Spring Fling Scavenger Hunt @NightOwlReviews #Books #Giveaway
Hi guys,
I am a contributing author in Night Owl Reviews Spring Fling Scavenger Hunt happening March 10-31. It’s a great way to win some prizes and discover some new books/authors.
Here’s how it works:
Find some awesome books (including Crystallum by me).
Read some blurbs.
Fill in some missing words,
and get entered to win some awesome prizes. đ
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There are 107 Prizes
1 – $100 Amazon Gift Card – Grand Prize
2 – $50 Amazon Gift Cards
6 – $25 Amazon Gift Cards
27 – $10 Amazon Gift Cards
71 – $5 Amazon Gift Cards
Interested?
 Enter at: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blog/Articles/Spring-Fling-2016
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March 8, 2016 | Categories: Books, Giveaways | Tags: books, CRYSTALLUM by Laney McMann, Crystallum The Primordial Principles, Giveaway, laney mcmann, night owl reviews, spring fling scavenger hunt, YA Fiction, YA paranormal romance author, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
#NewRelease ~ HERO ENGINE by Alexander Nader
Welcome, you guys.
Today, I am excited to share Alexander Nader’s newest release,
HERO ENGINE
About the Book
Age: Adult
Genre: fantasy, detective, super hero
BLURB:
âCoolâ Jim Quig has one love : his job. And he likes it that way. While Jim protects the streets, the heroes take all the credit. He’s fine with that, all cops are. Sort of. So when the director of the Super Hero Initiative (SHI) asks Jim to help solve a mystery plaguing SHI headquarters, he’s not interested. Who cares if an ancient artifact known as the Hero Engine has been destroyed? Or if every super hero in existence was altered into their superhuman state by the device? It’s not Jim’s problem. The ‘capes’ can solve their own mystery.
The director doesnât take no for answer and Jimâs task is to not only find out who destroyed the Engine, but why one hero has gone AWOL. For the last fifty-two years, SHI has protected the world, but with the destruction of the Engine, and a rogue killing super humans, the golden era of heroes has ended. Cool Jim Quig is about to find out what happens when a cape goes nutso.
If only he had just said no to the guy in the flashy suit.
****
Check this book out, guys. It’s quick-witted, fast paced, and well written. Â Worth a read, along with Alex’s other books as well.
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BUY NOW:
Get the book
Amazon – Barnes & Noble – iTunes – The Book Depository
About the Author
Alex lives in the tourist infested hills of east Tennessee with his amazing wife/muse and three superb children. He would tell you more about how awesome they are, but you probably wouldnât believe him. When heâs not hanging out with them heâs making pizzas. When heâs not doing that heâs working at a bookstore and occasionally he jots a few words down. Heâs a big fan of good music, good storytelling, and mixed martial arts.
He once wrote a short story about pirates to his wife via text message that blossomed into a full length novel and never stopped after that.
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September 30, 2015 | Categories: Blog Tours, Books, Booktrope, New Releases | Tags: 2015 books, Adult Urban Fantasy, Alexander Nader, blog tour, Booktrope, Detective, Hero Engine, New Adult books, super hero | Leave a comment
CRYSTALLUM (Primordial Principles 1) has a cover! #YA #UF
CRYSTALLUM,
the first installment of the Primordial Principals series,
has a cover! đ
If you’d like to share, please do!
The reveal will be on September 10th.
Details and sign-ups can be found here:
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September 2, 2015 | Categories: Books, Booktrope, Cover Reveals, CRYSTALLUM, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Cover Reveal sign-ups, CRYSTALLUM by Laney McMann, laney mcmann, teen reads, The Primordial Principles, upcoming YA releases 2015, Xpresso Tours, YA fantasy book, YA Fiction, YA paranormal romance author, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
COVER REVEAL ~ The Surrogate Sea (Wilderhark #6) by Danielle E. Shipley
Today I am happy to share Danielle E. Shipley’s reveal of
The Surrogate Sea
Book six of The Wilderhark Tales
The Seaâs storm brought them together, and the Seaâs rules will keep them apart, unless the mute but melodious Muirigan can find another to take her place, freeing her to pursue the human man she loves. But when her plan collides with the schemes of the sly South Wind, a princessâs agenda to look for love in all the most fantastic places, and a prince whose head and heart have been long years at war, the result is a tragedy of errors from which the world might never recover.
The Surrogate Sea (Book Six of The Wilderhark Tales)
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An enchantressâs curse turns a spoiled royal into a beast; a princessâs pricked finger places her under a hundred-year spell; bales of straw are spun as golden as the singing harp whisked down a giant beanstalk â all within sight of Wilderhark, the forest thatâs seen it all.
Youâve heard the stories â of young men scaling rope-like braids to assist the tower-bound damsel; of gorgeous gowns appearing just in time for a midnight ball; of frog princes, and swan princes, and princes saved from drowning by maidens of the sea. Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.
Once upon a time, you knew them as fairytales. Know them now as Wilderhark’s.
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When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. She’s also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who home schooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble.
When she’s not living the highs and lows of writing, publishing, and all that authorial jazz, she’s probably blogging about it at EverOnWord.wordpress.com.
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February 2, 2015 | Categories: Books, Cover Reveals, New Releases | Tags: Book release, cover reveal, Danielle E. Shipley, Surrogate Sea, Wilderhark Tales, YA fairytales | 2 Comments
Read Chapter Two of TIED (FireBorn1) by @LaneyMcMann @JTaylorPub #YA
To celebrate the holiday season, I’ll be sharing the first few chapters of TIED, book 1 in the Fire Born Novels trilogy, over the next few days.
ENJOY!
YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Here is chapter one if you missed it:Â TIEDÂ
CHAPTER TWO
I tiptoed up the steps to my house, the wooden planks on the deck creaking under my feet. Easing the backdoor open, careful to keep the hinges from squeaking, I brushed the sand off, and ducked in time to miss the new wind chime hanging from the ceiling. My mom wouldnât be understanding if she found me sneaking in again, and Iâd never been able to explain what kept happening to me.
Creeping down the dark hallway, I dodged the night-lightâs glow and crawled into bed. Five A.M. pulsed on my alarm clock, turning the white ceiling a fluorescent shade of orange. I stared at the light until my eyes watered, the weight of exhaustion blanketing me in a continual haze. I didnât sleep. Not much, anyway. Staying awake kept most of the visions at bayâthe ones I didnât invite in, visions that used to wake me in the middle of the night in a cold, terrified sweat.
I lay, staring blurry-eyed into nothing. The face I knew so well came into focus, and I smiled in spite of myself, knowing I should push the thoughts awayâknowing I made myself crazy by thinking about him.
I missed Max more than Iâd ever missed anyone in my life. For years, Iâd tried to will him to return. He never did. Max didnât exist. Somehow, Iâd created an imaginary life, and my heart ached for it. For him.
I wiped the tears from my face, got out of bed and pinned down my mass of scraggly hair. The sound of my mother banging around in the kitchen reached my room, her percolating coffee permeating the air. The aroma, I loved; the drink, I didnât.
Bare feet peeked under the refrigerator door as I rounded the corner into the kitchen from the stairs, our cat meowing hungrily at the hem of my motherâs pink bathrobe.
âAw, Teine. Look at you.â She reached for my cheeks over the top of the door, but I dodged her hands. âYour eyes are so dark. I think youâre overdoing it.â
âIâm fine, Mom.â
âYouâre continually trying to convince me of that, but …â She shook her head, eyes cast down toward my clothes.
I glanced at my worn-out pink ballet tights with only a few holes, and my black faded leotard, partially covered by a too large, and beat up, grey sweatshirt. âWhat?â
She shook her head again. âTeine . . .â She sighed. âBenny is outside. Can you feed Kaevnor before you leave, please? Sheâs been pestering me all morning.â
âWhy is Benny here?â Kaevnor ran to my side as I poured her food. âIâm supposed to pick her up.â
âShe didnât say. I asked her to come in.â My mom shrugged and began unloading the dishwasher.
I pulled on my old, low-top Converse shoes and grabbed my dance bag from beside the front door. âBye, Mom.â
âTake it easy today, Teine.â
I opened the front door, but before I could leave, my mom rushed up behind me, breathless. âYou forgot your juice.â She held it out, tucking stray hairs behind my ears and smoothing out my bun before shaking her head.
My shoulders slumped. I hadnât forgotten, but Iâd hoped she had. âMom . . .â I groaned. âI hate that stuff.â
âItâs good for you. Drink up.â
I held my nose and gulped it in one swallow before breathing again. âUgh. It tastes like freshly mown grass.â
âOld family recipe. Keeps you strong and focused.â
âYeah, right. More like weak and nauseous.â
Thick early morning air hung on my clothes as I walked outside and found Benny dancing in the driveway next to my car with her iPod blaring.
âI was supposed to pick you up,â I said.
She pulled her ear buds out. âWhat? Oh, yeah, I know.â She smiled and slid into the passenger seat of my nineteen seventy-seven AMC Gremlinârated nineteenth out of fifty of the worst cars of all time.
I slung my dance bag into the back seat and climbed in after her. The car stalled twice before it started, the engine screaming like a cat caught in the fan belt. I gunned it out of the driveway, afraid it would cut off again, spinning my tires and throwing gravel everywhere.
âIn a hurry?â Benny clipped her seatbelt, eyebrows raised.
âNo.â I avoided her gaze and turned out onto the road.
âWhy so grumpy?â She tilted her head.
âWhy so cheerful?â I rubbed my eyes.
âWhatâs up with you, Layla? Youâre like the walking dead these days. I donât see one speck of green through all the red in your eyes. Your clothes are all random, too. Did you roll out of bed and get dressed in the dark?â Her eyes made an up and down movement as if scanning my entire body.
Next to me, Benny resembled a walking ad for Capezio with her perfect pink tights and her hair tucked into a flawless bun.
I leaned over and cranked the portable satellite radioâthe only decent feature about my carâin an attempt to drown out any further conversation she might try to start.
Benny gave me the sideways glare as M83 blared through the speakers. I took the warning as, âYou better be taking care of yourself, or Iâll take care of youâ, as she turned the volume down.
âIâm fine. Drop it.â I turned the music back up. I didnât need to hear how awful I looked. I knew.
âYour hairâs a mess. Did you sleep?â She shouted loud enough that I could actually hear her. I groaned, trying to block her out. âWho doesnât brush their hair before they leave the house? Have you even washed it?â
âBenny. Stop.â
She eyed me again and scrolled through the songs on her iPod before shoving her ear buds back in and hitting play.
We drove down US-1, along the coast to school, crawling at thirty-five miles per hour due to tourist season. The blustery weather from the night before had all but vanished, leaving a calm gleam across the surface of the ocean. Devon flew past us, music blaring, and waved out his open window.
We only had a couple weeks until summer break. After that, our senior year would begin, and the sizzle in the air was like a live wire.
âYour boyfriend is going to get pulled over one of these days.â Benny mumbled under her breath, crossing her arms over her chest.
I ignored her, focusing instead on reaching my goalâ Historia Performing Arts School. The only one of its kind within a hundred mile radius, it was the reason we lived in Historia. Iâd been dancing as long as I could remember, and my mother made sure it was a part of my everyday curriculum. Not that I minded. Dancing had become my life, but more than that, it had become my escape.
Our high school appeared to be as old as the city itself, which was founded sometime in the late sixteenth century. The building resembled a crumbling stone castleâwhich I supposed it was in its original state. Although beautiful in its own way, the deep cracks snaking through the walls made it eerily decrepit. Beyond the football field were endless views of the ocean, but unfortunately, those views didnât extend to many of the classrooms, most of which had oddly high windows and drafty undercurrents. I imagined them as dungeons hundreds of years ago.
Live oaks dotted the massive campus lawn, and every year, at least one tree would inflict some sort of damage on the school during hurricane season. A thousand pound limb might crush the side of a building or an entire tree might fall on an old artifact. It was always the same, but they never cut those trees; they were as important as the buildings themselves.
My mother even sat on the historic preservation board for the city, which had control over the school. I never understood why she got involved, considering she didnât attend any of the meetings. She just insisted the school be maintained in its near original state, which meant it was in constant need of some kind of repair. Why the school heeded her rules, I had no idea. The student parking lot filled as the warning bell rang.
âTook you long enough.â Devon opened my car door, a mocking grin on his face.
âYou okay?â
âSheâs … tired.â Benny answered before I did. Sheâd been my best friend all my life, and she was fiercely protective of me. The same way my mom was. It was annoying.
Rolling my eyes at her, I grabbed my stuff from the back seat and started the walk towards the dance wing, sick of all the remarks, her questioning glances, and Devonâs constant worrying. They climbed the hill after me. Whispering. Surely discussing their newest concern.
âLock the Grim, Layla.â
âFor what?â I shouted and turned around to find Benny with her arms on her hips. âNo oneâs going to steal it. Look at it.â I pointed to where my car, the Grim as Benny liked to call it, sat parked. It was the color of mud and looked like a semi-truck had smashed into the tail end of it at about ninety miles an hour. It had bug-eye headlights and a thick faded orange stripe running up each side toward the hatch-back where it flared out in three smaller stripes. The makeshift convertible top the previous owner had attempted to rig himself was so loose it barely kept the rain out. No one in their right mind would steal it.
I turned my back on both of them and continued the climb across campus, sighing as they continued to whisper. I knew my behavior was upsetting themâmy angry outburstsâmy temper spikes, especially since Iâd stopped trying to control them all the time.
No one, though, was aware of my visions, or whatever they were. The more I tried to understand them, the more confused I became. The angrier I became. Iâd tried to block the thoughts, to push them away and ignore them all, but years had passed since my last cherished memory, or what Iâd hoped with all my heart was a memory. For six yearsâsince I was elevenâIâd seen strange, unexplainable things.
After bringing up Maxâs name so many times that my mother threatened to send me to a psychologist, Iâd stopped asking about himâstopped talking about him altogether.
Even worse, I could only remember pieces of my past. While other kids recalled skinned knees and sleepovers, I conjured up snippets of voices and muddled colors. Besides my mom, Benny was the only constant in my life, and even memories I knew I had to have had with her were sometimes impossible to call up. I didnât understand it. Who doesnât remember the majority of their life?
âLayla, wait.â Devon jogged up to me and reached for my arm. His golden eyes implored concern. âDid I say something wrong?â
My shoulders relaxed. âIâm tired. Benny was telling the truth.â Itâs only a small lie.
He bowed his head, peering up at me. âOkay, well, as long as thatâs all.â
I nodded, giving him a half-smile. âMeet you at lunch.â He kissed me on the cheek and ran off as the second bell sounded. As sweet as Devon was, he would never understand me, and sometimes, knowing that, made everything worse.
~~~
All the other dancers sat in huddled groups on the scuffed wood floor of the studio as I walked in. The morning light reflected off the floor-to-ceiling mirrors, casting tiny rainbow prisms along the walls, as the stench of sweat hung in the still, thick air.
âShh! Sheâs right there.â Dena, my understudy for the spring show of Sleeping Beauty, sat across the room. She dropped her stare when my gaze met hers. Weâd been through the same dancing drill together for years. Same classes. Same performances. Her disdain for me was known. She twisted her hair into a knot at the back of her head, obviously pretending IÂ hadnât busted her running her mouth again.Between dancing as my understudy, and me dating Devonâthe only boy she ever âtrulyâ likedâher hate was ingrained. Not that I cared.
âPlaces along the barre. Quiet down. First position please.â Ms. Trudy clapped her hands together. âAnd one, and two, and three. Chins up, heads high, shoulders down,â she said in time with the classical music.The steady repetitive rhythm, the music Iâd known all my life, the same low droning chant of Ms. Trudyâs voice, all of it fell over me.
Ms. Trudy made her rounds, checking everyoneâs form, making corrections. Sunlight shone through the high windows in cascading sheets, its warmth touching my face. I closed my eyes, raising my head to meet its heat, my grand plies repeating in perfect unison, and let the slow music take over. âNice, Layla. Very nice.â Ms. Trudyâs voice rang out right before it faded.
@
The sun blazes through the tree line, and Max paces in the underbrush, halfway hidden by thickets and shadows.
âWhere have you been?â He rushes forward.
âBenny was on alert all morning. Sheâs been setting traps to catch me,â I say.
âWhat?â His eyes widen. I shrug, picking beggarsâ lice off my shirt. âShe doesnât like you.â
âMaybe you should go back.â He drags a hand through his hair.
âGo back?â My arm drops, leaving my shirt covered in little green specs.
âWhat are you talking about?â
âI . . . I donât want you to get in trouble.â He averts his gaze.
âSince when are you worried about me getting in trouble?â I ask.
âNever mind, itâs nothing.â His smile is fake. Iâm not buying the mock reassurance.
âMax, whatâs going on?â
âNothing.â He bites his bottom lip, his gaze skirting the trees. âIâm trying to look out for you.â
âUh-huh. Whatâs up?â
âI told you. Nothing.â He shoves his hands in his pockets.
âMax …â
Lifting an eyebrow, he grins. âRace you to the falls.â He crouches forward like a cat ready to pounce, hands resting on his knees.
âDistractions wonât work.â
âNo?â He takes off running.
I catch his hand as he turns and catapult myself past him.
âHey, no cheating!â
I laugh, as he runs up behind me, his breathing steady. Our pounding feet sink in the thick wet grass of the open field. Max is taller than me, with longer legs, but Iâm faster, and he hates it. The rush of crashing water leads us to the ledge, each of us pushing harder to stay in the lead.
âDonât jump, Layla!â He reaches out.
I catch it in mine and pull us both off the ledge in a blind leap.
We plummet into the depths of the waterfall, Maxâs hand gripping mine. As our heads break free of the churning froth, he lets go, splashing me in the face.
âHey.â I push water back at him. âWhat was that for?â
âFor getting here first.â As he shakes his sandy brown hair out of his face, droplets of water run down his golden skin, and the corner of his mouth lifts in a grin.
I splash him again and swim to the edge of the pool, climbing onto the bank in dripping wet clothes.
He follows, and sits next to me, wiping the water from his grey eyes. âLay, weâve been friends for a long time.â
âYeah.â I lean back against a gardenia bush covered in pure white blooms, their rich sweetness intoxicating the air.
âYouâre my best friend.â
âI know that. Youâre acting so weird today.â I nudge his shoulder, and say, âBeat you to the ledge again,â and spring to my feet, leaving him sitting on the bank.
âLayla!â He races after me. âWait!â Grabbing me around the waist, he sends us both over the ledge in a tangle.
âWhat are you doing?â I shove him as our heads rise above the surface.
âBe quiet.â Putting his finger to his lips, he drags me behind the falls onto the rock shelf. âSomeoneâs coming.â
Distant footsteps approach, crunching through the crisp leaves on the forest floor. Voices reach us.
âStay still. Itâs Lorelei.â
My mother walks through the forest, her sister at her side.
âThey are here. You must find them.â She paces through the trees. âThis is not safe.â
âSister, please. There is no need for your concern. They are in no danger here.â
âNo danger? My daughter is to be nowhere near the boy. I warned him to stay away.â
I try to shift my position, but Max pushes me back. âStop moving.â
âWarned him?â my aunt asks.
âYes.â My motherâs gaze sweeps past our hiding place. âThe bond grows stronger by the day. Their connection, their energy. Teine must be kept hidden. Away from this world, away from the boy. They must be separated.â
âThat isnât necessary. No one knows they exist.â
âWe know! Others might know as well.â
My aunt gathers her cloak around her shoulders. âIt wasnât I who placed the curse. That untimely deed falls on your shoulders, sister.â
âOnce the truth of the childrenâs existence is revealed, my simple curse will no longer matter. I will be hard pressed to keep our enemies at bay.â My mother wrings her hands.
âYour attempt to sway the children must end. As long as the light shines, we will remain safe.â
âYou presume too much, and do not speak to me in that tone. I am still the eldest.â
âTone? I speak with understanding, but my patience wears thin. You renounced your position here. You are a fool to think you can keep the children apart. Let them be, or I am afraid you will regret it.â
Max turns to me. âYou have to go.â
âNo.â
âYour mother is trying to separate us. You have to go.â
âWeâre not doing anything wrong.â I start to rise, but he grabs me by the shoulder, eyes staring into mine. âYou heard your mother. She believes youâre not safe here. She thinks itâs dangerous for us to be together.â
I stare back into his face, confusion welling up. âThen Iâll explain it to her.â
âLayla, please. For me. Go back now. Stay safe.â He pulls me into a hug before standing.
âBut . . . wait.â I reach for his hand.
He wrenches it free, his gaze roving over my face. âIâm sorry.â
âMax!â
I sit alone with only the sound of water splashing against the cliff.
âMax!â
~~~
âLayla.â Bennyâs terrified voice rang out above me. Her fear-filled eyes came into focus as glaring fluorescent lights radiated down from the ceiling. âCan you see me?â
âWho else would I see? Youâre in my face.â I shielded my eyes from the lightâs glare, the vision reverberating through my mind. The same vision Iâd seen a hundred times before. The one I thought had to be a memory but knew couldnât be. The vision that made my heart ache as if it were being ripped out. A crowd of dancers hovered around me, all gazes fixed on me as I hastily wiped my damp eyes. What did I do?
âI told you she was crazy,â Dena said.
âShut your mouth, Dena, or I will.â Bennyâs threat came out calm and controlled.
âLet me up,â I said.
âBack away. Back away now.â Ms. Trudy pushed her way through everyone and knelt down. âLayla, are you all right?â
My head throbbed, mind spinning as she rose to her feet, pulling me slowly to mine. As my knees buckled, Benny swooped in and draped my arm over her shoulder. âLetâs get you some water.â Ms. Trudy steered me into the hallway. âI believe youâre overheated. Itâs very warm today.â
The chill from the air conditioner, and Ms. Trudyâs jasmine perfume, sent shivers up my spine and made me want to gag.
âBenny, you may go back to rehearsal. I believe I have the situation under control.â
âNo, maâam, Iâll stay.â Bennyâs tone was unthreatening but firm and Ms. Trudy didnât argue.
âIâm okay, Ben, really.â My voice, on the other hand, must have given her the impression I wasnât because she tightened her grip.
âSit down for a few minutes until you compose yourself. Iâll get you some water.â Ms. Trudy headed down the hall, wringing her hands.
âWhat happened?â Benny hissed under her breath after Ms. Trudy rounded the corner.
âI donât know.â I slid down the wall, to the floor, shaking. âI closed my eyes for a second and then I woke up with you crouching over me.â
Scrutinizing, unbelieving eyes narrowed. âYou just passed out?â
âI guess.â
Ms. Trudy rushed back, carrying a glass of water. âDrink this.â She thrust the warm, right-out-of-the-tap water into my hands. Gross. I handed it back. âPerhaps you should see the nurse.â
âNo. No nurses. Iâm fine, really.â
âWell, if you say so, but no rehearsal for you today. Benny, please help Layla into the dressing room so she can get changed.â
âYes, maâam.â Benny tugged on me as though I was five years old.
âI can walk on my own.â I pulled my arm out of her grasp.
âWhat the hell was that, Layla?â She shifted in front of me, blocking my way. âTell me whatâs going on.â
âNothingâs going on.â I pushed past her. âI … blacked out.â
âBlacked out?â She ran up beside me. âBlacked out? You think thatâs normal? Thatâs not normal.â
âI didnât say it was normal.â
âNo, you didnât. You donât say anything lately.â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â What does she mean by that?
She stomped passed me. âYouâre going to give me a heart attack, I swear.â She ranted along under her breath and disappeared inside the dressing room.
I tried my best to control my trembling limbs. If Benny thought I was in a panicked state, Iâd end up at the E.R. with her hovering over me. Hallucinations at school werenât something that had happened before, and Iâd never passed out. Ever. Not that I should have been too surprised. What should I have expected after having become a semi-insomniac?
I pushed the vision into the depths of my brain, shook off the eerie chills that accompanied it, and made Benny promise not to tell Devon what happened.
~~~
Devon tracked me down in the outside courtyard during study hall.
âI went to the nurseâs office.â He hugged his chest. âTo the dance studio and the girlsâ bathroom.â He gripped his side, leaning over the picnic table, trying to catch his breath. âAre you all right?â
Benny, unable to keep her mouth shut, had spilled the truth.
âIâm fine. Bennyâs overreacting.â I glowered at her where she sat with me at a table.
âScoot over.â He nudged my shoulder and slumped down. âDonât scare me like that again.â He huffed, his breath still ragged.
âI told Benny not to tell you.â He stopped breathing altogether and glared at me.
I didnât say anything else.
~~~
During lunch, Devon asked the cafeteria lady to create an ice pack out of zip-locks and paper towels, after Iâd refused again to go to the nurse. He held it on my head himself. Between him and Benny, I was lucky not to have been admitted to the hospital.
I poked around at my pizzaâusually my favorite, but my appetite seemed to be lying on the floor in the dance studio. The cafeteria, my least favorite place in school, made my stomach turn. Not to mention the inescapable deafening high school drama prattle. Iâd never been that girl who attended every football game, and cried on the last day of school because summer break meant three whole months away from the cheerleading squad. I wanted out of high school.
I squinted through the cafeteria window, bringing the ocean into view in the far distance, and pretended to listen to the sound of crashing water, to block out all the lunchroom noise.
âYou should eat something.â Devon dismantled my lunch tray, one item at a time. His mouth overflowed with my pizza, as I glanced over and down at my emptied plate. âOh . . . sorry.â
âIâm not hungry, anyway.â I shrugged, looking up at him. Dark brown hair framed his golden eyes, a sheepish grin playing at his lips.
âListen, donât worry about helping at the shop later.â He raised the ice pack to my head again, and I swatted it away, while Dena, across the cafeteria, sat glaring in our direction. The little clan of cliquey chatterboxes at her side followed her lead and turned toward us.
The sight of Devon doting over me had to be too much for her.
I smiled to myself.
She tossed her long dark hair behind her shoulder, her black painted nails glimmering under the fluorescent lights. It seemed like only yesterday that she ran barefoot and played baseball better than anyone. Then again, I remembered so little, maybe sheâd always been that way, and my deluded brain had it all backwards.
âI said I would help. Iâm helping.â I spoke to Devon, not breaking my eye contact with the one who had nothing better to do than stare at me.
Denaâs lips moved, and they all turned their heads away. âLayla, seriously,â Devon said. âI. Am. Helping.â
âLayla!â Benny rushed across the cafeteria, waving a fluorescent yellow piece of paper, her dance bag swinging wildly on her shoulder. âOh, good, you ate.â Her breath came out in a huff. âHere.â She thrust the paper at me. âI got the nurse to sign you out early. You can go home.â
I shook my head, sure she had run from the nurses office. âI donât need to leave early.â
âYou passed out.â She kept her voice low, head turning as if searching for something.
âSo?â Truthfully, I would rather have gone home, but giving Benny a reason, any reason, to believe something was actually wrong was a bad idea. Iâd rather suffer than have her pamper me. Devon was already taking care of that.
âSo? So . . . you will be the death of me, Layla LaBelle, I swear.â She stomped off, throwing the note in the trash as she went.
The rest of the school day, I spent in a dazed stupor. The custodian had to cut the lock off my locker because I couldnât remember the combination, and I laughed out loud when Mr.Jones, the Algebra teacher, asked me to solve a quadratic equation on the white board for the class. Algebra. What a waste. Who, ever, uses algebra after high school? If my school didnât have a Performing Arts program, I probably would have ditched every class.
My head pounded by the time I pulled into the parking lot of the shop where Devon worked. A giant sign above the door read: âTOURISTS WELCOMEâ in bright blue letters, reminding me of Bike Week in Daytona, Florida, where all the businesses felt compelled to remind everyone that âBikers are welcomeâ, as if, for some reason, they wouldnât know without the signs. Tourist season was the money maker in Historia. With the colleges, beaches, and historical sights, the city had a natural pull.
The owner of the shop stood in the doorway, smiling and waving at random passersby, unable, or unwilling, to hide his smile. âGood afternoon, Layla. Thanks for giving us a hand today.â
I stifled a yawn. âYouâre welcome. Itâs no problem at all.â I wasnât the best person to help at a retail store, due to my lack of interest in customer service, but I said I would, so I did.
âYes, good afternoon, Layla. How are you today?â Devon strolled up one of the aisles with a sarcastic grin. âTired, I see.â
âTired.â I nodded. âBut here.â
He leaned down and kissed my cheek. âI think you should go home.â He glanced at the owner, his voice low. âI can handle it.â
I put my car keys behind the counter. âItâs almost the summer season. You need my help.â âDonât start with that. You hate how busy it is this time of year. Seriously, listen, Iâm starting to worry about you.â
âStarting?â I walked away before he could continue.
He shook his head and wandered off toward the display cases.
I squatted down behind the counter, digging around for a magazine to read, and rested my throbbing head in my hands. The entrance bell chimed on the front door, and I popped back up, wobbling slightly.
Afternoon sun flooded through the shopâs front windows in sheets, creating a back lit silhouette in the doorway. Dust particles floated past my scope of vision like miniature ghosts, and the clear grey eyes glancing at me made my breath end in my throat.
The room spun and slowed to a time-warped crawl, and the spicy sweetness of gardenias wafted through the air. Visions rushed up to the surface, flooding my brain, blowing the circuits. My magazine dropped to the floor, and I swayed, grabbing the counter for support, forcing myself to blink.
âLayla?â Thudding feet echoed in the distance.
Blood sped through my veins as I gripped the edge of the counter, gazing into the face I knew so well. A shadow of confusion crossed his expression as he stared back at me before the corner of his mouth drew up in a slight grin, and my face flushed with a burning heat. Goosebumps shivered down my arms, the air seeming to quiver with a faint breeze.
âLayla, are you okay?â Someone shook me by the shoulder. âLayla?â Devonâs voice rang from far away.
I tried to speak, but words wouldnât form. I remembered his face, the waterfall, the forest. The warmth of his hand in mine. Droplets of water cascading down his golden skin. His eyes reflecting the sunlight like crystals. The rush of wind as he ran beside me. His laughter. The sound of his voice when he called my name.
âMax …â I strangled an inaudible whisper, unable to breathe, consumed by the light in his eyes.
âLay.â He stared back at me, seeming unable to move.
He couldnât be real. I swayed, my eyes rolling upward, and dropped to the floor.
(end of chapter 2)
Stay tuned for chapter three and Thank You for reading! đ
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December 21, 2014 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, TIED, Writing, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Layla and Max, The Fire Born Novels, TIED by Laney McMann, YA Fiction, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
Read Chapter One of TIED (FireBorn1) by @LaneyMcMann @JTaylorPub #YA
To celebrate the holiday season, I’ll be sharing the first few chapters of TIED, book 1 in the Fire Born Novels trilogy, over the next few days.
ENJOY!
YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
CHAPTER ONE
My window opened easily. The same way it had so many times before. Climbing out on the ledge, I found the ground empty and dropped from the second floorâa jump Iâd made a hundred times. In another life.
My feet sunk into the sand, and I followed the well-worn pathway through the dunes. Even the strong evening winds hadnât misshaped the deep gully. The oceanâs breeze lashed at my hair as the moonlight glinted off the waterâs surface. Seagulls flew up from their nesting grounds. They should have recognized me, since Iâd been wandering at night for so long. Wrapping my arms around my knees to block the slight chill, I settled in the sand, and the birds quieted in a tight huddle, the wind blowing their feathers in awkward angles.
My gaze fell on a figure standing beyond the dunes edge, a shadow hidden within the darkness. My pulse quickened, but I didnât move. Another trickâan illusion. Weary of the games my mind continued to play, I bit back tears and the catch in my throat. I should have been immune to themâthe hallucinationsâthe way they haunted me and followed me, but I wasnât.
Forcing myself to blink, I turned my head away. The visions had grown worse as Iâd become older. Iâd tried to convince myself they were nightmaresâor weird dreams. Hoped for years
they were, but only people who sleep dream.
Unable, or unwilling to stop myself, I glanced back over my shoulder, thoughts flooding my brain. Memories I knew couldnât be memories but I cherished all the same. For years Iâd tried to shake them away. To make myself forget. I couldnât.
@
A stone raps against my bedroom window. I creep over and peer through the blinds. âYouâre late.â I lean out over the sill, grinning at the boy staring up at me.
âCome on, letâs go before she comes,â he says.
I climb onto the window ledge. âBe nice. Sheâs my friend.â
âOkay. Jump.â He waves at me to go faster.
âMove, and I will.â He takes one casual step to the side.
The jump isnât too high; I make it all the time.
He grabs my hand when I land beside him in the soft sand.
âReady?â
I nod.
âOne, two …â
âIâm going to tell!â Benny runs across my yard toward me, her blonde pigtails flapping in the wind. âYouâre not allowed to talk to that boy, Layla! Your mom said!â
Max tightens his grip on my hand. âShut up, Benny! Iâm old enough.â
âYouâre only nine. Donât go! â
âThree!â Max and I leave the ground.
âYouâre going to get in so much trouble.â Bennyâs yell rings in the distance.
Our feet touch down in the wet grass of the Otherworld, icy sea air whipping at my face.
âHopefully, she wonât follow us again.â Max lets go of my hand.
âShe wonât. I told her not to.â I lead the way down the cliff face to the ocean.
âShe never listens to you.â I glare at him and keep walking.
âWait.â He scrambles down the path after me, losing his footing on the rocks for a moment before he catches himself.
I reach for his hand, my fingers brushing over the leather bracelet wrapping his wristâthe one that matches my own. âLetâs go see if the water spirits are out.â Pulling him beside me, I run through the last stretch of pebbles to the sand.
âThe Merrows donât like to be gawked at. Letâs do something else.â He tries to yank his hand away, but I tighten my grip and hold it in place.
âWe could play skip the stone.â His voice rises above the wind in my ears. âIâll let you win this time.â
âIâm the youngest, so I get to choose what we do.â
âYou chose last time. And who said you were the youngest? Anyway, the Merrows hate us. Letâs do something else.â He trudges along behind me, pouting.
My laughter rings on the wind.
~~~
The sting of loss reverberated in my chest as the chill of night air seeped into my bones. I opened my eyes to the darkened shoreline and glanced again toward the dunes. No shadow remained. No one stood watching me. I had lost my mind.
(end of chapter)
Stay tuned for chapter two and thank you for reading! đ
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December 20, 2014 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, TIED, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Layla and Max, The Fire Born Novels, TIED by Laney McMann, YA Fiction, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | 1 Comment
Author Spotlight and New Release ~ Burdin of Choice by Alexander Nader
Today I’m happy to be hosting my friend, and fellow author, Alex Nader, whose sequel to Beasts of Burdin, Burdin of Choice has launched.
Check it out!
**************
Title:Â Burdin of Choice (Beasts of Burdin #2)
Author:Â Alexander Nader
Publisher:Â J. Taylor Publishing
Release Date:Â November 10, 2014
Keywords:Â ADULTÂ Urban Fantasy
Blurb:Â
Ty Burdin is back. Back to drinking and back to avoiding demons. He is, of course, the leading expert in his field. In both subjects.
Thatâs probably why, when a customer offers him way too much money just to locate a missing car and some mysterious cargo, he readily agrees. The dude is human after allâTyâs prime target client base.
Along with the money comes a slew of disappearances which Ty tries to ignore while tracking down that car, because, of course, those missing people might be demon related, and as heâs said before, thatâs agency business. Not his. Period.
Until today.
Ty Burdin is to back drinking as well as everything he vowed never to get involved with again.
Question is, which one will kill him first? The booze, the demons, or the Agency?
**********
If you follow my blog, you’ll know I’m a fan of this series. Love, love Ty Burdin. Here’s my review on Amazon and Goodreads:
Once again Ty Burdin has me wrapped up and unable to close the book on his badass, smart witted, completely endearing nature. There is something so basic and pure about the way Alexander Nader breathes life into this character that it almost takes me back a step, and make me pause while I’m reading, just to take in what Ty has said. The simple, yet eloquent, while being utterly sarcastic, and also funny, way Nader portrays Ty is a skill I have yet to see done in the way Nader does it and makes this story hard to put down.
At the end of Beasts of Burdin, book #1 in the trilogy, I wasn’t sure where the second installment in the series would go, or how it would get there, but Burdin of Choice picks up at a run, and keeps running. The book has meat. It has emotion. It has heart. Ty is someone you want to know. Well done.
Can’t wait for book 3.
You can check it out on Goodreads
***********
For his blog tour stop, Alex agreed to answer some questions for me,
so let’s hear what he has to say:
LM: Burdin of Choice continues Ty Burdin’s story, and is the second book in the Beasts of Burdin Trilogy, how hard was it for you to get back into character, or did you go straight from Beasts of Burdin into Burdin of Choice?
 AN: I had originally planned for Beasts of Burdin to be a standalone novel. So when J. Taylor Publishing asked if I would write it as a trilogy, I kind of freaked out. I was super nervous (I had never written a sequel at the time) so I jumped right in to Burdin of Choice (BOC). Getting back in to character wasn’t as big a deal, but writing the story was. I think a lot of sequels just tell the original story over again to build on the success and I didn’t want that for Burdin. I took BOC in a new direction and that was scary for me.
 LM: Well, I really liked Beasts of Burdin and I loved Burdin of Choice even more, so I’m glad they pushed you to write a trilogy. đ Ty, the MC in the story, (who is awesome) has quite a few issues bewteen fighting demons in the real world as well as in his own head, and that carries into the second book. One of my favorite scenes introduces new demons into the mix, as well as new characters. Do you plan which twists and turns each story will make before hand, or do you let the story and the characters lead you?
 AN: A little bit of both. I start with a rough outline. I’m talking rough. I mean like ‘getting fired on your first day of work’ rough. So I start with a plan, but there’s lots of room for adjustments as the story sees fit. I pretty much just plan on spending 170 pages ruining Ty’s life. I’m kind of a jerk like that.
 LM: It’s kind of our jobs to be jerks to our characters. đ Speaking of jerks, Ty might be considered as being a jerk sometimes, but he also has a sweet and endearing side, any inspirations behind the creation of his character?
AN: Ty has a bit out a mouth on him. It may, or may not, get him in to trouble at times.:) Ty started from your average noir character. There’s something about the honesty in those old novels and movies that strikes me. The characters all say how they feel and it’s funny and honest and a little hurtful all at the same time. Ty was born from that.
 LM: Any particular music you listen to when you write? Something that inspires your stories? Or do you write in silence?
AN: If I’m writing a really intricate scene, I usually write in silence. In general, I listen to instrumental stuff while I write too. Then again, here recently I’ve been listening to a lot of metal while I write. It really just depends. I have a hard time listening to music I know while I write because I think the lyrics instead of my words.
 LM: I almost always listen to music while I write, but sometimes I realize I’m singing … so I have to change the song. đ Anything special things you need nearby when you write? Favorite pen? Coffee?
 AN: A comfy chair, usually. I like to keep the wife close too. I make her listen to all the lines I’m proud of as I go along.
 LM: Good answer. Think that’s a wrap. đ
To celebrate the launch Alex is having a Giveaway!
Rafflecopter
AND …
You can find Burdin of Choice here:
 AND as another way to celebrate the launch, Beasts of Burdin, book #1, is on sale now for .99!
Alex lives in the tourist infested hills of east Tennessee with his amazing wife/muse and three superb children. He would tell you more about how awesome they are, but you probably wouldnât believe him. When heâs not hanging out with them heâs making pizzas and occasionally he jots a few words down. Heâs a big fan of good music, good storytelling, and fun, lots of fun.
He once wrote a short story about pirates to his wife via text message that blossomed into a full length novel and never stopped after that.
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November 13, 2014 | Categories: Books, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases | Tags: Alexander Nader, Amazon, Author, Beasts of Burdin trilogy, Burdin of Choice, Goodreads, J. Taylor Publishing | Leave a comment
COVER REVEAL ~ Burdin of Choice by Alexander Nader
Today, I am happy to share fellow author, and friend, Alexander Nader’s new cover for
Burdin of Choice,
the 2nd book in the Beasts of Burdin series.
Check it out:
by Alexander Nader
Release Date:Â November 10, 2014
Target Reader:Â Adult
Keywords:Â Urban Fantasy
Back of the Book
Ty Burdin is back. Back to drinking and back to avoiding demons. He is, of course, the leading expert in his field. In both subjects.
Thatâs probably why, when a customer offers him way too much money just to locate a missing car and some mysterious cargo, he readily agrees. The dude is human after allâTyâs prime target client base.
Along with the money comes a slew of disappearances which Ty tries to ignore while tracking down that car, because, of course, those missing people might be demon related, and as heâs said before, thatâs agency business. Not his. Period.
Until today.
Ty Burdin is to back drinking as well as everything he vowed never to get involved with again.
Question is, which one will kill him first? The booze, the demons, or the Agency?
************
** I gave the first book in this series 4 Stars. Here’s my review on Goodreads:
Still grinning. I could say that the plot was tight, the story moved at the speed of light, and I liked the new approach on demons versus the world, and that would all be true, but even more than thatâ what kept me turning the pages was Ty. His voice is fresh and witty and sarcastic, and I found myself getting wrapped up in his words, the way he talked, the way he saw life. Really a great book that pulled me out of my own head and put me in someone else’s. For me, that’s the benchmark of a good story. Can’t wait to see what Ty gets into in Burdin 2.
**********
For more info:Â J. Taylor Publishing
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May 13, 2014 | Categories: Books, Cover Reveals, J Taylor Publishing, Upcoming Releases | Tags: 2014 new book releases, Adult Urban Fantasy, Alexander Nader, Author, Beasts of Burdin series, Burdin of Choice, cover reveals, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing | Leave a comment
TORN (Fire Born #2) Playlist Countdown
Continuing on with the TORN playlist this week.
I am compiling all of the songs for the book and will be posting them up until the launch in September.
So, for the second track, here’s:
QUIET
by
This Will Destroy You.
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April 28, 2014 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, Fire Born Updates, J Taylor Publishing, Music, TORN, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, Fiction, Inspiration, laney mcmann, Layla and Max, The Fire Born Novels, This Will Destroy You, TIED, TIED by Laney McMann, TORN, TORN by Laney McMann, TORN playlist, upcoming YA releases, YA books for 2014, YA Fiction, you tube, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
Author Spotlight & Book Release ~ INSPIRED by Danielle E. Shipley
I have a special treat on the blog today. I’m sharing Danielle E. Shipley’s just released, INSPIRED
And we have a giveaway plus an interview with the author. đ
Here’s a peek:
Release Date:Â March 17, 2014
Target Reader:Â Adult
Keywords:Â Fiction
Description
For a muse like LucianĂel, one storyâs end is anotherâs beginning.
In the wake of his authorâs sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creationsâfour fantastical characters with tales yet to be toldâsaving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.
Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant museâs inspiration.
Or so he hopes.
Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all theyâve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.
Their own.
Let’s talk to Danielle about the book:
LM: How long have you been writing?
DS:Â Pretty much since I realized books didnât just show up in Mommyâs hands for her to read to me â theyâre made, and anyone with a grasp of words can make them! So I started grasping around age 5 or 6, and never let go.
LM:Â Did you always aspire to be an author?
DS:Â An author just for fun? Yes, always. A professional author? Not âtil the realization in my late teens that authorhood is the only career Iâve got a heart for. So since then, Iâve followed the passion with everything Iâve got.
LM:Â Can you tell us what inspired you to write the story? đ
DS: My favorite gang of muses: My characters! Most of the people I make up either donât like me much or just donât care, but a handful of them and I get alongâŠwell, as much as we get along with anybody. XD So I wanted to show what our crazy relationship is like, just with a little bit more of an actual plot. Trust me, no reader wants to wade through an accurate transcript of our nonsensical interactions.
LM:Â Who is your favorite character and why?
DS:Â Aw, thatâs tough! Even assuming weâre narrowing it down to just the âInspiredâ cast, I stand most in awe of Luc, but Wilburâs the sweetest, while itâs so much fun to let my attitude out in Uri. If all the characters were about to fall off a mental cliff or something, though, Iâd probably grab for Yves. I guess I feel the most maternal about him, since he looks like the character most desperately in need of a motherâs hug!
LM:Â Are you working on any new projects you’d like to share with us?
DS:Â April is Camp NaNoWriMo (the non-November version of National Novel Writing Month), and one of my other favorite muses (hi, Mom!) recently sparked some big plans for a book which just may involve some faces made familiar through âInspiredâ. Iâm excited to zoom through the first draft and see what the fictional folk do on the page!
LM:Â Plotter or Pantser?
DS:Â Plotter. Hard core. If I donât have my 20-plus pages of chapter-by-chapter outline, I donât feel half ready.
LM:Â What books are you currently reading, if any?
DS:Â Itâs been a Book Two kind of reading scene, these days. Just finished Maggie Stiefvaterâs âDream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2)â and Rachel Bachâs âHonorâs Knight (The Paradox Trilogy #2)â; currently a few pages into A.G. Howardâs âUnhingedâ (sequel to âSplinteredâ); and Iâve been working my way through a leisurely re-read of Stephen Lawheadâs âScarlet (King Raven Trilogy #2)â for months, âcause itâs always pleasant to have a Robin Hood retelling chillinâ out in the background.
LM:Â Twitter or Facebook?
DS:Â Lately, Twitter. Technologically speaking, it tends to frustrate me less.
LM:Â Fantasy or Paranormal?
DS: Both! A wizard and a vampire time travel into a bar⊠I will read about that bar. I love a good genre-mash.
LM:Â Any tips you’d like to give aspiring writers hoping to be published one day?
DS:Â Write whatever the heck you want! Donât be too hard on your work, but always push yourself to make it better. Donât worry about what everybody else is writing; you do you. Know that reaching your goals may well take longer than the building of Rome, but hey, every little brick helps to keep the dream alive. And only let life make you bitter if youâre confident you can channel that vitriol into a smashing story.
LM:Â When you’re not writing, you are?
DS:Â Twitchy over the fact that Iâm not writing. Working on production prep for my self-pubbed projects. Wasting time online. Squealing over BBCâs âSherlockâ with my cross-country BFF. Weeping my charactersâ tears as they weather some out-of-book storm. Talking out the blues with my mom. Seriously wishing I were writing.
LM:Â Tea or Coffee?
DS: Tea! A friend got me hooked on a site that lets you create customs blends. Iâve got two character-inspired teas Iâm drinking by the pot already, and there shall be more.
LM:Â Summer or Winter?
DS: Summer. I despise the cold and early darkness of winter. It kills my soul. âŠthough itâs hoodies and tea season, so thereâs that.
LM: I despise the cold too! Early bird or Night Owl?
DS: Night owl. I mean, Iâd love to start my day early, but not if it means I have to consistently be in bed before midnight. Besides, my muse enjoys poking me between 1 and 2am.
LM:Â Favorite time to write?
DS: I like to get started first thing, otherwise distractions will push the start time back âtil Iâve lost the morning. (I guess my brain really does see 1am as the magical genesis hour, because by the time we cross into the afternoon, my day feels half over â never mind that there are way more waking hours ahead of me than behind.) On the other hand, once Iâve started, I donât want to stop, so the pm hours become my favorite, too. So I guess the short answer would have been âwhen Iâm awakeâ. X)
Thanks so much, Danielle. đ
Danielle is also having a GIVEAWAY!
ENTER HERE!
Danielle E. Shipleyâs first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. …Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. Sheâs also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who homeschooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble. When sheâs not living the highs and lows of writing young adult novels, sheâs probably blogging about it.
Twitter: @DESHIPLEY
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April 11, 2014 | Categories: Author, Books, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases | Tags: Arts, Author, Blog tour INSPIRED, Danielle E. Shipley, fantasy novel, Fiction, INSPIRED, J. Taylor Publishing, New Release 2014 | 3 Comments
Cover Reveal ~ SECRET OF THE SOULS (Pool of Souls #2) by Terri Rochenski
Today I’m sharing Terri Rochenski’s cover of
SECRET of the SOULS,
book two in the POOL of SOULS series.
 Check it out:
by Terri Rochenski
Release Date:Â October 6, 2014
Target Reader:Â Adult
Keywords:Â Fantasy
Back of the Book
Thrust out of their homes by a human High Priest on a vengeful mission, the Natives of Derlund no longer have a place to call their own. One escaped capture, however, and now she, Hyla, is the only one who can save her people.
For, Hyla, though, saving her nation isnât her ultimate goalâreturning to the Pool of Souls is. Becoming its Guardian and preserving their faith is her heartâs desire. The perils of her current journey, though, could leave her unable to fulfill that dream.
To find her way back to the Pool, Hyla must live among dangerous, powerful humans willing to defend the Natives, and must submit herselfâher Talentsâto them. While her protection is paramount, plots to end Hylaâs life will push her to her physical and emotional limits.
On the edge of sanity, her courage tested, and convictions nearly broken, Hylaâs final test of loyalty to her faith comes with the death of one she could have loved.
For more info:Â J Taylor Publishing
Terri Rochenski
Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundiâs Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare âmeâ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.
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April 8, 2014 | Categories: Books, Cover Reveals, J Taylor Publishing, Upcoming Releases | Tags: Adult Fantasy Novels, Author, cover reveal, J. Taylor Publishing, Pool of Souls, Secret of Souls cover reveal, Terri Rochenski | Leave a comment
Release Day Blast ~ UNNATURAL by J.A. Belfield
UNNATURAL RELEASES TODAY!
Unnatural. One word to sum up werewolf Kyle Larsenâhis mood swings, abnormal body, and choice of female.
The first two, he blames on the vampire venom.
The third, though? No, feline shifter Brook Nicholls was all his doingâa female of whom the pack will never approve.
As part of the Coalition, an organisation with even stricter rules than the pack and a rigidly warped sense of responsibility, Brook comes with a whole lot of opposition of her own.
No wonder the two of them keep their relationship secret for as long as they can.
Now, distanced from his family by his own indiscretions, Kyleâs left to fight battles heâs unsure how to winâsome of them even against his own pack.
Is one woman really so important that heâs willing to defy his Alpha for her?
If his heart has any say in the matter, the answer will be yes.
To celebrate Unnatural‘s release, CAGED, Holloway Pack 3 is on SALE!
The UNNATURAL Blog Tour begins tomorrow, and throughout the duration of the tour, CAGED will be available for just 99c.
AND there’s a GIVEAWAY!
Up for grabs is:
Enter in Rafflectopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!
To grab your own copy of UNNATURAL, click on any of the purchase links below.
~~~~~
Best known for her Holloway Pack Stories, J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, two cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.
Website | Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Booklikes
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April 7, 2014 | Categories: Books, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases | Tags: adult paranormal, Adult Urban Fantasy, Arts, Author, Book Blast, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing, JA Belfield, The Holloway Pack Stories, Unnatural by J.A. Belfield | Leave a comment
COVER REVEAL ~ TORN (Fire Born #2) by Laney McMann
It’s here!
***
The cover & blurb for TORN,
book #2 in The Fire Born Novels series,
is live!
Check it out:
Fire Born
by Laney McMann
Release Date:Â September 8, 2014
Target Reader:Â Young Adult
Keywords: Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Back of the Book
Find Max.
Thatâs all Layla cares about. Not healing from the Fomore attack. Not finding answers to how she survived a fall that nearly killed her. Nothing will stop her. She will find him. Sheâll even pair up with an overbearing Fallen Angel whoâs hell bent on making everything harder than it needs to be if she has to.
Protect Layla.
For Max, nothing else matters. Not the bruises covering his body. Not the pain radiating from his broken bones. Not even his hands tied behind his back. He will find a way to save Layla, and the Fomore will pay if theyâve hurt her.
Every. Single. One of them.
In the second installment of The Fire Born trilogy, a new breed of villain loomsâone Layla and Max will never suspect, and this killer has nothing to lose. Better yet, with Max and Laylaâs deaths, victory is in the grip of the enemy.
Will Max and Layla find each other in time, or is it already too late for them both?
For more info:Â J Taylor Publishing
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March 11, 2014 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, Cover Reveals, Fire Born Updates, J Taylor Publishing, TORN, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Arts, Author, cover reveal, Fiction, Goodreads, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Layla and Max, Layla Labelle, Max MacLarnon, The Fire Born Novels, TIED, TIED by Laney McMann, TORN, TORN by Laney McMann, TORN Cover Reveal, upcoming book releases 2014, Upcoming urban fantasy 2014, upcoming YA releases, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
ARC Giveaway ~ INSPIRED by Danielle E. Shipley
J. Taylor Publishing are giving away FIVE ARCs of Inspired by Danielle E. Shipley!
Check it out!
For a muse like LucianĂel, one storyâs end is anotherâs beginning.
In the wake of his authorâs sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creationsâfour fantastical characters with tales yet to be toldâsaving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.
Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant museâs inspiration.
Or so he hopes.
Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all theyâve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.
INSPIRED is an innovative glimpse at the true muse of a writer, a tale told with style and wit. And J. Taylor Publishing is giving away FIVE ARC copies.
To YOU!
You donât even have to be a book blogger!
Nope, so long as you are willing to leave an honest review between the dates March 3rd and March 17th 2014, you are eligible to enter.
Interested?
Then just fill out the form and keep your fingers crossed.
You have until midnight of March 2nd to enter.
About Danielle E. Shipley:
Danielle E. Shipleyâs first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. …Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. Sheâs also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who homeschooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble. When sheâs not living the highs and lows of writing young adult novels, sheâs probably blogging about it.
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February 24, 2014 | Categories: Author, Books, Giveaways, J Taylor Publishing, Upcoming Releases | Tags: ARC giveaway, Arts, Author, Book Giveaway, Danielle Shipley, Fiction, INSPIRED, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, upcoming book releases 2014 | 2 Comments
Book Release and #Giveaway ~ Darkest Day (The 19th Year #3) by Emi Gayle
January 6th marked the release of Darkest Day by Emi Gayle, the final book in the 19th Year Trilogy.
(Is everyone sad yet?)
To celebrate the release, we have a big Giveaway, a quick 10’s List with Suze, and a fun poll about Mac.
Let’s check the book out first:
Blurb:
Mac Thorneâs time as a Changeling is coming to an end.
It may have taken eighteen years, but Mac did finally manage to do what the Council wanted: she chose a teacher and renounced the in-between.
Thereâs just one last step. She must say goodbye to her human. Forever.
After being challenged in every way possible, Mac leaves what she thought would be the easiest task for the last possible moment. As midnight on July fourth draws near, though, she hasnât found a way to give up Winn Thomas.
Nor does she want to.
With time running out, Mac stands at a literal crossroads.
Choose Winn, and sheâll be stripped of the only family sheâs ever knownâvampires, dragons, and her favorite demon. Even her own mother. Accept her position on the Council and rule as an equal to her twelve peers, and sheâll forget Winn ever existed.
Independence and freedom have never before been so limiting.
In this final chapter of the 19th Year Trilogy, itâs time for Mac to decide.
Responsibility? Or Love?
*********
Now let’s hear what Suze’s Top 10 favorite TV shows and movies:
10. Abbott and Costello
9. Alvin and the Chipmunks
8. Batman & Robin
7. Sesame Street
6. Ghostbusters
5. The Goonies
4. Hercules
3. The Jetsons
2. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
1. The Flintstones
 AND for the POLL:
Have some fun with us! And give us your guess:
What will Mac choose upon her 19th birthday?
Enter the Poll
********
AND … the  group Giveaway. Emi is giving away:
– One set of paperback copies of After Dark, Day After AND Darkest Day for the US only.
– Two sets of ebooks of the complete trilogy – this is for International participants
– Three set of bookmarks of the complete trilogy – also open to international participants
Enter the Rafflecopter
*****
For more info you can find Emi Gayle on the web: Web  |  Blog  |  Twitter  |  Facebook
And you can add Darkest Day to Your TBR List on Goodreads
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January 23, 2014 | Categories: Blog Tours, Books, Giveaways, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, Book Giveaways, book tour, Darkest Day, Emi Gayle. The 19th Year Trilogy, Fiction, Goodreads, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, YA books for 2014, YA New releases, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | 2 Comments
#Teaser Tuesday TIED (Fire Born #1)
Blood sped through my veins as I gripped the edge of the counter, gazing into the face I knew so well. A shadow of confusion crossed his expression as he stared back at me before the corner of his mouth drew up in a slight grin, and my face flushed with a burning heat. Goosebumps shivered down my arms, the air seeming to quiver with a faint breeze.
“Layla, are you okay?” Someone shook me by the shoulder. “Layla?” Devon’s voice rang from far away.
I tried to speak, but words wouldn’t form. I remembered his face, the waterfall, the forest. The warmth of his hand in mine. Droplets of water cascading down his golden skin. His eyes reflecting the sunlight like crystals. The rush of wind as he ran beside me. His laughter. The sound of his voice when he called my name.
“Max …”
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November 19, 2013 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, Fire Born Updates, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases, Reading, TIED, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Arts, Author, Book, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Layla and Max, The Fire Born Novels, TIED, TIED by Laney McMann, YA Fiction, young adult book releases 2013, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
#Teaser Tuesday TIED (Fire Born #1)
âLayla.â Bennyâs terrified voice rang out above me. Her fear-filled eyes came into focus as glaring fluorescent lights radiated down from the ceiling. âCan you see me?â
âWho else would I see? Youâre in my face.â I shielded my eyes from the lightâs glare, the vision reverberating through my mind. The same vision Iâd seen a hundred times before. The one I thought had to be a memory but knew couldnât be. The vision that made my heart ache as if it were being ripped out.
A crowd of dancers hovered around, all gazes fixed on me as I hastily wiped my damp eyes.
What did I do?
âI told you she was crazy,â Dena said.
**********
Â
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November 12, 2013 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, Fire Born Updates, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases, Reading, TIED, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Layla, Layla and Max, The Fire Born Novels, TIED, TIED by Laney McMann, YA Fiction, young adult book releases 2013, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
Between The Story Pages ~ Darkest Day
It’s been quite a while since I posted an updated, Between The Story Pages post. I have some backlogging to do.
Last week I started reading the final installment of The 19th Year trilogy,
DARKEST DAY by Emi Gayle
Blurb:
Mac Thorneâs time as a Changeling is coming to an end.
It may have taken eighteen years, but Mac did finally manage to do what the Council wanted: she chose a teacher and renounced the in-between.
Thereâs just one last step. She must say goodbye to her human. Forever.
After being challenged in every way possible, Mac leaves what she thought would be the easiest task for the last possible moment. As midnight on July fourth draws near, though, she hasnât found a way to give up Winn Thomas.
Nor does she want to.
With time running out, Mac stands at a literal crossroads.
Choose Winn, and sheâll be stripped of the only family sheâs ever knownâvampires, dragons, and her favorite demon. Even her own mother. Accept her position on the Council and rule as an equal to her twelve peers, and sheâll forget Winn ever existed.
Independence and freedom have never before been so limiting.
In this final chapter of the 19th Year Trilogy, itâs time for Mac to decide.
Responsibility? Or Love?
*********
So excited to find out how the series will end. I have an ARC, but it won’t be long for the masses to wait … DARKEST DAY releases on January 6th.
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November 5, 2013 | Categories: Author, Books, Current Reads, J Taylor Publishing, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, Darkest Day, Emi Gayle. The 19th Year Trilogy, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Young Adult book releases 2014, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | 1 Comment
NEW RELEASE and Author Spotlight ~ Eye of the Soul by Terri Rochenski
Today I have the pleasure of hosting fellow author, Terri Rochenski and showcasing her awesome ‘just released’ adult fantasy novel, Eye Of The Soul. We have a group Giveaway and an interview! But first let’s see what the book is about:
************
Series:Â Pool of Souls #1
Genre:Â Fantasy
Publisher:Â Â J. Taylor Publishing
Release Date:Â October 7, 2013
BLURB:Â
Escape.
That should be Hylaâs first thought as her people are chained and imprisoned for no imaginable reason.
Instead, Hyla finds herself traveling through a land void of Natives, with human soldiers pillaging in desperate pursuit of her, and in search of the mystical Pool of Soulsâhome to the one man who can save her people.
Or so she believes.
Led by her faith in the deity Fadir, Hyla is met along her journey by Jadonâa human male and fierce Kingâs warrior, and his childhood best friend Conlinâone of the few Natives aware of his Fadir-given Talents.
Protected by Jadon, guided by Conlin, and with an unfailing belief in the purpose of her pilgrimage, Hyla carries on.
Like her, though, another searches for the Pool, and should he gain access first, everyone she loves, and everything she knows, could be lost.
Forever.
******
Excerpt:
Cursing her arthritic fingers, Miri squeezed out a rag and draped it over the human manâs hot forehead.
âIâve seen a lot more harvests than you, old goat,â she muttered, lifting his eyelids. âIâm thinking youâll never catch up either. Doubt you last another half-moonâs phase.â
Miri pushed to her feet and stretched her hunched back. A heavy sigh slipped past her wrinkled lips as she glanced around the sick house. Keeping the night watch wasnât too badâsheâd volunteered often since her old bones wouldnât allow much sleep.
âJoints wasted, hearing all but gone âŠâ Miri yanked on the long white braid lying over her shoulder. âIâm the old goat.â
She shuffled down the aisle, woolen kirtle swishing in the silence. A cool, autumn breeze rustled the crimson leaves of the magnolia and palm fronds overhead, drawing her gaze upward. Violet streaks lit the pre-dawn sky.A dog barked, yipped, and fell silent.
Miri peered across the village green to the thatched buildings beyond. A shadow passed between two cottages. Another three hurried toward the neighboring dwelling.
âSight fading or my mind, too?â Miri rubbed her watery eyes, blinked, and leaned forward. Light flickered through the palm trees behind the outlying homes.
Torches?
The flames drew closer, weaving between the trunks.
Humans from the mainland? Miriâs hand clutched at her throat. Soldiers. Fadir have mercy.
The men crept through the village, taking up positions at every doorway. Two brutes, more horse-like in size than human, approached the sick house.
Sputtering torch held high, the first strode forward, dark eyes intent upon Miri. A green surcoat covered broad shoulders and fell to his thighs. The golden wheat sheaf of the city of Varosh adorned his chest.
Cold sweat beaded upon Miriâs brow. Breath burst from her lungs, and she moved back, clutching the door jam.
The second soldier stepped closer, chains and shackles clanking in his hand. He stopped two paces away from Miri, and a smile stretched his stubbled cheeks, revealing rotted teeth. âGood morning pointy-ears.â
Miri stared, heartbeat thundering in her ears. Sheâd been called worse in her eighty-three birth passings but never with such malice.
A single cry rang out across the village, and doors crashed inward. Screams rent the air.
âDonât fight Native woman,â rotten-teeth sneered, shackles outstretched.
âW-why?â Miri whispered, taking a step backward.
A scowl narrowed his gaze, and his fist shot forward.
Bursts of light and pain exploded through Miri as she crumpled to the floor.
#
Miriâs people huddled on the village green as fallâs pale sun crested the trees. Cold metal had been clasped around their necks and ankles. Many trembled in the cool air, little more than night clothes covering their nakedness. Miri held to her braid with a white-knuckled grip, her head and its egg-sized bump throbbing in time with her pulse.
A handful of other battered Natives who had attempted flight were the last to join them, the soldiers tossing them forward like sacks of potatoes.
Let’s hear what Terri has to say:
So tell us, Terri, how long have you been writing?
TR: I started a true passion in 8th grade when Gundi, a little gnome in my brain, decided that I needed to share his story. Kinda took off from there.
Characters chattering in the brain. I get that too. đ Did you always aspire to be an author?
TR: Actually, no. My journey didnât truly begin until I met Anne Tyler in my mid 20âs and she encouraged me to write a story I had in my mind. She mentored me through 2 historical romance novels and even wrote letters of introduction to a few agents. I received a ton of rejections and gave up on both novels to move onto my passion â fantasy.
Tell me about Eye of the Soul. Was there anything in particular that inspired you to write the story? Do you have a favorite character? Why?
TR: A few yearâs worth of personal experiences inspired Hylaâs story. Youâll have to check out my stop at J.A. Belfieldâs blog to read my post about that. As for a favorite character ⊠I suppose Jadon. Heâs the too-good-looking-for-his-own-good soldier who all the ladies salivate over. Well, all but ONE lady. He learns a few humbling things which make him a better man.
I like Jadon, too. Probably my favorite. Do you have any other projects in the works you’d like to share?
TR: Other than book #2 that Iâm still slaving over, I have another standalone fantasy novel in the works. The tentative title is The Crystal Portal. The world has a Tuscan feel to it, one I canât wait to dive back into one of these days.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
TR: Total plotter. I have binders with tabbed sections, timelines, outlines, character interviews ⊠you name it, I plan it. NO writing begins until these are done. Have to have my eggs in order!
Fantasy fan or paranormal?
TR: Iâm actually a fan of both. I prefer fantasy, but Iâm extremely picky about books in that genre. Medieval & high (WELL WRITTEN) tug at me more than others. As for paranormal, if the story is engaging Iâll read it.
Are you reading any books other than your own?
TR: Iâve read a handful in the past few months, but the best worth mentioning? Fantasy â A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr. Paranormal â Caged (Holloway Pack #3) by J.A. Belfield.
Any tips you’d like to share with other writers hoping to be published one day?
TR: Itâs funny how many times Iâve been asked this one! LOL! Be stubborn. Keep writing. Keep submitting. Donât give up.
Agreed!
Thanks so much, Terri.
***********
On to the Giveaway!
Paperback of Eye of the Soul, notebook, pen and bookmark.
Enter the Rafflecopter
*******
Want Eye of the Soul on your TBR list? Add to Goodreads
BUY Links:
Amazon Paperback  /  Amazon Kindle  /  Barnes & Noble  /  Kobo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundiâs Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare âmeâ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
***********
***********
And lastly, I too am giving away a copy of Eye of the Soul to celebrate the book’s release for the October New Release Giveaway. If you’d like to win an e-book copy, here’s the Rafflecopter to enter:Â Enter HERE!
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October 17, 2013 | Categories: Author Interviews, Blog Tours, Books, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases | Tags: Adult Fantasy Novels, Author, Eye of the Soul, Fiction, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Terri Rochenski | 4 Comments
COVER REVEAL ~ INSPIRED by Danielle E. Shipley
Today I have the pleasure of revealing Danielle E. Shipley’s cover for her upcoming release,
INSPIRED
*****************
Check out this awesome cover. đ
Inspired
Release Date:Â March 17, 2014
Target Reader:Â Adult
Keywords:Â Fiction
Back of the Book
For a muse like LucianĂel, one storyâs end is anotherâs beginning.
In the wake of his authorâs sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creationsâfour fantastical characters with tales yet to be toldâsaving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.
Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant museâs inspiration.
Or so he hopes.
Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all theyâve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.
Their own.
**********
What do you think? đ
************************************
 For more info go to: J TAYLOR PUBLISHING
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August 26, 2013 | Categories: Books, Cover Reveals, J Taylor Publishing, Publishing, Upcoming Releases | Tags: Arts, Author, cover reveal, Danielle E. Shipley, E-book, fairytale, Goodreads, INSPIRED, laney mcmann, Literature | 2 Comments
Author Spotlight: CAGED by J.A. Belfield
As another special treat on the blog today, I have J.A. Belfield here to talk about her newly released
Adult Paranormal novel,
CAGED
The third book in The Holloway Pack Stories.
Let’s hear what she has to say:
Me: How long have you been writing?
J.A.: Hi, Laney. I started writing mid-2009, when I knocked out a werewolf (surprise, surprise) tale called Changes within 2 weeks (no, you can’t read it *shudder*). And, within 7 weeks of writing, I had a complete trilogy that I thought would ROCK THE BOOKISH WORLD!!!! Yeah, I kind of got over that attitude pretty quick.
Me: Ha! Yeah, I think a lot of writers can relate to that. đ Did you always aspire to be an author?
J.A.: I didn’t actually, and I’m sad about that. I started writing because I’d decided to jot down a dream I’d had, which had evolved into a bunch of daydreams, and I once I did, I realised I’d actually been daydreaming up stories my entire life.
So much lost potential for stories because I didn’t recognise my musings for what they were.
Me: It’s interesting how our daydreams and dreams finally shake us hard enough so we hear them saying, “hey, I’m asking to be written.” You made up for lost time with The Holloway Pack Stories, though. đ
Since Caged is part of the The Holloway Pack Stories, can you tell us what inspired you to write the series?
J.A.: I was only actually inspired to write the first book: Darkness & Light, when Sean Holloway started yelling for attention to tell me his tale. Once I’d completed that, I realised I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the pack, and within a few weeks, the beginning of Blue Moon was in a document.
However, it wasn’t until partway through writing Caged that I truly recognised the stories’ potential as a series, because when I first ‘blinked-up’ the idea for Caged, I assumed I was aiming for another trilogy. Funny how we can create something without fully understand its scope.
Me:Â I can completely relate to that. So, who is your favorite character in Caged and why?
J.A.: This is a tough one because I have so manyâthough I can’t name them all without giving away spoilers as there are some new introductions to the group with this tale. So Ethan, definitely! And Kyle comes a close second, because his relationship with Ethan can make them seem like a double-act at times. đ
Me: Are you working on any new projects you’d like to share with us?
J.A.: Well, anyone who’s been reading my blog will know that the fourth Holloway Pack title, Unnatural, is already written and contracted for a spring 2014 release. However, my next goals are writing Holloway Pack 5, discovering if I have it in me to write a YA or NA, or maybe even contemporary romance, and definitely much farther into the future, a freshly-built paranormal romance world.
So, I might be taking a small writing break until autumn, but I’m going to be busy with a lot to figure out once I head back into the writing cave again.
Me:Â With all your future writing plans, tell us, are you a Plotter or Pantser?
J.A.: I used to be 100% pantser, but now I kind of do pantsering with the odd bit of plotting interspersed. đ
Me:Â Me too. I think they call us Hybrids these days. đ What books are you currently reading, if any? (I know your TBR list is a mile long đ )
J.A.: Right now, I’m just about to finish Camp Boyfriend, a YA by J.K. Rockâwhich is pretty cool, btwâand after that I’ll be reading Roar and Liv, an Under the Never Sky short by Veronica Rossi, and tomorrow, my plan is to start Lisa Amowitz’s Breaking Glass. đ
Me:Â Do you prefer Twitter or Facebook?
J.A.: Facebookâbut only on my personal profile because my page(s) drives me nuts with all its advertising offers and mixed up comments.
Me:Â đ Fantasy or Paranormal?
J.A.: Hmmmm … Well, I love urban fantasy, and I LOVE fantasy books like Throne of Glass, but I’m also a HUGE paranormal fanâso, can we call it a tie?
Me: We can definitely call it a tie. Any tips you’d like to give aspiring writers hoping to be published one day?
J.A.: Write until your fingers bleed and you’re so exhausted you want to cry. Once you’ve reached that point, congratulations, you’re on the first rung of the ladder to the right path.
And around that, RESEARCH! Yes, research the industry. Don’t assume everyone else is going to give you all the answers. Get up off your hide and find them for yourself. I mean, why wouldn’t you want to be educated in something you’re hoping to be part of? Surely it’s better than going in blind?
Me:Â Good advice. When you’re not writing, you are?
J.A.: Easy one: READING!!! đ
Blurb:
If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.
For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.
Not this time.
Ethanâs reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, heâs about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.
What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one.
If he survives.
Because even Ethanâs not sure heâs strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.
Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.
~~~~~
CAGED Buy Links:
And if you’d like check out BLUE MOON, the 2nd book in The Holloway Pack Stories, it’s on sale now for $0.99 here :
In addition Ms. Belfield is having a Giveaway for CAGED!
PRIZE #1
PRIZE #2
PRIZE #3
Want to win? ENTER HERE:
Good luck everyone!
***********
About J.A Belfield:
One day, a character and scene popped into J. A. Belfield’s head, and she started controlling the little people inside her imagination as though she were the puppet master and they her toys. Questions arose: What would happen if …? How would they react if …? Who would they meet if …? Before she knew it, a singular scene had become an entire movie. The characters she controlled began to hold conversations. Their actions reflected the personalities she bestowed upon them. Within no time, they had a life, a lover, a foe, family … they had Become.
One day, she wrote down her thoughts. She’s yet to stop.
J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, three cats, and a dog. She writes paranormal romance with a second love for urban fantasy.
Related articles
- “Caged” or “A Pre-Release Review” (everonword.wordpress.com)
- Angry Wolves – A guest post from Ethan Holloway and J.A. Belfield (alexnaderwrites.wordpress.com)
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August 20, 2013 | Categories: Author, Blog Tours, Books, J Taylor Publishing, New Releases | Tags: 2013 Adult Paranormal Novel releases, adult paranormal, Blue moon, Book, CAGED, Facebook, Giveaway, Holloway Pack, J A Belfield, J. Taylor Publishing, New Adult novels for 2013, The Holloway Pack Stories, Twitter | 2 Comments
COVER REVEAL ~ DARKEST DAY by Emi Gayle
So excited to reveal the final cover of the 19th Year Trilogy, Darkest Day.
Darkest Day
The 19th Year
by Emi Gayle
Release Date:Â January 6, 2014
Target Reader:Â Young Adult
Keywords: Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance,
Thriller/Suspense,Urban Fantasy, Fairy, Shape-shifter, Vampire
Back of the Book
Mac Thorneâs time as a Changeling is coming to an end.
It may have taken eighteen years, but Mac did finally manage to do what the Council wanted: she chose a teacher and renounced the in-between.
Thereâs just one last step. She must say goodbye to her human. Forever.
After being challenged in every way possible, Mac leaves what she thought would be the easiest task for the last possible moment. As midnight on July fourth draws near, though, she hasnât found a way to give up Winn Thomas.
Nor does she want to.
With time running out, Mac stands at a literal crossroads.
Choose Winn, and sheâll be stripped of the only family sheâs ever knownâvampires, dragons, and her favorite demon. Even her own mother. Accept her position on the Council and rule as an equal to her twelve peers, and sheâll forget Winn ever existed.
Independence and freedom have never before been so limiting.
In this final chapter of the 19th Year Trilogy, itâs time for Mac to decide.
Responsibility? Or Love?
**********************
Can’t wait for Darkest Day, the third, and final, book of the 19th Year Trilogy! Loved both After Dark and Day After.
Related articles
- Cover Reveal: Darkest Day by Emi Gayle (bookarooju.wordpress.com)
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June 17, 2013 | Categories: Books, Cover Reveals, J Taylor Publishing, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Arts, cover reveal, Darkest Day, Emi Gayle. The 19th Year Trilogy, J. Taylor Publishing, Mac, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Winn and Mac, Young-adult fiction | 2 Comments
My Music Monday (TIED Countdown) Wk 16! #YAlit
Moving into the 16th week on the TIED playlist countdown … September 9th is in sight.
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May 28, 2013 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, Fire Born Updates, J Taylor Publishing, TIED, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: COLDPLAY, Fiction, Fix You, J. Taylor Publishing, laney mcmann, Layla and Max, playlists, The Fire Born Novels, TIED, TIED A Fire Born Novel, TIED by Laney McMann, YA Fiction, you tube, young adult book releases 2013, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | Leave a comment
My Music Monday (TIED Countdown) Wk 17
Moving into the 17th week on the TIED playlist!
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May 20, 2013 | Categories: A Fire Born Novel, Books, Fire Born Updates, J Taylor Publishing, TIED, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult Novels | Tags: Author, laney mcmann, Layla & Max, music, my music monday, Night Terrors of 1927, The Fire Born Novels, TIED, TIED by Laney McMann, TIED playlist, YA Fiction, you tube, young adult book releases 2013, young adult paranormal romance, young adult urban fantasy | 7 Comments