Book Blitz: Fairy Tale Confessions Collection

Heya folks! Time for a book blitz, and for all you fairy tale lovers out there, you might be interest in this one. 😉 It’s called Fairy Tale Confessions Collection!

Curious? Well, you can check out the info below and spread the word about the book through Twitter or Facebook, too! Advocating the books you love and are interested in helps everyone in the long run~ There’s also a giveaway (It’s International, so everyone can join in!), so be sure to sign up and see if you can win yourself some awesome prizes~

Good luck, everyone!

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Fairy Tale Confessions Collection 
Published by: Amber Leaf Publishing
Publication date: October 1st 2015
Genres: Fairy Tales

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

 

Synopsis:

Fourteen bestselling authors twist up your favorite tales. Will your favorite have a happily-ever-after?

Get ready to meet some sexy, not-so-valiant princes, punk-rock princesses, villains turned heroes, and truly vile monsters wreaking havoc within our favorite tales.

Read about Dancing Princesses getting their groove on in a disco club, a seriously sexy Rumpelstiltskin, and one alluring Puss-in-Boots, plus many, many more captivating characters in these fourteen all new short-stories.

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(This collection and its authors are being featured at RT 2016 at the Fairy Tale Costume Party in Vegas, hosted by Sarah J. Pepper and Tish Thawer. Be sure to get your copy and stop by if you’re attending the event.)

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FAIRY TALE TEASERS

 

These are the tales I’m most curious about in this collection. Hopefully you’ll be just as tempted as I to pick this book up and read~

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Uncloaked by Wendy Owens

Blayze & Ash by Jessica Sorensen

Drink Me by Elizabeth Montgomery

Drink Me by Elizabeth Montgomery

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GIVEAWAY PRIZES

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

  • eCopy of Fairy Tale Confessions
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Tour and Review! — What would YOU do to secure a place on “The Ark”?

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Hullo everyone! Welcome to my stop on The Ark’s tour!

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TheArkThe Ark by Laura Liddell Nolen
Published by: HarperVoyager
Publication date: March 26th 2015
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian
Book Links: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon || B&N

There’s a meteor headed for Earth, and there is only one way to survive.

With her criminal record, sixteen-year-old Char is never going to get a place on an Ark, one of the five massive bioships designed to protect Earth’s survivors. The Arks are reserved for the real goody-goodies, like Char’s mom, dad, and brother, all of whom have long since turned their backs on her.

With Earth on the brink of destruction, Char must use all her tricks of the trade to swindle her way into outer space, where she hopes to reunite with her family, regardless of whether they want to see her or not.

Once she arrives on the North American Ark, Char discovers that the remnants of humanity haven’t achieved the egalitarian utopia they’d planned for. For starters, the “Officers of the Peace” are anything but peaceful, especially since stealing a spot on an Ark is a crime punishable by death…

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REVIEW (More Like Rant) & THOUGHTS

Rating: 3.5 Stars!

I loved the whole premise of this book from the description alone and thankfully this book panned out as something worthwhile of my time.

However, I can only give this one a solid 3.5 stars.

Reason being: The weird-instalove TIMES TWO that took place in a book that REALLY DID NOT NEED IT.

It’s fine when the book is actually classified as a romance or something, but… this is a science fiction — YA yes, but still sci-fi — and that part of it was AWESOME. Yes, I’ll admit, some of the story reminded me of others (but that’s not always a bad thing when told in an interesting voice with interesting characters and — Oh yeah. Did I mention the world’s about to end? RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIIIIIVES!)

What did it for me was our main character, Char. I actually liked Char quite a bit. I was genuinely surprised. Sometimes I have a real insta-NO reaction when I hear a book is being told from a female POV, and this was one such instance. (I know, it sounds horrible and I’m a bad person boo-hoo, but it’s the truth. I’ll always quote GRRM, who replied with this when asked how he was able to make all his female characters seem so different and genuine:

“You know… I always considered women to be people.” – George RR Martin

“I always considered women to be people.” Yeah. Well, that’s kinda what I’m talking about here.

Although it should SEEM to be common sense to simply WRITE FEMALE CHARACTERS LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE BECAUSE, I DUNNO, THEY ARE… writers have THE BIGGEST PROBLEM making like-able, authentic, female leads (or not-leads. Because even the female sidekicks often suck — and that’s such a… I mean, wtf, man! Really???).

Which brings me back to why I often shy away from books with female leads or lots of female characters.

I’m not big on teeny, high school reads, so I will almost NEVER read those unless there is something worthwhile in me reading it or I actually think it might be different from all the rest. I can’t stand the whiny shit that seems to go hand-in-hand with most female characters or the “I’M A BADASS, DON’T MESS WITH ME” vibe they give off if they’re NOT whiny bitches. I also can’t stand the chatty know-it-alls, either. Or the boy-crazy, girly-girls who do nothing else but look pretty, (though are often also INCREDIBLY SMART, because dumb blonds are SOOO overrated. Smart blonds are SO MUCH CUTER! 😀 😀 😀 …. UGhh, shoot me now. -_____-;;; )

Oh — and by the way — I hate these “supposed characteristics” in guys JUST AS MUCH as I hate them in the ladies. The only time either one of these scenarios work out is if… I dunno… it’s a SPOOF and that’s the POINT of the book. Otherwise, you expecting me to believe all of this crap is not gonna happen.

….and I totally got off track from Char, didn’t I?

Or did I?

No, I don’t think so. Because just like I went off on a random sidetracked exploration of existentialism and behaviorism, so does she. She’s not pretending that’s she’s the smartest cookie in the jar. She’s got problems — sadly it IS boy-related problems later in the book, but as I said, that is the one thing that irked me about her — but isn’t your usual teen if for no other reason than because she knows full well there are more IMPORTANT problems.

Like say… getting her ass on one of those ships ASAP.

Or finding her hairbrush.

I mean… the damn story opens with her looking around for her hairbrush, understanding fully well that the world is going to end and she REALLY shouldn’t care, but… but that hairbrush was one of the few things her mom tried to instill in her to use to keep her hair neat, and now she can’t find it, so it’s taking up her every waking moment because WHERE THE HELL IS THAT HAIRBRUSH?!

…y’see that? *That* I love. I love female characters just being… people. NORMAL PEOPLE. Not gong-ho slingers, or girly-girl, or whatever other stereotype you can think of. But just normal people who are sorta having a meltdown because the world is ending and they can’t find their hairbrush.

And it’s because this general theme of NORMALCY in the midst of total destruction and mayhem that keeps playing out with Char, that *I* kept reading and inevitably give this book 3.5 Stars.

She’s not perfect. She’s got her flaws. She gets caught up with all the wrong people and makes some bad choices (often not properly explained away by the author which might also be why this book gets the star rating I’m giving it…), but she’s also pretty REAL to me, and that’s what counts.

Were it not for that GOD-AWFUL INSTALOVE SORTA-TRIANGLE (because a simple, normal instalove just isn’t the YA way *eye roll*), this book would have gotten 4, perhaps even 4.5 Stars. Easy. That and the cliffhanger, because unless this book is going to turn out to be a series… that ending was NOT COOL, man. NOT COOL. 😦

The writing was done beautifully. Description and general happenings were all spot-on. I was engaged throughout the book, although my interest did wane a bit towards the mid-end half of the book. The other characters like Isiah, Eren, and Kip thoroughly entertained me for various reasons. And the whole escape plan was quite a bit of fun to read~

Still recommending this one. Especially to those who may not hate instalove as much as I most abhorrently do.

 

This book fits these 2015 Reading Challenges:

2015 GoodReads Reading Challenge

You Read How Many Books?

52 Books in 52 Weeks

Read A Million Pages

105 Reading Challenge (Categories: 1, 4, 10)

2015 New To You Reading Challenge (New Author To Me & Brand New “Series” hopefully)

NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge

This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. In no way does it affect my rating or review.

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LauraLaura grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she spent an excellent childhood playing make-believe with her two younger brothers. The Ark is the direct result of those stories and a lifelong devotion to space-themed television. It received a Work in Progress Grant from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Laura has a degree in French and a license to practice law, but both are frozen in carbonite at present. She lives in Texas with her family.

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Author Links

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Book Blitz: Silverwood by Betsy Streeter

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Heya folks! Back with another… well. It’s not a tour, but it’s still some great promotion for a book series I’m pretty curious about. It’s called Silverwood and it’s Book 1 in a brand new series that hit the shelves back in March!

If you’re interested, you can also check out the info below and spread the word about the book through Twitter or Facebook, too! Advocating the books you love or are interested in helps everyone in the long run~ 😉 There’s also a giveaway (It’s International! So everyone can join in! 🙂 ), so be sure to sign up and see if you can win yourself some awesome prizes~

Good luck, everyone!

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Silverwood

Silverwood by Betsy Streeter
(Silverwood #1)
Publication date: March 15th 2015
Pages: 320
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Trailer

Synopsis:

A story of finding where you belong, even if it involves time travel, shape shifting, and hacking.

Helen Silverwood, fourteen, is sick of life on the run with her mom and her younger brother. Nothing makes sense. She doesn’t understand why she has recurring dreams of shape-shifting creatures, why her mother is always disappearing, and how her brother can draw things that haven’t happened yet. Most of all, Helen longs to know what happened to her dad—is he imprisoned, a fugitive, or gone forever?

When someone blows up the apartment where Helen lives, the stories of the ancient Silverwood clan—and her role in it—begin to unravel. All Helen wants is to feel like there’s someplace she belongs—but getting there will prove very, very complicated.

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SILVERWOOD EXCERPT:

TROMINDOX

 

A young couple stumbles out the back door of a nightclub into a narrow alleyway that would look a whole lot worse in the daytime. Distant streetlights reveal a hint of the garbage strewn around, and the shadows mask the dilapidated state of the surrounding buildings. The door itself sits in the mouth of a giant, cartoonlike face spray painted on the wall.

Deafening music and red-orange light shoots out the door while it is open, bouncing off the alley walls, and muffles again as the door closes to just a crack. There is no knob on the outside of the door; someone has wedged in a piece of wood to hold it open.

The couple start out laughing and joking, leaning on each other – their shape is all skinny jeans and mohawks mixed with the glint of jewelry – but shortly their voices turn more argumentative. Maybe someone committed an offense, perhaps there’s a breakup in progress. Soon the young woman breaks away from her date, pries open the door, and storms back into the club. Loud music and lights again, muffled and dark again. The young man leans his back against the wall, his arms crossed in anger. He needs a minute to collect himself.

A lone figure comes down the alley. Unusually tall, dressed in a dark coat, crushing garbage under its motorcycle boots. Lit from behind by the street lights, it resembles a shadow that has come loose from the wall. The young man is too distracted with replaying the conversation of a few minutes ago in his head, trying to figure out what he said wrong, to notice that the figure has come within a few feet of him.

“You know you really ought not to be out here at this late hour,” the figure says.

The young man jumps, then regains himself. “Yeah, whatever.” Who is this guy telling him what to do. The only people who go out back by themselves are the ones who want to be, by themselves.

Before the young man can add anything – like a string of expletives – a needle-like protrusion shoots out from the figure’s forearm and directly into the young man’s abdomen.

The young man freezes, stares straight ahead, then looks his assailant in the face. It’s a pale face, the face of a Tromindox that has not fed in some time. The victim tries to push off from the wall, but the venom deadens his arms and legs. He slides downward into a sitting position. His skin turns black, his spiky hair becomes a mass of tentacles. Soon there is nothing left of him but a terrified pair of eyes in a puddle of writhing black.

The Tromindox reels in its prey, like a glob of oil pulling in a wayward drop. Satisfied that it has the upper hand, the creature takes on a more humanlike form, turns and shuffles away. It is already buzzing with energy from all of these new thoughts.

The door scrapes open again, the bright light temporarily blocked by a fat man in an undershirt heaving a huge bag of garbage into the trash bin. He takes a quick look up and down the alley, wipes his hands on his pants, and goes back in.

Later, the young woman will come back out and see that her date has left. She will take this as a sign that they have broken up, and will not call him for a week. It won’t be until he has missed several days at work that someone will unlock his untouched apartment, see that no one has been there, and file a missing persons report.

 

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GIVEAWAY PRIZES

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

  • Concept sketches that the author has done, one of a Tromindox and one representing the Guild. These are originals and she can sign them to the winner.
  • 5 iBooks copies of Silverwood
  • 3 signed copies of Silverwood

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About The Author

Betsy

Betsy Streeter grew up on a steady diet of Star Trek, The Muppet Show, Atari, and musical rehearsals in her family’s living room. Her habits of making up stories and drawing and painting on everything within reach eventually led to degrees in art and communication from Stanford University. She has worked in film and video production, design, and video games, and has served as president of a community theatre. She and her family are voracious consumers of books, music, movies, art, action figures, and musical instruments, resulting in inadequate storage space. Betsy has published single-panel cartoons, comics, art, and short fiction in paper, digital, graffiti, and tattoo form. She lives in Northern California with her husband, son, daughter, two peculiar and disruptive cats, and a mellow but hungry tarantula.

Social Media Links:

 Author’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | LightMessages

 

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Tour & Guest Post — Havoc Rising

Welcome one and all to the last tour I’ll be doing for awhile. Havoc Rising is a new Urban Fantasy novel by Brian S. Leon. 

There is a guest post further in, so be sure to scroll down and check it out! 😉

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Havoc Rising - Hi Res Cover

Title: Havoc Rising
Author: Brian S. Leon
Publication Date: June 16, 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Amazon ~ Barnes & Nobles ~ Kobo

Eternal life. Eternal battle.

Steve—Diomedes Tydides to his Trojan War buddies—just had a bad day on his charter fishing boat in San Diego, but when the goddess Athena calls on her faithful warrior for another secret mission, he’s ready. The bomb that exploded inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art isn’t the crime American authorities think it is. Someone also stole the Cup of Jamshid, and Diomedes knows its fortune-telling abilities won’t be used for anything benign.

Though Diomedes recovers the Cup from a determined shaman holed up beneath Central Park, when he finds his allies slain and the Cup taken once more, he knows he’s up against a truly powerful enemy. Over a millennium has passed since Diomedes last contended with Medea of Colchis, deranged wife of Jason the Argonaut, but neither her madness nor her devotion to Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, has waned, and she intends to use the Cup of Jamshid to release across the world a dark brand of chaos unseen in human history.

Immortal since the Trojan War, Diomedes must once again fight for mortals he understands less and less, against a divine evil he may never truly defeat.

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What’s Up Next

Brian S. Leon

Author of Havoc Rising

When I first started writing Havoc Rising I did it with the intention that it was the beginning of a series of books revolving around the same character. I really like the main character of Diomedes/Steve Dore and he opens up worlds of possibilities because he’s 3200 years old. Almost immediately after finishing Havoc Rising, I started the second book, tentatively called The Hanner Brid, or The Half Breed. It starts almost where Havoc left off and takes off from there. I wanted to write a book that was non-stop in its action kind of the way a Jason Bourne movie starts fast and gets faster. It begins with Diomedes on the run and doesn’t stop until the end, when a whole new can of worms gets opened up. The story line also allowed me to continue a larger subplot that kind of developed as I was working.

With Havoc I stayed more in the realm of mythology, so I wanted to get away from that for the next book and move more into European folklore and legend. For The Hanner Brid I also needed an antagonist that was similar to Diomedes in a lot of respects and an equal. I dug way into European folklore and early epic poems and tales and developed some great supporting characters. One of the things that’s important to me and the way I write is the use of pre-existing characters from folklore and legend. Everyone who talks about fairies mentions Queen Mab and probably Titania, but no one talks about Elegast, or Amoret or her sister Belphoebe. I doubt many know of Nicnevin, or Goibnu. But if Tolkien could do it—he took the Dvergar from the Poetic Edda and changed their names ever so slightly and called them dwarves in the Hobbit—why couldn’t I? They make for some awesome characters and they already have ties to our world.

The other thing I really like to do is incorporate real-life events into my books. So the Hanner Brid begins with the blackout that happened here in San Diego a few years back and ends with the death of Kim Jong Il. (I promise I make a connection that’s pretty cool.) For book three, tentatively called Requiem for the Fallen, I begin with the infamous axeman murders in New Orleans in 1919. That book revolves around the mythology of the fallen angels from the non-canonical Book of Enoch. I already even have storylines for books four through seven as well—all inspired by historical events and figures.

That’s the cool part of having a 3200 year old character–almost nothing is off limits.

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Brian S LeonAUTHOR BIO:

Brian S. Leon is truly a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. He began writing in order to do something with all the useless degrees, knowledge and skills–most of which have no practical application in civilized society–he accumulated over the years.

His varied interests include, most notably, mythology of all kinds and fishing, and he has spent time in jungles and museums all over the world studying and oceans and seas across the globe chasing fish, sometimes even catching them. He has also spent time in various locations around the world doing other things that may or may not have ever happened.

Inspired by stories of classical masters like Homer and Jules Verne, as well as modern writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, David Morrell and Jim Butcher, combined with an inordinate amount of free time, Mr. Leon finally decided to come up with tales of his own.

Brian currently resides in San Diego, California.

 

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Publisher Page

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours!

Tour: Guest Post & GIVEAWAY — Burnt Edges: Strength can emerge in the most horrific circumstances…

Welcome to my stop on for the Burnt Edges tour!  

Today, we have a guest post from the author herself on how to write through your pain, especially when writing something so personal.  We also have a rafflecopter giveaway, so be sure to scroll down and check them out! 😉

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9781620159361Title: Burnt Edges
Author: Dana Leipold
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: June 2015
Genre: Women’s Fiction

Familiar abuse or an uncertain future? Which would you choose?

This is Laurel Lee Page’s dilemma when she is faced with an unplanned pregnancy at nineteen. Born into a broken family, guilt and shame are all she has ever known. No matter what she does or whom she meets, Laurel appears to be living a condemned life. However, she is determined to find independence and freedom in spite of her family’s legacy of hatred and self-contempt.

Set in Southern California during the tumultuous 1960’s, Burnt Edges is a contemporary novel based on true events that prove strength can emerge in the most horrific of circumstances.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Nobles ~ Goodreads

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Guest Post:

Writing Through The Pain

by Dana Leipold

 

When people read my book, Burnt Edges, they have two reactions:

“Whoa, this is tough to read,” or, “How did you write about this without going into a depression?”

Writing about abuse is difficult—whether it is your own or someone else’s. In my case, the story is about my mother and the abuse she suffered as a child from both parents. And it’s the worst kind of abuse you can imagine: incest. Not to say that any other forms of abuse aren’t awful. Abuse is horrific. No matter what form it takes.

To answer the question how did I write about it without letting it drag me under is more difficult than I can articulate. It DID drag me under, and for most of my life. Writing about it was the final act of healing for me. As I wrote the more difficult scenes I had to take breaks. It was important to step away and clear my head. And I’m not done writing about it either. There is another book I’m working on now that follows the story from another perspective.

Since I did not experience the abuse, I had to understand it in order to make it real.

The way I made it authentic was by interviewing my mom. She was very open and willing to talk to me about the details. Because of this, I wasn’t afraid to ask questions that seemed awkward or difficult. The book became a way for me to understand my mother in a deeper way. And I learned a lot.

See, abuse doesn’t just affect the victim. It affects everyone the victim comes into contact for the rest of his or her life. It seeps into the crevices of the victims’ DNA and becomes a part of who they are and who they will be so when that person tries to form relationships, the abuse is there. That is the story I am telling about my mother’s life and my life.

I was lucky that my mom was so open to this process and wasn’t afraid of allowing me to tell her part of the story that inevitably weaved into mine. She still suffers from the effects of the abuse but has come a long way from where she used to be, we both have. I have gone from feeling responsible for saving her to resentful and angry to finally accepting who she is and how she deals with life.

Writing this story is difficult but it is the best thing I’ve ever done to help both me and my mom move on.

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Leipold1AUTHOR BIO:

Dana Leipold is an author and member of the Association of Independent Authors. Her debut novel, Burnt Edges, depicts the unwavering resilience of a young woman in the face of family violence and abuse.

She has self-published two other books: a collection of limericks in Dr. Seuss-style for adults entitled, Stupid Poetry: The Ultimate Collection of Sublime and Ridiculous Poems, and a non-fiction book entitled, The Power of Writing Well: Write Well. Change the World.

Leipold lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

 

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Tour & Guest Post — The Dragonkin Trilogy: In a land haunted by the legacy of dead dragons…

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Welcome to my stop on for the Dragonkin Trilogy tour!  We’re excited to promote its second book in the series, Knightswrath by Michael Meyerhofer. We’re also featuring the first book, Wythfire.

Today, we have a guest post from the author himself on what he chose to avoid while writing Knightswrath.  Be sure to scroll down and check it out! 😉

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Title: Wytchfire (Bk 1)
Series: Dragonkin Trilogy
Author: Michael Meyerhofer
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Publication Date: April 28, 2014
Genre: High Fantasy

Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Kobo | iTunes

In a land haunted by the legacy of dead dragons, Rowen Locke has been many things: orphan, gravedigger, mercenary. All he ever wanted was to become a Knight of Crane and wield a kingsteel sword against the kind of grown horrors his childhood knows all too well. But that dream crumbled—replaced by a new nightmare.

War is overrunning the realms, an unprecedented duel of desire and revenge, steel and sorcery. And for one disgraced man who would be a knight, in a world where no one is blameless, the time has come to decide which side he’s on.

 


Title: Knightswrath (Bk 2)
Series: Dragonkin Trilogy
Author: Michael Meyerhofer
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Genre: High Fantasy

Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Kobo | iTunes

Rowen Locke has achieved his dream of becoming a Knight of the Crane, and he now bears Knightswrath, the legendary sword of Fâyu Jinn. But the land remains torn, and though Rowen suffers doubts, he would see it healed. His knightly order is not what it seems, though, and allies remain thin. When Rowen and his friends seek an alliance with the forest-dwelling Sylvs, a tangle of events results in a midnight duel that teaches Rowen a dangerous lesson and leaves him with a new companion of uncertain loyalties.

The sadistic Dhargots still threaten the kingdoms, but another menace lurks in the shadows, playing a game none can see. As Rowen struggles to prove his worth—to his allies and to himself—chaos raises its hand to strike. A price must be paid, and not even the wielder of Knightswrath will remain untouched.

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Guest Post:

Knightswrath—What I Avoided

by Michael Myerhofer

 

People who have read Wytchfire know that the world of the Dragonkin Trilogy is not always a friendly place, and that will grow even more apparent in Knightswrath. This is a world where those born with the “gift” of magic are often killed at birth, and even if they do survive, they face a lifetime of running from mobs and armies. But this is also a world in which the people who wield magic (called the Shel’ai) sometimes use unnecessarily brutal methods to defend themselves. Put another way, there’s a great deal of moral ambiguity built into these conflicts, and like Rowen Locke (the everyman protagonist), the reader might not always know exactly who is right and who is wrong.

Furthermore, not all these conflicts involve magic. Some, sadly, could have been taken from our own newspaper headlines. For example, orphans in the slums of Lyos (also called Dark Quarter) have to worry about a lot more than starvation, and there are hints that especially during his childhood, Rowen fought off opponents who, in one sense, were far more sinister than greatwolves, sellswords, and vengeful sorcerers.

Much has been made (and for good reason) of the way sexual violence has been handled in Game of Thrones, HBO’s epic (and, lately, increasingly loose) adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s fantastic series, A Song of Ice and Fire. I reside in the camp that says dark fantasy should be gritty and realistic, but I also hate it when violence (especially sexual violence) is used purely for shock value. To me, that isn’t just irresponsible writing; it’s also lazy. So even though the books of the Dragonkin Trilogy are unapologetically brutal at times, I hope readers will notice the driving purpose behind the various conflicts.

One thing I’ve also learned as a writer is that you don’t always have to show the monster. Often, you get more psychological mileage out of referencing dark events without actually showing them, which also allows you to bypass the whole, muddy debate over what is and what isn’t gratuitous. Igrid, a new character in Knightswrath, is a prime example of this. Without giving spoilers, I think it’s safe to say that Igrid’s past is even more troubling than Rowen’s, which meant I could have included some pretty graphic flashbacks. I decided to avoid this, though, because fantasy readers are smart and imaginative, and often, a quick reference can speak volumes.

All that being said, another thing I avoided in Knightswrath was the impulse to make things darker by filtering out my natural love of gallows humor. Human beings in the real world often use humor to deal with messy situations, and the characters in the Dragonkin Trilogy are no different. In fact, I think that Jalist would make a good stand-up comic. And hopefully, readers will sense that’s there hope and a kind of wild beauty throughout the world of the Dragonkin Trilogy, too. After all, that’s what Rowen, Silwren, and the others are fighting for.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Michael Meyerhofer 1

 

Michael Meyerhofer grew up in Iowa where he learned to cope with the unbridled excitement of the Midwest by reading books and not getting his hopes up. Probably due to his father’s influence, he developed a fondness for Star Trek, weight lifting, and collecting medieval weapons. He is also addicted to caffeine and the History Channel.

His fourth poetry book, What To Do If You’re Buried Alive, was recently published by Split Lip Press. He also serves as the Poetry Editor of Atticus Review. His poetry and prose have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Brevity, Ploughshares, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Rattle, and many other journals. He and his fiancee currently live in Fresno, California, in a little house beside a very large cactus.

 

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Publisher Page

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours!

Tour, Review, and Giveaway! — Let’s Break Through The Illusions of “A Neophyte’s Tale”

Hullo everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Good Tales Book Tour for A Neophyte’s Tale, an Abbey Thorne short story!

Be sure to scroll down and check out my review as well as enter the GIVEAWAY for signed copies and all sorts of lovely swag!

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9781310366123A Neophyte’s Tale, an Abbey Thorne short story
Series:
Prequel to The Netherwalker Series
Author: C.K. Dawn
Publication Date: April 27 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Book Links: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon || Smashwords

Abigail Thorne hears voices. Well, one voice repeating one word over and over again. Soft and sweet with the promise of power, it calls to her. The twelve year old has no idea that the tender little word is a catalyst that serves to reveal a world hidden to most humans. Abbey has yet to discover that following the word’s call to its origin will change the course of her life forever.

Abbey and her mother don’t have much, and depending on the day, sometimes they don’t even have a roof over their heads. She wants more out of life than just wondering where her next meal is. So she shouldn’t be wasting her time daydreaming about going on a selfish quest, should she? Does she have the strength to leave behind what little she has? Will she have the courage to break through the illusions surrounding her and lift the cloak of shadows?

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REVIEW & THOUGHTS

Rating: 3/3.5 Stars!

A great teaser for the series. I’m glad it’s set as a short story prequel and not a novel or novella – because it is neither. But a great intro to this world? Oh yeah. I’m expecting great things from this series. Interested to see where it’ll go from here. The writing was a bit… irritating, at times. Not bad, per se, just a tad juvenile. I know the book’s probably YA or Teen, but it could still do with a little work. World-building is decent enough for the short space of time we were there. I hope more will be built on this premise and expand further into something awesome. I can’t really say whether I like anyone yet, because we just don’t know enough about them, but I anticipate liking Bernie best. I mean, he’s a freakin’ cat man after all. What’s not to love? 😉

And, though I have a feeling EVERYONE’S “word” is different, I’m still curious what Abbey’ s might be.

Guess I’ll find out in the next installment of the series!

This book fits these 2015 Reading Challenges:

2015 GoodReads Reading Challenge

You Read How Many Books?

52 Books in 52 Weeks

Read A Million Pages

105 Reading Challenge (Categories: 1, 4, 9, 10)

2015 New To You Reading Challenge (New Author To Me & Brand New Series)

This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. In no way does it affect my rating or review.

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author pic - Copy

CK lives with the love of her life John, his cat Scout, her cat Hagrid, their mutually adopted and socialized feral kitten Pepper (yes, cats have favorite humans. It’s a thing), and their dog Diesel (aka Methane– Please, don’t make her explain).

She credits her mother for the strong independent woman she is, her father for her inner peace and beautiful outlook on life, and the summers of sweaty, manual labor on her grandparents’ farm for her strong work ethic.

In writing, CK has truly found her bliss. Stay tuned, because there will be a lot more to come in her Netherwalker series. Seriously, things have only just begun.

 

Author Links

Website || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Amazon

 

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Giveaway

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

CK Rafflecopter

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

Tour, Giveaway, & Guest Post! — What secrets will we find in Macyn’s Letter?

Welcome to the first tour of the month! This one’s for Macyn’s Letter, a book I also did a cover reveal for during last month. 

As per usual, we’ve got a giveaway and a really special guest post on background noise, so be sure to scroll down and check them both out! 

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CoverTitle: Macyn’s Letter (Book 1)
Series: Macyn McIntyre
Author: S.L. Stacker
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Publication Date: May 21st
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Amazon ~ Barnes & Nobles

A near-death experience at the hands of her husband would cause any woman to cling to her crippling trust issues and dating phobia, and Macyn McIntyre is no exception. Falling into the lap of a sexy stranger may persuade her to change her mind, but before Macyn realizes what’s happening, a second potential love interest is vying for her affections.

When a threatening letter turns up in her mailbox, Macyn realizes choosing between two guys is the least of her worries. Abduction, violence, and rescue by an elite squad change the course of her life forever. When she seeks revenge on those who hurt her, she has to decide if she can trust the ones who vow they love her.

Will Macyn be able to overcome her past and use their aid in her vendetta, or will she take matters into her own hands?

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Shh…Listen, or Don’t:
S.L. Stacker on Background Noise

Stop what you’re doing and listen. I mean really listen. What do you hear? If you’re like me and work from home, you probably hear a washing machine, dishwasher, dog barking, etc. When you’re trying to write, do you have to have some type of background noise? Does it need to be totally silent? Are you one of those people where you can live with or without the noise?

Depending on the time and day, my need varies. Some days I find myself enjoying the quiet surrounding me. Other days, I crave some type of noise to assure myself I’m in the land of the living. I would love to be able to say I can take or leave background noise on a daily basis, but unfortunately I can’t.

When I first began writing, I could sit down and write no matter where I was. There could be kids yipping with glee as they sailed through the air on their swing, or I could be the only person at home with zero noise. It didn’t matter. I was so focused on what I was doing, I didn’t pay any attention to my surroundings. Those were the good days!

The next phase along my writing path found me needing the background noise. When I would sit alone in the quiet of my house, I would stare at my screen hoping and praying the voices would talk to me. Despite my begging, they would never allow me to hear them until my family was home—the kids screaming at each other, my husband sitting in the garage listening to music. It was then, during the busiest and noisiest time in my household, the voices would begin talking, and I’d find myself in front of my computer, my fingers moving as fast as I could manage to keep up with story.

Now, as I stated above, my current stage of writing requires quiet and noise, but I never know which I’ll need on any given day. Luckily, my noisy requirement doesn’t have to be my family. I can start our super loud dishwasher, turn my music on, and write without any problems. However, when the silent days are required, the hum of the air conditioning unit running can be a nuisance. It’s on those days, I go through the house and make sure everything is off. I also know once my family begins trickling through the door from school or work, my writing for the day is over until they go to bed.

If you aren’t sure which type of person you are, I suggest taking a few days and paying attention to your most productive days. If you find you’re a noise magnet, and thrive during these times, try writing with some type of background noise all the time. If you need the peace and quiet, find somewhere in your house or outside the house where you can get that. Don’t try forcing yourself to write during a time you know won’t be productive because in most cases, the quality of what you write, will falter. It’s better to acknowledge your need for or lack of background noise. Use it to your advantage!

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SL Stacker Author Pic

Author Bio:

S.L. Stacker is a romantic suspense author and novelist with Booktrope publishing and a member of International Thriller Writers association. She has written and published three books in the Macyn McIntyre series. Her current work includes several fiction novels, but her focus is Sisters of Summit Bay—to be published in 2015. When she isn’t throwing her readers for a loop and leaving them with cliffhangers, she can be found chilling with her husband, children, and dog.

Author Links:

Website || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Amazon

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GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

Tour & some mellow jams from Kate Thomas — The Light (Equilibrium II)

The Light Banner - Large

Welcome to my final tour of the week (and consequentially also the month!) This one is for The Light, the second book in the Equilibrium series by Kate Thomas.

We’ve got a giveaway and some nice, chillin’ music this time, so definitely scroll down and check it out! 

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Title: The Light, Equilibrium II
Series: Equilibrium

Author
: Kate Thomas
Genre: Paranormal Romance – New Adult


With the truth of Ellie’s place among the Balance Keepers finally coming to light, training now begins. She must learn to harness the powers that are growing within her, some spiraling out of control. Confusion and frustration become her constant companions, as her search for answers does nothing but push her further from the man she’s come to love.

David is The Light, the speaker of truth, the whisperer of good in the world. His desire for more than he can have with his new apprentice tears at the fabric of his own stability, bit by bit. He knows what the future holds — and just how damning it will be for Ellie if she’s not prepared to handle it — but he’s forbidden to help.

As tragedy becomes reality, will she reach for The Light, or run into the soothing arms of The Darkness?

 

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Kate’s “Top Ten” Music To Mellow Out To

1. Ho Hey – The Lumineers // 2. All of Me – John Legend // 3. Stay with Me – Sam Smith // 4. Counting Stars – OneRepublic // 5. Battle Scars – Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian // 6. Broken – Seether featuring Amy Lee // 7. Clarity – Zedd featuring Foxes // 8. Don’t Wake Me Up – Chris Brown // 9. Glowing – Nikki Williams // 10. Safe and Sound – The Civil Wars

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Author Bio:

Kate Thomas, is the author of the upcoming Equilibrium Series, a five-book supernatural new adult series, with plans for a few more series in 2015.

She is a CPA by trade, a church planter and entrepreneur at heart; however, writing and reading are passions she just can’t help but indulge in. With more ideas than one person should be allowed, she is blessed to have a muse that doesn’t seem to take a vacation and more energy that one might consider healthy.

 

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GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

Tour, Giveaway, & My Honest Review of “Alien Love”

Welcome the Alien Love sci-fi tour! 

Included in this tour is my review and a giveaway, so be sure to scroll down and check them both out! 😉

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9781620159019Title: Alien Love
Author: Stan Schatt
Publisher: Booktrope Publishing
Publication Date: April 30, 2015
Genre: Science Fiction

Purchase:  Amazon ~ Barnes and Nobles

In Stan Schatt’s latest Science Fiction novel, a dying astronaut reveals a secret that blows the lid on a government treaty with extraterrestrials while other alien races have come to Earth with their own agendas. Meanwhile an ancient alien race with a base on the Moon makes plans that could spell doom.

25 year- old EX-SEAL, Jack Starling, has plenty of his own problems, but he can’t help falling in love with the beautiful woman he rescues after she is brutally attacked. He learns how dangerous it can be to fall in love with someone who is not human who has her own plans for him.

Jack finds himself pitted against aliens far stronger and far more cunning than any human enemies. Once he learns what the aliens have planned for him and for Earth, he must race against time before it is too late.

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REVIEW & THOUGHTS

Rating: 3.75/4 Stars!

I actually REALLY enjoyed this book! Wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into at first, but the story proved to be an engaging one… One that didn’t drag on or bore me to tears as some sci-fi books tend to by simply adding too much information too quickly or just dumping it in weird places that don’t fit/add to the story besides, “HERE. HAVE SOME TECHNO-JUMBO, AND WE’LL CALL IT A NIGHT.”

Alien Love did none of the sorts, and for this I am most sincerely grateful.

This book was concise, tight, and held a bit of mystery as we tried to solve the bizarre situation our MC Jack suddenly finds himself in. One aspect of Jack that really made me interested in him was his ability to [HIGHLIGHT TO SEE SPOILER]see the color of other people’s auras[/END SPOILER]. I totally made me think of Cannan from the anime of the same name. She had the ability to [HIGHLIGHT TO SEE SPOILER]use synesthesia to aid her in combat, viewing the world in different colors to tell enemies from civilians… which is exactly what Jack does to a lesser extent all the time[/END SPOILER]. But it was also a big issue with me because I was like, “Hello? Why are people giving him such a hard time about this? It’s basically a super-heightened form of synesthesia folks! How – as a DOCTOR – do you not know about this???” *is directing that DIRECTLY TO his shrink yo*

come-on

You REALLY mean to tell me you’re THAT SURE he’s crazy? REALLY? Really? *judging you*

Another thing I liked was the way the author (Stan Schatt) handled the whole “alien conspiracy” thing here. It did feel a little X-Files-y at times (which was totally fine by me – after all, who doesn’t like a good X-Files marathon? XD ) but overall I really good read!

I can’t pinpoint exactly what I liked about this book. It wasn’t as mentally stimulating as some of the scifi I like to read typically is, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless! I’d recommend it to the alien and alien invasion sci-fi buffs in a heartbeat.

This book fits these 2015 Reading Challenges:

2015 GoodReads Reading Challenge

You Read How Many Books?

52 Books in 52 Weeks

Read A Million Pages

105 Reading Challenge (Categories: 1, 4, 5: ORANGE, 9, 10)

2015 New To You Reading Challenge (New Author To Me)

This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. In no way does it affect my rating or review.

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Author Pic

Author Bio:
Dr. Stan Schatt spent many years as a futurist responsible for forecasting future technology products and markets for Fortune 500 companies. He served as a Fulbright Professor and taught at Tokyo University, USC, and the University of Houston. He is the author of over thirty books ranging from science fiction and paranormal mysteries to young adult novels. Schatt is a technology expert who has been quoted in the New York Times, Fortune, and BusinessWeek as well as CNBC.

Author Links:

Website || Facebook || Goodreads || Amazon || Twitter

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Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.