Wednesday 30 September 2015

Courtlight Series Library Announcement Blast

The Courtlight Series by Terah Edun
Book Blast September 30th, 2015
   Courtlight Series Comes to Overdrive, Ingram, EBSCO & 3M Cloud Library
The Courtlight Series is now available in Overdrive, Ingram, EBSCO, and 3M Cloud Library. We’re excited to announce that the Courtlight series is available in library collections in three countries with more to come!
   Lauded as a “fantasy world that you don’t want to miss out on”, the Courtlight Series consists of seven full-length novels that give readers an imaginative escape into a high fantasy world. With over 100,000 English-language books sold, global readers have become “captivated from beginning to end”
   The series weaves an epic story of fantasy and romance, with avid comparisons to Tamora Pierce and Mercedes Lackey, as a girl struggles to overcome the odds of her place in society while saving a prince and his empire from mortal peril.
You’ll find that each book adds to an intricate storyline that enchants an young adult audience (Grade: 7 – 12 / Age: 12 – 19) and leaves the reader wanting more unforgettable magic.

BOOK LINKS
(This is the only link you need for this blast, you do not need to link all the individual books)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Terah Edun is a young adult fantasy writer that writes the stories that she always loved to read as a young girl. Her Courtlight and Crown Service series can be seen on the USA Today Happily Ever After blog and together have sold over 100,000 copies. Her books are available in four languages, audio, and print. Her latest book is Sworn To Ascension, the sixth in the Courtlight series. You can find her at twitter.com/tedunwrites or Facebook.com/TerahEdunAuthor.

GIVEAWAY
- One winner will get their choice of a $20.00 Gift Card to Amazon OR Barnes & Noble
Must be 13+ To Enter |Open internationally | Please see terms and conditions for full contest rules.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday 28 September 2015

Spark (The Chronicles of ISLE #1) by Starla Huchton (Review)

   In a world of superheroes, Phoebe Lawrence has a lot of pressure on her plate between her love life, saving the world and learning to control her powers. Daughter of the famous hero couple from the Starla's previous series, The Evolution; she is expected to become as awesome of a superhero as her parents were. A romantic action-filled story, Spark follows Phoebe as she learns control, love and responsibility.
   I found Spark to be very similar to the first book in the Evolution series. It had its ups and downs. I found in both novels, the romantic male lead was underdeveloped and that the romance between the characters was rushed. I felt the relationships in both felt very shallow and uninteresting. On a more positive side, Spark had some interesting mystery elements and had some pretty cool super powers. Phoebe has the power to control purple energy fire, which I thought was pretty interesting to read about. The main character Phoebe was a diverse and well developed character, who had me cheering for her throughout the novel. Ultimately, Spark was not bad, but not amazing either. I give Spark the rating of TWO AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Book Blitz: Hookah by Cameron Jace!

Hookah by Cameron Jace 
(Insanity #4) 
Publication date: September 28th 2015 
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
A Plague Scarier than Death
Alice and the Pillar have to stop a Wonderland Monster who’d lashed out an incurable disease onto the world. Their biggest challenge is that the world loves this monster so much.

A Cure Larger than Life
The only way to save the world is to travel to the other side of the globe, and peek into one of Lewis Carroll and the Pillar’s darker pasts.
A Truth Madder Than Fiction
This time, the price of saving the world is too high. Alice will have to live with the consequences of the maddest logic of the world surrounding her.
Will Alice find who the Pillar really is? What he wants? Is she brave enough to handle the one Wonderland Monster she’d thought was a good friends? And even so, is the world ready the truth?
Purchase:

Excerpt: 
“She’s not my daughter.” The Pillar purses his lips. He’s pissed at me. I know it. But you know what? I love the mushrooms’ effect. Because I don’t freakin’ care. “Don’t pay attention to her.”
“I’m beginning to lose my patience,” the machine gun man says. “You don’t know the password, and your daughter is a lunatic.”
“I told you she isn’t my daughter,” I hear the Pillar say while I’m trying to catch a diamond from the sky. “And I don’t know the answer to your puzzle. Divide a loaf by a knife? What kind of mathematical question is that?”
“Wrong answer.” The man is about to shoot the Pillar while I’m chasing stars.
This is when I find myself standing before the Pillar to protect him. “You will not shoot my father!” I have no idea what I am saying, or why I am saying it. It’s strange that in the middle of my hallucination I care for the Pillar.
“Tell her to move, or I will shoot you both,” the machine gun man warns.
Then another totally bonkers thing happens. This time it’s too insane to swallow.
“Tell you what? You look like you’re itching to shoot someone today,” the Pillar says, pushing me away toward the man. “Why not shoot her, and let me pass?”
Suddenly, I am two feet away from the machine gun itself, unable to determine if what I just heard was part of my hallucination or for real.
My attempt to turn back and confront the Pillar goes out the window when the machine gun man decides he’s had it with me.
He shoots me straight in the chest.
Get book 1 (FREE): 

Insanity 4 is available for pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JAUABG

AUTHOR BIO:
Cameron Jace is the bestselling author of the Grimm Diaries and Insanity series. A graduate of the college of Architecture, collector of out-of-print books, he is obsessed with the origins of folk tales and the mysterious storytellers who spread them. Three of his books made Amazon's Top 100 Customer Favorites in Kindle 2013 & Amazon's Top 100 kindle list. Cameron lives in California with his girlfriend. When he isn't writing or collecting books, he is playing music.

Sign up for his mailing list here: http://bit.ly/1sxp3p1
Author links:
Giveaway!! 
Enter below for a chance to win ebook copies of Insanity book 1-4!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz: Curse of the Sphinx by Raye Wagner!

Curse of the Sphinx by Raye Wagner 
(Sphinx #1) 
Publication date: August 9th 2015 
Genres: Mythology, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
How long can a monster stay hidden in plain sight?
Seventeen year-old Hope Nicholas has spent her entire life on the run. But no one is chasing her. In fact, no one even knows she exists. With her mom, she’s traveled from town to town and school to school, barely staying long enough to meet anyone, let alone make friends. And she’ll have to keep it that way. It’s safer.
When her mother is brutally ripped away from her, Hope’s life shatters. Is this the fulfillment of Apollo’s curse, murder from the shadow monsters of the Underworld, or have the demigods finally found her? Orphaned and alone, Hope flees again, but this time there’s no one to teach her who to trust—or how to love.
Set in a universe where mythology is alive and well in the modern world, Curse of the Sphinx irresistibly blends action, suspense and romance.
Meet the author: www.smarturl.it/meetraye
Book trailer: www.smarturl.it/BNHRMS

Purchase:

Excerpt:
      A warm breeze tickled the air, bringing with it the smell of honeysuckle and sunshine. A flash of light momentarily blinded him, and when Athan’s vision cleared Apollo stood in the doorway of the kitchen. The blond god of light, prophecy, and medicine arrived barefoot. His skin was sun kissed, and he wore a pale linen skirt trimmed in gold that fell to his knees. A bronze sash hung from his left shoulder to his right hip. Apollo was muscular, and his face was both beautiful and terrifying.
“Foolish girl.” His harsh words seemed at odds with his melodic voice. 
    The woman turned, and the phone slipped from her fingers. 
    “It is fulfilled.” He stepped toward her, his lips flattened in accusation. “You did not even give me a chance. One rash decision, and your fate was sealed. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, I can do. Do you understand?” His nostrils flared. “I would have made you happy.”
     With a moan, she sank to the floor and buried her face in her hands.

Greek Mythological Monster Spotted

AUTHOR BIO:
Raye Wagner grew up in the suburbs of Seattle, the second of eight children, and learned to escape chaos through the pages of fiction. As a youth, she read the likes of David Eddings, Leon Uris, and Jane Austen. Inspired by a fictional character, Raye pursued a career in nursing, and thought to help the world one patient at a time.
One summer afternoon, a plot dropped into her head, and she started writing.
Raye enjoys baking, Tae Kwon Do, puzzles, and the sound of waves lapping at the sand. She lives with her husband and three children in Middle Tennessee.

Origin of the Sphinx is her first publication, and the beginning of the Sphinx series.

You can connect with Raye Wagner via her website: www.rayewagner.com , or on Facebook.
Author links:

Friday 25 September 2015

Getting to Know the Authors: Featuring Claire Kennedy!


Bio:
     Claire Kennedy is an executive assistant and freelance writer living in Nashville, TN. She loves playing volleyball and rock climbing when not working on her YA novels. AFTER HOURS is her first novel.
    Claire's next book, SECRETS, LIES, AND SCANDALS, will be released next summer under the name Amanda K. Morgan. It's the story of five teens who are involved in a murder and must use their various skills to keep the secret even as their own paranoia and scandalous activities doom them.
You can find her on twitter at: https://twitter.com/amandakmorgan

What has she written? 
She has written: 
After Hours by Claire Kennedy
   Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn know that a job at the high-end Waterside Cafe isn't just about waiting tables. It's about the gossip, the hook-ups, the after-hours parties and, most of all, it's about Tips.
   Tips--the high-stakes game based on dares. Whoever completes the most dares wins the collected money. A sum that could change a wasted summer into a Summer to Remember.
    Isa is the new girl with an embarrassing secret, and as long as she stays on top of her game, she sees no reason why anyone could ever find out.
   Xavi will do anything for the money...absolutely anything.
   Peter, Xavi's stepbrother, has been in love with her for years, and he thinks the game is the perfect time to confess his feelings.
    Finn is in the game just for the thrill. He has enough tips coming in to keep him happy...even if those tips come with some conditions.
    From seduction to stealing to threats, the dares are a complete free-for-all, and only the best can win.
    The sophisticated Waterside Cafe is anything but classy behind the scenes...and things are about to get dirty.

Now on to the Interview!!!
1) How old were you when you started writing, in your opinion? 
I've written for as long as I can remember. Writing has always been something I've really loved. It's always been a part of me.

2) What do you want a reader to gain from reading your works? 
I just readers to enjoy them. That's all.

3) What are your three top suggestions on becoming an author, or being a pleasure writer? 
1) Read as much as you can. 2) Write as much as you can. 3) Give yourself permission to make mistakes.

4) What is your favourite novel, why? 
Any Harry Potter book. They're all magical and I want to live in them!

5) Who is your favourite author, why? 
JK Rowling for the reasons above. She's brilliant and her writing is so lovely and lyrical.

6) What are your favorite pass times besides writing?
I love playing volleyball (sand and indoor) and rock climbing.

7) Who in your life do you credit your imagination to the most?
 My parents always really encouraged my creativity. I had an incredibly childhood. I never felt limited in any way and I really thought anything was possible. How many people can say that?

8) What are the top five things on your bucket list? 
1) I want to do something really nice for my parents. Something big and memorable to thank them for everything they've done for me. 2) Skydiving. Jumping out of a plane sounds like a good time! :) 3) I'd love to visit another country (that isn't bordering the US). I've never been overseas and I'm desperate to go. 4) See the northern lights. I've seen them once before and I'd love to see them again. 5) Visit a castle. This seems terribly romantic and I'd love to do it.

9) What is your funniest childhood memory? 
Hmmmm...this is a tough one! I'd have to say when my family took a road trip to Houston and my sister and decorated kid's meal toys with silver Sharpies and put them on strings behind the car. It was probably the weirdest and funniest thing we've ever done (it was inspired by Napoleon Dynamite).

10) To the youth of today, if you could tell them one thing, what would it be? 
Be brave! :)

Tuesday 22 September 2015

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore (Review)

      In a modern setting with magical overtones, The Weight of Feathers is a Romeo and Juliet themed romantic story of a boy and a girl in separate travelling circus-like acts and rivals save each others, and being to fall in love. Both sides hate each others guts, curse each others names, and believe the other family to be evil. With barriers like that, will their love survive?  As I was reading, I found myself a wee bit confused with the theme-ing of the story. It seemed to be a modern romance, but there were parts of the story that hinted at actual magic, therefore confusing me as to what was actually going on with the families. The story was sweet and emotional, with minor moments of danger mixed in to keep interest. The plot seemed a little chaotic and unorganized, but overall was not that bad. There were some characters that could have been a bit more developed for sure, but for the two main romantic leads, I felt they were very diverse and developed characters. 
      Overall, The Weight of Feathers was a sweet story, but it was not amazing or awe inspiring. I give it the medium rating of THREE OUT OF FIVE STARS!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Blog Tour: Alpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin!

alpha gifAlpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin
Series: The Alpha Girl Series Book #5
Author:  
Publisher: Ink Monster, LLC
Cover by: Art by Ana Cruz ; 
Graphics by Paddy Donnelly
Editor: Ink Monster, LLC
Date Published: 10-13-15
Audience: YA, 14+<
E-Book Publisher: Ink Monster, LLC
Editor: Ink Monster, LLC
ISBN: 97809906352A0M
ASIN: B00NX52A0M

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    Tessa McCaide has had it up to here with supernaturals. Luciana may have failed to steal Tessa’s magic, but she’s just getting started on her crusade for magical domination. If her demonic summoning isn’t stopped, it could mean the end of everything.
     Tessa’s allies, including her mate Dastien, are ready to fight, but they’re no match for Luciana’s power. A little help (and ancient Inca mojo) from Tessa’s cousin, Claudia, may give the side of good a chance if she can make it home in time, but stopping the war is no longer an option.
    When witches and wolves fight, no one wins. Only time will tell who will still be standing after the last spell is cast.
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Amazon (1)  goodreads 
   AmazonGoodreadsNookiBooks  /  Kobo Books
excerpt (2)

I trailed off when I noticed Meredith staring hard at something behind me. I quickly glanced over my shoulder. “What?” 
“What’s Shannon doing with that group?” Her lips pressed into a tight, thin line. “And is that Imogene?” Meredith and I might be split on how we felt about Shannon, but we totally agreed on Imogene. 
I turned back to my now-cold omelet and took a bite. “I know,” I said after a second. “Looks like they’re BFFs now.” 
She scrunched up her nose as she thought. “Why is she with those guys? Shannon has nothing in common with them. She’s from the Irish pack. And Imogene? Really?” Meredith stared at them like she could glean answers off them. “Maybe if we all try reaching out to her, she’ll sit with us again.” 
I’d explained what happened between Shannon and I while Meredith was sick, but she didn’t understand. For better or worse, they’d been friends since forever. Their parents were friends and they’d grown up taking vacations together. Meredith was loyal, almost to a fault, and that meant she refused to give up on Shannon. “We tried that, remember? It didn’t work.” 
“I should go over. Try talking to her again.” 
I nearly rolled my eyes. Meredith had tried talking to Shannon, and in her defense—Shannon was still nice to her, but it was a losing battle. Shannon would obviously rather be with her new friends than us. 
Meredith started to stand up, but I grabbed her hand. “I wouldn’t—” 
“I have to try.” 
I let her go as I tried to think of a way to say what I needed to say without making it worse. “I don’t know. I still can’t feel anyone at that table through the pack bonds. Including Shannon.” 
Meredith crossed her arms as she stared down at me. “Whatever happened between you and her, she wouldn’t do anything to harm the pack. Shannon’s not capable of that.” 
I disagreed, but saying so would only hurt Meredith’s feelings. “What if she thought it would help the pack?” And what if they aren’t part of our pack anymore? I thought the words but didn’t say them aloud. 
For a second, Meredith’s lower lip trembled, and I thought I’d gotten through to her, but then she shook her head. “No. I don’t believe that. Not at all.” 
I kept my mouth firmly shut. If there was one person I didn’t want to piss off, it was Meredith. She’d been my friend—no questions asked—from the beginning. She’d helped me through when all I’d wanted to do was run away from St. Ailbe’s. And when I’d sucked at running and kept falling out of windows, she hadn’t made fun of me. Much. “I just don’t want you to get disappointed.” 
“I—” Meredith stopped in the middle of what she was saying, and turned to the door. 
It took me a second to figure out what was going on, but then Donovan came into the cafeteria, and started our way. Maybe he’d be able to reach Meredith, because I sure as hell wasn’t getting anywhere. 
She laughed at something he must’ve said through their bond. “Donovan is going to keep you company while I talk to Shannon. I’ll be back in a sec.” 
There wasn’t any point in trying to stop her. 
Donovan took Meredith’s spot at the table. He wore sweat pants and a T-shirt and his black hair was still messy from his run. His clothes gave of the scents of cedar and grass and dirt, and it almost made me jealous. 
Maybe a run would clear my mind. Help me figure out a way around these visions. 
“She’s checking on Shannon, eh?” Donovan asked, bringing me back to myself. 
“Yeah.” I’d already said my piece to his mate. I didn’t need to repeat myself. 
He jerked his chin toward the table in question. “There’s still something off about them.” 
My fork dropped to the plate with a clatter, and I glared into his glass-blue eyes. “Oh, come on. We’re not doing this.” 
Donovan raised his eyebrows. “Not doing what?” 
He had to be joking. “I just had this conversation with Meredith. I know how the whole mate thing works. There’s not a chance she didn’t tell you.” 
He gave me a wicked grin, and I knew trouble was coming. “Aye. But what you don’t know is that I agree with you.” 
“You do?” Mr. Dawson had been all—everything’s fine. Donovan hadn’t said a word. Why now? 
“Yes. I do.” 
“What do you know?” I leaned toward him, lowering my voice. Pesky Weres and their super-awesome hearing. “Why are their bonds missing? I thought they couldn’t leave the pack without putting in a formal bid to Mr. Dawson.” 
“That’s true enough. I don’t know what’s going on, but I think you’re going to find out. If this absence of pack bond is spreading, then we need to find the cause. Just… Don’t say anything to Meredith until we’re positive. All right?” 
Whoa. I didn’t keep much—if anything—from Dastien. “Do you think that’s wise?” 
“Keeping my opinions from my mate?” One side of his mouth quirked up. “Not usually. But she made her side clear enough with you, and I’d rather not start an argument that won’t get us anywhere.” 
Who knew? Even the great Donovan—one of the all-powerful Seven—was afraid of pissing off his mate. The idea was a little preposterous, but then again—I didn’t like upsetting Dastien either. I’d done it. But that didn’t mean I liked it. That left me with one last question. “Why can’t you keep an eye on them? You’re probably way better at this pack bonds stuff than I am.” 
He raised an eyebrow. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m not of this pack. I’m an alpha, and can use that to overpower and override the pack bonds if necessary, but this needs more finesse. An insider’s look.” 
“But your mate’s in our pack.” When Dastien bit me, I’d become part of the St. Ailbe’s pack. I figured it would be the same for Donovan and Meredith and their mate bond, even if they hadn’t gone through with their bonding ceremony. 
“Doesn’t work that way. I’m already the alpha of another pack.” 
“So, what about Meredith? Is she still part of this pack?” 
“Until she and Michael decide to let her move to mine. She’ll keep it for as long as she’s here, and I think that’s best.” He leaned forward. “I’ve heard through Michael and Meredith, but I want to know what it is you’re feelin’ from them. I’ve not experienced this before, and that’s sayin’ something to me.” His Irish accent thickened, and I finally knew that someone else was as worried about this as I was. 
“I don’t know what to say except that I can’t feel them. It’s like they’re there, but they’re not.” I sighed. “It makes no sense. Which is why Mr. Dawson blew me off when I brought it up. Shouldn’t you be talking to him about this? He’s the alpha.” 
“What makes you think I haven’t already?” 
The tension on my shoulders relaxed. It seemed like a good sign that two alphas were really talking about the problem. “And?” 
“Nothing. If they’ve withdrawn from the pack, he’s not feeling it.” He leaned in closer, speaking so quietly that even I could barely hear. “But last night, he gave that group of boys from the Canada pack a direct command and they disobeyed. I backed the command and forced their obedience, but I shouldn’t have had to. He’s their alpha. It may be that Rupert Hoel’s influence went deeper than those we’ve caught. There’s still a major player out there, and I’ve a fine idea who it might be.” 
Holy shit. That was bad news. Only someone more alpha than Mr. Dawson could ignore his commands, and they weren’t more alpha. At all. 
“Who?” 
“I think you might know. It’s one who got away.” 
It hit me then. They’d kicked one of the Seven out of the Council. The one who hated me. Ferdinand. “Do you really think it could be?” 
“Aye.” 
“But you didn’t say anything when I brought it up before.” 
“It took me longer to feel what you were getting at. I like to suss things out before actin’. Get fully aware of the situation. If you feel anything else out of the ordinary, let me know. Just be aware that if that lot wants to leave, that’s fine by me. They’re welcome to go their own way, but they need to make formal bids to Michael and they’ll have to tie to the Seven until they find their new packs. It must be done properly, or they’ll be considered lone wolves. And if they align with Ferdinand… I’d like those youngsters to avoid that if possible.” 
My stomach churned, and suddenly I didn’t feel much like finishing my omelet. If the pack was breaking up, then how were we ever going to defeat Luciana? We needed to be united if we wanted to stand the slightest chance of surviving.   
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Author Photo - Aileen Erin
Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd—from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking ass.

Interview!!!
1) How old were you when you started writing, in your opinion?
AE: Well, my mom just sent me a hilarious piece of paper where I wrote a story (pictures and all) when I was probably in second grade… But I would have to say that I really started writing after college. I was working a job that I didn’t totally love, and coming home and writing saved my sanity. So, that was in 2006. (Does a little math…) I was 24. 

2) What do you want a reader to gain from reading your works?
AE: First and foremost, I want them to be taken on an enjoyable journey. But I’d love it if they gained an understanding of themselves and of healthy relationships. A lot of my books deal with coming to terms with who you are and your place in the world. I hope that watching the characters struggle, that the reader becomes a bit more at ease in their own life. Also, figuring out what a “good” relationship is takes a while. I know it took me years to figure out what I needed from my partner in life. I hope by reading the books, the readers can see what each of the couples in the books seeks in a relationship, and maybe that will inform them on how to find a partner that compliments them.

3) What are your three top suggestions on becoming an author, or being a pleasure writer?
AE: I think if you’re writing for pleasure, then who cares about any rules or suggestions. You’re just writing for fun and for the inner joy and peace that you get. So, go on with your bad self. Enjoy it and have fun. ;)
But becoming an author… That takes some work. 
My first suggestion is to get a solid critique partner. Someone who you trust implicitly. You have to be able to trust not only their judgment, but also their taste level and their understanding of you as a person and what you’re trying to achieve with your work. Having that person is essential. You need them to keep you honest, to push you to be a better writer, and to make sure that what you want on the page is actually on the page. 
My second suggestion is to write a shitty first draft. People are always wide-eyed when I say that, but come on! No one writes perfectly the first go-around. So, let it go. Just write. Enjoy. Follow where the story takes you. Just get that first draft done. Remember that it’s only the starting out point. After you finish that first draft, the real work starts.
My final suggestion is to edit, Edit, EDIT. It’s one thing to listen to what your critique partner says, but it’s a whole other thing to actually turn that around into some serious edits. I’ve seen writers who take notes like a champ. They come back and have a new draft totally polished up, and the improvement is amazing. Those writers are getting better every day. But I’ve seen some who just can’t wrap their heads around changing anything, and that’s a little sad to me. It also puts so much pressure on the first draft. You’d have to get it perfect on the first go in order to avoid editing. And I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who writes a golden first draft. It’s usally a hot mess. Especially mine! 

4) What is your favourite novel, why?
AE: I think this changes on a nearly daily basis. I think I enjoy most what I’m reading at the time. But if we go with all-time… I might have to go classic and say Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It’s a classic for a reason. An amazing work. And Mr. Darcy… #swoon

5) Who is your favourite author, why?
AE: I have to pick just one?! At the moment, I’m really loving Sarah J. Maas. I just finished reading the latest book in her Throne of Glass series, and it was fantastic. I love her world building and her strong female characters. 

6) What are your favorite pass times besides writing?
AE: Reading. For sure. I like to cook and bake. I like to hang out with my husband and my family. I like to see movies. But my favorite is reading. I can read all day, every day. I’m a hardcore addict.

7) Who in your life do you credit your imagination to the most?
AE: That’s a tough question. My husband was the one who encouraged me to write. To follow where my imagination would take me.

8) What are the top five things on your bucket list?
AE: 1. Go on a safari. How amazing would that be?! 
2. Travel more. I never really had the travel bug until I met my husband. But every once in a while, we toy with the idea of getting one of those around the world tickets. That would be amazing.
3. Go to every Disney Park in the world. I’ve been to the one in Paris, Disney World in Florida, and Disneyland in California, but that leaves so many! I’d love to go to the one in Japan! 
4. Write an epic fantasy. Epic is so hard and such a big project. I have an idea that I sometimes tinker with, but I’d love the time just to go for it. One day… I just want to make sure I get it right.
5. Learn to sew. I know this is a silly one, but I’d love to be able to make clothes. My mom could whip up an outfit for me in twenty minutes. She’s amazing. I’m fully convinced she can do anything. (She’s a lawyer, can speak 5 languages, sews, cooks, etc., etc., etc…) I can barely stich on a button. I have this idea that one day I’ll be able to whip up Halloween costumes for my kids (I don’t have any yet!), but we’ll see.

9) What is your funniest childhood memory?
AE: So, I spent a while trying to come up with a funny childhood moment, but I couldn’t come up with anything. Yikes! Most of the things I could come up with were either sweet or cute. Ha! So, I’ve got some throwback photos instead. Hope that’s okay!

That’s me trying to blow out the candle. It’s my big brother’s birthday (he’s 19 years older than me), and he was being super sweet to let me and our sister join in on the birthday fun. Thankfully, he kept me from faceplanting in the cake, which was a real possibility. I picked out the cake with my mom—I still remember going to the bakery with her to get it. My brother was in college, and I was so stoked he was coming home.
 
Back in the day, my mom always had us (me, my older sister, and my little brother) get dressed up in matching (or semi-matching) outfits for formal pictures every year. I think I must be like 12-ish in this picture? I’m the one on the left. Kind of hilarious, right?

And then we have me in college with my two sisters. I’m the one on the right! (The backpack was Hello Kitty. If it hadn’t gotten super dirty, I think I’d still be using it!) The one sister in the middle was in both of the pictures above! (Her name rhymes with mine.) This is from her college graduation. I was a freshman at the University of Texas at the time.


10) To the youth of today, if you could tell them one thing, what would it be?
AE: Achieving your dreams is a lot of hard work, but don’t let that discourage you from going for it—whatever they might be.
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September 21
A Little Bit of R&R - Promo
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Nocturnal Predators Reviews -  Promo and Character Bio's
Where Books Lead Us – Promo and Character Bio's
Angels with Attitude Book Reviews - Promo, Author Interview, and Playlist
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September 22
3 Partners in Shopping Nana, Mommy, + Sissy, Too ! - Promo
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Kelly P's Blog – Promo
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Bookworm for Kids - Review
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Character Bio's, and Author Interview
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September 24
Diane's Book Blog - Promo, Review, and Character Bio's
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books – Promo and Review
Urban Fantasy Investigations – Promo and Top Ten
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September 25
Room With Books - Promo, Review, and Playlist
Cathy Writes Romance – Promo, Review and Character Bio's
Nellie and Co. – Promo and Review
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Hope To Read - Promo
 
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Crystal's Chaotic Confessions – Promo and Playlist
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Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog - Promo
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Friday 18 September 2015

Book Blitz: Fractured Suns by Theresa Kay


Fractured Suns by Theresa Kay 
(Broken Skies #2) 
Publication date: September 18th 2015 
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis:
We came in peace. Lie.
We had no role in the Collapse. Lie.
I have always been honest. Lie.
I never lied to her. Truth.

Reunited with her brother, and surrounded by Flint, Peter and her new-found grandfather, Jax Mitchell has still never felt more alone. The choice to follow Rym back to the city to find answers and see Lir is an easy one, but their reunion is cut short and Jax is forced to leave Lir behind. She finds herself traveling with some unexpected companions and heading back toward a place she’d hoped to never see again.
After being imprisoned—and tortured—on the orders of his uncle, Lir hasn’t seen daylight or linked to anyone in weeks. After a lifetime of connection, the pain and loneliness is almost too much to bear. Elated that Jax actually came, Lir finds renewed hope and strength to continue fighting his uncle’s influence over the E’rikon, even when things look hopeless and Lir’s been branded a traitor by the very people he’s trying to save.
While Jax and Lir fight separate battles, their missions have more in common than they realize. It’s a race against time to stop men driven only by greed and power. But the people they trust the most might be the very people working against them—and “family” doesn’t mean what it used to. Will they recognize their friends from their enemies in time to save the people they love or will they lose each other in the process?


Purchase:

Interview:
What 5 things should readers know about you?
1- I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was very young, but never had the nerve to actually try publishing anything until I got my first Kindle and started chatting with indie authors.
2- I’m much more comfortable talking about books than almost anything else, especially if the conversation is about books other than ones I wrote. I read almost every genre and I’m great at book recommendations.
3- I’m an introvert and pretty shy. Plus, I'm awful at making small talk with people I don't know, so if you ever meet me in person and I don’t say much, that’s why.
4- I’m a total geeky fangirl who uses words like “ship” and “OTP” in real life conversation. Once I’m introduced to a new fandom I binge watch/read everything I can get my hands on in that world.
5- I’m awful with visual creativity. I can’t draw or sculpt or even pick out paint colors for my house. Unless we’re talking stick figures, I can only make pretty pictures with words.

Earliest literary influence?
 I think the first author I read who I think has an influence on my work now is Stephen King. I started reading his books when I was eleven. It probably explains why most of my work has darker elements to it and why, and, in my writing group, I’m known as the one who is meanest to her characters.

When and why did you begin writing? 
It started out in second grade when we had to write a story. I ended up with a six-page story (wideruled notebook paper, front and back) and most of the others in my class had only a couple paragraphs.

How did you come up with the title for Fractured Suns?
I wanted the titles within the series to go together well, so all the titles in the Broken Skies series reflect the progression of Jax’s perception of herself: Broken, fractured, and then shattered.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
The Broken Skies series has strong themes of redemption, forgiveness, and believing in yourself. I think it’s important for the readers to grasp that, although Jax thinks she’s broken and almost everyone tends to treat her that way, she’s actually one of the strongest characters in the series because of how she has gradually begun to overcome her past and move forward despite the many setbacks she faces.


If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in Fractured Suns?
There’s one thing I’d like to change about Fractured Suns (and that other people would LOVE for me to change), but it’s not something that I actually would change. That particular event is a key turning point for Jax and it absolutely had to happen. I know. It sucks. I really am sorry for that chapter. If you’d like to chat with some people who suffered those same feels, you can join the Facebook discussion group.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?
For the Broken Skies series, the names are pretty important especially the E’rikon ones since their name have specific significance. The E’rikon are all named with the same prefix as their father and often go by nicknames that exclude that prefix (i.e. Stellan, Steliro “Lir”, and Stella). Rym’s full name is actually Virym since he is the son of Vitrad. This custom is one of the reasons Jastren is so insistent on calling Jax by her full name even though the prefix is from her mother. The prefixes are also important within the E’rikon hierarchy as the “higher ups” have personal guards who are designated as such by adding the prefix of the person they serve to the E’rikon word (loosely translated) for solider, askari. Members of Vitrad’s personal guard are called the Vi’askari.

(This is totally random “behind the scenes” author stuff that has no relevance to the plot, but if you pay really close attention in Fractured Suns, you’ll pick up on an interesting relationship based on the connection between two names)

That said, I used a random name generator to come up with Steliro. It wasn’t until Broken Skies was nearly complete that I came up with the E’rikon naming convention.

 Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
This one’s a no brainer for me: The Rebel Writers. They’re not only my writing group, they’re some of my very best friends and I couldn’t have done any of this without them.

 What does your writing process look like?
I'm a pantster, so I don't outline. I typically start out with an idea for a character and form the story around them. Before I start writing, I have a general idea of where the story will end up and a few of the steps along the way and I just go from there.

Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?
Dialogue. Half of the time I want to tell my characters to be quiet and just do something. When I was writing the last scene in Fractured Suns, I was messaging with my crit partner and I said something along the lines of : I just want them to shut up and get on the ship and 400 words later... THEY’RE STILL TALKING!

What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process? 
Marketing, no question about it. I’m an awful salesperson.


What advice can you give aspiring authors?

The one thing that really helped motivate me and get me writing was giving myself permission to write garbage. Basically that means putting away my expectations, telling my inner editor to hush, and just writing-- even if it's no good at the time. I think one of the things most writers need to keep in mind is that you can't edit what isn't written. Tell the story first and then worry about going back and fixing the holes. You'll be surprised at the things that will flow onto the page when you stop expecting perfection and just let yourself write.

Do you have a favorite conference to attend? What is it?
Utopia (formerly UtopYA). UtopYA 2014 was my very first writing conference and my first chance to meet some of the other Rebel Writers in person. In 2015, all the Rebels came along with some of our superfans and we’re really looking forward to attending next year as well.

Full-time writer or do you have a day job?
Day job. I’m a paralegal at a divorce firm. It can be quite interesting at times.

What’s your favorite dinosaur?
Velociraptor. Jurassic Park was one of my absolute favorite books as a kid. I probably read it at least twenty times.

AUTHOR BIO:
The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. Living in the mountains of central Virginia with her husband and two kids, she works as a paralegal by day, binges on Netflix at night and finds bits of time in between reading almost everything she can get her hands on and laundry to craft stories that tend to feature broken characters in sci-fi or paranormal worlds, with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure.

She's constantly lost in one fictional universe or another and is a self-proclaimed "fangirl" who loves being sucked in to new books or TV shows. Theresa originally wanted to write horror novels as an ode to her childhood passion for Stephen King novels, but between her internal Muse's ramblings and the constant praise for her sci-fi pieces from her writer's group - The Rebel Writers - she knew she should stick with what was working.

Author links: