Poor Baby Dragon – Giveaway – The Emerald Key by Mark Frederickson @mfredwriter

Posted on October 14, 2016 by fundinmental

The Emerald Key by Mark Frederickson is a fun filled adventure for all ages.

If you like dragons, I LOVE dragons, this baby will steal your heart.

MY REVIEW

The Emerald Key by Mark Frederickson is a fun filled adventure for kids of all ages. When I read about magic and dragons, I knew I wanted to go with them and I love that the action began early.

Laci lives mostly through books. Her best friend, Penny, stands up for her when she won’t do it for herself. They are opposites, Penny is an athlete and a chic dresser. Laci is a bookworm and dresses for comfort. She’s a bit of a klutz too.

In the attic, the girls find a hidden box and the adventure is set in motion.

Four teens, a book of magic and a baby dragon…

“Poisonous snakes, dragons, cliffs and traps? Guessing this isn’t a big tourist destination.”

A fun story of traveling through portals with a fire breathing baby dragon, dodging styggs, Chuvashia, Hellblaze Wyvers, Vardo Witches, Glem fog, pirates and deadly vines, all to return him to his home.

I can’t figure out who they can trust or who will betray them.

I do wonder if one mystery will be solved and they will return home with more than they started out with…or less.

What would you think if the fantasy world you read about became a reality and you were in it?

The Emerald Key made me think of Neverending Story. A book is an adventure, but what happens when magic brings it to life?

I love action and adventure and we also have a mystery to solve. All the characters have an important part to play and I hope if I ever fall down the rabbit hole I have friends like Laci’s to accompany me.

The ending was fabulous and if you like a smile on your face when you close a book, then this will be good one.

I received a copy of The Emerald Key from Mark Frederickson.

4 Stars

The Emerald Key by Mark Frederickson & Melora Pineda

Penny and Laci are headed for a mundane summer vacation until a mysterious journal unlocks a portal to another world and they find themselves face to face with a baby dragon. In an attempt to send their new acquisition back to its home, the girls, along with two neighborhood friends, get sucked through to a mythical world. In this land, they must battle foes seen and unseen, pushing them to both their physical and mental limits. If they fail to stop the powers they’ve unleashed, it could not only destroy this strange world, but also annihilate their own.

WOODSHED EXCERPT

They could hear the deep breaths of the dragon as it passed by the shed. They crouched motionless under the window with their backs pressed against the wall. Not only did they hear it sniffing the ground and the walls, but that familiar methane smell was overwhelming. It rounded the side and approached the woodshed doors.

Buzz mouthed a jumbled Hail Mary while attempting, but failing to make the sign of the cross.

A loud screech in the distance startled them out of their silent formation and Buzz’s haphazard prayer. The dragon pushed off the ground with its massive legs and flew away, back in the direction of the enormous mountain they had seen from the top of the knoll. It turned back once to circle the shed; then as quickly as it arrived, it vanished into the horizon behind the trees.

Praise for The Emerald Key

“In The Emerald Key, authors Mark Frederickson and Melora Pineda take readers on a fast-paced journey sure to enthrall not only middle-grade readers but their parents, as well. Laci and Penny will appeal to anyone looking for strong, resourceful female characters and the side characters are well-developed and hilarious, too (my favorite might be Buzz!).”
– Author Julie Gardner

“If you like fantasy and want adventure, this book is for you! It is entertaining for adults as well as middle-grade students…Just when you think there’s nothing new anyone could offer in a fantasy, these two authors prove you wrong. They have created a very believable new world fraught with danger and excitement at every turn. I couldn’t put it down.”
– Dani B

“I love the vivid characters and the way you can picture all the action…I would recommend this book for any age and it is a book that grandparents can buy for their grand kids and know that it is an exciting story and a safe read.”
– Amazon Customer

“A real page turner, loved it. This book is funny and an adventure story for both young and old readers. I’m looking forward to the next book!”
– MJP

Blog Tour Schedule

Mark Frederickson

Mark was born and raised in Southern California. He graduated UC Santa Barbara with a degree in film and has worked in the film industry for years. He has written several screenplays and had a show optioned by MTV. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Rebecca and his daughter Sara. This is his first novel, and hopefully not his last.

Facebook * Twitter

Melora Pineda

After Melora graduated from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, she worked in the television industry for several years before becoming a library volunteer at her daughters’ school. Her passion for both reading and entertainment inspired her to write. This is her first novel. She currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and a pet bunny and a fish. Oh…never mind, the fish died.

Facebook * Twitter

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/30/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway – Shifted in Seattle by Lisa Medley @l isamedley @GoddessFish

Posted on October 14, 2016 by fundinmental

Shifted in Seattle by Lisa Medley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: paranormal romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

No one’s ever captured a Sasquatch.

Until now.

Sasquatches have roamed the Pacific Northwest for centuries, hiding in the wilds of the northern territories and protected by the Lummi nation.

When Seattle author Ethan Lane’s secret is exposed after a first date with Ruby Parsons goes wonderfully right, then horribly wrong, he’s faced with betraying his clan or losing his only chance at true love and a normal life.

Sometimes love gets hairy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

With friends like this… excerpt:

“Ruby! It’s him!”

Ruby Parsons peered around her iPad at her roommate Claire, who bounced excitedly on the opposite end of the couch. “And who would he be?”

“Listen to this Daveslist “Near Misses” ad:

H.P. Lovecraft: Stand-Up Comedian – m4w (Annex Theater) – Seattle

Tuesday night, after the show, you and I flirted while in line for the bathroom. We agreed that even if the staff had to clean up a blood sacrifice, the place was still nicer than the streets below.

You smiled at me as you took off, but there was no chance for me to get your name.

Buy you a drink sometime? We might as well enjoy ourselves before Cthulhu rises…”

Ruby scrambled across the couch and stuffed herself into the crack between Claire and the cushioned back for a look at the ad.

“It’s Cthulhu! Your Lovecraftian lobster,” Claire said, handing over the iPad for her to see.

“You have got to quit watching Friends reruns.” Ruby read the ad. Her heart hammered in her chest, and a blush of heat covered her face and neck. It was him. Too many exact details not to be. Still. A classified ad? In “Near Misses”? It was so…seedy. Wasn’t it? What kind of people posted ads like that, or worse…responded to them? “Listen, I met the guy for like thirty seconds in line for the bathroom.”

“And then reread The Call of Cthulhu even though you practically have the thing memorized and went on and on and on about him and his hipster beardedness for weeks. Weeks!” Claire snatched her iPad out of Ruby’s hands then launched off the couch and into the swinging papasan chair. She began typing furiously on the tablet.

“What are you doing?” Ruby asked, concerned.

“Answering him, of course.”

ABOUT LISA MEDLEY

Lisa has always enjoyed reading about monsters in love and now she writes about them, because monsters need love too.  She adores beasties of all sorts, fictional as well as real, and has a farm full of them in her Southwest Missouri home, including: one child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands of Italian bees, and a guinea pig.   She may or may not keep a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out bag in her trunk at all times, including a machete. Just. In. Case.

Facebook / Twitter / Website / Newsletter / Goodreads / G+ / Amazon Author Page

Book Buy Links: Amazon / Smashwords / KOBO / ibooks / Nook

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Lisa Medley will be awarding a Sasquatch Swag Pack: a Bigfoot of chocolate, Jack Link’s Squatch sticks and Shifted in Seattle bookmarks to a randomly drawn (U.S. only) winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Giveaway & Review – Bewitched by Nancy Fraser @nfraserauthor @GoddessFish

Posted on October 11, 2016 by fundinmental

The fun cover of Bewitched by Nancy Fraser was impossible for me to resist.

I love all the colorful elements.

Bewitched by Nancy Fraser

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GENRE: Vintage (1960s) Historical

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MY REVIEW

The cover for Bewitched by Nancy Fraser immediately caught my eye. I am a sucker for a pretty cover, so how can I resist such a fun, colorful one. Bewitched is a quick and entertaining romance.

A new man moves into the neighborhood and love is in the air.

He peeks out the window at her. She peeks out the window at him. Have you ever snuck a glance at some cutie, only to see he/she is sneaking a glance at you?

This light, yet sexual tension filled romance is predictable, but the bumps along the road leading to the happy ever after are filled with fingerpaints and upchucking, childhood hijinks, courting and falling in love.

I loved the characters from the beginning. She’s sweet, he’s hot and the peripheral characters play their part in fleshing out this fun filled novella that I would highly recommend.

I received a copy of Bewitched from Nancy Fraser.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

BLURB

Chicago, Fall 1964
Allison Stiles is the epitome of responsibility. Guardian to her two rambunctious younger brothers, she also runs a home daycare. While she doesn’t have time for a vacation, she really needs a diversion.

Enter Eric Thomas, her new neighbor. Tall, dark and handsome and just what she needs to get her mind off her responsibilities, even if only for a short time.

Moving into the house he inherited from his uncle was not part of Eric Thomas’ plan. Yet, starting a new business ties up a good portion of his capital, so he forgoes the fancy downtown apartment for the quaint Rogers Park neighborhood.

Now if he could just get his mind off his sexy neighbor and back on the business at hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Allison Stiles gathered up a book by her favorite romance author in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, then crossed the padded alphabet flooring and stepped out onto the enclosed front porch of her Rogers Park home. The neighborhood was old but well kept, the people warm and inviting. The shouts of children playing in the street drew her attention for a brief moment.

She wrapped a thin shawl around her shoulders and settled comfortably into the double-wide porch swing, set her teacup on the nearby window ledge, and opened her book to the first page. Given the week she’d had, she welcomed this chance to unwind, to do nothing but kick back and relax.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do with these two. They’re headed for juvenile hall, I tell you that.”

Principal Garner’s harsh rebuke swirled around inside her head like the colors from a child’s kaleidoscope, forcing her to set aside the book in favor of a sip of calming, herbal tea. As much as she hated to admit it, the man was right. Benny and Phillip were a handful and quickly getting on the edge of her very last nerve.

“We’re sorry, Sis.” Benny’s apology filled her thoughts.

“We didn’t mean to do anything bad. Honest.” Phillip’s younger, softer voice tugged on her heartstrings.

Her brothers’ penchant for trouble and the subsequent call to the principal’s office was just the icing on the cake. She’d spent the entire week wiping runny noses and disinfecting child after child in an effort to keep this first round of seasonal flu from infecting her and everyone around her. She needed more than a cup of tea and a great read. She desperately needed a vacation. Unfortunately, her obligations didn’t allow much down time.

At the very least she needed a distraction of some sort.

The loud slam of a car door and a man’s muttered curse pulled her from this latest bout of self-pity and to the closest window. With the tips of her fingers, she slid the hand-made paper skeleton aside and stared out across her toy-strewn yard.

There in front of her, his arms filled with boxes, minus the one he’d dropped on the ground, stood the most handsome man she’d ever seen. A real-life Adonis, complete with dark, wavy hair and broad shoulders. When he turned toward the porch, she was gifted with an unencumbered view of his narrow hips and taut backside, both of which were encased in a pair of impossibly tight jeans.

She swallowed back the lump in her throat and licked her suddenly-dry lips. As distractions go…this one was darned-near perfect.

ABOUT NANCY FRASER

Like most authors, Nancy Fraser began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published twenty-two books in both full-length and novella format. Nancy will release her 25th book in early 2017. She is currently working on a Valentine’s Day novella, her next Rock and Roll novella, and a story about a racy Scot titled “Kilty Pleasures”.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Nobles

GIVEAWAY

Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC, a second prize of a $5 gift card and a third prize of a digital copy of a novella titled Only Yours to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Book Blitz – The Glitch by Ramona Finn

Posted on October 7, 2016 by fundinmental

The Glitch

by Ramona Finn
Genre: YA Dystopian
Release Date: September 5th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

On the brink of extinction, being human means more than just surviving.

In Lib’s world, it’s dangerous to deviate from the norm. In fact, for someone who doesn’t live up to the Artificial Intelligence’s standards, it’s practically a death sentence. Lib learns this the hard way when she wakes up in a barren wasteland, with her memories erased, and only one thought lodged in her mind:

“It’s all my fault.”

Lib is a Glitch—an imperfect human component of the utopian world called the Norm. Now she’s thrown out, Lib will be forced to team up with another Glitch, Raj, and the mysterious Rogue Wolf and his clan to survive. Wolf only cares about the survival of his group, but Raj thinks they can hack the A.I. and change the Norm for the better.

Now, Lib will have to decide which path to choose—whether to go with striking loner Raj or stay with Wolf and his tight-knit group. Her heart is drawn to both, but she’s carrying a deadly secret that could jeopardize them all. Will she be able to save her newfound family and stop the A.I. before it’s too late?

BUY LINK: Amazon

EXCERPT

The sun is almost over the wall with shadows long and stretching across half the empty land when the other girl begins to stir.

Trying not to startle her, I move close and kneel at her side. I want her to blink. I want her to wake. I want her to move and speak and tell me how the world works.

Pale lashes flutter and her lids open. Her eyes startle—they are so blue they seem a reflection of the sky. I look up just to make sure, but in the end I decide they’re not an exact match in the shade.

When I look back to her, those crystal-blue eyes widen. Her nostrils flare and her skin seems to pale. She tries to scrabble backward, but she can’t move very well.

I put out a hand, but I don’t touch her. She looks as if she might become nonfunctional again if I do. Glancing at my hand, she wets her lips. That reminds me I’m thirsty, too, but there is nothing here. No water, no food…just this girl and me. I don’t want to leave here. I need to know what this girl can tell me about who I am.

“You’re…functional now?”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, she jerks away from me. That’s difficult given that I’m kneeling so close and she’s lying on the floor. But she manages it by using her legs to shove herself, digging her heels into the dust and pushing against cracks in the platform.

I stare at her and ask, “What are you doing?”

When her back hits the semi-circle edge of the railing, which I now know is some kind of connector, she freezes. She glances up at the railing and I can almost see the realization of what happened click within her eyes.

Instantly, she looks at me again. “You!” Her voice is high like a squeak almost.

Hope flutters in my breast. This is where she’ll tell me who I am!

Her next words rush out with a breath. “You’re the crazy girl who saved me.”

Disappointment pulls at my shoulders and I slump back. I don’t know what my expression must look like, but my lower lip quivers. I don’t even know what my face looks like. I don’t think it looks like this girl’s, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we’re copies. Maybe all faces look like hers.

“Why am I crazy?”

She scoots away from the railing and waves up at it. “You could have died. So could I. The hack went bad.”

I’m trying not to react to any of this—it makes no sense. But the girl sees something in my expression—something telling. Her lips tug down again—she has a wide mouth. She sits up and puts her elbows on her knees. “You did save me? Yes?”

I think about her question. About the electricity, the room, and the firewall inside the connect. It was a virtual trap. It wasn’t real. But it was out to make her nonfunctional. Even as fragmented as I am, I know that much. So I nod. “Yes, I did.”

ABOUT RAMONA FINN

Ramona Finn writes about courageous characters who fight to live in broken, dystopian worlds. She believes a person’s true characters is often revealed in times of crisis, and there is no greater crisis than the worlds that she drops her characters into!

She grew up sitting cross-legged on her town’s library floor–completely engrossed in science fiction books. It was always the futuristic world or the universe-on-the-brink-of-extinction plotlines that drew her in, but it was the brave characters who chose to fight back that kept her turning the pages.

Her books create deep, intricate worlds with bold characters determined to fight for their survival in their dystopian worlds–with a little help from their friends. And, of course, romance is never out of the question 😉

Author Links:

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IPhone Magic Anthology – Giveaway – #Untethered edited by Janine A Southard @XpressoReads

Posted on October 4, 2016 by fundinmental

Untethered Anthology
Publication date: October 1st 2016
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

20 stories of magic and technology

Almost everyone carries a smartphone these days. They sit in pockets and on tables. They sleep on headboards and are the first things their owners check in the morning. They’ve edged out more mundane equipment like calendars and MP3 players.

They aren’t magical, of course. Or are they?

In Untethered: A Magic iPhone Anthology, 21 authors twist reality and call into question the mundanity we hold in our hands. They ask the question, “Is that smartphone completely explainable by science?” and they decide the answer is a resounding “No!”

From award-winners and bold new voices, from experienced fantasists and professional technologists, these stories are fun, clever, and often positive about the power of technology.

Enjoy new stories from:
Rhiannon Held / Manny Frishberg / Edd Vick / H.M. Jones / Kris Millering / Raven Oak / Jon Lasser / Sarina Dorie / Jonathon Burgess / Jeremiah Reinmiller / C.S. O’Cinneide / Stevehen Warren / Aaron Giddings, Sr. / Amanda Hackwith / Dale Cameron Lowry / Dawn Vogel / Kyle Yadlosky / J.S. Rogers / Angela Dell’Isola / Stephanie Djock / A. Moritz

At the intersection of fantasy and technology, iPhones could go either way.

Magic knows your number, and it’s calling you.

Goodreads / Amazon / Kobo / Smashwords

Launch price of $2.99 for a limited time only!

—

EXCERPT:

From Jonathon Burgess’s “On Your Right”

Our fishing boat crested another six-foot wave, the deck pivoting sharply before falling back the other way as we slid into the trough. A deluge washed over the bow, the cabin and the stern deck, drenching us all. The South China Sea was doing its best to swamp us.

I fought to keep my balance. Mark clutched at the port side railing, heaving his guts out. His iPhone glowed in the zippered pocket of his jacket, visible through the thin, soaked fabric.

A sailor shouted as he tumbled away, splashing into the half-submerged stern of the fishing boat. “I really don’t think this is the way to Benaroya Hall,” I cried aloud.

Siri’s voice was calm as ever. “Continue one hundred miles south,” she said. “The destination will be on your right.”

***

It started slowly, like most things tend to. I wasn’t fond of downtown Seattle, but Mark went there all the time on work and errands. So he got the cell phone, while I was perfectly happy as the stay-at-home wife with the landline. Why the provider called the house, I’ll never know, but apparently we were eligible for a smartphone upgrade.

Mark was thrilled when it finally showed up. Like most technophiles, he couldn’t wait to try out all the newest bells, whistles, and other features. Frankly, I just hoped the mapping function would help with his abysmal sense of direction.

The box was classic Apple, a monochromatic brick. I liked to say that their products looked more like candy than anything else, but you certainly couldn’t tell from the packaging. This one didn’t even have any pictures, just a logo on the side in tinted foil. The phone itself was slick, some new design I hadn’t seen any of my friends with. Its edges were wholly rounded, and it didn’t have a port to connect a USB or battery cable.

Mark got it all figured out, of course. That’s what he does. Some days he can’t find his rear with both hands, but he’s pretty good with software interfaces. We spent a whole evening on the couch, listening to the bells and finding the whistles and asking silly questions of Siri. It was only the next morning that things started to get weird.

“Emma?” Mark asked. “Where are my keys?”

I was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper over coffee. It was a new blend I had found at a local farmers’ market, but I wasn’t terribly fond of it. Throwing it away would have been wasteful, so into the cupboard it would go, stuffed alongside two hundred others.

I’m picky about my coffee.

Mark was hunting under the table. His briefcase, phone, and travel mug were all in a pile atop it, ready for him to bolt out the door with as soon as he could find the keys to the car.

“Have you seen them?” he asked, now checking behind the knife block on the kitchen counter.

“Did you check your other pants?” I asked, taking another sip. Missing keys were a daily occurrence. Almost a kind of ritual, we’d been through it so many times before. The system we’d developed went like this; I would make faces at my coffee, and he would eventually find the keys somewhere strange before rushing off to join the morning gridlock.

“They’re not in my other pants. I’m sure I just saw them.”

“Take five steps to your left, and enter the living room. Then turn left, and approach the sofa. Lift all three cushions and look underneath. Your keys will be on your right.”

Mark and I looked at each other. Then we both looked to the iPhone, softly glowing atop his briefcase. Then we locked gazes again.

I just shrugged. The microphone must have been on. Some new app feature, I supposed.

Mark picked up his phone and walked out of the kitchen. I picked up my mug, trying to decide whether the latest sip had been worth it after all, then followed.

“They’re not here,” said Mark. He had both cushions on the floor, and was rooting around in the crumbs and loose change they’d hidden.

“That is your love seat,” said Siri, maybe a shade less enthusiastically. “Turn around, then take two steps to your sofa. Underneath, you will find your keys. On your right.”

“Oh,” said Mark. He did as directed, then lifted the keys triumphantly. He jingled them at me. “Found them. Thanks Siri.”

“You’re most certainly welcome,” she replied.

GIVEAWAY!
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She Knows Your Secrets – Touching Death by Becky Johnson #Becky Johnson

Posted on September 30, 2016 by fundinmental

That hand…the Touching Death by Becky Johnson cover…reaching out…touching me.

Have to have it!

Today’s guest is Becky Johnson, author of the mystery suspense novel, TOUCHING DEATH. Please leave a comment or question for Becky below to let her know you stopped by!

About the Book:

Title: Touching Death
Author: Becky Johnson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 209
Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Rachel Angeletti knows things. She always has. With one touch she sees secrets, emotions, lies. Her gift helps her to be the best museum curator in Chicago. It also makes her personal relationships difficult.

Her life is complicated enough when a run in with her ex and an unanticipated vision sends her reeling. One touch and she sees death. One touch and she is thrown into the midst of killer’s dark fantasy. Now Rachel is in a fight for her life against a killer she knows too little about.

With danger stalking her around every turn Rachel is in a thrilling race against the clock. Can she catch a killer before he catches her?

Touching Death will take you on a riveting, page-turning, journey into the mind of a killer and the heart of a survivor.

For More Information

Touching Death is available at Amazon.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

I was eleven the first time I saw someone die.

It was hot. The kind of hot where your shirt sticks to your back and every breath feels thick and heavy. The waistband of my plaid, pleated school uniform was itchy. It was always itchy, but in Chicago in early September with the temperature in the nineties, I could barely stand it.

“Look,” my best friend April gave my arm a sharp and eager tug, “I can’t believe he’s talking to her.”

I looked across the museum where she was pointing. Jonathan Adams. With his dark hair and blue eyes he was the cutest guy in our class. He was talking to Carol, the prettiest girl in our class and our sworn enemy. April had such an intense crush on Jonathan. She had already named their children and when we played the name game she always wanted to get him.

While April plotted revenge on her arch nemesis, I looked across the Ancients room in The Chicago Museum of Anthropology and Archeology to where Billy Masters stood by a glass display case. His hair was unruly and stuck up in odd peaks from his forehead in complete disregard of the rules. His white, button-down shirt hung out over his waistband. Technically, he was wearing the school tie; he just wore it tied around his belt loop, a bright red flag of rebellion. I never wanted to admit it, but when I daydreamed and played the name game, I was always looking for Billy Masters.

Our class slowly moved through the large room. My teacher, Ms. Daniels, stood at the front of our group lecturing on the Egyptian Empire. With her graying hair pulled back into a tight bun, her stockings sagging around her skinny legs, and her soft and squeaky voice the lecture didn’t keep my attention. Her high-pitched voice faded to the background as I gazed at the surrounding exhibits. They were all so beautiful and fascinating. My imagination ran wild with stories and images. I imagined hands cupping a bowl or pulling a comb through a child’s hair. In my mind’s eye a thousand stories and possibilities ran wild.

We walked through the center aisle of a room, clustered with pottery and remnants of houses. I felt the strangest urge, the almost all consuming desire to touch. My fingertips itched. The power of it drew me. The crumbled edges of the pottery bowl almost begged me to touch them. Only a velvet rope and a few feet separated me from that tantalizing edge.

One touch. No one will know.

I didn’t even realize I’d stepped forward until the velvet rope stopped me from going any further. Vaguely, I heard my teacher discussing social structure and family groups, but the pounding of my own heart overpowered all other noise.

Rachel, the past whispered, “come. See. Life and death.”

I reached my hand out and my fingers brushed the edge of the bowl.

Laughter.

Raised voices.

Yelling.

Screams.

Crying.

The images bombarded me — a woman sat in front of a fire pit making dinner for her family. A dispute nearby grabbed her attention. Two men were fighting. The crowd surged and pulsed with the energy of the fight. Screamed words sounded foreign to my ears, but the emotion made perfect sense — fear, anger, uncertainty.

Only the woman with the bowl saw the little boy standing too close to the fighters. Only the woman with the bowl saw the danger. She screamed his name. Her screams went unheard in the din. The crowd moved with the fight, their bodies cutting off her view.

The bowl was clutched tight in her fingers as she struggled forward, pushing people aside. It grew eerily quiet. The crowd slowed, then paused responding to a different energy. Shoulders and heads slumped as they parted before her. The little boy was on the ground. A bloody rock lay near him. She dropped the bowl as she surged forward, screaming.

I awoke on the ground in front the display my face wet and my throat raw with the echo of the screams still ringing in my ears.

About the Author

Books are Becky Johnson’s passion and always have been. She used to get in trouble in school for reading during class!

Becky has Master’s degrees in social work and history, and for her day job she is a social worker. In her writing she tries to answer a question that is important to both social work and history: Why? She always wants to know why people do the things they do or feel the way they feel.

When not reading or writing she enjoys yoga, photography, cooking, and makes a
pretty mean chili!

Her latest book is the mystery/suspense, Touching Death.

For More Information

Visit Becky Johnson’s blog.
Connect with Becky on Facebook and Goodreads.

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Giveaway, Book Trailer, Excerpt – Novus by Crystal Marcos @CrystalMarcos @YABoundToursPR

Posted on September 28, 2016 by fundinmental

If you like apocalyptic/dystopian adventure with characters that will win your heart, then Novus is for you. This is a series, so we will follow Cayden and his mismatched band of “family” as they struggle to survive and create a new world.

Novus (The Cresecren Chronicles #1)
by Crystal Marcos
Genre: YA Dystopian
Release Date: August 18th 2015

MY REVIEW

Novus – Latin for new

Novus by Crystal Marcos is the first book in The Cresecren Chronicles, an action/adventure, dystopian/apocalyptic romance of an inhuman sort. This is a series and after finishing the first book, I can hardly wait for the next.

I was drawn to Cayden’s story from the opening chapter. He is a Cresecren, created to be used in whatever manner his human’s see fit, a slave. When Cayden has served his usefulness, he is sent to Gavaron, with other Cresecren considered rejects and rebels.

He immediately hooked up with Alecander, even though they do not have friends, sex or mates…like humans.They are infertile. Is that considered a curse or a blessing? So what did he feel for Linnaya?

When we do get to Novus, a charming town – “A place to start over, a place to begin, a clean state…” – Just when I thought they were safe, this mismatched band of friends will be put to the test.

I became complacent, lulled into a sense of comfort by Crystal Marcos’s writing. Things are not what they appear to be and there is imminent danger of a different kind.

I felt happy in those moments when the characters could celebrate and enjoy life, and deep sorrow when tragedy struck.

The descriptive writing led me to visualize the action and the world that surrounds the characters. Example: Every once in a while her copper sandals would peek out as if to say hello. How great is that?

Novus made me think of our Civil War, but with a twist. The “people” just want to be free, human and Cresecren alike. The characters have become a family, of sorts, and I am totally invested in their survival. I marveled at their willingness to put their life on the line for each other as they began to realize their feelings and the ability to care. The Cresecren are not just robots, with no feelings and desires of their own. They had more in common with humans than anyone thought…or is that what put them in so much danger, hunted down like criminals or terrorists.

I love Novus and I look forward to more Cresecren adventures with Cayden, Linnaya and the family, as they struggle to make a free life and stay alive.

I received a copy of Novus by Crystal Marcos in return for an honest and unbiased review.

4 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:

~”Official Selection” Winner in the E-Book Young Adult category, 2015 New Apple Book Awards!~

~Winner Best Books in the Young Adult category, 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards!~

~”Honorable Mention” Winner in the Sci-fi category, 2016 New York Book Festival!~

~B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree, 2016 indieBRAG!~

~”Honorable Mention” Winner in the Young Adult category, 2016 Hollywood Book Festival!~

~Bronze Medal Winner in the Young Adult – General category, 2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards!~

5 Stars -I would recommend not starting Novus (The Cresecren Chronicles, Book 1) by Crystal Marcos if you have anything planned for the rest of the day, as you will most likely not want to put the book down! . . . It’s the kind of book whose characters you miss when you finish the book. -Readers’ Favorite

Ideal for Hunger Games and Divergent fans, Crystal Marcos delivers Novus, a riveting novel set in a dystopian future of action-adventure, suspense, and romance. Intriguing characters and a gripping storyline keep the reader turning page after page.

Being a teenager is hard enough. And what if your life’s path is predetermined? On top of that, you aren’t even Human?

Cayden was given life as a Cresecren. He expected to live out his days with the dysfunctional Human family he was assigned to serve. One fateful night, however, landed him in Gavaron, the home of maimed, elderly, or defiant Cresecren.

Beyond its borders is the Den, an area much more dangerous than he ever imagined. Now seventeen, Cayden unwittingly becomes involved in a conspiracy and is one of a handful of survivors fleeing a deadly attack. They set off on a perilous journey in search of refuge and the truth. Along the way, Cayden begins to comprehend the difference between fully living and merely surviving, while trying to balance his emotions and a forbidden love.

The eBook is $0.99 thru Sept 30! CELEBRATING the NEWEST BOOK AWARDS during the AUTHOR’S BIRTHDAY MONTH!

Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle│Amazon Paperback│B&N Nook│B&N Paperback│Smashwords│Kobo│iTunes│Signed Copies

Check out an excerpt below:

I slid the door open to find Kayella standing wide-eyed. She looked shaken, beads of sweat covering her forehead. Her arms were crossed in a protective position, and one finger twisted a lock of her auburn hair.

“Kayella? What happened? Are you hurt?” I asked as I pulled her inside and glanced both ways down the seemingly deserted corridors. I slid the door shut.

“What is it, Kayella? Did Dahsie do something to you?”

“No!”

I waited patiently and offered her my rest pod. She remained standing, staring ahead.

She swallowed. “You have no reason to believe me. None at all. Ever since I can remember, my dreams have reflected reality. They are jumbled and I never remember the entire dream but something always stands out and I see it come true.”

“Why has this brought you here?”

“You can’t go into the Den to the Supply Depot. At least, I feel you shouldn’t go.” Kayella rubbed her forehead with the sleeve of her blouse.

“Let me get you a drink.” I pulled down a metal can and filled it with water.

Before I turned around, Kayella’s hand was on my arm. Her footsteps were so silent that she startled me. I pivoted to look at her as she spoke a single word hauntingly. “Death.” Kayella looked so serious that I did not speak my initial thought of “nonsense.” Instead, I handed her the can and asked her to tell me about her dream.

“It won’t make any sense to you. How can I explain something I don’t understand? They are bits and pieces of a puzzle.” Kayella became flustered, her hand began to tremble, and water sloshed to the floor. “I came because I felt I needed to warn you not to go tomorrow.” She grabbed my arm tightly. “Have someone go in your place. I have to go and warn Alecander.” She dropped the can into the sink, splashing water along the wall. Before I could stop her, she ran out the door and down the corridor. I stood there, taken aback. The Kayella I knew was timid and sweet. I knew nothing of this Kayella.

Death. Such an ominous word. Is it that I might die? Or Alecander? What exactly had Kayella seen? Did it even matter?

BOOK TRAILER:

About the Author

Award-winning author Crystal Marcos has been a storyteller her entire life. As the oldest of five children, she had to do a lot of entertaining. She lives on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State with her husband, daughter Kaylee, and infant son Jaxon. Crystal is the author of BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale and HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE. Novus, her third book and first Young Adult novel, is Book One of The Cresecren Chronicles.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One last excerpt:

“Thanks for the help,” I said, trying to be polite.
“No problem.” As she leaned in a little closer, my toes dug into my soles. Her whisper caressed my ear. “I slipped in a couple extra bags of oats and a jug of milk.” She winked. “Don’t tell.”
I was not used to a Human being that close or that generous before. I just stood there, staring back at her.
“There you go again, staring! If I wasn’t a confident person you would give me a complex.” Linnayah bent down, lifted up a box and handed it to me. I took it and loaded the last of the boxes into our cargo vehicle.
For the remainder of our time in the Supply Depot, I tried hard not to look for Linnayah but failed miserably. I could not help it, she fascinated me. Why would she give us anything extra to eat? Why risk getting in trouble? Where does she live? What is her family like? Where does she go to school? I would like to read her school report sometime. Would she get high marks for it? Will I see her again?

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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My Reviews of Crystal Marcos stories:

Novus

Bellyache

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Giveaway & Review – Storm of Aaranon by R E Sheahan @RESheahan @RESheahan

Posted on September 27, 2016 by fundinmental

We’re happy to have with us today R. E. Sheahan, author of STORM OF ARRANON! R.E. is on a virtual book tour this month and is giving away paperback copies of Book Two: Storm of Arranon: Fire and Ice and Book Three: Storm of Arranon: Allies and Enemies. Enter below!

Title: Storm of Arranon

Author: R. E. Sheahan

Publisher: Rule of Three Press

Pages: 300

Genre: YA Science Fiction/Fantasy

MY REVIEW

I have seen Storm of Aaranon by R E Shehan around for some time now and was curious, so when this tour came up I decided now is the time. My sister, Laura @ fuonlyknew had all the books, so the one I didn’t have, I borrowed from her.

I love covers and this is an interesting one. There is a lot going on and I wonder who is good and who is bad.

I didn’t anticipate the story inside. Intense…from the opening sentence. So you better buckle up because this may be a bumpy ride.

Erynn is special, but she doesn’t know it. There is a lot she doesn’t know, as her enemies come after her. She had been secretive and isolated, alone because of her differences. She’d always done her best to control and conceal her powers, feeling there was something wrong with her. That she was a freak. Sounds like a real person, doesn’t it? She thought she was the only one…

Until Jaer. There is something about about him, something she’s drawn to. As things become clearer to her, she finds her purpose and place. R E Sheahan brings her from innocence and naivety to determination and bravery.

When she was taken, she didn’t know, but her life would be changed forever. I am curious to see how she adjusts and adapts to the changes in her life and and she learns of her true heritage. R E Sheahan handles it in a fantastic way making me believe, forgetting that Storm of Aaranon is a fantasy.

Betrayal…I like trying to figure out who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Just like the characters, I have to be observant and sift through the clues. It’s like playing chess, you have to think way ahead, planning your moves.

Most books I read, the characters dance around their feelings for each other. We do it to protect ourselves from hurt and embarrassment. I understand the reason for it, but don’t do it too long. In the face of danger, I would think they’d fess up.

I love the magic, the creatures and her connection to the world of Aaranon. A combination of elements gives this read a freshness and conveys the innocence and goodness of Erynn. She grows and develops into a confident and independent woman, believing in herself and the ability to GET IT DONE or die trying.

There was one part with Faylen that I would have loved to have seen developed more. I grew to care for him and his ability to change his mind when the facts were in. I couldn’t quit thinking about him.

Storm of Aaranon by R E Sheahan is a mashup of science fiction and the paranormal with nature having its share of input in a big way. The story could have ended here, except for…

I debated about the rating, because I like a lot of depth, detail, blood and guts, but this is a perfect read for the target audience, teens and young adults. So, with that in mind…4 stars.

I received a copy of Storm of Aaranon from R E Sheahan in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos

4 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

A forbidden birth. A remarkable young woman. A marauding alien society. The battle begins.

A brutal alien society invades Korin and Arranon, intent on destroying the two worlds that make up Cadet Erynn Yager’s home. Forced to expose her strange abilities and reveal her forbidden birth, a guarded web of secrets unravels.

Stranded on an unfamiliar planet of eternal winter and predatory wildlife, the mysterious living consciousness of Arranon intervenes, leading Erynn on a mystical journey.

Aware of Erynn’s potential, the alien enemy pursues her. She struggles to gain control of her growing powers while in a constant race to elude the invaders, and join the forces preparing to fight a mounting occupation.

Erynn’s secret may be her worlds’ only hope, but at the cost of her life. Swept up in a chain reaction of events, Erynn’s dedication extends far beyond service and duty. She learns the true meaning of sacrifice.

Along with courage and hope, Erynn finds something unexpected on her journey of awareness and growth.

Love.

~~~

Storm of Aaranon, Book II, Fire and Ice by R E Sheahan

MY REVIEW

The story could have ended with Book I, except for Dhoran, the evil leader of Aaranon’s Underworld.

I read this three book series, one after the other. Once I began, I had to know…

As evil plumbs the depths, I am looking for some serious…stuff to happen. Dhoran’s goal was to seduce Erynn to the dark side. He definitely underestimated her.

Her powers and the danger mounts, so does the suspense and my anticipation of what comes next.

Erynn doesn’t seek trouble, but she does what she feels she has to, no apologies, recruiting followers along the way.

The story gets better, the dangers grow, love blooms and the adventure continues…above ground and below.

4 Stars

Storm of Aaranon, Book III, Allies and Enemies by R E Sheahan

MY REVIEW

I read all three books straight through and it keeps getting better and better. I am excited to see that the finale ROCKED!

The first sentence told me the gloves were off and we were coming out fighting. That’s how good the writing is…I felt part of the story.

Who can she trust? Will her enemy be her friend?

“I’m figuring this out as I go.”

Isn’t that real life?

“Flying fast and low, just the way I like it.” Her motto.

Danger surrounds them all and I cannot figure out who to trust.

I felt deeply involved in the outcome, BUT…it doesn’t end here. I didn’t know there was more coming and I am deeply disappointed that I don’t have the next book. I am VERY eager to find out what happens next.

4 Stars

For More Information

Storm of Arranon is available at Amazon.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

TENDRILS OF BLUE STATIC POPPED and snapped around Lieutenant Erynn Yager’s fingers as she tapped the keypad. Black numbers and symbols streamed across the white screen of her monitor. She glanced up, checking the equation on the large overhead at the front of the cramped classroom and smiled, her answer correct.

Delicate blue currents reached out and wrapped around her hands with a faint tingling sensation. In a breath Erynn whispered, “Com avlash.” She brushed at dappled shadows that danced across the pool of sunlight at the edge of her desk, amused by the wispy blue filaments tracing her movements. They flowed like a lazy stream, trailing the path her fingertips traveled before the energy faded. As the static disappeared, she glanced around to make sure no one noticed.

No one ever had.

The buzz of winged centinents drifted in on a warm breeze through the open window next to her. She sighed and fingered the neck of her white uniform shirt, the stiff collar tight and irritating in the rising temperature.

From the front of the classroom the instructor, Major Kendal, his tan uniform meticulous, asked, “Does anyone need more time?” He scanned faces in the room. No one responded and he continued, “I trust you took into account gravitational pull, divided by trajectory angles, while factoring in speed given mass and friction before multiplying . . ..”

Erynn tried to listen, but his incessant droning soon matched the hum from outside.

Static crackled, and the air thickened with a sinking heaviness. The temperature plunged to an icy cold, chilling her moist skin. A sweet, spicy aroma replaced the electronic scent of computers and sour sweat of bodies pressed into a tight space for too long. She glanced out the window and frowned. What—

Broad yellow, orange, and red leaves trembled in the breeze. Brown stone buildings melded with the blue sky and manicured green lawns. The colors ran, blurred, and morphed into dark oily shapes with faint outlines of long arms and legs. She stiffened and squeezed her eyes shut. Images played in her mind like a silent vid in fast-forward.

Flash—a brilliant jeweled city nestled in a deep green forest. Flash—majestic spires of trees surrounding a clearing, the woods tossed in a violent windstorm. Flash—mountain peaks covered by snow and ice.

More impressions swirled and sped by, eclipsing her thoughts, taking control.

Bright pinpoints of red and orange exploded, swarming under her closed lids. The high-pitched sound of a hundred musical instruments in discord screamed in her mind. The syrupy aroma intensified. She caught two words through the cacophony—a plea, and a warning.

“Cadjoo. Mabrath.”

Her chest constricted, unable to expand.

Help. Death.

The meaning of these two words, in a language she’d made up as a child, took her breath. She pushed recognition away, refusing the insistent vision that pried at the corners of her mind seeking purchase.

Prophecy.

The word slithered across her nerves like a dry whisper.

Heart thudding, her lids flew open. At the periphery of her vision, the sparkling colors blinked out, and the heavy atmosphere in the room lifted. Erynn’s ears popped and the shrieking voices died, sudden quiet making her believe the shrill proclamation left her deaf. She jumped up, chair legs screeching backward on polished tile as the desk banged into the seat in front of her. “No!” Her shout rang out in the small, quiet room.

Floor heaving like rolling waves, she leaned against the desk on unsteady legs. Startled students in her weapons-and-tactics class stared at her, most of them shaking their heads and smirking. Ridicule and resentment came as a barrage of stinging barbs digging under her skin. Concentrated emotions of pity, anger, concern, scorn, disgust and envy bombarded against her attempt to focus, to gain control.

In a practiced technique, Erynn envisioned a wide tunnel of white brightness spiraling into a tiny point of light. This method narrowed her exposure to the emotions of others. The reactions assailing her all but disappeared. She hissed quick breaths through clamped teeth and the nauseating sensation of motion stopped.

About the Author

I have always been a reader. I love books. When I’m not able to read, I listen to audio books. I started writing while working as a Paramedic/Firefighter in Northern California. Trust me, it’s not like it appears on TV. There was plenty of time for books, mostly reading them. I didn’t seriously start writing until I moved to my ranch in Oregon. While waiting for lambs to be born in the middle of the night, I would head back to the house for an hour or two and sit down at the computer. Before I knew it, I had a manuscript. Not a good one, but a start.I joined critique groups and attended writer’s conferences. I was on the fast track to learning.

In 2013, I received an honorable mention in Writer’s Digest’s Self Published book awards for MG/YA. I guess I am learning something!

Ideas from dreams follow me into warm sunny days or the quiet of falling snow. “What ifs” feed a vivid imagination. Even mistyped phrases may lead to an “aha” moment. Brain storming sessions standing in windy, dark parking lots with fellow writers release thoughts that pry at the corners of my mind, grasping for purchase. Sometimes the ideas pursue me, with persistence.

For More Information

Visit R.E. Sheahan’s website.
Connect with R.E. on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about R.E. at Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY

R.E. Sheahan is giving away a paperback copy of Book Two (Storm of Arranon Fire) and Book Three (Storm of Arranon Allies and Enemies)!

Terms & Conditions:

By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive both books
This giveaway ends midnight October 28.
Winner will be contacted via email on October 29.
Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

So far, there are three book in the series, and if it sounds like it’s for you, it is available in a three book set for $8.97 on Amazon.

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Giveaway – Victoria At Sea by M Kate Quinn @mkatequinn @GoddessFish

Posted on September 26, 2016 by fundinmental

The lovely cover of Victoria At Sea by M Kate Quinn reminds me of myself, sitting on the beach with a camera, kindle and cocktail, enjoying the summer breeze.

Soooo, let’s set sail and see what’s in store for Victoria.

Victoria at Sea by M. Kate Quinn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

Why has no place in what the heart knows for sure.

On the eve of their wedding Victoria Gliden and fiancé Owen Walker call it quits. He accuses her of not being able to get over her deadbeat father’s vanishing act when she was a child and she and her cold feet run and don’t look back.

An interior designer, Victoria, has an important meeting on Cancun that could garner her a promotion and the plan was to incorporate her presentation with the honeymoon cruise that’s journeying to the island. Since she’s sure Owen is on his way to Portland to escape the aftermath of their ruined wedding, Victoria takes the honeymoon cruise anyway. Only Owen has the same idea and they’re stuck with each other for six days, five nights.

Tony Gliden, Victoria’s father, dies in a freak accident and is sent back to earth disguised as a crotchety old man with the mission to convince his daughter to believe in love. So, he, too boards the ship.

At sea, destiny takes a detour when Victoria befriends the quirky old man with kind eyes and together they join forces with a quartet of unabashed women in their fifties who drink pink martinis and flirt with the wait staff but are wiser than they look. While trying to dodge Owen, Victoria’s new acquaintances help her face old wounds and confront new fears.

Most of all, Victoria and Owen both realize it all boils down to one word—why?

By journey’s end will two broken hearts get their answer?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPTS

Words spilled from Owen’s lips before he had the chance to think. “I don’t know, Vic, maybe on some level I was meant to be here on this ship.”

She didn’t respond, kept her tooth locked down on that lip. But, her eyes were windows to some distant place he longed for. So, he and his glass of vodka let more words tumble free. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you really did this.” He gulped his drink in an effort to shut himself up, but it was fuel to his fire. “That you did this to us.”

“Don’t.” Victoria grabbed the fancy clutch that she’d squeezed into a misshapen blob of sparkly fabric.

“You know what?” He couldn’t stop and suddenly he didn’t want to. “It’s just too bad you’re so ridiculously afraid of veering off that rigid path you’ve carved out for yourself. That’s got to be a tough trek, Victoria. You must be exhausted.”

She stood up from the bar stool, chin held high, eyes swimming.

“You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question. Owen knew the answer too well.

“Um, yes, I uh, promised my friends that I’d meet them.”

“Well, I guess I’ll see you back at the suite then, huh?” Pent-up energy raced around in him banishing every urge he had to stroke her hair, pull her to him, make them right again. His tone was caustic and it felt good and lousy both.

For each millisecond that he held her gaze, Victoria squirmed, her hands wringing that now pretty ugly evening bag, that tooth all but drawing blood as it pressed the pink flesh of her lower lip. She broke the stare and darted away as though she were being chased.

Owen’s heart squeezed like a fist had wrapped itself around the muscle. A tear pricked his eye. Victoria could run all she wanted, but for the first time in almost two days something finally made sense. She loves me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Born to a feisty Italian mother and a gentle blue-eyed Irishman, I was given the name “Marykate,” inspired by Maureen O’Hara’s character in the movie, The Quiet Man, an old-time favorite love story that co-starred John Wayne. With a grandmother Catherine and an Aunt Mary the name was an obvious choice.

I’ve been writing stories all my life. There’s an old Macy’s box in my attic filled with my writings from childhood, now smudgy-looking pages produced on my portable Olivetti Underwood typewriter, an eighth-grade gift from my Grandmother Catherine.

I am a recent First Place winner of a short story contest sponsored by Reader’s Digest Magazine and write a column entitled “Boomer Humor” that appears monthly in my neighborhood newspaper.

My husband and I are our own love story. We have a slap-happy middle-aged second marriage with a combined total of six grown children, one delightful granddaughter, another precious little baby on the way and one ridiculously spoiled, amazingly handsome cat named Sammy.

Website: www.mkatequinn

Twitter: @mkatequinn

Facebook: Fans of M. Kate Quinn

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/M.-Kate-Quinn

Goodreads Author Page: www.goodreads.com/author/show/4128663.M_Kate_Quinn

Blog: www.mkatequinn.com/blog

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

You may see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
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Financial Collapse Brings Down US – The Surrendered by Case Maynard Giveaway @Case_Maynard @XpressoReads

Posted on September 21, 2016 by fundinmental

The Surrendered
Case Maynard
Published by: Blaze Publishing
Publication date: September 20th 2016
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult

After a financial collapse devastates the United States, the new government imposes a tax on the nation’s most valuable resource—the children.

Surrendered at age ten—after her parents could no longer afford her exorbitant fees—Vee Delancourt has spent six hard years at the Mills, alongside her twin, Oliver. With just a year to freedom, they do what they can to stay off the Master’s radar. But when Vee discovers unspeakable things happening to the younger girls in service, she has no choice but to take a stand—a decision that lands her on the run and outside the fence for the first time since the System robbed her of her liberty.

Vee knows the Master will stop at nothing to prove he holds ultimate authority over the Surrendered. But when he makes a threat that goes beyond what even she considers possible, she accepts the aid of an unlikely group of allies. Problem is, with opposing factions gunning for the one thing that might save them all, Vee must find a way to turn oppression and desperation into hope and determination—or risk failing all the children and the brother she left behind.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT

A sinking feeling washes over me. “We’re going to Meadowood.”

He responds without opening his eyes, “I want answers.”

I start to argue that this will be a fool’s errand, but in truth, I want the same answers he does. “Do you think the man who rescued Oliver was with the Southies?”

“I don’t know who else it could’ve been.” He sits up and stretches. “It must’ve been them, and I want to know why they changed the plan without informing us. The Master and his Regulators got to the rooftop very quickly after I fired that shot. I have to wonder if someone told them we were there.”

“You think the Southies took Oliver to get the combination and then set the Regulators on us? Why would they do that?”

He rubs his face. “It doesn’t make any sense. But something’s not adding up.”

I ponder this, thinking about my brother’s strange plea. “I know you think I’m insane, but I can’t help but feel like Oliver knew someone was going to take him; I swear it felt like he was speaking to me when he said not to interfere. But that doesn’t make any sense, either. He’s been behind the fence for years.”

Cason yawns and tries to shake off the effects of the Papaver. “I don’t think you’re crazy; his message did seem odd for someone who was about to hang for a crime he didn’t commit. I don’t know, but hopefully he’ll be at Meadowood and you can ask him yourself.”

My mood elevates as I realize I may only be hours away from a reunion with my brother. The pain in my arm forgotten, I try to concentrate only on this knowledge, confident we’ll have our answers soon enough. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for earlier. You could’ve just turned me over to the Master and walked away, but you didn’t. I’m grateful for that.”

I feel a little embarrassed as soon as the words leave my mouth. Normally I’m not one to share my feelings, but the Papaver Flower makes me breathless and lightheaded and loosens my tongue.

He reaches for me, careful not to jostle my splinted wrist, and pulls my face to his. “I’m probably going to ruin that sentiment by telling you the Master would never have let me go anyway, but know this—” he runs the pad of his thumb along my lower lip and meets my eyes “—if everyone else in the entire world leaves you to fend for yourself, if your father, your mother, your brother disappoint you, if God himself decides you aren’t worthy . . . you’ll still be able to count on me. I’ve got your back, Vera.”

Video reading by the author of the first chapter here.

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Author Bio:

With over 20 years’ experience in the legal and medical fields, Case Maynard decided to trade in her briefs and reports to write the stories that have been floating around in her head since childhood. She lives with her two teenagers and husband in South Georgia, while maintaining a long-distance liaison with her oldest daughter and partner in crime in Alaska. When not writing, she enjoys reading as often as possible, binge watching anything good on Netflix, and all things NCAA football (Go Noles!). You can learn more about Case and her stories on her website.

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