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! 😉

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.

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.

AUTHOR 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

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! 😉

Title: 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

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.

AUTHOR 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

 

GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours!

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

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! 😉

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.

 

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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.

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.

AUTHOR BIO:

 

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

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! 

Title: 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?

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!

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

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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! 😉

Title: 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.

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*

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.

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

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

Tour & Guest Post — Midnight: There is Magic in the Air…

Welcome one and all to another tour. Midnight is a new YA Fantasy novel by Eve Eschenbacher. 

There is a guest post and giveaway, so be sure to scroll down and check them both out! 😉

Title: Midnight
Author: Eve Eschenbacher
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: May 11, 2015
Purchase Links: Amazon ~ Barnes & Nobles
Genre: Young Adult

When ordinary girl, Karen, waits out her last year of high school, she hopes for magic. Her small town has nothing for her and she longs for adventure, which she finds at a party of all places. Finally away from the small town minds she meets someone new. Someone, who with a few scratches of ink on her skin, awakens a part of her she never knew about.

All of a sudden Karen is shown a whole new world, and Gabriel wants her to make it hers. All she has to do is love him eternally. Her new life is magical and amazing, until her new powers bring a new threat. Can she do what needs to be done? The sacrifices and decisions that will need to be made–Is she strong enough?

 

Guest Post:
Do you believe in magic like Karen does in your book does?

Do I believe in magic?

Well, Karen certainly hoped for magic. Karen and I have something similar, in that we’re both from small, rural farming communities that were far away from larger cities. It was a setting that I hadn’t seen in many YA books, and I wanted to use it for mine. I grew up in an area that was a 1-square mile town surrounded by 20 square miles of farmland. My house was a quarter mile away from the next house, and it was one of two houses on that side of the road. You had to drive if you wanted to get anywhere, because the nearest grocery store was a 15 minute drive away, and there was no bus service out there.

So Karen and I, we both felt like there was something out there. There had to be. When you’re that isolated, you almost feel as if you’re travelling between worlds whenever you go to school, or go home. Once you pass the “city limits” and suddenly it’s nothing but cornfields as far as the eye can see, you feel as if you’ve pierced the veil and passed over into a different world. I could sit in my backyard at night in the summer and see for miles in any direction by the moonlight. I could even watch fireworks from five different towns during the fourth of July. It really lent itself to the idea that I had passed over to the land of the fairies, and was hiding somewhere in Queen Mab’s domain.

But there’s another feeling that comes from that kind of isolation, a feeling of longing for that populated world, or longing for something different. That quiet, safe, familiar, samey sort of background becomes more and more like a blanket, isolating you and smothering you until you want nothing more but to see something, anything different. For me, I made my something different by writing stories and exploring virtual worlds. Karen is at that stage where she’s just hoping for something different to appear, and *poof* there’s Gabriel. He’s her something different, and she’s drawn to that.

That magical message on her arm helps, too. 🙂

A book I’ve read several times is “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman. One of the central concepts of the book is that believing in something gives it power, and enough belief in something can make it real. I love this concept of magic, that the mind makes something real. While I can say that my attempts to think myself back to eighteenth century France have been thus far unsuccessful, I can at least make it real through my writing, and share that with all of my readers.

Author Bio:

Eve Eschenbacher lives in the Pacific Northwest with her son and a very fluffy cat. By day she’s a video game voice-over producer, and by night she writes books and freelances as a Japanese translator. Always with a book and a video game close at hand, she probably spends too much time looking at screens.

 

 

Author Links:

Twitter || Facebook || Website

GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

 

Blog Tour, A Little Musical Inspiration, and BOOK GIVEAWAY! — The Yellow Hoods series by Adam Dreece [April 15 – April 28, 2015]

Welcome one and all!

It is with great pleasure that I present to you a truly thrilling tale of adventure, steampunky-aesthetics, and re-imagined fairy-tale.

My slot in the “The Yellow Hoods” Virtual Book Tour features book details, 2 lists of a musically inclined nature, and a rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win all four (4) books in The Yellow Hoods series!

Finally, you can read all about the book in my review. Just click on the link~

 

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SYNOPSIS

The Yellow Hoods Series:
As the Yellow Hoods series starts, we see a pastoral world on the brink of a great change. Steam-based and other technologies are emerging, hence the genre “Emergent Steam Punk”. But this is written in the tradition of hard science fiction– you will find no gratuitous gears here. In the series, Adam Dreece masterfully weaves together familiar elements from fairy tales with realistic characters, bringing them to life. Here we meet the Nikolas Klaus: a kind of fusion of Santa Claus and Nikola Tesla and his granddaughter, young Tee who evokes Little Red Riding Hood but with the force of personality of a Katniss (Hunger Games) or Buffy (aka the Vampire Slayer). You may laugh and you may cry, but I guarantee you will enjoy the ride.

 

Title: Along Came a Wolf (Bk 1)
Series: The Yellow Hoods
Author: Adam Dreece
Publication Date: April 14, 2014

Someone is on the hunt for the steam engine plans, and believes that master inventor, Nikolas Klaus, has them. Thought dead by most, and forgotten by many, the quiet grandfather has been living for years in the sleepy mountain town of Minette, keeping his inventions mostly to himself and watching his granddaughter grow up.

Twelve-year-old Tee, and her two best friends, Elly and Richy, come together as the heroic Yellow Hoods in the face of life threatening danger. Whose side are the Cochon brothers on, and will they tip the balance? Will Nikolas’ ties to one of the secret societies cost him Tee’s life?

 

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Title: Breadcrumb Trail (Bk 2)
Series: The Yellow Hoods
Author: Adam Dreece
Publication Date: August 18, 2014

In an act of desperation, inventor Maxwell Watt sends his teenage son to Nikolas Klaus with the secret plans for his steam engine. The Fare, a nefarious secret society, learns of the game-changing invention and accelerate their timeline to neutralize Klaus and reclaim control over the kingdoms.

While wars spark to the south, children in Mineau have started to go missing–again. Captain Archambault suspects the return of the Ginger Lady. With the help of the Yellow Hoods and their friends, the search is on to find the missing children before it is too late.

What is the secret that ties the Yellow Hoods to the Ginger Lady? Who are the Red Hoods really?

 

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Title: All the King’s Men (Bk 3)
Series: The Yellow Hoods
Author: Adam Dreece
Publication Date: To be Released on April 15th!!

More than a hundred years ago, a king declared that all geniuses, scientists and inventors were abominations, save for those willing to become his Conventioneers. His edict spread like wildfire through the kingdoms, and drove the hunted into the arms of the secret societies, the Tub and the Fare.

Decades later, having taken control of the remains of the crushed Fare, a young Marcus Pieman follows up on rumors of a homeless, teenage Abominator in his city. When the scared Nikolas Klaus looked up at Marcus for the first time, a tremendous bond was forged.

A betrayal leads Tee to a showdown with her greatest foe. Who breaks and who lays bleeding in the middle of nowhere?

And Mounira learns the truth about the once great inventor, Christophe Creangle.

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YOU CAN FIND & PURCHASE ALL BOOKS IN THE SERIES HERE:

Goodreads | Amazon | The Yellow Hoods Store | Author Website

(For Each Individual Book)
Book 1 – Along Came A Wolf: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon.ca | B&N
Book 2 – Breadcrumb Trail: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon.ca | B&N
Book 3 – All The King’s Men: Goodreads | Amazon

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Now I turn it over to our guest author…

3 Bands that Inspire me, but not for their music

The Police

They were highly skilled musicians who made music that sounded simple, yet no matter how much other bands tried to copy them, they couldn’t. For me they represent the genius it takes to weave something simple.

The Bare Naked Ladies

This great Canadian band not only achieved stardom, but then in true Canadian fashion, worked to help other bands achieve greatness. BNL had to bust down doors to get where they did, and then they invited others through those busted down doors. One day, if I become famous, I want to follow their example. While I’m getting there, I’ll continue to share what I learn.

The Beatles

Some would argue that what I said about the Police should be said about the Beatles, but I’m actually not a big fan of their music. However, I can’t refute their timeless nature and appeal, seeing generation after generation become fans and recognize them as a great band. Whenever I catch their music on, I listen for what makes it constantly rise above so much other music and try to take inspiration from it.

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Albums I listened to A LOT when writing book 3

Elysion – Someplace Better [LISTEN HERE]

Elysion – Silent Scream [LISTEN HERE]

Evanescence – Evanescence [LISTEN HERE]

Evanescence – The Open Door [LISTEN HERE]

Assassin’s Creed 3 [LISTEN HERE]

Jesus Jones – Doubt [LISTEN HERE]

We Are The Fallen – Tear the World Down [LISTEN HERE]

Enaid – Avalon – a Celtic Legend [LISTEN HERE]

Sabaton – Heroes [LISTEN HERE]

Sabaton – Coat of Arms [LISTEN HERE]

 

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Author Bio:

Adam Dreece burst onto the young adult fiction scene in 2014. His debut novel, Along Came a Wolf, hit the shelves in April, launching what is now the bestselling series The Yellow Hoods. Book Two, Breadcrumb Trail, quickly followed in September, locking in Dreece’s status as a force to be reckoned with. Now Book Three, All the King’s-Men, is about to be released and is expected to take its place on the Amazon and Calgary Herald Best Seller Lists, alongside its predecessors.

For twenty-five years Adam had written stories and set them aside, including a memoir covering his battle with terrible scar pain and then being hit with severe asthma. He’d always given the priority and focus to his technical career. In January 2015, he became a full time author.

Adam’s a devoted husband and father of three great kids. Though driven, he ensures there is always time for his family, fans, and fellow authors. With his tween daughter as his muse and the first to hear the rough drafts, it’s no surprise that he’s a huge proponent of strong female characters, something very clear in The Yellow Hoods.

 

Author Links:

Twitter | Website | Facebook

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CLICK BELOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

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You can also check out the other blogs in the tour:

Tour Schedule

4/15
A British Bookworm
Mythical Books
Soul Clever Books
Mistral Dawn

4/16
There Are Ink Spots On My Page
LA Starkey

4/17
Book Reviews and Giveaways
Reckless Indulgence | of the Written Word

4/20
Thoughts of an Avid Reader
Once Upon A Wish

4/21
Natural Bri
SweetEnd Book Reviews

4/22
The A P Book Club
Archies T and Woods Reviews
Coffee Book Mom

4/23
SnoopyDoo’s Book Reviews
Books and Ashes

4/24
Bitches N Prose
Na’s Not So Newsworthy Thoughts

4/27
Lindea on Books & Writing
Indiebooksbeseen

4/28
The Bad Ass Book Blog
Kitty’s Blog Spot!
The Book Nut

 

Blog Tour + Giveaway & An Open Letter!! — The Daring Assignment By Victoria Bright [March 17 – March 30, 2015]

 

Ello, ello my pretties~! It’s nearly the end of “The Daring Assignment” Virtual Book Tour! There are several other blogs hosting the tour today as well, so please check them out at the bottom of this post! Thanks. 🙂

Also, if you want to, check out my review of the book here!

 

Title: The Daring Assignment
Author: Victoria Bright
Publication Date: March 17, 2015
Series: A Curvy Assignments Novel
Publisher: BookTrope

Synopsis:

I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, especially him…

I was living the dream. I had a great career as a romance author, a successful boyfriend, and am the daughter to a New York power couple. With my standing, my family groomed me to be perfect. Despite having it all, something was still missing.

In an attempt to break away from my privileged, suffocating life, I was in pursuit of finding my own path to happiness. After my literary agent gave me a risky writing assignment, I set out to write a best-seller that took me completely out of my comfort zone and into the arms of another man. He was only supposed to be a research toy, falling in love wasn’t a part of the plan. As I become tangled into a huge web of lies, I quickly find out that I have a life changing decision to make. Do I choose to continue living a life of comfort, stability, and misery or do I take a chance on the unknown to preserve my happiness?

Goodreads | Amazon

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And now, a little something from
The Daring Assignment by Victoria Bright

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Author Bio:

Victoria Bright is from a small town in North Carolina and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina. She has been writing since she was in the eighth grade, starting with small short stories. As her classmates began showing interest in her work, she began to write longer stories, filling multiple spiral notebooks with her thoughts. During her freshman year in high school, her English teacher encouraged her to enter a writing contest in which she won local, region and state levels. She has entered many writing contests since and have won a few. Figuring out she had a passion to share stories with anyone who would listen, she set out to write her first book Love Unbroken.

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Victoria is very versatile in the genre of books she likes to read. Her bookchoice mostly varies on her mood, but she is particularly interested in crime stories, romance, teen fiction, sci-fi, and is now venturing a little in paranormal fiction. As for her own writing, she doesn’t really put it into a category or genre. She just writes whatever is on her mind and lets it create itself!

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Author Links:

Goodreads | Facebook | Website

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CLICK BELOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

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You can also check out the other blogs in the tour:

Tour Schedule

3/17
Kitty’s Book Spot!

3/18
MG Book Blog

3/19
Romance Reviews and More

3/20
Caught Up in Books
Christy Herself!

3/23
Mignon Mykel Reviews
Southern Yankee Book Reviews

3/24
Starr Struck Books

3/25
Dreamland Teen Fantasy
BYO Book Club
Coffee Book Mom

3/26
The Northern Witch Books
Obsessed with Myshelf

3/27
Lindea
Reckless Indulgence | of the Written Word
Karen’s Book Haven
Bujoijoi22
Love Romance Books

3/30
Lovely Paranormal Books
Book Hooked

 

Guest Post — Samantha Lien, owner of Roger Charlie

Hullo there everyone! Today, I have a very special treat for all of you – a guest post which I’m delighted to say is my first here on Reckless Indulgence. I was approached by the lovely Samantha Lien, owner of Roger Charlie, to work with her on promoting her new business and helping to spread the joy and love of previously unknown books to THE WORLD! (I don’t know if I can hold up to all that, but I’ll definitely try. 😛 )

As such, I’ve asked Samantha Lien to give us some insight on her new business and what she hopes to accomplish in her endeavors. She’s graciously provided us with a look into her world, and hopes you’ll be interested to find out more! Be sure to check out all the links at the end of this post to find and connect with her in the future!

So now, without further adieu… take it away, Samantha!

Hi and thank you so much for having me!  I wanted to take the opportunity to share what it is I do in case it is helpful to any of your readers/followers, and also connect with even more of your readers out there, as one of my very favorite people to work with are book bloggers and reviewers!

First of all – let me fill you in a bit on who I am.

My name is Sami and I run a company called Roger Charlie that specializes in publicity and management for creative professionals –particularly authors, musicians and small businesses.  I actually just recently jumped out on my own after nearly four years working exclusively in literary publicity because in addition to books, both local/small business and music are also two of my very biggest passions, and I wanted to move more into supporting those endeavors, as well.

I really love what I do. I love that thought that publicity really revolves around reaching out to people who may have not otherwise heard about a great book, band or business had I not been in touch, and I get excited when someone responds enthusiastically. It really cultivates a positive attitude and experience for everyone involved, and I’m all for supporting anything that motivates and inspires an individual to move forward ferociously in the things that they really love.

As I mentioned earlier, I particularly love working with bloggers and reviewers (like Jaay), because it’s like having an extended network of friends that always want to talk about things that we both love. I think we all love it because it comes very easy and natural to us – which ultimately makes it fun.

I also run with my husband called Songs for Jake, a collaborative music channel that operates around the simple mission of getting great songs to one really big music lover. Jake, my younger brother, has cerebral palsy – which I only mention to emphasize the impact music has on his life. While he can’t talk or tell you in words about the music he enjoys, he definitely can show you the happiness it brings him through his laughter and excitement.  The project also marries a passion for creating, finding and sharing that music with Jake, along with others who may benefit from music therapy.

I run Songs for Jake and Roger Charlie because I think it’s so important to incorporate the things you are truly dedicated to into your day-to-day work and life, because it fosters growth and encourages even more people to jump in and be part of the conversation.

 

I’d love to create some conversation with all of you. What are some of your favorite books? What are some promotions that you’ve seen for authors that you thought were particularly interesting? Why do you blog about books – and do you have a book club? I’d love to know more about all of you, too!

FIND ME HERE!

Sam@RogerCharlie.com

Official Website: RogerCharlie.com

Social Media:

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