Showing posts with label Sale Blitz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sale Blitz. Show all posts

March 1, 2016

Sale Blitz! Chasing Memories by Ellie Wade


What if you found him, the one who was put on this earth for you? He was your perfect partner, your soul mate. Your life with him was more than you could have ever hoped for. The two of you created an amazing family full of so much love.

I did. And it was everything.

Then, one day, I woke up, and he was gone. They were all gone.

I can’t accept it. I’m stuck in a reality that isn’t mine, aching for the life I lost, one that made up the very fabric of my soul. 

How do I find my future when my past won’t stop pulling me under? I’m drowning, struggling to breathe in this existence where nothing makes sense. It might be crazy, and I might be as well.

But if you’d experienced the joy of a once-in-a-lifetime love, you’d be chasing memories, too.

***This is a standalone*** ***Intended for readers 18+ due to sexual content***




Ellie Wade resides in southwest Michigan with her husband, three young children, and two dogs. She has a Master’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University and is a huge University of Michigan sports fan. She loves the beauty of her home state, especially the lakes and the gorgeous autumn weather. When she is not writing, you will find her reading, snuggled up with her kids, or spending time with family and friends. She loves traveling and exploring new places with her family.


February 22, 2016

Sale Blitz! Excerpt & Giveaway: The Affiliate, Ascension #1 by K.A. Linde



On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's chosen as an Affiliate to the Queen.

Or so she thinks. When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...

King Edric himself.


Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.




“Let them in.” King Maltrier pulled in a shuddering breath and then coughed raggedly for a minute.

“Your Majesty, are you sure?” his longtime servant asked. He had the same relentless attitude that he always had, but he sounded more earnest than ever, as if he could will the King not to die.

“Get them, Solmis. Now.”

Solmis walked wearily across the darkened room. He heaved open the weathered door to the King’s bedchamber and spoke to the pair of guards standing watch, “Get the boys. The King wishes to speak with them.”

One guard punched his right fist to the left side of his chest in a formal Byern salute and then walked into the outer chamber. A moment later, he returned with two young boys with the same dark hair and blue-gray eyes that marked them as Dremylon heirs.

“This way, boys,” Solmis said. He was one of the few people who could get away with calling the Princes boys.

“Thank you, Solmis,” Edric, the crown prince, said with a smile and the confidence of someone who never wanted for anything.

The second son, Kael, pushed past them both, mimicking his brother’s stride. His face was set in a scowl. Some of his youthful exuberance had already drained out of him, and in its place was cynicism from losing a mother too young and from having a sick father, but mostly, it was from being second.

“Father,” he called out.

“Come here, Kael,” the King said. He patted the side of the bed. “You, too, Edric.”

Edric walked to his side and settled into a chair while Kael hoisted himself up onto the bed. 

With Edric being fifteen and Kael at thirteen, both were much too young for this kind of loss. 

The King had seen his youngest, Jesalyn, earlier that day. She had cried the entire time, understanding what was coming and knowing she could do nothing to stop it. In tears, she had run out of the room and straight into Consort Shamira’s arms. She had all but raised the child after his wife, Queen Adelaida’s unceremonious death.

But he couldn’t waste thoughts on that now. He was tiring with every passing moment. The boys…they had to know.

“Solmis,” the King said, regaining a shred of strength. 

His servant, his old friend, left the room, giving them the privacy they needed.

“Father,” Kael repeated impatiently.

“I’m dying,” King Maltrier said. 

Silence followed the declaration. Kael looked aghast. Edric tried to hide the shock of what he knew would be coming next. 

“Edric will succeed me.”

“I’m too young to be king,” Edric whispered.

“Fifteen is not too young.” The King thought that was questionable, but he would not dispute it with his son. Edric had to be strong. He had to rule. “You have the Consort and my High Order to help and guide you.”

Edric swallowed and nodded. “Yes, Father.”

“Trust in yourself, and all will go as planned. I have formed an alliance with Aurum for Jesalyn to be queen and another with Tiek, who has offered you their young Princess Kaliana. Honor these matches to keep our people safe. A strong king is one with an heir.”

The King leaned over and coughed into a handkerchief for several minutes. His throat was raw, and his lungs ached. He didn’t know how much more he could take, but he had to pass on their legacy.

But could he put that burden on them? 

He had to decide now.

No. He would tell only one. He would pass it on to the boy most like himself—the one who could handle the knowledge, the one destined to rule.

The King turned to one of his sons and said, “I need to speak with your brother alone for a moment.”

His eyebrows knit together as hurt and confusion clouded his features. “But, Father—”

“Go,” King Maltrier commanded.

He clenched his jaw, stood, and left without another word. 

It was the last time the King would ever see his son.

The door closed roughly behind him. 

King Maltrier turned to his other son. “You know the story of our ancestor Viktor Dremylon.”

He nodded, but the King continued anyway.

“Viktor struck down the evil Doma court that subjugated our people. Then he claimed the throne for himself with the sole purpose of ruling in a fair and just system.”

“Yes, Father.”

“History is told by the winners.”

“What do you mean?” He tilted his head and looked concerned. 

Perhaps he thought the King had already lost his mind.

“Viktor did destroy the Doma court, and he ushered in a new era of Dremylon rule that has persisted two thousand years up until you today. But what is not in the stories is that the Doma court had ruled because they had powerful…abilities.”

His son laughed like his father was telling a fairy tale.

“Listen!” the King snapped. That sent him into another fit, and his son helped him sit up, so he could cough into his handkerchief. 

When King Maltrier leaned back again, the King saw blood had coated the white silk.

“Father, you should rest.”

“I need to tell you—” He was interrupted by another cough. “—the truth. Viktor beat the Doma court and the most powerful leader they had ever known, Domina Serafina, by stealing magic—dark magic, a magic that cursed Viktor and all his ancestors. It cursed me…and you…the entire Dremylon line.”

His son remained silent and still. The King had gained his attention.

“Now, I must leave you with this, Son.” The King retrieved a heavy gold key from around his neck and placed it in his son’s hands. “A lockbox in the wall in my closet contains Viktor Dremylon’s writings. Collect it, and tell no one. You must continue our legacy. Anyone who has Doma blood and discovers their magic must be eliminated. They threaten our power, your power. They threaten the very world we live in.”





USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde is the author of The Affiliate, the first book in the Ascension Series. As a military brat, she traveled the world with her family, imaginary friends, and ever-increasing supply of books. She has spent much of her life dreaming up new worlds and characters and forcing them into uncomfortable, usually life-threatening scenarios. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a masters degree in political science, she began spending every waking hour putting those characters onto paper.

When not writing, she spends her time dancing, collecting paperbacks in the hopes of filling a Beauty and the Beast style library one day, traveling to visit her friends who live all over the country, and still reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two puppies, Lucy and Riker, where she is hard at work on her next novel.



February 19, 2016

Sale Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt, Author Interview & Giveaway: Finding Gabriel by Rachel L. Demeter



Colonel Gabriel de Laurent departed for the war intending to die. After a decade of bloodstained battlegrounds while fighting in Napoleon’s army, Gabriel returns to the streets of Paris a shattered and haunted soul. Plagued by inner demons, he swallows the barrel of his flintlock pistol and pulls the trigger. But fate has a different plan. Ariah Larochelle is a survivor. Orphaned at twelve and victim to a devastating crime, she has learned to keep her back to walls and to trust no one. But when she finds a gravely injured soldier washed up on the River Seine, she’s moved by compassion. In spite of her reservations, she rescues him from the icy water and brings him into her home. Now scarred inside and out, Gabriel discovers a kindred spirit in Ariah—and feelings he imagined lost forever reawaken as he observes her strength in the face of adversity. But when Ariah’s own lethal secrets unfold, their new love is threatened by ancient ghosts. Can Gabriel and Ariah find hope in the wreckage of their pasts—or will the cycle of history repeat again? Perfect for fans of Gaelen Foley’s Lord of Ice and Judith James’s Broken Wing, Finding Gabriel features all the dark romance, searing passion, and historical intrigue of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. 

PURCHASE FOR ONLY 99¢!




Ariah stood beneath the immeasurable night sky as she admired the breathtaking view. She lost herself within the constellations, allowing those luxurious diamond strands to coil around her heart. Numberless stars reflected within the Seine’s glassy surface and set the water afire. Breathing deeply, Ariah reached out and folded her hands atop the stone balustrade. 

This is where she’d found him. Her heart picked up speed as memories of that fateful night invaded her mind and body. Down below, water lapped against the embankment and infused the atmosphere with a soothing lull. A flashback of Gabriel’s motionless form materialized within the shadows . . . and Ariah’s chest constricted as she relived his every kiss and touch. 

Then – 

A gentle pressure whispered against her back. Gabriel’s unique aroma filled her spirit while strong arms enfolded her from behind. Somehow, some way, she’d known he’d be here tonight. 

She sighed deeply and relaxed within his protective embrace. One hand lost itself in her curls and delicately sifted through the strands; the other applied subtle pressure to the base of her spine in a ghostlike caress. Breathless and at peace, she spiraled into a decadent trance. She drank in each sensation . . . the mesmerizing caress of his fingertips against her scalp, the wind’s crisp breath, the Seine’s haunting lamentations . . . 

Gabriel brushed away the swarm of curls, exposing her ear to the night, and breathed against the fine cartilage. This was the moment she’d feared for weeks – the moment of their parting. Then he sang to her – his voice rich, warm, and sultry, and all other thoughts fell away. 

“The gentle breath of winter sings, 

It cools my brow and furls my wings. 

And when the dusk at last descends, 

I shall keep my hope, steel my heart, for never will thy love depart. 

Now you are come all my grief is gone, 

Let us forget those nights that never dawned.” 

The rich cadence of his voice seduced her into calmness. Fighting to hold back tears, she rotated in his arms, never once leaving the security of his embrace. Indeed, she’d stay with him until the very end – and they wouldn’t part a moment sooner. She tilted her chin up and met his expressive gaze. The nearby oil lamp shone brightly behind Gabriel, silhouetting his strained features. She directed his body to the side, needing to see his eyes, directing the shadows from his face. 

“You remember.”Gabriel shook his head while a riot of emotions crossed his features. “I shall never forget.” 






Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Rachel L. Demeter, author of Finding Gabriel. 

Rachel, welcome on Mikky’s World Of Books. 

-Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Thank you for having me on your lovely blog, Mikky! I live in beautiful Sunny California with Teddy, my goofy Polish lowland sheepdog, and my high school sweetheart of thirteen years. Richard and I began dating during our freshman year and have been together ever since – and he recently popped the big question! He’s truly my soul mate and greatest inspiration. I’m so grateful to have found him at such a young age! 

I graduated from Chapman University’s film school with a BA in Screenwriting. Even though I’m primarily a novelist, film school deepened my love for crafting fiction tenfold; it taught me to concentrate on plotting, dynamic characters, and effective pacing, as well as the importance of visual storytelling. I wouldn’t trade my college education for anything in the world! 

Aside from writing like a madwoman, my interests and pastimes include researching history (especially nineteenth century France and the Middle Ages), reading, singing, cooking, health and fitness, playing the violin, videogames (I’m truly a bit of a nerd at heart), philosophy, and animals. 

-What is your story, how did it all start? Was writing something you always wanted to do? 

Absolutely. Writing is my life’s blood, my passion, and my greatest obsession. It has always been and always will be. I’ve actually been a writer before I physically learned to write. As a child, one of my favorite pastimes was imagining stories and characters while my mom would record them for me, Now, at the age of twenty-seven, my passion for creating dynamic worlds is stronger than ever before. 

Honestly, I could be nothing else but a writer. 

-Do you have a favorite author or authors? 

Oh yes! I have countless favorite authors, and I love discovering new voices every day. To name a few: Gaelen Foley, Stephen King, Diana Gabaldon, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Lisa Kleypas, George R. R. Martin, Amy Harmon, J.K. Rowling . . . the list goes on and on. I definitely draw inspiration from these authors and am influenced by their ability to balance emotion, character, world building, and plot in a powerfully effective way. 

-Where did you get the inspiration for Finding Gabriel? 

My lifelong love for tortured heroes/heroines, dark romances, and nineteenth century France. And Finding Gabriel truly embodies my passion for all three. 

I had yearned to create a pair of imperfect, emotionally and physically scarred protagonists whose deep affection for each other could triumph over seemingly impossible odds. And Colonel Gabriel de Laurent is very much a haunted soul. His twisted past has hardened his heart and driven him to the brink of desperation. Ariah’s gentle nature and ability to persevere presents the ideal counterpoint to his darkness. Though, like Gabriel, she also suffers from a tragic past. 

Nineteenth century France has always been a great passion of mine. It was a time of conflict, political intrigue, art, clashing social norms, and romance. While England’s glittering ballrooms present an elaborate atmosphere, I personally feel these settings can become a bit stuffy and repetitive for readers. In my opinion, Paris lends itself to a darker, freer, more liberating and passionate environment. The characters aren’t as tied down by social norms, and the settings are more rustic and real. Also, I was raised on Paris-set musicals, such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera—and they continue to inspire my imagination and characters. 

Writing Finding Gabriel was a deeply personal experience and a true emotional rollercoaster. At times, the subject matter forced me into uncomfortable and often brutal territories–and the road to Gabriel and Ariah’s Happily Ever After is certainly paved with an abundance of loss, discovery, hope, and, of course, searing passion and relentless love. 

Every word emerged straight from my soul; I was connected to both Gabriel and Ariah on such a profound level . . . more than I ever imagined possible. When I typed “The End,” I broke into tears. They were no longer characters, but real people and beloved friends. 

I hope that Gabriel and Ariah's journey through darkness touches your heart as much as it did my own. 

-What is the most difficult part of writing to you? 

I’m going to cheat a list a few: 

~Sticking to a strict routine (for me, this is hitting a minimum word count each day), despite not “feeling it” or experiencing a lack of inspiration. Writers write, regardless of the blocks – and I’ve learned that you really can’t wait around for inspiration to hit. 

~Getting the word out about my books and finding unique ways to connect with readers. And yet, every time I’m able to interact with one of my readers, it’s a truly beautiful and rewarding moments. It makes all the tireless hours of outlining, writing, and beating against the infamous writer’s block worthwhile. <3 

~Negative reviews and feedback. I’m a very sensitive gal. And yes, I do skim negative reviews with caution (just to see if there’s any helpful criticism). Sensitive + Edgy Writing Style = not an ideal mix! 

-Who was your favorite character to write in Finding Gabriel? Why? 

Can I cheat again and say both the hero and heroine? Gabriel was an absolute thrill to write, since his characterization contains so much sexy darkness and transient light all wrapped up in one rugged package. 

But Ariah is also multilayered, and was fascinating to bring to life. Many facets of her character were inspired by my mom (who is my personal heroine). She’s the strongest, most loyal, compassionate, independent, and sincere person I know–and I worked hard to incorporate these traits into Ariah’s persona. Like Ariah, she always protects the ones she loves at all costs and is willing to sacrifice everything for her family and what she believes is right. 

-Any advice for all the aspiring authors out there? 

Write because you need to, because it’s your passion and calling. Forget money and fame – a true writer writes even if her stories would never be published. She writes because she can’t not write. 

Further down the road, teach yourself to regard writing as both a passion and a business endeavor. 

Always write what’s in your heart and nothing less. Don’t chase “the flavor of the month” – not only may it be gone next month, you’re writing won’t be as genuine. 

And in the words of the great Stephen King:“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.” 

So read and write every day–and stay inspired (whether it be through Pinterest, a motivational writing calendar, finding new locations to write in, etc.). 

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.

Read our review of Finding Gabriel HERE!! 


ALSO BY RACHEL L. DEMETER








Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and explore the redeeming power of love. Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul. Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness. Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words. 





December 21, 2015

Sale Blitz! Excerpt & Giveaway: Killer Instinct, Killer Instinct #1 by S.E. Green



She’s not evil, but she has certain... urges.

Lane is a typical teenager. Loving family. Good grades. Afterschool job at the local animal hospital. Martial arts enthusiast. But her secret obsession is studying serial killers. She understands them, knows what makes them tick.

Why?

Because she might be one herself.

Lane channels her dark impulses by hunting criminals—delivering justice when the law fails. The vigilantism stops shy of murder. But with each visceral rush the line of self-control blurs.
And then a young preschool teacher goes missing. Only to return... in parts.

When Lane excitedly gets involved in the hunt for “the Decapitator,” the vicious serial murderer that has come to her hometown, she gets dangerously caught up in a web of lies about her birth dad and her own dark past. And once the Decapitator contacts Lane directly, Lane knows she is no longer invisible or safe. Now she needs to use her unique talents to find the true killer’s identity before she—or someone she loves—becomes the next victim... 


~*~
CHAPTER ONE

I study serial killers. They’re loners. Obsessive compulsives. People who lack emotion and fantasize violence. Intelligent people who on the outside seem normal. 

Interesting thing is, I am those profiles. I have urges. I plot ways to violently make people pay for what they’ve done to others. 

Nature versus nurture. Of course I’ve studied that. I’ve got good parents with decent genetics so for me I’ve always suspected it’s something else. Except . . . I have no clue what. 

I don’t know why I am the way I am, why I think the way I think, why I do the things I do. All I know is that I’m different. Always have been. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know something was off in me. 

At ten, when other kids were coloring with crayons, I started tracking serial killers and keeping details of their murders in a journal—a journal no one has ever seen but me.

Now, seven years later, most teens hang out with friends. I, however, prefer spending my spare time at the court house—with Judge Penn to be exact. He tries all the hard cases. 

His staff expects to see me, believing my lie about wanting to go into law, and so I give my customary nod as I enter the back of Penn’s court and quietly take my usual spot in the left rear corner. I sit down and get out my summer reading just in case today’s log is boring.

It’s not.

A balding, short, pudgy, accountant type man sits beside a slick lawyer he’s obviously spent a lot of money on. The Weasel is what I decide to name him. 

In the viewing gallery sit a handful of women, three are crying and two stoically stare straight ahead. 

On the stand is another one of the expressionless ones and she’s speaking, “. . . classical music, a candle. He knew his way around, like he’d been in my house before. He handcuffed my ankles and wrists to the bed posts and stuffed gauze in my mouth so my screams couldn’t be heard. He cut my clothes away and left me naked. He wore a condom and was clean shaven, everywhere. He had a full face mask on.”

No evidence.

“He raped me,” she matter-of-factly reports and then describes in detail all the vicious ways he violated her.

“I’m going to be sick,” the woman in front of me whispers before getting up and leaving the room.

I continue listening to the details, mentally cataloging them. Details don’t bother me. They don’t make me sick. They don’t make me want to leave a room. If anything they draw me in because they are just that—details, facts.

A few of the women in the room sniffle and I glance to The Weasel. Although he’s doing a good job of keeping his emotions blank, I catch a slight smirk on his lips that kicks my pulse.

This is one of the things I consider a talent of mine. While some people show every emotion, I show none. And I can read others’ body language, others’ faces when they think they’re doing a stellar job of masking. The Weasel obviously thinks he’s getting away with something.

Thirty minutes later The Weasel is found not guilty due to lack of evidence. As he walks from the court room, his slight smirk becomes more visible when he glances at one of the sniffling women.

This is another thing people make the mistake of—confidence, cockiness, ego.

The Weasel will rape again. Of this I’m sure.

If it is my destiny to be a killer, I’m going to need a type. And today decides that my type will be criminals—specifically, those that have managed to avoid punishment.

I turn seventeen next week. The Weasel will be my birthday present to myself. I think I’ve just found my first victim.



S. E. Green (aka Shannon Greenland) is the award winning author of the teen thriller, Killer Instinct, a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers; the teen spy series, The Specialists, an ALA Popular Paperback and a National Reader’s Choice recipient; and the YA romance, The Summer My Life Began, winner of the Beverly Hills Book Award. Her books have been translated into several languages and are currently on numerous state reading lists. Vanquished is her debut novel for adults.

Shannon grew up in Tennessee where she dreaded all things reading and writing. She didn’t even read her first book for enjoyment until she was twenty-five. After that she was hooked! When she’s not writing, she works as an adjunct math professor and lives on the coast in Florida with her very grouchy dog. Find her online everywhere @segreenauthor.