning? This cover was made by the lovely Ashley Ruggirello who is the creative director and founder of REUTS Publications. If you like New Adult paranormal romance with dark fantasy, you should check out A Soul to Take. If you are interesting in learning more, the information is posted below
 
 
Title: A Soul to Take

Author: Emily Taylor


Electronic Publication Date:  April 29, 2014


(Tentative) Paperback Publication Date: May 13, 2014


Genre: New Adult paranormal romance with elements of dark fantasy and steampunk.
 


Back Cover Blurb: 
Dying is the least of Elixia’s worries.

The world has changed. Demons are no longer a legend, but a part of life, integrated into our society… or so the Government has attempted. But things are never that simple. Neither side favors this new union, and Elixia knows firsthand the dark nature of Demons and will do everything in her power to protect the innocent from their wrath. When her only living family is kidnapped, it means to even commit the greatest taboo for an Agent:

Sell her soul.

Yet when a mission from the Agency goes sour, Elixia finds herself in predicament. Murdered, her only hope is an offer from those she despises: a demon. However, it’s no ordinary demon who has offered Elixia the contract and his motive for such a deal is unclear. Her past may hold answers, but what happens when her investigation in human trafficking turns up something far more sinister?

 



Author Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/emtaylorinkie





REUTS Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/REUTSpub







Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Sleeper Blog Tour







Title: Sleeper (Book I in the Toy Soldiers series)

Author: S. M. Johnston

Release Date: December 2, 2013

Publisher: Entranced Publishing, Rush

Genre: Upper YA/NA speculative fiction

Rating: 3 Stars


Blurb: A new heart should mean new life, not a living nightmare.

Mishca Richardson’s life is at an all-time high after her heart transplant. With new boyfriend, Ryder, the two of them have the perfect summer romance. Even the nightmares that have been plaguing her sleep since her operation can’t dull the high she’s on.

Things start to unravel as Mishca develops superhuman abilities. She does her best to hide them so as not to end up a science experiment in a lab. But she can’t ignore the instant attraction she experiences when she meets her university professor, Colin Reed.

Torn between the blossoming love and the obsession, Mishca must decide if she wants Ryder or Colin. But the organization responsible for her changes and her connection to Colin, is moving to secure Mishca for himself so that she can be the weapon he always intended her to be. If Mishca can’t resist her programming she’ll have a lot more to worry about than romance.

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17837453-sleeper?from_search=true

Review Snippets:

 

SLEEPER is a fast-paced adventure filled with mystery, romance, action, and humor. Mishca and Ryder rank up there with my favorite heroines and heroes ever! S.M. Johnston is an author to watch out for.” ~Wendy Higgins, author of Sweet Evil, Sweet Peril, and Sweet Reckoning.
 



Excerpt:
 

Being dead and coming back to life runs the risk of something from the other side crossing over with you. Even with a medically controlled death and revival like mine. At least that’s what Nerissa theorised when we discussed what could be with my new attributes. With my friends staring at me in horror, I’m beginning to think she could be right.



There’s no strain or sweat from me as my hands come together, bending the iron bar in my hands. I avoid eye contact with my friends for a moment, focusing instead on my shadow on the sand.



Nerissa does her best impersonation of a goldfish before closing her mouth back up. Her blue eyes plead with me. “You’ve got to entertain the idea now that you could be—”



“Possessed? Come on.” Ryder runs his hand though his hair. Not that his theory is any better.



The sun peaks over the bush-clad mountains that skirt the hidden beach we’re on. We’re lucky Nerissa’s parents have this holiday house, just north of Brisbane. Hopefully, no one will see me being put through my paces.



Finlay places his pen against the clipboard. “Okay, so we know you’re unbelievably strong. What do you want to try next?”



I toss the iron bar on the ground. “I don’t know. What else is on your list?”



“Hearing and speed are obvious ones,” he replies. “So how about one of those?”



“We could do them together if you run to the end of the beach and then wait to find out if you can hear us?” suggested Ryder.



“Sure,” I reply.



Nerissa clicks on the stopwatch. “Ready. Go!”



My muscles tense and coil, and then spring to life. The wind whips around me and in seconds I’m at the other end of the beach. I pause, waiting for the old pain in my chest to start up, but it doesn’t. My eyelids scrunch up as I focus on picking up distant voices.



“How far do you think that was?” Ryder’s words come though like an echo down a tube.



“Maybe two hundred metres?” replies Finlay. “It’s more than the length of a footy field.”



“What’s the sprint world record?” pipes up Nerissa.



“Not as quick as that,” says Ryder, with a tinge of concern in his voice. “Do you think she can hear us?”



“If she can, she’ll know I think Ryder would like some superhuman loving tonight,” says Finlay with a laugh.



“Eww. Could you be any more crass?” complains Nerissa.



I snort, and then relax and let their voices drain away. I jog back. That’s the farthest away I’ve been able to eavesdrop. It’s mainly been hushed whispers that I’ve picked up so far. It’s not something I get all the time, just when I want to, thank goodness.



“Could you hear us?” asks Ryder once I’m closer.



I nod, shooting Finlay a dirty look.



“She heard me all right,” he laughs.



“How do you block it out? I’d go insane hearing everything all the time.” Nerissa makes no attempt to hide her concern.



“It doesn’t work like that. It’s like I tune in on conversations,” I reply, trying to reassure her.



“I wonder if you can hear me through the trees,” says Finlay as he starts up the beach, flinging his folder in the sand. “Wait a few moments and then listen for me.”



“Are you okay?” asks Nerissa, looking me up and down.



“Sure. Who doesn’t like being a human guinea pig?” I try to smile, but it falters. She swoops in and embraces me. I sigh. “I’m sick of being different.”



“You know that doesn’t matter to me.”



I nod into her shoulder. She releases me, smiling, and I can’t help but grin back.



“Can you hear that knucklehead?” Ryder looks up into the foliage that hedges the beach.



I drop Nerissa’s hand and lean forwards. “Nope, not a peep.” I wait a bit more and when I still can’t hear Finlay I call out to him, “Okay, you can come out now!”



“What’s he playing at?” huffs Nerissa.



I dash up the sand, following his footsteps, but pause when I reach the vegetation. Most of the grass is curving to the right with the breeze, but there’s a small line that’s bent to the left. I follow that line up, and then as it veers off in a crocked path, the grass is replaced with dirt and rocks. Up ahead, a freshly spun spider web hangs limply, broken. I head towards it and continue that line as I see small rocks overturned, their dark bellies showing where they’ve been kicked out of the dirt. Suddenly, there are no signs of previous movement and I stop in my tracks and survey my surroundings. Bark, on the ground at the base of a tree. On the trunk is a bare patch.



“Come down, Finlay.” I don’t even bother looking up.



“Good at tracking too, eh,” he says as he shimmies down.



“I guess,” I reply.



We walk in silence until we get back to the others. Finlay picks up his board and writes.



“Care to share?” Nerissa asks.



“I purposely stayed quiet. I wanted to see if she could find me,” he replies, looking up at me. “And she did. The girl’s got tracking skills, too.”



“I guess noone will want to play hide-and-seek with me anymore,” I snap.



“Did you ever do karate?” asks Finlay.



“No,” I respond, cocking my head at him as he puts his stuff down.



“Surely your parents would have gotten you to do self-defence classes,” he continues, taking a few steps towards me until we’re just an arm’s length apart.



My skin prickles and I watch him cautiously. Without warning, he throws a right hand punch at my head. I easily sidestep him, grab his arm, and snake my arm around his until it’s locked in. Eyes narrowed, I hyperflex his arm back until he groans with pain and taps his leg. I stay still. Behind me, Ryder and Nerissa are yelling out for him to cut it out and for me to release him.



“I’m tapping out, Mishca,” he gasps. “It means I yield and you can let me go.”



Reluctantly, I ease off the pressure and start to unwind my arm. Before I’ve released him fully, he swings a left. My hand catches his fist and I clench my fingers. I sweep out his legs with a swift kick, and then jump on his chest, pinning his arms with my knees. I then strike at his face, stopping my hand millimeters from his face.



“Oh, I like this position.” Finlay grins. “Maybe I should jump you more often.”



“Oi!” cries Ryder, lifting me off his friend.



“So what was that all about?” I brush the sand off my knees as I wait for an answer.



“I wanted to see if you could fight. You’ve never had any training, yet you instinctively took me down.”



“And so easily,” chimes in Nerissa.



Finlay pulls a face as he gets to his feet. “I don’t know what’s caused this change, but looking at this list, I think we’ve forgotten one.”



The rest of us whip our heads towards him. He looks me up and down. It’s obvious he no longer sees the stuck-up rich girl he thought I was when his mate and I started dating a couple of months ago. I was so scared when the three of them saw me catch the boulder that they’d be spooked. But they’ve got a fascination with me now that seems to be preoccupying them.



“What?” asks Ryder.



“Do I have to spell it out? She’s like a female Superman. We haven’t gone through all his powers.”



The image of me in spandex flashes through my mind. With my almost-afro, caramel skin, and almond-shaped eyes, I think I’d make a pretty kick-arse cartoon hero.



I stare intently at Ryder. While my boyfriend is in my sights, my mind starts drifting to Colin. Tearing my eyes away from his face, I concentrate instead on his clothes, trying to push away any other thoughts.



“Nope, no X-ray vision,” I say.



This gets me a wink instead of a blush. “Such a shame, too.” Ryder lifts up his T-shirt to show his ripped abs “But all you have to do is ask if you want to see me out of my clothes.”



I can’t help but grin.



“I think we can count out heat vision, too,” says Nerissa, pulling her blond hair into a makeshift ponytail. “Mishca was staring so hard that Ryder’s clothes would have spontaneously combusted if she had that power.”



Finlay shakes his head. “You guys are missing the obvious one.” He pauses and looks up.



“Hell no,” I say, folding my arms.



He could just be taking the Mickey out of me. It’s always hard to tell with him.



“You know that the Supes is an alien. Maybe you’re an alien,” he teases.



I want to punch that Roman nose right off his face.



“I’m not an alien.”



It’s true I don’t know who my real parents are. But I’ve got a birth mum and father somewhere, and I’m going to find them.



“Prove it.” Finlay folds his arms defiantly. “Try and fly.”



“Come on, mate,” starts Ryder, but I signal to him that it’s okay.



“Fine.”



“This is crazy,” says Nerissa in a shrill voice.



“Not as crazy as me being possessed,” I shoot back with a wry smile.



I take a few steps back and focus on the rocks at the end of the beach. My legs start to pump, building up speed quickly. I jump up a couple of metres, the air rushing past my face. Stretching my body out into the “conventional” flying position, I try to guide myself towards my goal. It only takes a couple of seconds before my face meets the ground and I’m eating sand.

My Review: Sleeper was an unique and enjoyable despite having a few things that I didn't like(more about that later). I love the fact that the story is set in Australia which is huge departure from the (U.K./US setting). Mishca (the MC), thankfully wasn't a Mary Sue. She had her flaws and strengths. Mischa is the sort of girl you want to hang out with and want to befriend. The characters themselves had their own personalities and there was never a time when characters seemed to blur. One of my favorite characters was Ryder.

He was a genuinely sweet guy and he wasn't an Edward Cullen clone (thank God). The supporting cast was great like Mischa's mom and Dad along with Mishca's friends. The story itself is quite fascinating. After Mischa gets a heart transplant, she starts getting nightmares along with supernatural abilities. The mystery makes the reader want to read more as they dying to know the answer.

The twist at the end is great and I am looking forward to seeing what will happen next. However, I didn't like the fact that there was a love triangle involved. Personally, I really don't care much for love triangles to begin with so once it appeared in Sleeper, I groaned. I also had a problem with the insta love and the teacher/student romance. 

But for the most part, I thought Sleeper was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a story filled with romance and mystery



Buy Links:

 

 



Giveaway Code: <a id="rc-88d39a10" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/88d39a10/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>

 

About the Author:


 



Sharon is a writer from Mackay in Queensland, Australia who has short stories published in anthologies and was also runner-up in the Australian Literary Review's Young Adult short story contest with KARMA. By day she is a public relations executive and by night she writes weird fiction and soulful contemporaries while her husband, two sons and cat are fast asleep.

 

Social Media Links:

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/authorsmjohnston
Twitter: https://twitter.com/S_M_Johnston
Website: www.smjohnston.com
Blog:
www.downunderwonderings.blogspot.com


Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Cover Reveal: Shadows and Embers


Today, I am delighted to do a cover release for a friend of mine. Her book is Shadows and Embers, the official sequel to Cursed With Power. What's CWP?

(More information concerning CWP is posted below.) But let's take a peek at the pretty cover, shall we?



 
Isn't it amazing? In case you are wondering what Shadows and Embers is about, the blurb is posted below:


It's 1569 in Transylvania; Léal Irvine has committed to a powerful man all for the sake of revenge. Handsome, young Irvine is a high-ranking magician working for Esmour's organization, Destin, which is composed of Dark magicians from around the local areas. However, one by one magicians vanish or die, and suddenly the world of magic is not as safe as it once was. One of the members and Léal's best friend, Nicia, betrays the organization before the downfall. Unfortunately no one realizes the act of treason might have saved her life.

A year later Destin has fallen, and Léal sees the world through icy blue eyes. With only five Dark magicians alive his survival is constantly threatened, and he has no great leader or trusted allies to turn to. After infiltrating Belsgar and killing a member of the Magic Council, the war between darkness and light is no longer something anyone can walk away from. A new villain rises with a secret that could be deadly; meanwhile Nicia works to prove her loyalty to Léal while trying to revive their friendship.

Sides will be chosen, relationships will be at stake, and in the end the balance of the magical world will depend on the outcome of the war. When you're walking on a thin line between revenge and forgiveness how do you choose the right path without stepping too far over the crack?


The expected release date is July 26th.

I know I said at the start of this post, I would give more information about Cursed With Power. So here it is:

Cursed With Power is a YA Fantasy novel and it was Lindsey Sablowski's debut novel published by Old Line Publishing. The book cover for CWP and its pitch are posted below:





Celestria Hale learns that she is one of the last living Dark magicians.

Upon leaving her hometown, she searches for others like herself to find out what has happened to her kind. She meets Alaire, another Dark magician with a dangerously sinister past. Through their travels, Celestria and Alaire come face to face with their enemies. The White magicians plot against them, developing a conspiracy that will overtake the last of them. While struggling for survival,

Celestria must also come to terms with her sister's death. But is her sister dead? There's no way out. The battle's already begun, and only the most powerful force will prevail. Everyone shows a longing hunger in their eyes, but their greed for power is only the beginning of a war raging between darkness and light. With the war approaching to determine the fate of magicians, Celestria fears for her and Alaire's existence. Destiny may find them, but will it be enough?


Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Cursed-With-Power-Lindsey-Sablowski/dp/1937004740
http://lrenees-fictionalwriter.blogspot.com/
http://lindseyrsablowski.wix.com/lindseysablowski#


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

July NaNoWrimo: Day 2

Today is the second day of NaNoWrimo. I had better luck writing today than what I did yesterday. The words came to me easier and I was able to get into the story. My motivation to write is slowly returning.

How fitting that I'm watching my brother play Assassin's Creed III a few days before the 4th of July. It is so patriotic.  Anyway, I have completed 2% of Tattered Dreams and I'm okay with that. I have to write 2,622 words per day in order to finish on time. As much as I would love to complete my first NaNoWrimo, it isn't worth straining my eyes looking at a keyboard.

Here is the word count per day:

Day 1: 646

Day 2: 1,700

I hope everyone's NaNo project is going smoothly.