What inspires you?

Hey guys!  It's been a while since I blogged so today I wanted to let you take a peek inside my mind..LOL. It's a bit chaotic in there right now but I'll try to calm my thoughts long enough for you to get a quick look.

Today I'm talking about what inspired me to write Homecoming, my upcoming paranormal romance with steam punk and fantasy elements, but first just a quick announcement. My critique Partner, Priya Kanaparti is looking for bloggers & authors to help with the cover reveal for her YA Paranormal Romance, Dracian Legacy. If you have time and would like to help out, here is the signup link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-bnf8okoTCiz6lht1J8nlzUg1ByIOoJQ0kG4e3SJn0I/viewform

Thank you! :)

So back to Homecoming. :D

**Warning**: Homecoming is a little bit steamy so it's not recommended to readers below 18 years so I will refrain from talking about the degrees of the stories' steaminess...:D

Homecoming is set in a fictional shifters world called Anndesia. The story is set 75 years after WWII. Here is a short prologue taken from Anndesia History, a written by  Solomon Drakovic. (one of the founders even though this  is not mentioned in the story. I will be releasing more excerpts from the book in the full length novel.)

PROLOGUE

 

Seventy-five years ago, Earth was a place thriving with humans. Shifters lived among them, albeit hiding their true nature, until one morning when the world woke up to find everything had gone to hell. World War II had begun. A group of human scientists invented bacteria that would “scare” the population. They were wrong. The plague that emerged as a result of these scares almost eliminated the entire populace. Only the blood from shifter clans could save the survivors.

Now Earth is a wasteland. Uninhabitable. Gifted humans, very rare and valued highly, live alongside the various shifter races in Anndesia, under the protection of the clan leaders.

Excerpt from Anndesia History by Solomon Drakovic

So this world is scattered with humans with some amazing powers. The first we meet is Uriel who manupilates both fire and air elements, powers he inherited from his ancestors. He's a pain in the Hero's butt, but also quite funny. My Inspiration for creating the elementals was Avatar: The Last Airbender.  As you all know, I am a HUGE fan of this series. I've been known to rave one too many times about it..LOL. But yeah...

Then for the shifter panthers...I LOVE cats. Have you seen how sleek and beautiful and powerful they are? How their muscles move as they prowl around? I've watched several videos featuring panthers. I never seem to get enough. But that's not all. The story has all Kind of shifters, even Antelope shifters!! yeah I know, I just had to include them. They are so cute and kinda fast. They also play a part in this Society.

When it came to adding the steampunk elements--although there aren't so many in this installment-- I love steamships and everything else the steampunk era. The difference is that my ship in this short story is steered partly by humans who possess the air element and the other part by steam. Ah, it was fun planning and plotting this story.

So what is your inspiration? What inspired you to write your current WIP or published book or writing blogposts? What elements of in a story inspire you to pick a book and read it?

Paperback release blitz - Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston

Hi everyone!! My wonderful friend and author, Meradeth is releasing her book, Colors Like Memories in Paperback. If you haven't read this book, you should. I read it last year, it's fantastic. A completely different take on Angels

So without further ado, I'll hand over the reins to Meradeth.


Hi! *waves* I'm incredibly excited to announce the paperback release for COLORS LIKE MEMORIES. The ebook release has been a blast, and it is especially awesome to actually hold the book in my hands :) Here are three things I think you might find fun about the book:

1. It's got a pretty sweet cover :) And I'm rather partial to the blurb:

 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.


2. There have been some pretty awesome things said about it (if I do say so myself, but I may be a bit biased). See:

 -"...I applaud the author for providing a writing that has the power to encourage, inspire, help, heal and simply serve as a platform to stimulate communication for any reader (regardless of age), who is feeling hopeless. If you are looking for an interesting read, this book is well written, interesting and has several positive messages that the reader can take away from the story. I would recommend this book to any reader." TWC Amazon Review

 -"Colors Like Memories was an amazing YA paranormal romance. It will make you soar with wings then drop you off and catch you once you get near the ground." Michelle Kullman Amazon Review

-"COLORS LIKE MEMORIES is an achingly beautiful tale of love, loss, and new beginnings. Meradeth Houston writes with a clean, clear prose that packs a punch. She carries her characters through the full spectrum of emotions, and the reader is swept along in the journey." RunningnWriting Amazon Review

3. You don't have to wait for book #2! THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE, also set in the Sary world, is already available, and you can grab a copy at Amazon, B&N, or my publisher MuseItUp Publishing. Book #3, SURRENDER THE SKY, will also be released soon :)

 You can pre-order COLORS LIKE MEMORIES at my publisher's site: MuseItUp Publishing, or find it on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Ebook copies are also available on all vendor sites!

 Those are my three things, and if that's not enough to interest you, well, I've also got a little giveaway running for a book of your choice. Check out the rafflecopter below :)



A bit about Meradeth:

>She’s a Northern California girl, but now lives and teaches anthropology in Montana.
>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.


Find her online:


Website : Blog : Twitter : Facebook : Pinterest : Goodreads


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Direct link to Rafflecopter.

Cover Reveal: The Ghosts of Aquinnah by Julie Flanders

Blurb:

A brilliant flash of light transcends through time.

Another freezes a cloaked figure within a frame of salty mist as waves crash against a rocky shore. Her harrowing expression shadows the beacon to a pinprick.

By the next blaze, she is gone. Only the lighthouse remains.

Hannah’s eyes blink in step with each heartbeat. Images of her deceased parents and Martha’s Vineyard explode like firecrackers inside her mind.

She shakes her head.

 

For weeks this eerie woman dressed in nineteenth century garb has been haunting my webcam, but tonight she stared into my soul.

Why? ...

Who is she? ...

Casting aside months of research on historic lighthouses, Hannah drives to the coast and boards a ferry.

What is the strange connection she has to this mysterious woman suspended in time?

Hannah finds out.

But, it’s not at all what she expects ...

Hannah unravels a century old murder.

Author Bio:

Julie Flanders is a novelist and freelance writer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a life-long love affair with the ocean and has spent more summer vacations than she can count on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When not writing, Julie can be found reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and watching too much television. She is an animal lover and shares her home with her dog and cat.

Find Julie at:

Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

The Ghosts of Aquinnah will be released by Ink Smith Publishing on December 5, 2013

Promo Blog Tour Stop: Kinetic by S. K. Anthony

Welcome to my stop for the Kinetic blog tour, organized by Grapevine Book Tours. For a Chance to win a copy of Kinetic, please leave a comment. Winners will be choosen on October 15th, 2013.

 

Title: Kinetic

Author: S.K. Anthony

Series: The Luminaries #1

Publication: September 20th, 2013

Category: New Adult (NA)

Genre: Urban Fantasy (UF)

Synopsis:

Being strong is one thing. Being an unlimited source of power is quite another.

 Genetically altered by the Organization, Annie Fox takes down criminals CIA-style with her luminary strength. With nothing to mend but her broken heart, she is relentlessly pursued by her boss Derek Lake. Just when Annie is about to give him a chance, her ex-husband unexpectedly comes out of hiding.

 A wanted man, Nick Logan is a cold-hearted murderer who is considered enemy number one, and orders are clear: kill on contact. He is more powerful than ever and threatens the lives of those she holds most dear. His plan? Get his hands on Annie and use her Kinetic energy to destroy them all. When Annie finds herself with an opportunity to end him, she pauses, horrified by the scars covering the face she once loved. A split second that will cost her everything …

** Kinetic is a stand-alone novel. All books in series are part of the same world with the characters intertwined. **

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18072566-kinetic

BUY LINKS

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kinetic-The-Luminaries-Volume-1/dp/1492128759/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kinetic-sk-anthony/1116875167

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/kinetic-3

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/354677

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/kinetic/id703563804

 

 

Author bio:

S.K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders…she is convinced they are out to get her!

 

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | Goodreads

Excerpt:

I opened eyes to bright lights. I covered my face with my arm and propped myself up to sit on the bed. I was in the new infirmary. Oh jeez, I’d have to deal with Derek now.

 “Annie?”

I squinted enough to see Jenny standing by my side.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Blind.”

“Give it a minute for your eyes to adjust.”

“Or you can turn off the lights.”

“Big baby,” I heard her chuckle.

“What happened? Did he get away?” I asked.

“Yes, Andrew and I had to take care of you. We had no choice.”

“What is it with me lately? I can’t seem to get a good fight in.”

“Stop complaining. You kicked major butt with all of those guys,” she said.

“What happened with everyone? Are they okay? Lisa was on the floor...”

“Everyone is fine. Lisa and one of the guards were tased. And the other one was shot, but he was wearing a vest.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “The Lumins are fine. Their personal safe was missing all of the documents they kept inside, but their money and jewelry were left behind.”

“Yes, I was there when they took the contents out.”

“Nick has everything, then?”

I nodded. “It was in the backpack. We got his team, though, so maybe we can get Nick’s location from one of them.”

“That’s not going to happen,” she mumbled as she looked down.

“Why not? We captured them. Lisa can get the information for us.”

“They’re all dead,” she said.

“WHAT? No, most of them were alive, we can get the info—” I stopped when she shook her head. “What are you saying?”

“They had kill chips connected to their hearts. When the team arrived to take them in, all they found were dead bodies with blood running out of their eyes. We found the chips. It looks like they were remotely activated.”

“I can’t believe he would do that! Next time— no matter who he hurts— we have to take him down, Jenny. We cannot worry about each other. If we keep letting him slip away, we’re all going to be dead soon enough.” I stared at my hands, lost in thought.

More Than Just A Kiss Blogfest Winners

 

 

 

 

First I'd like to say that I had so much fun reading your entries. Each was different: From innocent kisses, to steamy to desperate kisses and first-time kisses as well. Loved them!

 

Thank you to everyone who took time to participate in the blogfest.

 

So Christine, Laurelin, Kyra and I chose the winners. It wasn't a very easy decision because as I mentioned every snippet was fantastic.

 

Without further ado, here are our top three:

Our first place winner of a critique (not exceeding ten pages) from  Kyra, Christine and I is

 L.G. KELTNER

Our second place winner of a critique (not exceeding five pages) from Laurelin and Christine is

MICHELLE WALLACE

 Our third place winner of a one page critique from Christine and I is

ADRIANNE RUSSELL


We also have some Bonus prizes picked by each of us the judges.

 Kyra's pick to win IF I LET YOU GO:   SUMMER ROSS

Laurelin's pick to win FIXED ON YOU:  ROE

Christine's pick for all six volumes of The 13th Floor series:  SHAH WHARTON

 
My pick TRULY MADLY DEEPLY YOU and REAPER'S NOVICE.:   ALEX TANNER

 
Congratulations to you all!


And thank you again to every participant. Every single snippet was fantastic. :)

Have a great Weekend!!!
<3



Teaser 2: Homecoming

EEP! I am over-the-moon about my upcoming release, Homecoming. :) Today I would like to share with you a teaser from the book. Homecoming releases on 25th October.

 

 

 

So how's everyone doing?

More Than Just a Kiss Blogfest ~ Last day

“A kiss, when all is said, what is it? 'Tis a secret told to the mouth instead of to the ear.” ~ Edmond Rostand

Today is the last day of the blogfest. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this kisstastic hop. I really enjoyed reading the kissing snippets. I swooned, laughed, sighed, and everything in between. Wow, I think deciding the winners is going to be a challenge. We will inform you as soon as we have the winners.

THANK YOU & GOOD LUCK <3

We still have a few hours, so if anyone still wants to join, here are the rules: 

The rules are simple:

1. Sign up on the linky list and post the badge on your blog.
2. On one of the days of the week of September 9th, post a kissing scene on your blog. It can be either fiction or non-fiction.
3. Please do not exceed 250 words.
4. This is a blogfest, so visit the other participants and have fun!
But wait! This is more than a blogfest.
We're offering prizes!

 

The scenes will be judged by these amazing romance authors: myself, Laurelin Paige, Kyra Lennon, and Christine Rains. We will choose three posts to win these awesome prizes.

Prize 1 - A critique of a kissing/intimate scene from your WIP (not exceeding ten pages). Critiques will be done by myself, Kyra Lennon, and Christine Rains.

Prize 2 - A critique of a kissing/intimate scene from your WIP (not exceeding five pages). This critique will be done by Laurelin Paige and Christine.

Prize 3 - A critique of a kissing/intimate scene from your WIP (not exceeding one page). This critique will be done by Cecilia and Christine.

BONUS PRIZES:

Cecilia, Kyra, Laurelin, and I will each choose one of our favorites to give out some fantastic ebooks.

Cecilia – TRULY MADLY DEEPLY YOU and REAPER'S NOVICE.

Kyra - IF I LET YOU GO

Laurelin - FIXED ON YOU

Christine – All six volumes of the 13th Floor series.

Sign up here!

 

Today I would like to share with you the kissing scene taken from my upcoming Paranormal Romance with fantasy and steam punk elements, HOMECOMING. It's a little over 250 words, though.

 

He brushed her cheek with his knuckles. Flames licked her skin as his fingertips traced her throat, and when they skated over the dented spot on her nose—a souvenir from her first fight in the Rings four years ago—she wasn’t sure she was breathing anymore. His hand slid lower to unhook her bag from her shoulder, and he tossed it on the closest table, where it landed with a big thud. 

Without warning, he cupped her neck firmly, and his fingers worked out the leather band holding her hair on the nape of her neck. Her  hair tumbled around her shoulders in waves. 

“Much better,” he said, playing with a few strands between his fingers, then leaned down and buried his face against her neck, sniffing long and hard until she felt as if he’d breathed in every trace of her scent into his body. “You still have my scent. Deep in your veins.” His sounded smug, satisfied. 

Thank gods he couldn’t smell Aniek’s venom. Or maybe he was so drunk on the fact his scent was still embedded in her he didn’t notice. He pulled back and pressed his lips to hers. She was hypnotised, her cat purring, and at some point, trilled in joy when his lips left her mouth, kissed her jaw, then licked the vein on her neck, then nipped it with his teeth. When his mouth connected with hers again, there was nothing gentle in the kiss, and heavens help her, she didn’t want to pull away. Cat and woman were for once in synchrony. They wanted him. 

Their mate.