Happy Monday! Time to reveal another luscious cover, and another intriguing upcoming book. Today it's Julie Flanders with her new novel "The Ghosts of Aquinnah".
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.
Hey all! Hope everyone had a great summer. It might be a bit late for saying that, now we are in the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, but I've missed chatting to you over the last few months. I've loved hosting various blog tour posts and cover reveals, but it's now time for an update on where I've been at.
Things haven't been all plain sailing round here, meaning my writing has been pushed back somewhat. My wife was off work for a protracted period of time with anxiety, due to various issues which are too lengthy to go into here. We've been spending a lot of time together which has been good for us and the kids, including three mini holidays in two weeks! She's now starting to get back on a part-time basis, taking one day at a time, and I've been getting back into writing and blogging - though feeling rather rusty.
I completed the first draft of my novella, still untitled, last week. It came to about 29,000 words, although most of the four months' drafting seemed to be spent on the last couple of thousand. So I'm glad that's out of my system, and I'm pushing ahead with edits on Black & White, which I hope to have ready for release around January or February.
I also have another small piece of news to share. For a long time I've been considering leveraging my editing and proofreading experience in order to benefit the writing community, and a short while ago I mentioned my plan to start a freelance editing business. That day has come and I'd love if you could pop over and check out what I've got to offer here. I'll literally edit anything that has words in it, but I'm particularly keen on helping out fellow indies in a world where it's paramount to offer a professional product, but editing services seem prohibitively expensive.
Although it's short notice, I would MASSIVELY appreciate it if you could help out with the official launch which I'm planning for next Tuesday, 1st October. You don't have to do a lot - if you sign up, I'll send out all the information for a post in the next few days. If you can't do next Tuesday, any brief mention during the week would be great - Tweets, FB, etc etc. Thank you!!
I'll leave you with one of the pictures from our adventures over the summer - me and Eve at Mount Rushmore. No, we're not giants, and yes, that is the Lego Mount Rushmore!
It's here! The talented Christine Rains is set to release a complete collection of her superb 13th Floor tales, featuring the supernatural residents of a mysterious floor in an apartment building. I've read three of the stories, and can't wait to catch up on the rest in one place. Congrats, Christine!
Title: The 13th Floor Complete
Collection
Author: Christine Rains
Genre: paranormal romance
Release date: October 13th, 2013
Blurb:
Six supernatural tenants
Living in a haunted apartment building
On a floor that doesn't exist.
Six novellas telling their tales.
A retired demon acquires a price on his
head.
A werewolf is hunted by her pack.
A modern day dragonslayer misses his
target.
A harpy challenges Zeus for the soul of the
man she loves.
A vampire is obsessed with a young woman he
can't find.
A banshee falls in love with someone who's
death she has seen in a vision.
And a sweet ghost must battle a primal
monster to save them all.
All the stories take place at the same time
intertwining their lives together on the 13th Floor.
Author Bio:
Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom.
She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great
Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with
her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered
Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor
series is her first self-published series. She has eight novellas and
twenty-one short stories published.
Today I'm honoured to host the wonderful Julia King - aka Writing Jewels - as part of her tour for her newly published debut novel. I'm excited because I've never featured a playlist on my blog before. I'm also excited to read her book because it sounds excellent! Take it away, Jules:
This playlist sets the mood for Félicité Found. It isn’t a flowers and moonbeams plot, but richer and darker. Enjoy the songs and the lyrics that Julia feels are most relevant to her book.
Endlessly by Muse
There's a part of me you'll never know
The only thing I'll never show
Hopelessly I'll love you endlessly
Go by Hanson
I heard your moving van
But I didn't take a stand
You can't leave with them
You can't live without them
I never thought I'd want to let you go
Tonight I Wanna Cry by Keith Urban
I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
And I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with my pride, let it fall like rain
From my eyes, tonight I wanna cry
The Reason by Hoobastank
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol
I'm miles from where you are
I lay down on the cold ground
I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again by Andrew Lloyd Weber
Too many years fighting back tears
Why can't the past just die?
Wishing you were somehow here again
Knowing we must say, "Goodbye"
Try to forgive, teach me to live
Give me the strength to try
No more memories, no more silent tears
No more gazing across the wasted years
Help me say, "Goodbye" Everlasting Love by U2
Like the sun it shines
Endlessly it shines
You always will be mine
It's eternal love
Whenever loves are gone
Ours will be strong
We'd have our very own
Everlasting Love And here's the gorgeous cover and blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Pierre Rousseaux witnesses a young girl take a near fatal plunge off Pont Neuf Bridge into the freezing water of the River Seine in Paris, France. After diving into the racing river himself, he is able to rescue her from a watery death, but only after her head is bashed into the river
wall. Upon reviving her from unconsciousness, Pierre realizes she doesn’t remember her past at all.
The girl struggles to recall anything from before she may have tried to commit suicide, not only once but possibly twice. The few glimpses into her life are discovered through dreams that can only suggest her past was horrific and jaded by intense anger.
Her memories may force her to lose everything she has grown to adore, especially the boy she loves more than anything in the world: Pierre.
The girl, Félicité Moreau, must decide if the life she desires is enough to make things from her past right. Pierre struggles to resolve if Félicité means enough to him that he will fight for her, regardless of her past and despite his own personal demons.
With a paranormal twist, Félicité Found is Julia King’s debut Young Adult novel—a horrific love story.
Hi everyone! Hope your summer's going with a swing. I'm still on a semi-break from blogging, but I always have time to help out my lovely author friends. So today I'm pleased to host another lovely friend, Nancy LaRonda Johnson, who has recently released her second book, which looks like a cracking collection of flash fiction and poetry. I plan to get my hands on it soon. So with no further ado, here's Nancy...
Salted With Fire
Black magic, murder, insanity… humor, honor and devotion. Salted With Fire is a journey of flash fiction and poetry that shows my writing transformation from worldly to wanting to please God.
Flash fiction is my passion; poetry is my release. I love creating a complete story, with a beginning, middle and end, with twists, drama, compassion and horror, all under 1000 words. Salted With Fire isn’t just a book of stories and poetry, it is my journey as a writer, from writing only for the mere joy of it regardless of the message, to writing stories that highlight God’s will for people, even if the stories are not religious in nature.
Inside are fifteen flash fiction pieces and twelve poems with full-color pictures, and short Biblical discussions after each story.
Bio
Nancy LaRonda Johnson has written short stories, poetry and personal journals most of her life, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a Juris Doctorate. A probation officer by day, she strives during her off-hours to write interesting characters who make it through trying times. Her first book, the literary Christian speculative novel Anticipation of the Penitent, about a serial killer and his mother, reached the finals in the Indie Publishing Contest sponsored by the San Francisco Writer’s Conference 2012. Salted With Fire is her second publication. She is working on several projects, including a sequel to Anticipation of the Penitent. Visit her website at www.nancylarondajohnson.com.
Flash fiction one-liners from Salted With Fire:
Too Bad! Too Late!
What would you do if you found a skeleton in your closet?
Secondary Illness
There’s a bit of insecurities – and madness – in all of us.
Sometimes You Get Shot
If you don’t consider the consequences of your actions, Sometimes You Get Shot.
Debt
When Sal doesn’t get paid… there is always Notorious Natalie.
Career Day
Experience the breakdown of one classroom on this special day.
You Are Not Going To Believe This
Perilous things happen when Mr. Titan Talé is not heard.
You Wanna Be a Funambulist?
Once you understand what that means, will you wanna be one?
Taxi!
Marcus would traverse the country to save his daughter.
Freeway
Finding that special, peaceful moment can be dangerous.
Quarter To
When Perry doesn’t heed the warning, he puts everything at risk.
Braden’s Pop
Henry will risk looking like a fool to save his town.
THE LESSON
Will Sandra learn in time before she totally loses it?
The X’es Mark the Spots
Two holes in the backyard; four places set for dinner….
The Other Side
Harry Montgomery drags through his days, until one special boy enters his life.
My Boaz
Some imaginations will cause even God to come in response.
Also enjoy Biblical discussions and twelve poems in Salted With Fire.
Hello everyone! It's time for the release of Christine's very last book in her fantastic 13th Floor series, The Ghost. I've been happy to host Christine for every release so of course I was going to be part of her final tour! Here's all the details you need to know (with another gorgeous cover, of course):
PRIMAL NEED
The 13th Floor series has an
amazing variety of villains. From the diabolical mastermind to the unrepentant
thug to the evil within. The final book of the series pits the heroes against
an unseen fiend that sets its sights on the 13th floor itself. This
monster isn't as mighty as Vetis or a genius like the Governor, but what makes
it the most frightening is that it's driven blindly by the primal need to feed.
The fiend is never named nor does anyone
ever hear it. It can't be reasoned with and nothing will deter it from its
target. All the monster knows is unrelenting hunger. It feeds off the energy or
life force of whatever tickles its appetite. Usually that's the most powerful
being or thing within reach.
Chiharo Black is a ghost, and she shines
with a brilliant essence. Nothing has ever terrified her, not even dying. Yet
when this creature of unappeasable hunger grabs hold of her, she faces a waking
nightmare. Chiharo is a sweet and smart phantom. The fact she can't use logic
to help her get rid of this monster challenges her as nothing has before. It
doesn't help that she's shiny and delicious in the fiend's eyes.
Villains that are intelligent give heroes
the chance to reason with them, talk their way out of a bad situation, or, at
least, distract them with words. There's always that small ray of hope because
both sides can talk to one another. Yet when they're faced with a destructive
primal desire, nothing is more frightening than a hungry monster.
Have you read any other books or watched
movies where the villain was an unstoppable primal need?
Title:
The Ghost (The 13th Floor series, #6)
Author:
Christine Rains
Genre:
paranormal romance
Release
date: July 13th,
2013
Blurb:
Chiharo Black lives with six supernatural tenants in a
haunted building's mysterious thirteenth floor. Of course, no one knows she's
there except the cats. Being a ghost can be a bit frustrating and lonely, but
it isn't as bad as her mother made it out to be.
Until another ghost intrudes on her territory. Jeremy Emerson wants revenge on
the vampire that killed him and won't stop until he has it. To top it off, a
nightmarish shade sneaks in and leeches the energy from the building's
residents before setting its sights on Chiharo and the thirteenth floor. She
can't decide which one is more frightening: the one wanting to eat her soul or
the one who might win her heart.
Chiharo must convince Jeremy to stand with her against the hellish parasite. If
they cannot work together, the greedy fiend will not only drain their energy
but everything that supports the thirteenth floor's existence.
Christine
Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help
nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not
writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy
movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The
13th Floor series is her first self-published
series. She has eight novellas and twenty-one short stories published.
Back around January, I was approached by the lovely Lisa Regan to read an ARC of her second novel, Aberration, which has now been released. I hadn't yet read her debut, Finding Claire Fletcher, but having read so many amazing things about it I jumped at the chance, and I thank her profusely for the opportunity. I quickly devoured Finding Claire Fletcher, and when Aberration arrived, I tore through it in two days (a record, if you know how slow I normally am!) I highly recommend picking up both these books, Lisa writes thrilling crime fiction with a unique twist.
Blurb: When a series of sadistic murders bearing the same signature arise in different parts of the country, FBI analyst Kassidy Bishop is assigned to the “For You” killer’s task force—whose investigation leads right back to her.
The homicides are both calculated and savage, occurring in different states, but bearing the same signature: the words “for you” scribbled at each crime scene. The case chills Kassidy, bringing back memories of her own encounter with a violent criminal five years earlier.
The stakes rise when the task force links the killer’s signature to Kassidy. As more and more bodies turn up, Kassidy must delve into her past and the mysterious death of her twin sister, which holds the key to uncovering the killer’s identity. My Review: This second outing from crime writer Lisa Regan cements her status as one of the most promising talents in the field. If you've read her first novel, Finding Claire Fletcher, that delicious sense of creeping menace is still present, along with a greater depth and complexity.
A serial killer is taking out his victims in a variety of perverted ways and leaving the words "For You" at each scene. We know from the start whodunnit (as we witness the murders from the POV of the perpetrator, and the matter-of-fact description here is quite disarming). The question is why, and for who? Regan dripfeeds backstory about the killer, and the investigating agent, Kassidy Bishop, judiciously, making you want to discover more and more.
Without giving too much away, there are certain conditions affecting both Kassidy and the killer that make things even more intriguing (and the killer doubly scary!)
I was also impressed by the meticulous research that was in evidence, regarding the FBI, and the behaviour of stalkers and psychopaths. It reads like a novel by a seasoned thriller writer. And if you want twists, you surely won't be disappointed - in fact, I want to reread the whole book in the light of what we find out by the end.
The pacing is excellent - well measured, and not frantic and headlong. Again, this is effective in the way it helps build the tension and danger.
I know I've still been very AWOL with blogging, please bear with me as I try to get back into it! My good wife has had the use of my laptop to run her business lately while hers was sick, but it's all patched up now and back with us. When I've had my laptop, I've been trying to get some freelance work in editing and writing since my job dried up. I'll be making a big announcement about this soon, and I'd love if you could help. I'll be sending out emails soon, but feel free to mention below if you'd like to help spread the word! Basically, the idea is to offer affordable editing and proofreading services primarily to indie authors. Now I just need to figure out how to set up a website... Oh, and we've also had this new addition to the family... the gorgeous Pippa. Though really, she's no trouble at all!
This is an old pic - she was bigger than that when we got her, but it's so cute I had to share it!
What have you been up to lately?
