Six Sentence Sunday

Thanks for taking time to stop by to read my Six. Wow, it's been a while since I took part in Six Sentences Sunday. Glad to be here.
Today I'll be sharing with you the opening  lines from my upcoming YA Urban Fantasy - Reaper's Novice - to be released in December. The MC's name is Ana. She is having dinner with her parents and siblings, and it isn't going very well. Here we go:

 

If anyone would have asked me if I preferred having my heart ripped out, artery by artery, or having multiple swift kicks directed to both my stomach and head, I’d have blinked stupidly and muttered, “Huh?”

That had been two years ago, when life had been heaven—roses and rainbows. Before everything spiralled and plunged into hell. Before Dad and Mom’s fights strayed from their bedroom to enhance the quality of our family dinners. Before thorns threatened to puncture the bubble that had cushioned us safely in its embrace.

 Now, looking at them, I’m weighing the two choices.

Thanks again for visiting. Please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you. To visit other participatants, visit: http://sixsunday.com/ 

KaSonndra Leigh's Hacienda Moon Release Day Blitz

I'm so excited to be part of KaSonndra's Hacienda Moon book release blitz. She is a wonderful friend whose encourangement in both my writing and personal life has gone a long way to make things super-wonderful. I'm so proud of you. KaSonndra, and I can't wait to read Hacienda Moon.  All I can say is go, Kay go! :)

Publication Date:

July 28, 2012

  

List Price: $2.99/$12.99

 ISBN:

Specs:  ebook, paperback 284 pps.

Wholesale Orders:

Direct from the author

Retail Orders: Amazon  B&N Direct from the author

Contact: 

kleigh@kasonndraleigh.com

Website: www.kasonndraleigh.com

Facebook: kasonndraleighbookspage

Hacienda Moon

A Pathseekers Novel

Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful human emotions, are spun together in this gothic novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves New York City to start a new life near her hometown, she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose, and falls for its enigmatic caretaker, Eric Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a century old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit, and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s journey to confront the demons of her past and find the courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and the characters will hold and haunt you long after you have read the final chapter.

Praise for When Copper Suns Fall

“The author's style was fluid and there were lovely passages and lines throughout that I simply loved. The pacing flowed so well I felt like I was on a boat ride, grabbing onto the railings at times when the waves got too rocky until I was able to settle back and begin the ride all over again.”

—The Reader Girls Blog spot 

 

About the Author

KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of Alchemy, North Carolina. She recently completed her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and is now looking forward to playing CLUE with her two sons more often. She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother and where she has also created a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

My Friday Fantastic: Debra Anastasia

It's Friday, Yay! It's been quite a week, and I am grateful the weekend is finally here. Today I'm really honoured to have Debra Anastasia, the author of Poughkeepsie. I discovered Debra through a group in Goodreads that offers books for reviews, and once I started reading Poughkeepsie, I couldn't put it down. It's one of the most romantic books I've ever read. Then I also found out she knits. Imagine my joy. I'm a knit-n-crochet person and anyone whose fingers can work the intricacies found in knitting, is coolness itself. So without further ado, lets get down to knowing more about Debra.

Author Bio:

Debra Anastasia is busy, just like every other mom. There's dinner, the dogs, the kids, and their homework. The laundry pile turns into a big, heaping monster. When the clothes finally make it into the washer, it gets unbalanced and puts on an elaborate show before it cuts out. This crazy job that never ends is her first love and her crowning achievement.
Her writing started a decent handful of years ago when along with the dogs, cat, kids, and husband, the voices of characters started whispering stories in Debra's ear. Insomnia was the gateway for the plots that wouldn't give up, wouldn't let go. In the shower, a twist would take hold and--dripping and frenzied--she'd find somewhere, anywhere to write it down.
Debra grew up in New York and got a bachelor's degree in political science at SUNY New Paltz. At the start of her marriage, she moved to southern Maryland with her husband. She still doesn't trust crabs and all their legs, though everyone else in her family thinks they're delicious. Her favorite hobbies include knitting, painting furniture and wall murals, and slapping clowns.
Earlier this year Omnific Publishing published her debut novel, Crushed Seraphim, and she's currently pounding out the sequel to angel Emma's adventures. You can visit her website at DebraAnastasia.com and find her on twitter @Debra_Anastasia.

CeCe:  I'm über-excited to have you here with us today, Debra. Please tell us a little about yourself. 

Debra: I’m thrilled to be here! Thank you for putting up with me. I’m a mom and wife and I love to write. I hate spiders and slap clowns if they get too close to me. I’m not thrilled about mannequins either. I never trust them. One day I expect one to come to life and chase me down.

CeCe:  I had the pleasure of reading Poughkeepsie, and I fell madly in love with your characters as well as the story. How did you come up with such diverse and unique characters? 

Debra: Thank you so very much for reading my crazy story. Poughkeepsie was a unique experience because I sat down every chapter and it was like the story was already there. My fingers just revealed a story piece by piece. I would expect the plot to go one way and by the end of the chapter I was like, damn. Okay, now where’s it going to go? Each character had a plan they forget to tell me about, but they certainly wanted to be heard. 

CeCe: Do you plot a story or just write as the story comes to you? 

Debra:  I know how the story will end and I have a few key scenes that must exist, but the plot around those scenes is totally fluid. I love when the chapter totally shocks me.

CeCe: Why the title Poughkeepsie?

Debra:  It is simply the most interesting looking word in the first chapter, which is how I usually name my books. I grew up near Poughkeepsie and I always felt sorry for the people that lived in that town because they had spell it all the time on mail, etc. look at me now, I write it all the time! I actually love the Poughkeepsie Train station is stunning. I’ve never scene one quite like it. The Hudson river is the backdrop. I actually just got back from a brief visit and was able to take the book there. It was a teary moment. 

CeCe: I love your cover. It’s simple, yet symbolizes a lot. How did you come up with that idea? 

Debra: My cover designer, Micha Stone and I tried many different covers. I love simple, clean ones and she rocks at that. The Poughkeepsie cover went down to the wire. At the last second she sent me a picture of the hands and it fit like a glove. (hehe)  It held the love and pain we needed with one image. It was missing something though. That’s when I contacted Shannon Lumetta and she designed the tattoo on the cover. Once it was on Blake’s wrist it was a done deal. 

CeCe: I can’t seem to make up my mind which character is my favourite in Poughkeepsie. Do you have any character you particularly enjoyed creating in this story?

 Debra:That’s really like picking a favorite tooth! You need them all to get the story down. I think I loved writing love scenes between Blake and Livia most. But Beckett, he is the scariest one for sure to write. And I really believe in writing what scares you so I looked forward to him because he made my heart pound a bit.

I couldn't choose which character was my favourite as well. They all added a lot of somethings in the story.

Cece: Do you believe in Soulmates?

  

Debra:  Yes. Back to Livia and Blake, their scenes on tenderness (not the sex!) where they are on the phone or just being together are plucked straight from my relationship with my husband. He is just the best person in the world. I can’t believe I tricked him into marrying me. 

Those scenes (not the sex) made me all mushy inside. loved these two when they were together. 

CeCe: Are you working on any other project at the moment?

Debra:  I am! I’m editing Bittersweet Seraphim right now and I’m really excited to crack that baby open to the world. It’s the sequel to Bitttersweet Seraphim and it has Satan Jack who just calls to me. The ultimate bad boy. I’m also working on Return to Poughkeepsie which is Poughkeepsie’s sequel.

CeCe: What book are you currently reading?

Debra:  I’m reading Gabriel’s Inferno! Mr. Reynard is in my publishing house and we are friends as well. I love that the sequel is ready for me as well.

I have heard alot of good things about Gabriel's Inferno and I really need to read that book. Soon. 

CeCe: What do you do when you are not writing? 

Debra:I love being with my kids and husband most of all. We are all really best friends, when we get nice chunks of time together we laugh so hard. I love to knit and read. And I have to have music on all the time. Always.

I know what you mean about best friends with your family. There's nothing can measure to that. Knitting,rading and music. I echo your thoughts on that.

CeCe: Where can readers and fans find you online?

Debra:  I’m an internet whore. Chances are if it’s around and free, I’m on it. I’d love to friend readers on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/debra.anastasia and on Twitter @Debra_Anastasia.

 

Thank you Cece for letting me come and play today. I’m so honored.

You are very welcome, Debra. And thank YOU for taking time to stop by. 

Book Description:

He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.
Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.

The Forgiven Duke Blog Tour

The first time I read Jamie Carie's The Guardian Duke the first book in the Forgotten Castles series, I fell in love with the characters as well as the world she'd created. So when I heard there was a tour for the second book, I scrambled to get included in this tour. I'm a big fan.

Ms Carie is having a giveaway for this book. The details are at the end of this post.

Without further ado, I'd like to present:

The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie is now available on bookstores and online stores nationwide. The Forgiven Duke is the 2nd installment on The Forgotten Castles Series.


Title:The Forgiven Duke

Author: Jamie Carie

Series: The Forgotten Castles Series

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Release Date: July 1, 2012



 Book Blurb:


Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon - the path of least resistance - Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton - the path less traveled by - on Dublin’s shore still haunts her.

Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost.

The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love.

 About the Author:

Jamie Carie writes novels about fierce, passionate women; their dreams; their fears; their triumphs. Her deepest desire is to see her readers find that same passion as they follow their destiny and discover deeper intimacy with Jesus.



She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three sons.




My Review

The Forgiven Duke continues where The Guardian Duke left off. Alex is on the ship on the way to Iceland with her now fiancee, John. Thing is, she isn't sure if she did the right thing getting engaged to John, because her mind is still centered on the Duke of Easton, Gabriel. At the end of The Guardian Duke, Gabriel watches as the ship sails away with the woman he has grown to care for. Yeah, that cliffhanger made me want to tear at my hair. But it was a good cliffhanger that made me look forward to this book even more.

Now Alex has arrived in Iceland with her Fiancee, and is off again in search of her parents. As she continues with her search the danger seems to swim around her. On the other side Gabriel who was arrested for disobeying the King's orders in the beginning of this book, is now free and doing investigation of his own, fighting the fact that he is deaf, and worried about Alex, in between he receives letter from her which gives them hope.

Oh my gosh -  I can't say how addictive this series is becoming. I love Alex: she is impulsive,  but I guess that comes from her thinking with her heart more than her mind. She's brave and hasa sense of humour. She'd do anything to find her parents.

Great characters, fantastic story.

This is a 5 star for me, and I'm holding the third book series in my hands - or kindle. And I promise you it's still as fantastic as the first two.

Book Links:

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/The-Forgiven-Duke-Forgotten-Castles/dp/1433673231/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339645357&sr=1-1&keywords=the+forgiven+duke

Barnes and Nobles:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forgiven-duke-jamie-carie/1111346261?ean=9781433673238

Book Depository:http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Forgiven-Duke-Jamie-Carie/9781433673238

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12934289-the-forgiven-duke

Jamie Carie



Website: www.jamiecarie.com

Blog: http://jamiecarie.com/blog

Facebook: http:www.facebook.com/jamie.carie?ref=profile

It's here! The official Facebook page for The Forgotten Castles series: facebook.com/ForgottenCastles


Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/jamiecarie

The Guardian Duke – February 2012 See the making of the cover and trailer  here!

The Forgiven Duke – Book 2 in The Forgotten Castles series - July 2012

The Paperback giveaway is US/Canada, and will be awarded to one winner.
To check out other blogs participating in this tour, please hop over to Abby Flore's blog who was kind enough to include me in this tour:


http://bookshelfconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/07/forgiven-duke-now-on-tour.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pushing The Limits Book Review

Title:		Pushing the Limits
Publisher:		Harlequin
Imprint:		HarlequinTEEN
Pub Date:		July 24, 2012
ISBN:		9780373210497

Book Description

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

"An edgy romance that pulls you in and never lets go. I was hooked!"-Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author of the Intertwined series.
from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Pushing The Limits is written in two POVs. giving the reader firsthand experience in the main characters inner thoughts and turmoil.

Noah, is a bad boy, but deep inside his is something else entirely. He's got a past so sad it makes you as a reader want to cry for him, and he's been enough foster homes to last a lifetime. One thing keeps him streamlined: His siblings leaving in another foster home. he has dreams, and among them is uniting himself with his family.

Echo is a girl, haunted by her past, one particular event she can barely remember. She doesn't get along with her step mother and blames the things that happened to her family on her. She's also morning the death of his brother.

As the story unfolds, Noah and Echo, who are complete opposites find they have a lot in common. There lives have been touched by death in the family.  In each other they find the love and support they both crave, and in a way heal each other.

Pushing The Limits is an emotional story that cleverly weaves in themes like forgiveness, letting go and moving on, love. Ms McGarry did a wonderful job with the characters, as well as the side characters, giving them depth, giving us a reason to care about the characters.  Each added a different quality in the story. Can't wait to read her next book, hopefully soon.

The Siren Book Review

***This is an adult book, therefore an adult review. ***

Title:		The Siren
SubTitle:		The Original Sinners
Publisher:		Harlequin
Imprint:		HarlequinMIRA
Pub Date:		July 24, 2012

Author Website: http://tiffanyreisz.com/






Book summary

 Notorious Nora Sutherlin is famous for her delicious works of erotica, each one more popular with readers than the last. But her latest manuscript is different—more serious, more personal—and she's sure it'll be her breakout book...if it ever sees the light of day.

Zachary Easton holds Nora's fate in his well-manicured hands. The demanding British editor agrees to handle the book on one condition: he wants complete control. Nora must rewrite the entire novel to his exacting standards—in six weeks—or it's no deal.

Nora's grueling writing sessions with Zach are draining…and shockingly arousing. And a dangerous former lover has her wondering which is more torturous—staying away from him...or returning to his bed?

Nora thought she knew everything about being pushed to your limits. But in a world where passion is pain, nothing is ever that simple.

My Thoughts:

The Siren is not your typical romance story. When I started reading this book, I thought it would be like every other story, boy meets girl, boy and girl tortured by their past, they overcome and live happy ever after.

It wasn't. It was a story so entirely different from anything I have ever read. And I loved it.

The characters weren't perfect. Infact, I loved just how imperfect they were, full of flaws. Couldn't help but fall in love - even those that scared me to pieces. Believe me there were. One especially.

The story: Ah, the story. 

Ms Reisz wrote a story so emotional. It breaks your heart at the same time mends it, fulfilling it at the same time feeling as if something is missing. It's been a while since I read writing so beautiful, some of her sentences, her words, I read them twice, thrice. If it was possible, I would glue them in my brain and staple or sew them shut just so they could stay locked in there.

I look forward to reading the second book in this series.

On Spotlight: Meradeth Houston

Today I'm handing the reins over to Meradeth Houston, the author of Colors Like Memories. I'm currently reading her book, and really enjoying it. I will post the review as soon as I finish. All I can say is this story is fantastic and addictive. 

Before I leave, I'd like to introduce this lovely lady and wonderful writer to you.

 A bit about Meradeth Houston:

Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

>She’s a Northern California girl. This generally means she talks too fast and use "like" a lot.

>When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!

>She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!

>If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

And now a guest post from Meradeth.

Writing as Catharsis

First off, thanks a million for hosting me, Cecilia! I’m so happy I stumbled across your awesome blog J. I was sitting at my computer attempting to find something fun to write about and I started thinking of why I started writing in the first place. There are two main things that got me putting pen to paper: it was fun, and it let me escape from the real world for a while. The same things keep me going now, and I’ve kind of become addicted to the release that writing gives me—that escape is a really wonderful thing!

Most readers know that feeling of being sucked into a book where the whole world just disappears and the written world becomes so real you can taste and touch it. It’s my absolute favorite thing about a good book: getting to live it with the characters. For writing, especially a first draft when the words are really flowing, it ten times better. Everything goes away and I’m there, watching my characters act, do what they need to, and sometimes completely surprise me. It’s incredible.

I kind of feel like I’m some kind of junky, describing my drug of choice J. I promise, it’s all harmless fun!

I’m certainly no expert in the subject, but this escape, and the ability to lose yourself in something fun, engaging, and totally new, is healthy. It’s so hard to find the time to do something like that as an adult (I mean, honestly, who has the time?), and even more difficult to find something that gives you that kind of release. It’s different for everyone (something I’m regularly reminded of by my family, who can’t understand why I like sitting in front of my computer even on my day’s off). Once you have something that makes you happy (when it’s not, well, drugs) it makes everything a little better. And it makes the time you devote to it completely worth it—we all need our mental health, right?

At the very least, that’s my thoughts on the subject! What do you do that makes you happy? That makes the world just a little brighter for you?

A bit about the Colors Like Memories:

Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia's not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia's going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.

Available from MuseItUp Publishing. 

www.MeradethHouston.com

meradethhouston.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/#!/MeradethHouston

www.goodreads.com/book/show/13030422-colors-like-memories

http://www.shelfari.com/books/28925571/Colors-Like-Memories

http://www.facebook.com/ColorsLikeMemories

http://pinterest.com/merbear95695/

http://youtu.be/HFRNJ-Yn7So (teaser trailer)

http://youtu.be/7lUpK68bYFI (book trailer)

http://www.amazon.com/Colors-Like-Memories-ebook/dp/B0083ODXSG

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/176295

http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=492&category_id=60&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Friday Fantastic Feature: Ella Medler

Happy Friday! I'm pretty excited to have Ella Medler, the author of Blood is Heavier and her recent release, Martin Little, Resurrected.
 

About Ella Medler

 I live in Cornwall with my husband and our two teenage daughters who regularly threaten to never leave home (must be my cooking).

Together, we care for a large assortment of pets, some small enough to fit in a fish tank, and some capable of causing you significant injury on impact.

I was born in Transylvania but got chucked out due to my inability to grow fangs and reluctance to sleep in coffins. I studied economics to masters level, and qualified with 93.5% (damn good, considering I really wasn't interested). I wanted to be an archaeologist, travel the world, scrape around in mud and live in squalor. Unfortunately, my mother won that argument, and so, after refusing a teaching post (I never did like school), I started work in business development consultancy roles, where I met my husband, the lucky so and so. The rest is history. If you’re reading this, you’ already know the end of the story.

 Martin Little, Resurrected is a quirky and original novel which seamlessly blends the daily irritations of contemporary life in Britain with an unusual and unexpected setting. The storyline is action-packed, moderately thought-provoking and relentlessly funny. In order to rescue the girl with whom he has fallen in love despite his better judgement, Martin has to set aside his snobbish hang-ups and inhibitions and work together with his newly acquired friends, a gang of lawless misfits whom he despises. The plot thickens and picks up pace as the loop of officialdom trips them up and the law threatens to catch up with them. Through all this, Martin has to stay one step ahead and find help where it doesn’t seem possible in order to earn his friends’ and his own freedom. Essentially a light-hearted journey of discovery and self-improvement, the many dizzying twists and heady surprises make this story an engaging read and a real crowd pleaser with universal appeal.

Hi Ella, It's great to have you here with us. Please tell us a little about yourself.

I live in Cornwall with my husband and daughters. I like to smile, laugh and talk a lot, and that is reflected in my writing style: I prefer to put fun into my stories, and all of them tend to turn into full-length novels.

Martin Little, Resurrected. Which genre does it belong to? 

It’s a contemporary fantasy, a lighthearted social satire. I have purposefully kept away from the all-too-common wizards, vampires and werewolves and chose to make fun instead of our current lifestyle, customs, behavior and silly society habits such as excessive bureaucracy and extremes in general.

Do you plot a story or just write as the story comes to you?

It depends on the genre. When I write fantasy, I prefer to trust my characters to carry the story forward. They do a brilliant job, and I am only too happy to provide the necessary twists – my brain is never idle. When I write suspense/thrillers I have a well-determined plot. I think the genre requires it. The new genre I’m trying out this year is paranormal romance – yes, it does have vampires in it – and I’m finding this one completely different; I’m still adjusting to it, though my co-author, Kristie Drennin Haigwood is doing a fine job of showing me the way.

What book title are you currently promoting? Blood is Heavier – a thriller about a man who is trying to protect his family. This is part one of a trilogy. The second one in the series is due out in December and the last one in 2013. I am making it free to download until the next book is out, so if I were you, I’d get it now.

Martin Little sounds like a fun character.. How did you come up with his character  and his name?

I’m a people-watcher. I created the character by gathering together a lot of my observations about men. It’s quite uncommon for a female author to write in first person from a male point of view, but I think being different is a good thing. Judging by the reviews I received from male reviewers especially, I got it right. Once I had the character, I looked for a name that would suit him best: Martin because it’s not a particularly ‘hip’ modern name, and Little because he imagines himself as being ‘of little importance’ in the universe in general.

Are you working on any other project at the moment?

 Yes. I am co-writing a series of paranormal romance books in collaboration with Kristie Drennin Haigwood, the first of which we hope to release this year. I am also working on the second in the Martin Little series, Martin Little Takes Epic Action, and the sequel for Blood is Heavier. And I plan to release a non-fiction Author Resources book in September. Apart from that, most of my work is going into my daily blog which is getting a little overcrowded – I am planning to split it into several strands so that the many Author Spotlights I organize and the book reviews can have a dedicated page, and the book series I work on can each have their own ‘home’, too.

What book are you currently reading?

In the last week I have read two: Cemetery Street by John Zunski, and Unauthorized Access, by Andrew McAllister, which I’ve finished about an hour ago. They were both good reads; both got five star reviews from me.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I edit, or read, or play with my dogs. Or I murder a keyboard. I left it a bit late in life, I know, but I started piano lessons this spring. It was something I’ve always wished I could do, and I got tangled into a half-bet discussion with an old piano teacher who insisted anyone could learn, at any age. Not sure who’s winning the bet at the moment, but I’m not giving up. She’s not wearing earplugs, so I’m taking that as a good sign.

Where can readers and fans find you online?

You can reach me by simply leaving a message on my blog http://ellamedler.wordpress.com/

I’m on facebook and twitter, too, with links from my author website  http://www.ellamedler.com/

Blood is Heavier is free to download from:

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/158896

Diesel http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000158896/Medler-Ella-Blood-Is-Heavier/1.html

Kobohttp://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Blood-Is-Heavier/book-HfheYx3XXE-N1u2CT4bmXA/page1.html?s=ivr3texcM0eN6sOt_iyw5w&r=1

and (soon) Barnes & Noble.

Amazon hasn’t price-matched yet, but it’s there, too. http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Is-Heavier-Hunter-ebook/dp/B0080UVRSQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340899731&sr=8-1&keywords=blood+is+heavier

Here’s a link to my author page on Amazon, where you can see all my books http://www.amazon.com/Ella-Medler/e/B007FVQTFW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Martin Little, Resurrected is available from

Amazon (paperback and Kindle) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=martin+little%2C+resurrected

Barnes&Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/ella-medler?keyword=ella+medler&store=allproducts

Kobohttp://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Martin-Little-Resurrected/book-XA4thbGT10iwYHKsBu7Kaw/page1.html

Omnilit http://www.omnilit.com/product-martinlittleresurrected-645557-234.html

Waterstones http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/ella+medler/martin+little2c+resurrected+28ebook29/8927606/

And in pretty much every other format you can think of.

Thanks, Ella!

Catching up

Catching up....
My weekend was fantastic. I managed to send some chapters from my current WIP to Kelly Hashway, my lovely editor and a Godsend. Everytime she returns the edited chapters with a email saying she's looking forward to read the next chapters in my story, I feel elated. As a writer, it feels good to have someone cheering you on, and always open to discussing about your work, troubleshooting. Kelly's book Touch Of Death will be released in 2013. I'm looking foward to that. :)
Reaper's Novice was previously published as short story - about 5000 words - for about a month. Due to some complications with the publisher I pulled the story , rewrote it to its proper novel length and now I'm editing it, hoping to publish it soon. Can't wait to introduce Ana (The MC) to you, shareher world with you.

On Friday I received luggage tags from Norwegian Cruise. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned that I will be going for a 10 day cruise in August?  On 17th August, I will be flying to Barcelona, 18th will be the boarding date. It is a Mediterrenean Sea cruise. It's a girls only trip. :) I'm really looking forward to my summer trip.

How was your weekend? What are you looking forward to this summer?

STORM blog tour

 Book Title: Storm
Author: Bernard Lee DeLeo
Source: Blog Tour







Book Blurb

The FBI blackmailed Storm Crandall; but only after Storm hacked their database. At sixteen, she’s under cover at a high school, looking for clues involving five missing girls. Besides computer skills, Storm has game in the magic department. A sect of the Temple of Set soon finds out power comes in many guises.
With two FBI agents posing as her parents in the city of Warren, Ohio, Storm finds love, allies, and tragedy in her hunt for answers. By fulfilling her end of the bargain, Storm can buy her way out of spending the days until her eighteenth birthday in a juvenile detention facility.
Storm’s FBI handlers discover their young charge can do more than type fast. Their first encounter with the creature behind the disappearances shows the agents they need Storm for far more than information gathering as a high school spy.
Teaming up with an enigmatic young man attending classes with her, Storm begins unraveling a horror no one anticipated. When the case morphs from serial kidnapping into a supernatural witch hunt, Storm and her friends, under the guidance of the FBI agents, scramble to stay alive while tracking down monsters, both human and inhuman.

Review:

This story had an interesting plot, the pacing was well done as well.
Sixteen year old, Storm is a computer whiz and works for the FBI after being arrested for hacking their database. At the begining of this book, she is enrolled in a new school, working undercover on a case where five girls have gone missing. She meets Logan who comes to her rescue when she is being bullied by three students, and later on meets other girls in her class. During her investigation she finds out who is responsible for the kidnappings, and so 'Storm together with her friends and the FBI agents work together to solve the case.

The author did  a great job of providing enough details to create vivid images in the story. The characters well done and believable.  What didn't work for me was the predicatability of the story. It would have been nice to see Storm being challenged by the events, maybe lose something/someone close to her to create more conflict, make me care more about what is happening to her. Janet was tough/acted tough. A little background, maybe a small paragraph while on her POV would have helped to know why she acted they was she did.

I recommend this for fans of action-packed supernatural stories.

Release Day: Hollywood Ever After by Sasha Summers

Today is Sasha Summer's Hollywoord Ever After book release, and I'm really excited to be a part of it. Hollywood Ever After, published through Inkspell Publishing is the first book in the Red Carpet Series.  Hollywood, love and happy ever afters... Below is the blurb, enticing as the book title itself. 

Book Blurb:

Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all?

To know more about this awesome author, please hop over to: www.sashasummers.com

Other books by Sasha:

Medusa, A Love Story (Book 1, Loves of Olympus a fantasy romance series), Available Now ~ ~ For the Love of Hades (Book 2) - January 20133

Hollywood Ever After (Book 1, Red Carpet Series contemporary romance) coming July 14, 2012 ~ ~ Hollywood Holiday - winter 2012

Galileo's Holiday part of the 2012 Carina Press SciFi Holiday Anthology - December 2012

Twitter Facebook Goodreads LinkedIn Pinterest

InkSpell Link: http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/1/post/2012/03/hollywood-ever-after-cover-reveal.html

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Ever-After-Sasha-Summers/dp/0985148330/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341495273&sr=8-1&keywords=hollywood+ever+after

B&N Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hollywood-ever-after-sasha-summers/1110208518?ean=9780985148331

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg6oWKVGwlg

Friday Fantastic Feature: Cover Art Designer Najla Qamber

Hi Friends! Today I'd like to introduce you to a very talented , lovely lady, Najla Qambar. She is responsible for designing the cover of Truly Madly Deeply You, capturing the couple on the cover exactly as I had imagined them. I call her Midas on Heels. Everything she touches turns to.... well... gold. :D Without further ado, let's get a little bit up and close with Najla.

Hey Najla, so great to have you here with us. Please tell us a little about yourself.

Cece! :D I'm so happy to be here. About myself? Hmmm...! I think I'll just put it in 5 points below! :D 

- I have a huge passion for design (Design Blog) and books (Book Blog) (my bookshelf is filllllllled!)

- My dad's Persian and my mom's Filipino. :D (Power to the Halfies!)

- I'm 7 months away from graduating with a B.S. Degree in Business Informatics

- I write reviews for a Bahraini local newspaper (Daily Tribune)

- I'm a workaholic (Cece, knows this!)

Oh, I do know, and from your art work, I say being workaholic is a good thing, It's all worth it. :)  What kind of designing do you do? 

I do all kinds of designs (branding, cover design, illustrations, vector art, tshirt designs, stationery, bookmarks, etc) except minimalism, annnndd... some typography. I'm pretty sure there are more that I don't do but I can't think of anything at the moment. 

What got you into designing? 

My first intern job got me into designing. I actually started out photo-manipulating on deviantart.com as a hobby, which then got me a job at a branding company where they trusted me enough to do some designs which then awakened my passions for design! How I got into cover design, is a whole different story. :D

You currently live in Bahrain, to me it sounds/looks exotic from books I've read or photos I've seen.  Tell us a bit about Bahrain.

Haha, ya, you can say that it is a little bit exotic. Bahrain is part of the GCC in the Middle East. We are a little bit off the coast of Saudi Arabia. 

Bahrain right now, is the best home I can ever get. Even better than the Philippines sometimes. Life here is good, its open (sort of) and hot! Its a desert with lots of reclaimed land. But its still an extremely small country. It takes an hour to get from one point of the country to the other.

 Where do you get inspiration from?

Most of my inspiration comes from deviantart.com, or by asking Uncle Google. :D Also! If I have the money I buy design books with lots of wonderful designs to look from. 

Where can you be found on the web? 

Design Blog 

Join me at my design blog for authors and bloggers who need a new book cover or a blog layout at affordable prices!

DeviantArt Gallery 

Cover Gallery (Not up-to-date, but it has most of the covers)

http://najlaqamberdesigns.blogspot.com/p/book-covers.html

DA Portfolio

http://najlaqamber.daportfolio.com/

Book Blog

Thank's Cece for having me! It's an honor to be part of your blog. You are awesome!

Oh, you are very welcome Naj! It was great to sip  tea and  nibble biscuits while chatting with you. :D 

Facial Quirks

Lately I have been obsessed with hunting down facial quirks - discreetly staring at faces on the street and in the train and tram, and also searching for articles on the net. One might wonder why. I promise you it's not because I enjoy scaring fellow pedestrians and commuters, though I have to admit these quirks make for interesting and memorable features.

I have been searching for different things that would distinguish my characters in the story I am working on. Something that will make them memorable.

I found this article written by John Yeoman at Writers Village on Character Signatures character signatures. Impressive. Writers Village is an absolute writer's dream.

Some of the facial quirks which coul make a face memorable :

• A mole anywhere on the face (my daughter has slightly below the left eye on the cheek) We call it a beauty spot. :D  

• Gap between the upper front or lower teeth : My mom and my sister have the gap. Also reminds me of Anna Paquin from True Blood

• Different eye colour - reminds me of Katsa from Kristin Cashore's Graceling

• Crooked nose

• Dimpled chin.

• Dimpled cheeks - I have one on the right side. It shows up when I smile, so I tend to do that alot..haha my daughter has one on the left side.

•  A wide smile sort of like Julia Roberts'

• Full lips, think lips

• Big eyes cast in thick lick lashes -  Reminds me of my son.  Sometimes when I'm applying makeup, I envy him for having such lush eyelashes.

•  Big, intense eyes -  My daughter has such eyes. Sometimes when she looks at me, I have to avert my gaze. It's as if she can see right through me.

• Scars - Thanks, Diane.   

•  Slightly lopsided smile - Thanks, Kelly

Oh, my left ear is pointed at the tip (not as extreme as an elf's though), and the right one is rounded at the tip.  Guess I  ear gene my dad. :D  That is part of facial quirk, I think.

Do you have facial quirks, know someone who has one or two? Or maybe you could mention a couple to add to the list?

It will be great hearing from you.  Please comment below, and I will add on the list above. Might come in handy for anyone in need. I realised it was not easy finding these on the net. Oh, here is an article in Glamour magazine. If anyone is interested. There are about 104 comments mentioning individual quirks.

Happy Wednesday!

H.D. Gordon's JOE virtual book tour

Author: H.D. Gordon

Book Title: JOE


Source: Blog Tour

Rating: 4/5 stars


Author's Link:  http://hdgordon.com/


Buy Links:Amazon





Book Summary:

From the author of the Alexa Montgomery Saga, comes a book that will take you into the mind of a geniune pyschopath, the lives of six ordinary people, and the world of a very special girl named Joe.

Joe is seemingly an ordinary college student. She works, studies and reads. But in between these activities Joe has a gift that promises to add a dose of color to her life at any given moment. Joe sees things before they happen. Bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. Someone is planning a massacre at the college university that Joe attends, and the only person with a hope of stopping the pyschopath is her.

Oh, the beauty of foresight. More like a curse. Joe has four days to figure out the mystery, make plans to take down the pyscho, and save the lives of people. People like you and me. Ordinary people.

My Review:


JOE is written is different  POVs. In each one we get to know the characters, their backgrounds and what each one of them is looking forward to in the near future. H.D. Gordon weaves this story so well, and how each of these characters are connected to Joe, the main character, the silver-eyed, raven haired girl who has the ability to see things before they happen.

The author also did a great job of getting into the villain's mind, drawing the kind of emotions appropriate for this type of character. This guy makes other psychopaths one meets on the streets look like amateurs. Very well done.


This story is gripping, emotional and I was eager to know the outcome after all was said and done. So much action, emotions, conflicts packed in a four days.

I felt some descriptions were a bit too long, though, not that it hindered me in any way. Still enjoyed this story alot.

And I loved the ending :) To see a simple girl who doesn't talk much change so many lives was amazing. Hopefully we will be seeing more of Joe. What a loveable character!