Monday, December 31, 2012

Giveaway, Guest Post, & Interview The Fallen King by T.A. Grey




Title: The Fallen King
Author: T.A. Grey
Series: The Bellum (#4)
Genre: Paranormal Erotic
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 28, 2012


Synopsis

 Life couldn't have possibly gotten worse for the demon king Alrik. But it did. He lost the love of his life. Days spent clouded in black and gray were brightened only with the lovely Arianna near. Her light kept the darkness at bay if only for a few moments.

And now she's gone leaving him alone. Now he has nobody. But he has purpose. A purpose—steely determination—for revenge against the one who cursed him. His mother. She's out there in the rift, gathering forces, for what, he's unsure.
A mere human witch by the name Abbigail Krenshaw is the key to saving himself and killing his mother--or so a little old seer tells him under sword point. Small, fragile, and breakable Abbigail almost reminds him of his lost love, yet she's different. Strong, charming, always pushing him in ways that Arianna wouldn’t dare. He can feel her worming her way into his battered, blackened heart and can't decide whether he wants to close her inside forever, or lock her out.

He needs Abbigail. He needs the human witch to sacrifice herself in order to save his tortured soul. He's more than willing to sacrifice her for his purpose, but the more he's around her the more difficult it becomes to uphold the decision. Can he really use her to save himself and let her die? His heart screams no but his mind says yes.


Guest Post
How do you create the characters for your stories?
Most characters come to me. I’ll see a scene in my head. For instance, a man and woman shouting at each other. They’re cursing each other, hating each other, then he slips and says something particularly nasty and the energy just crackles between them. They both freeze, then she slaps him hard across the face. She stiffens—she’s never hit anyone before—then before she knows it he’s pulled her into his arms and is kissing the living daylights out of her. That’s how a scene begins for me—something passionate that makes me go: who are these people?! I sit down and write until I figure it out.
I start by figuring out what the story is I’m trying to tell, then figure out how this man and woman came to be in this story. The rest tends to fall in place from there. Soon, I’ve learned their names (or tentative names), I know what kinds of things they like or don’t like, and I know just why they were fighting. J
Alrik in The Fallen King, my latest release, came to me in the previous book Ties That Bind. I was writing his brother Telal’s story. Telal’s story, I learned, couldn’t be written without discovering Alrik. Alrik was a villain. He’s a bad demon, an even worse king, and he’s done some pretty terrible things in his life. But it’s not totally his fault. His mother’s cursed him, and since Ties That Bind he’s lost his kingdom, his woman, and family he might have known. Alrik has been a really fun character—if a bit hard to write. He has a sad story and he’s made me cry many times. I usually have funny, lively characters so writing one like him was challenging. But so worth it!
After sitting down and writing for a bit with Alrik, his fated female, the one woman who could just rock his world if he let came to me. She’s strong, she’s smart, she’s pretty, doesn’t take his shit, and gives as good as she gets. She crawls her way under his skin in no time. ;)
Interview
Please describe The Fallen King in 25 words or less:
Cursed demon Alrik needs a human witch to kill his mother in order to remove the curse from him.
What inspires you to your stories?
My characters and the stories they want to tell inspire me. They storm into my head and dominate me until I write their stories and get it out to readers. They’re like little kids who shout at the top of their lungs in a room full of people for attention. They want it, and they want it now!
Do you have a special place you write?
No, I write everywhere but in my bed. Each book usually gets their own place. Sometimes it’s at my desk, the kitchen, or the sofa. For The Fallen King I’ve been a big sofa junkie!
Do you have a playlist while writing, anything special you do while you write?
No, music is a big no-no for me. It’s very distracting. Even instrumental music can distract me. It might have to do with the fact that I used to play in the orchestra back in school so when I hear a piece of music I want to know who wrote it, what year it was written, who it’s by and so on. My writing routine is very boring. I re-read what I just wrote to edit it and spruce it up, then I start writing!
What do you do when you get writers block?
I’m lucky in that I don’t really get writer’s block. I’ve had it a few times and I had to step away from the work, figure out what wasn’t working, and then get back at it. Usually that meant talking to my husband about it so I could bounce ideas off him and complain. Sometimes he’d say something, then it’d click. I’d go back to the story, change the scene or where it had been heading, and it’s fine.
How long does it take you to write a story?
It depends on the length of the story. The Fallen King took me longer but that’s because I got married and took a little time off.  I average about a book every 2 – 3 months.
How many books have you written? Are they part of a series?
I have two series out now and another starting in January. The Kategan Alphas has six books. The Bellum Sisters Series has four books including the latest The Fallen King. All of my other books are standalone titles. That brings me to a total of fifteen. And many more to come over the next year!
What other project are you working on?
As The Fallen King is wrapping up, I am working on Take Me: The Untouchables #1. It’s a dark, sexy paranormal romance. Each story in the series focuses on the conflict of two characters that are untouchable in one way or another to each other. Take Me will be coming out in January 2013. You can read a sexy snippet of it, learn more about the dark vampire Dominic Blackmoore and Ms. Felicity Shaw here at my website.

If your book(s) were made into a TV Series, what actors would you choose to play your characters?
For Alrik I’d have to say Tom Hardy. He played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Give him much darker skin, some long shaggy hair, and inky eyes and he’d be perfect.
For Abbigail Krenshaw, I’d say Sarah Michelle Gellar. She can kick ass, cast magic, she’s beautiful, and smart. I could easily see her playing Abbigail.


What is your favorite paranormal movie?
This is a hard one! I love horror movies and so many of the good ones are paranormal. It might be Poltergeist, but this is a hard decision. I don’t like choosing favorites. Poltergeist would have to be my pick because it’s suspenseful, strange, and well-acted. I just love the story, I have since I was a kid.
Who are your favorite authors?
Michelle M. Pillow, Nathalie Gray, Kresley Cole, JR Ward, and Lisa Kleypas
Do you read the genre’s you write?
Oh, hell yes! Though I don’t read the same genre as I’m writing a book. If I’m writing a paranormal then I read historicals or fiction or anything else. I don’t want to accidently leach someone else’s mojo. 
What are your next 5 books on your to be read pile?
Frankenstein: The Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz; Redemption by Brynn Meyers; Lords of Deliverance #4 by Larissa Ione; Lord of the Rings book #3; and The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley.
If you could date one of your characters, who would it be? Why?
I’d date Dominic Blackmoore from Take Me (coming out in January 2013). When he gets into a woman, man he just puts all of his energy into it. There’s something about a strong man focus all of his attention on a woman that just makes me sigh. *grin*
What has one of your fans said that has made your day?
A fan has told me that she stayed up reading one of my stories until 5 in the morning. Totally made my day! 
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Read a lot, write a lot, buy books on writing, and write a lot.
Anything else you would like to add?
You can find The Fallen King now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. If you like a good paranormal romance then I hope you give it a shot. Thanks for having me on your blog. I really had a great time! 

Quickies:
Vampire or Werewolf or Other
Werewolf
Beach or Mountains
Mountains
Coffee or Tea
Coffee
Wake early or Sleep In
Sleep in




T.A. Grey


 I love to write the kind of stories that will keep you up late at night and make your heart pound. It’s my goal in writing to make each new book better, more exciting, more action-packed, not only to test myself as a writer but to keep thrilling you. I’m always trying to push the boundaries with my imagination, and yours, to create something new and different.
If you’re a fan of paranormal romance novels then you’ll love my Bellum Sisters Trilogy. This isn’t your typical romance story, so be prepared for a kick of heat and tons of action. The Bellum Sisters Trilogy has received excellent reviews from paranormal bloggers and two of the three books are Top Picks from Night Owl Reviews.
Now, if you like shorter books with quite a bit of heat, humor, and action then I’d recommend the Kategan Alphas series. This erotic series features the sexy Kategan family and all the lucky men and women who get to meet them and complete their lives.
Visit my website to learn more about me and my books.


We have an awesome tour wide giveaway 15 winners total. 10 US winners will win an ebook of the Fallen King plus Swag and 5 International winners will win an ebook of the Fallen King. Just Fill Out The Rafflecopter and make sure to let us know if you are US or International.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Schedule

BeLoved Books Jan 7




Sunday, December 30, 2012

Ties That Bind - T. A. Grey



Title: Ties That Bind
Author: T.A. Grey
Series: The Bellum (#4)
Genre: Paranormal Erotic
Release Date: May 27, 2012

Warning: this book contains a spunky succubus set on getting her man, a blue-haired, golden skinned demon set on righting his old kingdom, a shower scene that will steam your e-reader, action in abundance, and a dark cursed brother who's story comes next.

Three Fates. Three Sisters. Lily Bellum keeps many secrets, even from those she loves the most. With a determination and mindset that only she can help the demon Telal Demuzi--she sets off to join him in his cause for demon's rights, whether he wants it or not. But things don't seem to go right from the beginning. To say he's resistant to her charms is putting it lightly, but Lily is not one to back down or give in easily. She pursues Telal, slowly breaking down his incredible defenses one smile, kiss, and touch at a time.

Telal's years of planning are finally coming to fruition--to open the rift. Once a betrayer of his people, now he's determined to fix the past. But one man stands in his way; one man who's turned out to be a dark and sinister version of the boy he once knew. His plan to open the rift is met with hostility, resistance, and bloodshed unlike he'd ever thought possible. Telal finds that losing himself in the sweet body of Lily Bellum proves an excellent treatment to the chaos around him. Together, Telal and Lily get wrapped up in a world of dark magic, love, betrayal, and murder in the greatest journey of their lives. 

Other Books Available by T. A. Grey:
THE KATEGAN ALPHAS
-Breeding Cycle
-Dark Awakening
-Wicked Surrender
-Eternal Temptation
-Dark Seduction
-Tempting Whispers

THE BELLUM SISTERS SERIES
-Chains of Frost
-Bonds of Fire
-Ties That Bind
-The Fallen King

STANDALONE TITLES
-Capturing Jeron
-Midnight Sex Shop
-Evernight Romance Anthology






I love to write the kind of stories that will keep you up late at night and make your heart pound. It's my goal in writing to make each new book better, more exciting, more action-packed, not only to test myself as a writer but to keep thrilling you. I'm always trying to push the boundaries with my imagination, and yours, to create something new and different. If you're a fan of paranormal romance novels then you'll love my Bellum Sisters Trilogy. This isn't your typical romance story, so be prepared for a kick of heat and tons of action. The Bellum Sisters Trilogy has received excellent reviews from paranormal bloggers and two of the three books are Top Picks from Night Owl Reviews. Now, if you like shorter books with quite a bit of heat, humor, and action then I'd recommend the Kategan Alphas series. This erotic series features the sexy Kategan family and all the lucky men and women who get to meet them and complete their lives. Visit my website to learn more about me and my books at www.tagrey.com.


As part of a blog tour I was given a copy of Ties That Bind to provide my review. I really wish I was able to read the previous books before starting this one. Although I was able to jump right into the story, I had a hard time keeping the characters straight at first.

Grey has created some wonderful characters that really work together with lots and lots of steamy passion, mystery and humor.  Being a succubus, Lily uses her abilities to entice Telal into being her protector, even though he fights the idea and wishes her father had not put her under his care.

From what I read in this story, I cannot wait to get my hands on the previous stories and the upcoming story, The Fallen King, as well. 

If you are looking for a hot and steamy read with lots of humor, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Ties That Bind. 


5 out of 5!



Saturday, December 22, 2012

BTS Presents Covert Dreams Blog Tour



Title: Covert Dreams
Author: Michael Myers
Release Date: October 17, 2011
Publisher: Pacific Books
Genre: Thriller


Imagine waking up remembering intimate details about a country in which you have never traveled and fluently speaking a language that you have never spoken. B.J. is living the ideal live. He has a great wife, a wonderful job. And yet he is experiencing life-like vivid dreams of Munich, a city he has never visited.

Stan Halsey is a professor in Saudi Arabia, who sends for his wife to join him. She arrives, and, in the bling of an eye, she vanishes, leaving no trace of ever being alive in either the United States or in Saudi Arabia.

COVER DREAMS is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that moves from Munich to the burning sands of Saudi Arabia. What is real, and who is responsible for the terrifying nightmare? 








The Munich all around her was bustling with activity. She could hear it from all over directions. Munich was a wonderful city, a fun loving place, the live and let live ebullience of the city emanating from its every nook and cranny. She had had a lovely stay here. All of it had been so adventurous, so new, so unlike life back home in Arizona. She could vividly recall the first time she had ventured into a Munich beer garden, where the liter mugs have so huge that she had had to lift hers with both hands, and the giggles, from him, until he too had had to use both hands. 

The fumbling noises he had been making came to an abrupt halt. He began stroking her cheek again. Gus looked so happy, so young, so full of life. It was so hard to imagine that he could be so heavily involved in all this horror. 
Gus smiled at her once more. His eyes were soft, so gentle, so caring, so loving. 

Maybe this was some kind of huge mistake. Maybe he wasn't going to kill her after all. Maybe everything would turn out happily every after. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.     
                                                            
But then suddenly she saw it clearly. it was no fairy tale. There would be no maybe. This was real, as real as the mixture of sadness and fear that now flooded her brain. 

And then she died, with her eyes wide open, challenging, piercing his to the end. 






RETIRED ENGLISH PROFESSOR WRITES FICTION - mysteries, thrillers, and humorous fiction I have resided in and have visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to my own published writing. I have literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. I have lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, Saudi Arabia (where COVERT DREAMS is set), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (where DEADLY EYES is set). I gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left me. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as I have aged. I try to travel internationally at least once a year. In the interim, I spend lots of time traveling around both my home state of California and other nearby states.

I spent my early years in a small town of Lone Pine, California, the home of almost every western movie, in addition to a wide variety of other genres, made in the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. In fact, Hollywood still films parts of big-time movies there today. My dad, the town's lifeguard at the time, personally knew John Wayne, Lloyd Bridges, and Lee Marvin, all of whom came to the town's pool, the Memorial Plunge, at times to cool off after a hectic day of working in the sun. I was even an extra in a movie filmed there in 1957, MONOLITH MONSTERS, a B-cult favorite even today. I was ten years old at the time. Even though I resided in a small town hours from the big city, i was exposed to the excitement of action and heroes at a formative age, and, thus, my interest in writing novels of suspense as COVER DREAMS and DEADLY EYES was born. 

As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, I now live in Southern California wine country with my wife, Kitty, and our two other cats. 




My husband read Covert Dreams and could not put it down. I can honestly say I felt the same way in the beginning because I had to force myself to keep reading because the story started out monotonously slow. Once I got through the first part of the book I began to connect with the characters and enjoy the story line more. This may not be due to the authors writing style, it may be due to the fact that I do not normally read thrillers. I’m glad I continued reading because the book became a real page turning experience for me.

I love to travel and with this novel I got to experience Germany and Saudi Arabia through Meyers multiple characters. The plot has lots of twists and turns and requires the reader to really pay attention or you can really get lost in the action. At times the dialogue did get a little drawn out somewhat, but that tends to happen in a lot of books, so it was not a big issue. 

There are some grammar errors and missing words, but not enough to take away from the story or be a major distraction. I would recommend this book to anyone. With lots of thrilling suspense, intrigue, travel, conspiracy, and believe or not, a shot of romance, this book was a great read and kept me guessing throughout as to what was going to happen.

4 out of 5











Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Scavenger Hunt & Book Tour - Bloods Voice & Blood Bound






a House Millar book, #2
Áine P Massie
ISBN-13 978-1463593025 | ISBN 1463593023 | 392 pages | 6x9in | February 29, 2012 | Geas Publishing
NA Paranormal Romance
·         Read an Excerpt
·         Praise for Blood Bound
·         Available in print and eBook

    How many ways can a hearts true love be shared? After poisoning, near death attacks, consummated passions, and possible insanity visit Anya, Nicholas, and Declán they embark on their future. Or at least they try to. Jealousy can be a pain, in more ways than one. 

Can Anya protect her lovers, find peace within herself, and lead the House Millar? With her loves and guards, Nicholas and Declán, she sets out to do just that. If only life, eternal life, were that easy. 

Come take a walk with our loving family and witness the strange turns and twists as life, love, and passions collide with greed, politics, and evil.


a House Millar book, #1

Áine P Massie
ISBN-13 978-1463559274 | ISBN 1463559275 | 372 pages | June 1, 2011 | Geas Publishing | 6 x 9in
NA Paranormal Romance
·         Read an Excerpt
·         Praise for Blood’s Voice
·         Available in print and eBook



Anya Millar had no memory of her life or an instruction manual on how to navigate the insane world of humans, biting, and reality. Instead, Anya has had to learn to navigate the world of love, life, and sanity while avoiding those that would see her dead or enslaved.

This is the ongoing journey of Anya and Nicholas, human loving vampires and the human they love, Declán. What makes it all more complicated is that they are abominations in their own world and Declán is a natural born vampire hunter called a Guardian. 

Anya must come to terms with who she is and her missing past, Nicholas must win back the object of his eternal love while dealing with new cravings in his silent heart, and Declán must learn to destroy the very creatures that he has unequivocally given his heart and blood.






Áine P Massie is originally from Florida, she now lives in Wisconsin where she works on her House Millar series full time while raising four children (the term herding cats comes to mind). Her major in College was Childhood Education (0-5) with a minor study in Deaf Culture/ASL. She is also a Wiccan priestess dedicated to the gods, family, and love.
A life-long reader, Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys ... oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones.
Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. But, she's been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction. Blood's Voice has been a long time in coming and with its publication (June 2011) Áine embarked on a new chapter in her life.



Monday, December 10, 2012

The Prophecy by Rachel Deagan Cover Reveal



Title: The Prophecy
Author: Rachel Deagan

Series: The Star Children Series (#1)
Genre: YA/Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 11, 2013
Formats it will be available in: Amazon Print , Amazon Kindle  & Nook on release day.

                                  

“The cards tell me of the children of the stars.”

Jacey thinks her life is worthless, when she finds herself in a psychiatric hospital after a failed attempt to end her life; her wounds miraculously healed. Devin, who claims to kill on touch, is also there. When Michael arrives, bearing telekinetic powers, he insists the government, and an even darker, more powerful force, wants them dead.

In a desperate attempt to escape for their lives, the three teens find they must confront an even greater adversary, themselves - and with a Prophecy forced upon them, they must find a way to accept their fate, or rebel together, as one.






Places to Stalk Rachel
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads







Wednesday, December 5, 2012

North Pole High: A Rebel Without A Claus








Title: North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus
Author: Candace Jane Kringle
Genre: YA
Publisher: Elfpublishing books
Expected Release Date: October 2, 2012


Blurb:
MEET SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD CANDYCANE CLAUS. She's the most popular girl at North Pole High. Her father is world-famous. And every day is Christmas. What more could any girl want?

BOYS! And the new boy, Rudy Tutti, is hot chocolate. But he hates anything to do with Christmas!

When Candy and Rudy are forced to work together on a school Christmas-tree project, her world is turned upside down: Her grades start to suffer, she loses her taste for ice cream, and now the two North-Star-cross'd teens must contend with her overprotective father — Santa Claus — before Christmas is ruined for EVERYONE!

   




Candace Jane Kringle is a junior at North Pole High. She likes candy canes, unicorn races, and making snow angels. Her father is the most well-known and beloved toymaker and toy distributor in the world. Her memoir, North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus , is her first book. After high school, she plans to enroll at North Pole University and write more books, maybe even some fiction. :)

Author Links:
Website/Blog: http://www.NorthPoleHigh.com/
FB:
 http://facebook.com/NorthPoleHigh
Twitter:
 http://twitter.com/CandycaneClaus
Goodreads:
 http://goodreads.com/CandycaneClaus
Pinterest:
 http://pinterest.com/NorthPoleHigh/ 


NORTH POLE HIGH: A REBEL WITHOUT A CLAUS
a memoir by Candace Jane Kringle





“No, Dasher! No, Dancer!” I cried out.
The reins out of reach, tangled around the yoke, we’d lost control over the crazed deer. I had no choice. I climbed up on the seat, clenching my fingers around the curve of the dash with one hand, grasping for the reins with the other.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea!” Rudy shouted, trying to pull me back into the cab.
“Hold me!” I shouted back. “I have to get the reins.”
“Let me. I’m taller.”
We started to switch places. The sleigh made a sharp turn, flinging me over the side. At fifty feet up, I’d have been snow soup in a matter of seconds, but Rudy’s strong grip caught my wrist in the nick of time. I dangled like that, legs flailing in the wind, as we flew wide circles over the North Pole Drive-In.
He finally managed to wrestle me back into the sleigh. Then we felt a bump, heard a clink. The runners had clipped a chunk of ice off the movie screen. Rugged cubes bounced down the side of the glacier, crashing at its base like glass. If Rudy hadn’t pulled me in when he did, those shattered ice fragments would be mixed with sprinkles of crushed Candycane bits.
“The reins, Rudy!”
I buckled myself in and hugged his legs as he climbed up the dash to retrieve our only brakes. The sleigh circled back toward the face of the glacier. The looming ice block sped at us head-on. The deer climbed. They would easily clear it, but not by enough for the heavy runaway chariot they dragged behind them.
About to be smashed to ribbons, Rudy untwisted the reins. He yanked hard aport on my command. A little too hard. The girls steered us away from certain doom, but we whiplashed wide out to starboard.
Sideswiped for a second time, the berg took it out on the sleigh’s fragile runners, crippling them beyond repair. Great. Now even if we were lucky enough to survive, Daddy would kill me.
I helped Rudy slide back onto the bench, reins now securely in his possession. Then came a loud, sickening rumble. Large cracks snaked rapidly across the wall of ice. A giant, furry-knuckled fist punched through, followed by a furious roar. Our minor collisions had awoken the beast that slumbered undisturbed inside the glacier for decades. Now, old Yeti plowed his way out of his cavern. And he was pissed.





I absolutely love how the author played with the names for the characters and mixed the foods with all kinds of candies and deserts. The characters are well rounded (haha) and work well together. The daughter of Santa Clause, Candy Cane finds herself interested in the bad boy, Rudy, when he comes to town.

This YA story is well written, a delightfully fun read and would make an excellent stocking stuffer for anyone who enjoys a cheerful romance. 

I give this novel: 







Amazon
United States
kindle:
 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009I3ZEEM/
paperback:
 http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615681913/

United Kingdom
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paperback:
 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0615681913/

Germany
kindle:
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paperback:
 http://www.amazon.de/dp/0615681913/

France
kindle:
 http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B009I3ZEEM/
paperback:
 http://www.amazon.fr/dp/0615681913/

Italy
kindle:
 http://www.amazon.it/dp/B009I3ZEEM/
paperback:
 http://www.amazon.it/dp/0615681913/

Spain
kindle:
 http://www.amazon.es/dp/B009I3ZEEM/
paperback:
 http://www.amazon.es/dp/0615681913/
Barnes and Noble