Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

01 October 2013

Book Release: Dakota Captive

Today is a very exciting day for author Alythia Brown. Her new book, Dakota Captive, is being released. I had the pleasure (although she may tell a different story, ha) of working with her as her editor for this book. In other words, yes. I am totally biased about how awesome this book is. (Hey, at least I'm honest about it!)

Dakota Captive is the first book in a trilogy. To give you an idea about the storyline, read the blurb below. In the meantime, allow me to explain to you why this is such an awesome story and why you need to go buy it as soon as you're done reading this blog. The story line is rich with vivid descriptions of both people and places. From the moment you first meet the Earth Spirits, you're captivated by who they are - their distinct personalities find a place within your heart quickly. Charli is thrown one curve after another and she handles each one with the combination of vulnerability and strength that comes from being a strong-willed and independent teenager. When she finds herself falling for the one man she shouldn't after trying to nurse a broken heart from the ex-boyfriend who just won't quite give up the fight for her, she does the only thing she can: survive all the chaos and find her way.

The process of working with Alythia to uncover the polish and shine of this amazing gem was truly enjoyable. She was enthusiastic, receptive to observations and suggestions, and most importantly, determined to present this book in the greatest shape she could. Go. Buy. This. Book.

Book Blurb
When the evil spirit of Jumlin returns with his army of Offspring, the Earth Spirits are summoned to protect the Lakota. Unbeknownst to Charli, these Earth Spirits are a sacred secret. So she probably shouldn’t have spied from behind a rock when they shifted from their animal forms, she shouldn’t have taken pictures, and she definitely shouldn’t have gotten caught. Now a hostile prisoner, Charli is forced to walk a long journey to reach the one man who can erase the knowledge of the Earth Spirits' existence from her mind.


Naturally, Charli thinks all she needs to do is keep her big mouth shut, get her memory erased, and go home. But Jumlin’s Offspring are stalking her. Since no one can explain this unusual behavior, it becomes imperative to enter the Other World--a place where the Lakota have lived traditionally and without foreign oppression (but not without menacing dragons). Aside from being kidnapped, whisked away to a foreign world, hunted, and forced to live amongst strangers, Charli must come to terms with a new nuisance: she's falling for one of her abductors.

Meet the Author
Alythia Brown was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she now lives with her husband and their three small children. She found her inspiration to write Dakota Captive after traveling to North Dakota to return an authentic peace pipe to the Lakota Natives. The artifact had been picked up after the Massacre of Wounded Knee in 1890, and eventually ended up in the hands of one of her ancestors—who, in turn, told everyone it was a wagon spoke. Alythia is the author of two short stories, published in the Mertales anthology, and she aspires to publish many more books for children, teens, and young adults.


You can find Alythia at her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter (@alyconnorbrown). If you'd like to learn more about her other books, you can go here.

Finally, here is the link to the first stop in her book release blog tour. Go check it out!

25 April 2013

V is for...

It's day twenty-two of the A to Z Challenge!


Today's topic is vehemence. Or rather, that's the title of the poem I'm sharing today. This poem is from Pieces of the Soul, so you're getting a rare glimpse inside the book today.


vehemence
there aredays
i just want to roll back over
submerge into fantasy
forgetting the banality
of day to day existence

my life isn't horror
it's not even all that interesting
most days

it's the scary little dark part
deep in me
that i wish to avoid
that makes me huddle
small and childlike
the mask, the defense,
the armor that kept me safe
through the early years
the tumultuous years

the fiery, raging fury
which swept over all
and left naught in its wake -
not even ashes -
for it was so hot and bright

that sword, still sharp,
still gleaming bright
has been sheathed.
i havelittle need for
it now           

from time to time
it comes, unbidden,
a habit, an addiction
a double edged sword that
scars us both, victim and me

it's part of me

but it frightens me all the same

24 April 2013

U is for...

It's day twenty-one of the A to Z Challenge.


I'm going to talk about Unicorns today. Originating in European folklore, the unicorn is a mythical creature, often described as a white horse with a spiral horn emanting from its forehead. Some stories described it as having a goat's beard, cloven hooves, and a lion's tail.

The unicorn gained popularity in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It was believed to be a fiercely wild, graceful and pure beast, unable to be tamed save by a virgin. The alicorn, or the horn of the unicorn, possessed magical properties to heal sickness and cure any poison.

In many pagan traditions, the unicorn is a symbol of purity and innocence. It may represent the innocent joy of childhood, for example. As their horns were believed to have healing properties, you could invoke a unicorn for healing.

Interesting fact: the horn of the narwhal was often ground and sold as a ground alicorn.

So, touching back on the innocence of youth part... :-)

When I was little and we were stationed in West Berlin, I read every book in my school library. One of my all time favorites was The Unicorn Treasury by Bruce Coville. It's an anthology of poems, short stories, and book excerpts whose subject matter is unicorns. I could not get enough of this book as a child. I checked it out over and over. As an adult, it's one of a very select number of childrens' books that I sought out and bought. Thank goodness for Amazon, who had it!

Do you have any interesting unicorn stories, dreams, or memories? Or do you prefer a different mythological beast?

15 April 2013

Book Release: Queen of Jastain


Today, as an extra special treat, I would like you to join me in celebrating the release of a fantastic book by an amazing and talented author.  Keep reading through and you'll be rewarded after the excerpt for a chance to win a $10 Gift Card and a charm. (Scroll down to see pictures of the prizes)

Queen of Jastain has a special place in my library because not only is it OH SO GOOD, I was the editor for it. I was privileged to work with Kary in polishing her shining gem and I'm beyond excited that it's (finally) available for the rest of the world!


The Light brought her to him, but does he have the faith to make her his queen?
For twenty years, Avant plotted revenge against the dark king, but when a mysterious woman suddenly appears, everything changes. Although his prophetic Gift reveals she's the Seed of Light chosen to restore the Crown, his overwhelming attraction to the women threatens his long-held plan for revenge and two decades of fidelity.

Abby Randall is inexplicably transported from Dallas to the medieval land of Jastain. There she meets Avant, who claims she's the foretold champion of his people. While the hot guy has her hormones pumping, his crazy talk of defeating an evil king leaves questions to his sanity. Through his supernatural Gift, Avant transplants his memories into her, but neither are prepared for how their hearts intertwine.

Together they embark on their quest, but when Abby and Avant come face to face with destiny, will they sacrifice what matters most to provide a happily-ever-after for the people of Jastain?


About the Author
Kary Rader is a part-time Twitter sage, stay-at-home mother of three, and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head. Always creative, she's drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn't anything that can't be accomplished with words. It's the power of words that creates and destroys. Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day's work. With the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.

Some of the fun places you can find the intrepid Kary (who, by the way, deserves a medal for surviving having me as her editor) are as follows:
Twitter: @KaryRader
Facebook: Kary Rader, Author
Want a taste of just how good this book is? Keep reading for an excerpt!

Excerpt
     When Avant climbed back to the cave, his hair was wet. He'd slicked it back from his face and tied it into a little ponytail with a leather string. The sexy shadow of a light beard softened his angular jaw, and the thick waves of his hair shined with chestnut highlights in the morning sun. It was a good look for him, but then again, what wasn’t? Abby ran her fingers through her own tangled tresses and pulled her hair back. What she wouldn't give for a hairclip.
     “Would you like a thong for your hair?”
     She giggled at the word thong, certain that what she pictured was not what he referenced. “Do you have an extra one? I’d like to get it out of my face, and I don’t have anything.” Actually she had her own thong, but she sure as hell wasn't putting it in her hair.
     He immediately unlaced the tie at the neck of his shirt and handed it to her.
     She gasped and put a hand to her face to hide the heat in her cheeks as his shirt fell open below his breast bone. “You don’t have to do that.”
     Her blood coursed wildly at the sight of the smooth muscles of his chest. A soft sprinkling of dark hair beckoned her fingers. She swallowed hard.
     “It’s all right. Please use it. It will be a hard day’s journey with hair in your face.” His words rang in her mind so sincerely she forgot her embarrassment, but her eyes kept flitting to his heavenly chest.
     “Thank you, Avant, and not only for the lace but for everything you're doing to help me.
     Holding her gaze, he nodded once, and her heart fluttered. Was it getting warm in the cave? She wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead.
      “It is time to be off if we are to make it to the next shelter before nightfall.” He picked up his pack and walked to the mouth of the cave. She grabbed her bag and followed.
     Climbing down proved to be more difficult than going up. The muscles required to lower herself from one level to the next worked her thighs and butt like no gym equipment she'd ever experienced. It was like doing hours of squats. She trudged down the mountain with the previous day's tumult weighting her down like the “freshman ten.” Avant helped her along on the steeper steps, but, for the most part, she made them on her own, clippity-clopping in those damned Docinis all the way.
     When he reached the bottom, he disappeared around an outcropping. Abby took the last little step to the base and hurried after him. As she turned the corner, Avant grabbed her arm and spun her around. Driving her back against the rock, he pressed the length of his rigid body against her. His face, barely three inches from hers, clenched in thin lines of stress. Her heart raced…with fear.
     She was pretty sure it was fear.

Giveaway
   Now, for your reward! Your opportunity to enter the giveaway to win a prize! Here are pictures of your prize:

Avant's Sword charm

                                                                                                   and the charm bracelet:
 









<a id="rc-b4c00018" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b4c00018/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

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

Don't forget to check the other stops on this blog tour!

02 April 2013

B is for...

Welcome to day two of the A to Z challenge!


Today's topic is books, one that is near and dear to my heart. Books are the great escape to another place, another life, another experience. They are teachers and explorers. They are the gateways to whole new universes.

What could be more fitting, when talking about such a lovely topic, than to celebrate the release of a new one?  Allow me to introduce to you Lynn Rush's newest release, Violet Dawn!

About the book:

In the darkest place, the Light shines brightest.
Emma’s love saved Jake from life as a vampire. But their happily ever after is threatened by a savage Vamp seeking retribution for destroying the Avenos Trinity of Evil.
A mysterious stranger enters the mix, coinciding with the first Vamp attack in months. Emma’s new friendship, and the suspicion and deceit surrounding it, further drives a wedge between her and Jake.
To complicate things, Emma is bitten by a Vamp with abilities no one has ever seen before, and that bite has left its mark.
A mark that might tear Jake and Emma apart forever…
Title: Violet Dawn (Violet Night #2)
Author: Lynn Rush
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Release Date: April 1st, 2013

Okay, great. So, who is this Lynn Rush?

Driven to write, Lynn Rush often sees her characters by closing her eyes watching their story unfold in her mind. Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush – since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake, and a portion of the proceeds benefits cancer research and awareness. 
Some of the places you can find Lynn Rush are on Amazon, Goodreads, her website, her Facebook, Pinterest, and on Twitter.

Want an opportunity to win a Kindle? Participate in the Rafflecopter giveaway! Giveaway ends at Midnight (EST) April 23rd, 2013.
<a id="rc-16f82b18" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/16f82b18/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>


Here's the link to the book trailer on YouTube!

What others are saying:
"Violet Dawn is powerful, enthralling, and refreshingly complex." ~Carrie Butler, author of Strength


“I've fallen head over boots for Emma and Jake as a couple—and as an elite vampire-hunting team..." ~Kristie Cook, author of the best-selling Soul Savers Series

"Fast-paced, action-packed, Violet Dawn is basically everything you'd want from a vampire hunter novel and then some. Emma has kick-ass written all over her." ~Kate Evangelista, author of Taste