When It’s Least Expected by Heather Van Fleet – Review

 Moving on after a tragedy can be impossible – especially when you’ve been dealing with those tragedies for over two years. But it’s her senior year, and Harley Anderson is more than ready to do just that, even though the skeletons in her closet can’t exactly be hidden.

Enter Mason Daniel, the egotistical, sexy, surfer boy from California – a boy with his own hidden demons, and even bigger secret agenda.

Mason isn’t right for Harley. He knows this better than anyone. He’s the epitome of a runner–a guy who takes what he can get, only to split a short while later. But he can’t deny the emotions that Harley brings out of him, so he’s going to break his rules for once.

He should have known what it would lead to… Two kindred souls – both lost and then found. Will they fail, once again, in their search for contentment and happiness, or will they finally find true love, when it’s least expected?

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About the Author:

Heather Van Fleet currently resides in northern Illinois, with her three daughters, Kelsey, Emma, and Isabella, and her fabulous hubby (and high school sweetheart) Chris, with whom she’s been blissfully married to now for ten plus years. She’s a stay at home mom by day, and an avid and completely obsessive writer and reader by night.

Review:

*uncurling from the fetal position*  *wipes tears from eyes* Oh and I made Harlie cry, too.  So NOT a good day for Pink.  Yes, I suck when it comes to sister Harlie but I won’t go into that now.

Have you read a book that you literally held your breath because you didn’t have a clue how it was going to work out between the hero and heroine?  Yes, When It’s Least Expected is that book and I don’t think I’m really breathing now.  My heart is still racing.  My pulse is still erratic, too.

Ms. Van Fleet has not only written brilliant YA novel but it’s also her debut.  I’m in awe of her now.  She managed not to make the characters angsty or stupid.  Harley and Mason were real characters.  Teenagers with real deep-rooted problems stemming from personal tragedies that defined who they were as a person.  She also tackled subject matter that wasn’t that easy to read either.  Teenage suicide, the death of parent, teenage drinking and the consequences, depression, severe anxiety attacks, and a sibling that is in a wheelchair.  See what I mean?  Lots going on but then there’s not.  Ms. Van Fleet manages to make it realistic and not sappy or even worse a plot device.  Harley and Mason are wounded but they are still good people.  Their problems are more internalized than they realize.

I felt immediately connected with Harley and Mason, too.  They are easy characters to know and to love.  I’m going to go in and tell you what their problems are because that’s part of the novel and I would be “spoiling” it for you but I will give you this tidbit…Harley’s twin brother is part of her problem.  She feels extreme guilt over his losing part of his leg.  Yep, its bad but how Ms. Van Fleet deals with the aftermath is both touching and heartfelt in the end.

I’m really not sure how to end this review.  I’m really at a loss for words.  Shocking, I know.  Its one of those novels that you want to talk about but if you start talking about all the little things that are going on in the book, it spoils it for other people.  Don’t except a lot of sex either.  Yes, it’s there but its closed-door.  Okay…Harley does kinda freak out when she finds out how many Mason has slept with in his young life and its a hoot.

I will say this…don’t expect to read about the mean girls, the class bully (even though there is a creepy guy but Harley takes care of it ) or parents that don’t care and understand their kids.  They do but in different ways.  Plus, their friends play a large part in their growing up process and helping one another figure out if this is truly love or not.  Abigail is a hoot with Harley but her claws do come out when needed.  Just wish that David…  Oops almost a spoiler but waiting on bated breath for that story. 

All in all, this is one hell of a GREAT book.  Characters that are realistic with problems that have no easy fixes.  Both needed time apart from each other to found out if they truly belonged together and WHY the belonged together.  *sigh*

Again, I’m still in the fetal position but the breathing thing has leveled off.

Southern Attraction by Tracy Kauffman – Book Blast/Excerpt/Giveaway

GIVEAWAY INFO:  Prize is 2 eBook copies of Southern Attraction from Tracy Kauffman. Contest is tour-wide and ends May 25. Must be 18 years of age or older to
enter.  Rafflecopter and Tour Schedule link are at the bottom of the post.  Good Luck!

Southern Attraction

by Tracy Kauffman

Young Adult Romance

Categories: Action/Adventure

Publisher: KG Books

Heat Level: Sweet

Length: 174 pages

Available at

KG Books: http://www.kgbooks.org/#!southern-attraction/c1ohm

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Attraction-Tracy-Kay-Kauffman/dp/0989188205/

Description

Heather has everything she ever wanted; money, clothes, friends, popularity and parents that adored her.  One terrible day, she is uprooted to a small town in Alabama with an uncle she doesn’t know.

The small town of Huckleburg was nothing like Manhattan.  Country rednecks owned the town and no one accepted Yankees from New York.  Heather didn’t think things could get worse until a tornado comes and blasts through the small town.  Heather has to lose herself to rediscover what life is all about.  She meets two guys that she can’t decide between who she really wants.

Join Heather as she discovers that there is more to life than money and fame.  Will Heather ever fit in and find true love or will she stay an outsider living in the south?

Book Trailer

EXCERPT

Heather was awakened by the sound of her alarm.  Today is the first day of the rest of my life, she thought as she stretched and yawned.  She jumped up out of her bed, hit the silence button on the alarm, and went to her closet to pick out her clothes for the day.  After looking through all her clothes, she sighed deeply.

What can I wear to this illiterate, rustic school.  If I dress up, then people will think I’m a snob and snub me.  If I dress down, then I will blend into the crowd, and I will not be able to accomplish anything.  I guess I have my answer.  I need to be seen in order to make a difference, whether good or bad.

Heather picked out her black leather skirt, a white dress shirt, a black fringed soft leather jacket and her black leather boots.  At least I’m wearing boots, that way I’ll blend in somewhat, she thought.  She styled her hair the way she always did and put on her makeup with a little more emphasis than usual.

Heather heard a knock on the door, “Yes, what do you want?” she asked.  “I’m going to be outside.  My cotton pickin’ cow, Molly, got out of the fence, and I have to round her up.  Be back after a while,” Mick said through the door.  “All right, but I’m leaving in a few minutes, so I’ll see you after school,” Heather replied.

“Okey dokey, see ya later,” Mick responded.

“Okey dokey!  I can’t believe I’m living with a redneck, dirt farmer,” she said as she rolled her eyes.  Heather glanced at the alarm, “Crap, I’m going to be late”, she said as she grabbed her purse and ran out the door.  The door slammed behind her as she ran to the car.  She looked around for Mick, but didn’t see him anywhere.  I guess he’ll realize I’m gone when he doesn’t hear from me, she thought.

As Heather drove down the narrow gravel road she looked for the right road to take to get her to the school.  She saw Mick with a belt whipping his cow.  “Now I’m seen everything,” she said as she laughed.

As Heather approached the school, a green ford truck ran right in front of her.  She paused for a second after giving him the finger.  I can’t believe these idiots, she thought.  She pulled into the parking space closer to the front of the school, and she looked over to the green pickup truck.

A scruffy looking guy with long hair climbed out of the truck.  “You need to watch where your going.  This aint New York, this is my town,” he said very hatefully with a smirk on his face.  “No, you need to watch where you are going, you hick.  You’re the one who ran in front of me,” Heather replied as she pointed her finger at him.  Heather was a little tougher than she looked.  She wasn’t going to let some corn fed hillbilly talk to her like that.

“How do you know I’m from New   York anyway?” she asked.

“That is for me to know and you to find out,” he replied as he turned away from her.

Heather wasn’t used to people treating her this way, especially boys.  She was the most popular girl in the whole school at Manhattan High School.  Now she was in a place that was oblivious to the fact that she wore an eighteen hundred dollar Armani jacket and  Louboutin boots.  How can anyone not care about fashion, she thought.  Fashion is what made her so popular.  Everyone in Manhattan wanted what she had.  She was the envy of all the girls at her school.  Now she felt like she was an outsider looking in through a dark stained glass and no one could see her.

About the Author

Tracy Kauffman is a Christian fiction author of Young Adult and Children Stories.  She grew up in North Alabama, where she still resides with her husband and daughter.  She loves taking cruises and traveling with her family.  Her favorite place that she has been to is the Grand Canyon.

Tracy has an Associates Degree in Nursing.  She is a registered nurse and works part time in a local nursing home.  The rest of the time she spends her time writing books and marketing them.  Her titles include: Gwendolyn’s Wish, Southern Adventures, Richard the Lionheart, My Boyfriend the Squire, Southern Attraction, and Captain Honey Bear Saves Goldie Locks.

Tracy started writing poetry at a small age and won the title of editor in her school newspaper, when she was in second grade.  She had her first poem published in an online writing contest called, The Cosmetology Student.  She decided to write her first book, Southern Adventures, when her son left home for the Air Force.

She loves writing and hopes to be able to inspire her readers into living a happy healthier life.  She feels like her own life experiences have made her a better writer.  Learn more about her by visiting her website or blog.

Connect with Tracy Kauffman

Website: http://tracykauffman.yolasite.com

Blog: http://tracykauffman.blogspot.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyKauffmanFictionAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6447493.Tracy_Kauffman

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Tour Schedule Link

Stag Hunt by Laura DeLuca – Free Book Alert May 17th only

Stag Hunt by Laura DeLuca
FREE on Amazon May 16th and 17th

In ancient Britannia, the warrior who brought down the king stag was named the defender of the land.

Eartha’s brother Balen has been in love with Princess Galiene since they were children. Upon the death of the High King, the tribesmen of the realm vie for the throne, and with it, the hand of the fair princess.

Balen is desperate to win his lady, but a rival tribesman is equally determined to keep them apart.

With her brother, her dearest friend, and the country she loves all hanging in the balance, Eartha must do the unthinkable to ensure her brother’s victory in the stag hunt. Sometimes true love needs a helping hand…or some blood to be spilled.

Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith – Review/Excerpt

BLURB:

For Charli Blake, being seventeen is a tough gig.

She’s been branded a troublemaker, her reputation is in tatters and she’s stuck in Pipers Cove, a speck of a town on the coast of Tasmania.

Thankfully, it’s temporary. Her lifelong dream of travelling the world is just months away from becoming reality. All she has to do is ride out the last few months of high school, which is easier said than done thanks to a trio of mean girls known as The Beautifuls.

When Adam Décarie arrives in town, all the way from New York, life takes an unexpected turn. His arrival sets off a chain of events that alters her life forever, convincing her of one thing. Fate brought him to her.

Saving Wishes is the story of a girl who doesn’t quite fit the life she’s living, and the boy who helps her realize why.

Saving Wishes – excerpt.

Alex’s smile disappeared along with her, and an eerie silence set in. It was as if we’d all witnessed a terrible train crash and were too shocked to speak. I could feel his glare but kept my eyes on the front door.

“You have ten seconds to explain,” he informed me.

I punched out the explanation so quickly, I had five seconds to spare. I could almost see his mind ticking over as he processed my confession.

“Of all the stupid things to do.” His reproach was warranted, and defending myself would only have added fuel to an already raging fire. “You’re like a mini terrorist. Are you trying to get us run out of town?”

Gabrielle’s tried to stop a giggle escaping. I turned my attention to Adam

“I think it was ingenious,” he murmured, revealing the dimple on his cheek.

“You are too easily charmed,” complained Alex, waving his hands as if he was showcasing the major prize in a game show. “Charli Blake is the kind of girl your mother warned you about, Adam. Nothing but trouble.”

So much for defending me to the death! If he hadn’t been so worked up it would have been funny. The only people in the room game enough to see the humour were those of French lineage.

“I would be more than happy to claim her,” Adam told him.

“Me too,” added Gabrielle, much to my surprise.

Alex shook his head. He marched to the front door and flipped the sign, declaring the shop shut for the rest of the day.

“Are you closing?” asked Gabrielle, checking her watch. “It’s early.”

“I’m done. If I don’t get out of here, I might explode,” he muttered, pushing past me to collect his coat.

I knew Alex was close to breaking point. Escaping the café before he had a chance to lock the door seemed like a good idea. I reached for Adam’s hand. “I’ll see you later.” I moved quickly, giving Alex no chance of calling me back. Adam turned to face him as we reached the door.

“I’ll have her home early.”

“I honestly don’t care,” Alex said wearily.

He sounded broken. For a horrible second I wondered if I’d finally pushed him too far. Perhaps in the process of slaying the Beautiful dragons I’d accidently assassinated my white knight too. I peeked at my brother. “Do you mean that?” My voice was small because I feared his answer.

Alex looked back at me for a long time. He didn’t look angry any more, just beaten. “No,” he said simply. And I believed him.

 

 

Review:

As most know, Harlie gives me all the YA to read because she seems to think that I’m still living in high school but you would be wrong.  She gives them to read because she thinks that I can identify better with the characters.  Guess what?  She is so not wrong when it comes to Saving Wishes.  Okay, its set in Tasmania but the characters are what set this story apart from the typical YA books.

I totally got Charli, in fact I was Charli at some point.  I remember the mean girls from high school and they didn’t change much when I went back to my reunion either.  Sad, really.  I had a high school sweetheart that I though the moon shined on him and that he was my everything.  I learned that the moon didn’t shine on him and that I had to make myself happy for me, not for other people.  It has a hard lesson learned but I did it.

What really grabbed me though was the voice of the characters.  They were real and honest.  No sugar coating from Ms. Walker-Smith.  When I read YA sometimes, the characters are too perfect and these characters are not perfect at all.  Well, okay maybe Adam.  Lord, he is something special and just want Charli needed to see that her life was good; even in a small town.

Of course, I’m not different than Harlie in the fact that I love stories set in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania.  The setting for Saving Wishes is a character within itself.  I really felt like I was the fly on the wall watching the story unfold.  The beginning was a bit slow but in the end, I never wanted the story to end.  It was that good.  It was heartbreaking at times and the big twist was O.M.G.    Not telling, you have to read it for yourself.

If you are looking for a truly authentic YA book, look no further than Saving Wishes.  It takes you back to your own high school years which is good and bad.  I look forward to Harlie passing me book #2.

BIO:

G.J Walker-Smith’s day job used to be in the stressful world of property management, until she realized she’d rather write books and raise her babies.

She lives in Western Australia, has an egotistical French bulldog, a love for really good coffee and a million stories in her head that she hopes to put into print.

ONLINE LINKS:

• Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/gjwalkersmith
• Goodreads   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6935697.G_J_Walker_Smith

BUY NOW LINK:

• Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Wishes-1-ebook/dp/B00BEJC9E6/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1366025892&sr=8-1&keywords=saving+wishes

Terri by Sharon Srock – Giveaway/Review/Excerpt/Interview

Sharon will be awarding an e-Book copy of Callie, the first book in the series, to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop, plus a grand prize of a $20.00 gift card to the Pelican Book Group website to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.  Just leave a comment and email to be entered.  Good luck!

Pink here and I need offer my apologies to Sharon for some of my interview questions.  Its inexcusable and I’m sorry. 

Terri

by Sharon Srock

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

 

Despite a bustling day care center and a new foster child, Terri Hayes hungers for a family of her own. Then a plumbing mishap leaves her homeless and questioning God’s plan. Steve Evans’s gracious offer of his basement apartment as a temporary solution is an answered prayer.

Steve is a successful writer and a good father, but Terri is horrified when Steve’s book research leads him to a harsh confrontation with the parents of her foster child.  She needs to distance herself from Steve, but her efforts fall short as his two scheming daughters plot to make Terri their new stepmother.

Will harsh words and sneaky plans drive Kelsey’s family further apart and put a wedge between Terri and Steve? Or does God have another plan in store?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt Two:

Terri’s heart dropped to her stomach at the sound of Karla’s voice. Great, just great. She straightened and retrieved the meat from the refrigerator. When she turned she made certain she had a carefully constructed smile on her face. “Is the grill ready?”

“Just about.” Karla tilted her head. “What’s wrong?”

Terri shook her head. “Nothing.”

Karla pulled out a chair. “Not buying it. You don’t slam doors for nothing.”

Terri allowed herself a small defeated sigh. Very few secrets escaped her three friends. But Terri had hoped to keep her attraction to Steve to herself. With Callie busy distracting Samantha and no sign of Pam, maybe she could limit the damage control to Karla.

“Where’s Pam?”

“Tending to Harrison’s smashed thumb. Don’t try to change the subject.” Karla crossed her arms and settled her plump frame into a chair. “What’s got you slamming doors?”

Terri felt renewed frustration wash over her. Damage control be hanged. She waved in the direction of the backyard. “Why are men so…so…pigheaded?”

Karla’s green eyes widened, brows arching beneath her permed, silver hair. “Are you asking about the species in general, or is there a particular specimen giving you grief?”

“Steve.”

“Steve?” Karla looked out the storm door. “You want me to beat him up for you?”

Terri smiled at the picture Karla’s offer painted, almost able to see the sixty-year-old woman taking down the much younger man.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Top ten things you don’t know about me:

1.  Cotton or Silk?

Neither. Both of those options have to be ironed and I’m allergic to that particular appliance. I’m more a wash, dry, and go sort of person.

2.  Champagne/beer/wine?

None of the above.

3.  Plotter/pantser

Pantser. Actually if there is a more extreme choice than Pantser, that would be me.

4.  Describe your workspace

Where ever I happen to be at any given moment. I write at my desk at work on break and lunch, I’ve handwritten scenes in a notebook at the lake, I’ve taken my small notebook computer on cruises, retreats, and in the back seat of my ex-husbands car. I have two jobs in addition to the writing, so, while I do have a desk at home, not a lot of the actual writing get s done there.

5.  Sports fan or just tolerate it?

Tolerate mostly. I do enjoy NASCAR is I can keep my Sunday afternoon nap at bay long enough to watch it.

6.  Who is your biggest influence on writing?

I belong to a terrific writers group. They have been my teachers, encouragers, readers, and critiquers. They took a newbie under their wing and molded a writer.

7.  Favorite food –

I’m a woman…CHOCOLATE!
8.  When did you start writing?

I put the first word of the Women of Valley View series on paper 5 years ago this spring.

9.  If money were no object, where would you like to live?

Anywhere on a topical beach. I love the ocean.
10.  What’s next for you?

I just signed a contract on the 3^rd book in The Women of Valley View series. Look for The Women of Valley View: Pam to be released sometime in2014. I am currently working on book 4, The Women of Valley View: Samantha.

Review:

As everyone knows, my sister can be a pain.  I love her but she can be.  When she gave me this book to read, she didn’t tell me anything about it except to read it and write a review.  Of course being the younger sibling, I do has I’m told.  Boy, I’m glad that I did what I was told to do this time.

Terri is one of those books that you sit down to read and literally can not put it down.  Ms. Srock doesn’t skirt some pretty intense situations in the book either.  Drug addiction, foster parenting, death of a parent, losing your way with Christ, and matchmaking teenagers.  I remember when Harlie was pregnant with my nephew and how they wanted more babies but sadly, it didn’t happen that way for her.  When I asked her how she handled being a mother of one instead of the two or three that she wanted, she told me that it was God’s Plan, not her’s and her husband’s.  My sister has been a big believer of God only giving you what you can handle and nothing more.  He has the plan and yes, you can question that plan all the time but God knows what is best.  I never looked at it that way when she told me that but after reading Terri and Steve’s story, I’m a believer now.

Terri had her life somewhat planned out but time was ticking when it came to marriage and babies.  Dealing with a house that has flooded, a foster child to take care of and then overhearing the man that she had started to really care for say that he didn’t want anymore babies.  Well, that’s enough to bring any sane woman to her senses.  Too bad, Steve’s children didn’t see it that way.  Neither did there friends for that matter.  Terri was somewhat sheltered when it came to the things that had happened to Steve on his path.  She never had to deal with addiction, losing your children and then your ex-wife.  Being a grandparent at a young age and having your teenager daughter and grand baby living with you.

What endured me about Terri was her faith in everything.  Yes, did it falter?  You bet.  Did she sometimes ask God what was he thinking?  Of course but don’t we all do that sometimes?  I question God all the time about the path that He has me on.  Its only natural and you should question Him every so often.  Terri had very good friends to lean on and in a sense Kelsey’s mother.  Yes, her foster child’s mother.  Trust me, it’s a turning point in the book that I didn’t see coming.  I expected the opposite.

The secondary characters in the book are well thought out and very supportive.  Never too much and not enough.  Ms. Srock has managed to create a town and its characters that I would be friends with.  Even go to church with and hang out with.  Being from Oklahoma myself, I can appreciate the lines  about the heat.    It does get extremely hot in the summer.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Terri for everyone.  Of course silly heads it’s a Christian based romance but its much more than that.  It’s a gentle reminder that its okay to question the path that we are on as humans.  He expects us too but we also need to listen to what He has to say.  Just saying…and yes, I’m using Harlie’s ratings again.   This time, she said it was okay. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sharon Srock lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of the ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon’s debut novel, The Women of Valley View: Callie released in October 2012. The second in the series, The Women of Valley View: Terri releases in April 2013.

Connect with her here:

Website:  Sharonsrock.com

Blogt: http://www.womenofvalleyview.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SharonSrock#!/SharonSrock

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/SharonSrock

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6448789.Sharon_Srock

Dream Student by JJ Di Benedetto – Book Blast/Giveaway/Excerpt

Giveaway Info:  Prize is 1 signed paperback copy of Dream Student (Dreams #1) from J.J. DiBenedetto. Contest is tour-wide and ends May 19. Must be 18 years of age
or older to enter.  Rafflecopter Link and tour schedule are at the bottom of the post.  Good luck!

Dream Student (Dreams #1)

by J.J. DiBenedetto

Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Categories: Mystery/Thriller

Publisher: Self/Indie

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Heat Level: Sensual

Word Count: 94,000

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Student-Dreams-book-ebook/dp/B00BW3FPF4/

Description

What would you do if you could see other people’s dreams? If you could watch their hidden fantasies and uncover their deepest, darkest secrets…without them ever knowing?

Sara Barnes is about to find out. She thought that all she had to worry about was final exams, Christmas shopping and deciding whether she likes the cute freshman in the next dorm who’s got a crush on her.

But when she starts seeing dreams that aren’t hers, she learns more than she ever wanted to know about her friends, her classmates…and a strange, terrifying man whose dreams could get Sara killed.

Dream Student is the thrilling first installment of the Dreams series.

 

Excerpt #1

Sara rarely remembers her dreams.  She has no idea that she’s had more or less this same dream two or three nights a week since the beginning of the semester.  She’s sitting there in the lecture hall, and if she were ever able to remember this dream she’d recognize it as the same seat she actually sits in every Tuesday and Thursday at nine-thirty in the morning.  She’d recognize Dr. Wallabeck, too, and in the dream he’s wearing one of those dreadful patterned ties he always wears; he’s peering over his awful wire-rimmed glasses exactly the way he does in real life.  Every detail of the lecture hall is captured by Sara’s subconscious with almost perfect accuracy, including her fellow students.  Two rows in front of her is the tall redheaded girl whose name she can never recall and who nods off in the middle of almost every class; in her row and six seats to her left is Adam Walker, who lives directly above her in the dorm, with his huge thermos full of almost-but-not-quite-undrinkable dining hall coffee.  In the dream Sara looks around and sees them and all the other faces she sees in class twice a week, and they’re all just as puzzled in the dream as they usually are in class.

 

Sara is the only person in the whole room who’s not.  If she could remember the dream, she’d understand why: Dr. Wallabeck isn’t lecturing about angular momentum or torque or any of the other mystifying topics that make up Physics 121.  Not now.  Instead, the good doctor is talking about amino acids and protein structures, a topic that Sara just last week aced a quiz on in her Introductory Biochemistry course.  It doesn’t seem the slightest bit odd to Sara that her physics professor is lecturing about biochemistry instead of physics…

 

***

Brian’s never properly met Sara, never actually spoken to her.  He’s seen her quite often, though.  In the dining hall, walking back from class, in the student union or the bookstore, in any one of a dozen other places on campus.  Even, once, at a party, where he’d just about worked up the nerve to approach her before she disappeared for the night.  But he doesn’t really know her; he doesn’t know anything about her that isn’t revealed in the student directory. 

 

He’s dreaming about her anyway.

 

Not only about her; Sara is just one character in this dream.  She’s there in a cheerleader outfit a size too tight, watching Brian, admiring him, cheering for him, shouting for him as he stands there on the basketball court about to hit the game-winning shot.  Sara’s there, admiring and watching and cheering and shouting right alongside every other woman on campus that Brian is attracted to.  All admiring and watching and cheering and shouting.

 

But for some reason Sara’s outfit is just a little tighter than anyone else’s; her voice is the tiniest bit louder than any of the others…

About the Author

J.J. (James) DiBenedetto was born in Yonkers, New York. He attended Case Western Reserve university, where as his classmates can attest, he was a complete nerd. Very little has changed since then.

He currently lives in Arlington, Virginia with his beautiful wife and their cat (who has thoroughly trained them both). When he’s not writing, James works in the direct marketing field, enjoys the opera, photography and the New York Giants, among other interests.

The ‘Dreams’ series is James’ first published work.

Connect with J.J. DiBenedetto

Email: jamesd@elevendayempire.com

Website: http://www.writingdreams.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.dibenedetto.39

 
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Tour Schedule Link

The Reason is You by Sharla Lovelace – Review/Excerpt/Giveaway

Giveaway Information:  Sharla will be awarding a custom tote bag with book swag, a themed recipe card and $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.   Just leave a comment with your email and your are entered.  Easy peasy and good luck!

THE REASON IS YOU

by Sharla Lovelace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Anything but normal…

Dani Shane just wants her daughter to have what she never did—a normal life. But “normal” leaves the equation when sixteen-year old Riley is found talking to Dani’s only friend, Alex—who has been dead for forty years.

In the small river town of Bethany, Dani never fit in. Being different pushed her to the fringes of society, and even leaving town for two decades didn’t stop the talk. Now that she’s back, so is Alex. Mischievous and sexy and still hot enough to melt her shoes. Between his popping in at inopportune moments and her having to hide her daughter’s new talent, Dani fears that her plans for staying under the radar may be short-lived.

As Dani scrambles to get solid footing under her family, secrets buried for forty years begin to unearth themselves. She and Alex have always been connected, but he is hiding something. The computer is making her hear things. Weird memories that she doesn’t recognize keep popping up in her mind. Then there’s that little thing she hasn’t told her daughter yet—that some of the people she sees aren’t breathing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Excerpt #1

Starting over sucks, but at forty it sucks the life out of you. This thought squeezed my brain on the six-hour drive to Bethany from Dallas. I second-guessed my decision for the ninety-ninth time, eyeing every exit ramp as a potential escape hatch. As we got closer to the dark clouds looming above my hometown, in a Ford Escort with no air-conditioning and my sixteen-year-old daughter hanging her naked legs out the window to dry her pretty little coral toes, I felt the options slipping. One by one.

Not that I wasn’t grateful to have a destination. My dad loves me, and he’s never judged. But this time was no visit. It was the real deal, with bath towels and Tupperware and everything that would fit in a U-Haul trailer. My head started to bang out a rhythm just thinking about it, but I knew it was the smart thing to do. I’d tried everything after losing my job, and despite the number of times I pushed reality aside, it kept waving at me.

I had Riley to think about. I had to keep a roof over her head, and I couldn’t afford to be choosy on what roof that was. We would be okay. I glanced over at her, eyes closed, jamming to whatever her iPod was pumping into her head, and I prayed she would be okay. That she wouldn’t be tainted by association with me.

“So, when do we get to Podunk?” she said after we drove through Restin, the nearest big town.  Not big like high-rises.  Big like it has a Walmart.

Review:

 I’m just gonna put it out there that there are times when I HATE my sister, Harlie.  She gave me this book to read and said I think you will like it.  It has a ghost, a hot new boss to drool over and a daughter that she thought I could identify with.  What happened is that I cried buckets and Pink doesn’t cry over a book.

This book had it all for me.  Family dynamics, secrets, starting over, love, a hot ghost that was totally in love with Dani but is withholding something big from her at the same time.  Plus, throw in Dani’s new boss and what you got is a beautifully written novel about the power of love in all forms.  *sniff*  I still can’t get over how this book sucked me in from the beginning and never let go.  Even after I read this book a week ago, I’m still thinking about it and what it did to my heart.

This is not your typical romance either.  Its not a boy meets girl, they date, have a fight and get back together with their HEA.  Its so much more than that.  Everyone has ghosts in their lives but Dani can actually talk to them and its made her an outsider and when she finds out that her daughter can do the same thing, it completely freaks her out.  I would be freaking, too.  After moving to her hometown, Dani just wants to have some stability for Riley.  There are plenty of twists and turns in the book that will keep you interested and turning the pages.

I never did figure out the “secret” until Ms. Lovelace revealed it.  I love that in a book.  I don’t need to be hit over my head with the “whatever” early and I like to try to figure out things myself.  Unfortunately, I was a little slow with this one and once it was said, I just about lost it…in a good way.    I can not impress upon you to read this book.  It completely ripped my heart open and took hold.  I’m not sure when I recover from it and in some way, I don’ want to.  This story is too beautiful and touching.

The ending made me cry the hardest and the longest.  I knew it was coming but I still wasn’t prepared for it.  That’s excellent writing that I’m still smarting from it but loved it all the same.

Run…don’t even think about it…read this book and see if you agree with me.  My sister Harlie is usually right about books but I don’t think I’ll ever forgive her for recommending a book to me where I cried and still thinking about it a week later.    I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Lovelace.  Off to shop for books and oh and I’m stealing her graphics, too.  *sticks tongue out*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sharla Lovelace is the National Bestselling Author of THE REASON IS YOU, BEFORE AND EVER SINCE, and the e-novella  JUST ONE DAY.  Being a Texas girl through and through, she’s proud to say she lives in Southeast Texas with her family, an old lady dog, and an aviary full of cockatiels.

Sharla is available by Skype for book club meetings and chats, and loves connecting with her readers! See her website http://www.sharlalovelace.com for book discussion questions, events, and to sign up for her monthly newsletter.

www.SharlaLovelace.com

http://www.twitter.com/sharlalovelace

http://www.facebook.com/sharlalovelace

THE REASON IS YOU   (available in trade paperback online and in stores)

Mass Market version (978-0425254868) with new cover available May 7^th, and for preorder now!

Tagline: “Sometimes falling into the past is the way forward.”

 

PURCHASE LINKS:

Preorder new mass mkt on Amazon!

Preorder new mass mkt at B&N!

Trade size and ebook versions also available anywhere books are sold.

Resisting Fate (Predetermined series: Book One) by Heather Van Fleet – Cover Reveal

Title: Resisting Fate

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Release Day: June 14^th 2013

Publisher: Sunshine Press

 

 

Seventeen-year-old Emmy O’Connell is the epitome of a hot mess.

Her boyfriend’s been shipped out of town to some boarding school four states away. Her step douche is constantly drunk and badgering her. And then there’s her good-ole-mom… The lady is nothing more than a miserable shell of a woman. She’s turned off all of her feelings and her ability to be a good mother as well, leaving poor Emmy and her four year old brother Jamie to suffer. Life couldn’t get much worse, right?

Enter the elusive, cocky, and oh-so-broody Jack Hartman…

The jerk cousin of her boyfriend becomes Emmy’s worst nightmare…times ten. He’s cruel. He’s insensitive. But he also has this strange little ability over her – he makes her weak in the knees with the single touch of his hand. But no matter how miserable or amazing Jack makes her feel, Emmy can’t seem to deny him, especially when he takes on the role of her protector –her pseudo-knight in a black leather coat. A knight who also just so happens to ride in on his black Harley, instead of a white horse…

And to make a bad situation worse…

Werewolves and teens shouldn’t mix! But what can Emmy do when she finds herself thrown head first into the center of it all? Can she handle the supernatural mess her life rapidly becomes or will she fight against the inevitable fate her heart desires?

Website   Goodreads   Facebook

About the author:

Heather Van Fleet currently reside in northern Illinois, with her three little ladies, and fabulous hubby, and high school sweetheart, Chris. She’s a stay at home mom by day, and an avid and completely obsessive writer and reader by night.

She’s always had a soft spot in her heart for books, and has been creating her own little stories since the age of seven. But she never really had the confidence or the time to actually sit down and really do something about it until her youngest daughter Isabella was born just two years ago. Bella, as well as her older sisters Kelsey and Emma, are and always will be her greatest inspirations.

Blood Hex by Erin Butler – Review/Excerpt

Blurb:

Two girls. Four centuries. One curse.  Isabella started it—all because a boy fell in love with her—but it ends with Sarah. Isabella and Thomas meet in secret during the witching hours while the  rest of the villagers hide behind locked doors. And even though Isabella’s scared, she wants Thomas more. He’ll protect her from the night, from his father who’ll decide her future, and from the paranoia-fueled hunting parties taking away innocents. Centuries later, seventeen-year old Sarah runs away to an aunt she never knew she had. Her dad? Dead. Her mother? A liar. She wants the memories of a father she never got, but instead, discovers her father’s death wasn’t innocent. Everyone—the Wiccans, the townies, even her quasi-boyfriend—are hiding something. The secret the history-rich town will kill to keep entangles Sarah into a centuries  old witch curse.

Website   Facebook  Amazon   Evernight Buy link

About the author: 

Erin Butler lives in upstate New York where winter is her arch nemesis. She prefers to spend her time indoors reading and writing, but ventures out for chocolate, sunshine, and to perform her librarian duties at a local library. She lives with her very understanding husband, a stepson, and doggie BFF, Maxie. Erin’s dreams of becoming an author started in Kindergarten when she wrote her first story about witches, the eloquently titled, six-sentence page-turner, “The Three Witches”. Now, she likes to write longer works for teens in many different genres.

Top 5 “Love, Laughter & Friendship” Moments in Blood Hex

True, Blood Hex is a touch on the supernatural thriller side, but that doesn’t mean the story doesn’t have its awww or LOL moments. Here are just a few to whet your appetite!

1.       Girl Ogles Boy

“Holy…mm mmm.” It wasn’t Rose. Nope. For sure not Rose. I stretched my neck and bumped my head on the windowpane. “Ouch.” I rubbed at the blossoming sting and then placed my palms on the warm glass. The real life picture also made me smile.

A guy, about my age, tanned to a deep bronze with a great bod, pushed a mower around a beautiful backyard garden with rows and rows of red roses. He wiped at his face using a shirt and then slung it over his shoulder. My aunt came around the side of the house and pointed at the row next to him. He nodded, his sun-tinted golden brown hair falling into his face before he pushed it back with the shirt hem.

1.       Sarcastic Sarah

Drake warned this would be weird, but this was bad. This was like Mardi Gras night at one of the clubs back home, but worse. Much worse. These people were into it. And it was everybody. The whole freakin’ town was crazy.

At least not everyone wore a ho costume though, which was good, considering. Considering Adams was no Miami and there were people of all shapes and sizes in this rinky-dink town. Plenty wore the obvious, overdone witch look—faces painted green, long, thin, wart-covered noses, and pointy hats.

Oh, the hat. Now this was where the townies got clever. Black ones, purple ones, red with black lace ones and the best one yet, lime green and black striped that matched the tights the women wore. Yes, a group of them. A senior citizen group, that, from the look of their arthritic knuckles clutching straw broomsticks, probably made their way over on a bus from the local nursing home. At least they weren’t the ones in the corsets and G-strings.

I can’t believe my dad grew up here.

I kept it low-key. As in off the crazy radar low-key.

1.       Ex Problems

“Well, then,” Marlene said, defeated for the moment, “you’re definitely lucky to have found him. He just loves this stuff.” She smiled wide, her face overexcited, like she was seeing Disney World for the first time. She reached over and started to rub Drake’s hand.

I took mine away from his shoulder. No way was I going to get into a territorial boy fight with this backcountry skankarella. I picked up the Adams Gazette and ignored them.

“I think I’m the lucky one,” Drake said. He pulled his hand away and placed it in his lap.

1.       “…have fun.” *wink,wink*

He pulled on my sneaker. “Come here.” I twisted and sat in between his legs, laying my back against his chest. He folded his arms around me. “Just because we’re acting like Nancy Drew doesn’t mean we can’t…have fun.”

He kissed my neck and no matter how much I wanted him to keep going, I turned to him and kissed his lips. “We should really pay attention to this.”

1.       Friends share everything…even their Wiccan status.

“Then, why do you stay?” I asked.

“I told you. Research. I thought I would have figured it out by now. I thought I could help them by seeing what they’re doing and then telling somebody so they would make them stop.”

“Who? Like the witch police?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Jennie said, throwing up her arms before she grabbed back on to the safe handle.

“But you haven’t found anything that bad?”

“No. Like I said, I’m a newbie. A Wiccan Virgin.”

I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek into Blood Hex!

 

Excerpt:

The lights around the park dimmed. I twisted toward the makeshift stage again. Forty feet away, a figure stood tall, elevated by the 2×4’s that lay out on the grass only a few hours ago. A hooded black robe disguised the guy, not that I would know who he was anyway. The dark night, the material folding over his head, made him look like a faceless grim reaper. It was dusk and getting darker, the pink deepening to a rose red.

The robed figure lifted his hand, smooth, indifferent, a marionette being played with. His hand made a wide, sweeping horizontal arc, pointing into the faces of everybody.

My stomach twisted and turned into knots. Drake bumped into my shoulder and held out a drink as he sat down. Then, the figure yanked his hands in the air and a big blaze of fire erupted from the space between the stage and the audience. I jumped, deftly managing to spill half my soda. I barely noticed.

Flames shot up, reaching toward the night. The smell of gasoline used for ignition hung in the air. A few people laughed behind me. Drake even joined in. “Gotcha,” he said, leaning over, whispering in my ear. With him so close, the cologne clinging to his long, black robe smothered the wood smoke that had filled my nostrils.

I peered at him. He turned away and pulled his hood up. He was the exact match of the person on stage.

I sat with a wizard. I talked with a wizard.

I made fun of people for things like this.

Still, I inched closer to him. The fire, the reddish sky, the grim reaper, the witches, everything. It got to me. An eerie feeling tangled itself within every thought, like something hidden watched from just beyond sight.

On the stage, the figure in the dark cloak threw back the hood. The fire glow cast the face in shadows, an ever-changing kaleidoscope of orange, red, and black. The speakers thumped, thumped, thumped as the black hooded figure tapped the front of the microphone. The hollow sound echoed throughout the open park and bounced off the surrounding buildings. No one talked. They barely even moved. Only the slight ripple of the crowd as everyone inclined their heads and inched forward, awe-struck.

The wind picked up, fueling the flames. The blazed erupted, flaring up, lighting the figure’s face. I gasped.

The grim reaper wasn’t a guy. It was Rose.

Drake peeked over at me, his eyebrows knit together. “You okay?”

“That’s my aunt,” I whispered loud, still trying to comprehend it myself. “What is she doing up there?”

“She’s the leader.”

“Huh?” Uneasiness squeezed my chest, like the time I went to see that stupid Ouija board movie with friends. They all laughed through the scary parts while I spent most of the movie with my heart trembling and one second away from closing my eyes. “Leader of what?”

“This.” Drake opened his arms wide and twisted his body, scanning the corners of the five-sided park. “She puts all this together.”

I took it all in. Giant banners announced “Adams Colonization”, eerie witch posters and mannequins with stringy green hair and large, red eyeballs stared back. The guards along the stage dressed in old brown suits and hats I guessed were supposed to be replicas of what the first settlers wore. The costumes reminded me of pilgrims. They stood at attention, faces impassible as they monitored the crowd. The picture sank into my brain, this parallel reality where past met present in a jumbled mesh.

Drake leaned into me again. “Sorry. I should have told you.”

No wonder why she said she was too busy to hang out with me. I snuck forward a little, caught up in the surprise appearance of Rose. The arm that had been touching Drake instantly chilled. He was so nice. And cute. But the reason why I came here was up on that stage.

Rose’s voice rang out, low and seductive. “On this day in 1610, our ancestors inhabited a foreign land. Today, we call that piece of land Adams, Virginia.” Scattered applause swelled through the park. “Our ancestors brought with them superstition…and fear from England. Men and women, children—all terrified of one thing.” Rose’s hypnotic voice was mesmerizing and I leaned forward even more. “Witches.” The stare of an old, wise woman lingered over everybody and when her eyes met mine, a pool of black reflected the licking orange flames.

“They fled here, terrified of the supernatural. They hoped to start a new life. One without the constant paranoia. They failed. Our ancestors lived in complete, maddening, unrelenting fear their entire lives. Are we like them?” Audible no’s and descending grunts rose from the crowd. “No. We’re not.” Her voice pitched higher, and louder. “Today, we embrace our history. Today, we stare the supernatural in the face and laugh at it.” Loud cheers erupted from every corner of the park and Rose shouted over them, “Today, we celebrate!”

Rose motioned to the side of the reaching flames. Two men in the ugly brown trousers and jackets nodded. “During this opening ceremony, we will conquer fear as they did back in the old days.” The men pulled at ropes, hoisting a cross into the air. Mounted to the cross beam was the body of a woman, her mouth agape in horror.

I drew in a sharp breath. I felt Drake move next to me so I turned my gaze on him. A sly smile graced his face. He put his arm around me, pulling me closer. “Are you scared?” he whispered.

I couldn’t speak. These people were freakin’ crazy. My eyes darted through the crowd, looking for a policeman—somebody—who might stop this.

“Don’t worry. We always do this on opening night,” Drake said, pulling me even closer, rubbing my shoulder with his hand.

I wanted to scream at him to do something, to help the poor woman. He only sat smiling, eyes bright with anticipation. I knocked his hand off me and pulled away, but before I could wiggle free of Drake’s arms and run to the fire pit, the cotton clothes the woman wore caught fire from the reaching flames underneath. My breath clogged my throat. I didn’t know whether to scream first, or cry.

The flames spread fast. The waistline already edged with black char before the fire incinerated it. Dark gray smoke furled over the helpless woman and puffed up toward the blood red sky.

 Review:

Okay, I have to admit that I stayed up way too late reading this book because I was hooked.  Yes, hooked.  If you know anything about me and my big sister Harlie, we LOVE stories about witches.  There is something powerful about a witch.   For me, they are more powerful than a vamp, sexier than a were and there’s that are they a good witch/bad witch thing going on. 

In this story, we have a normal teenager that just wants to know what the hell happened to her father when he died all those years ago.  To do that, she leaves Miami and travels to a backwoods town in Virginia.  If I were Sarah, I’d be mad too at my mother for withholding all that information about my dad.  And then to find out that he might have been tied to witches in his hometown?  Yep, I’d be freaking out, too.

What I really loved about this story was that each chapter talked about the past and the present.  It was super easy to follow and it flowed quite nicely.  I was never lost but I will have to admit that I didn’t make the connection until the very end when it was revealed.  Ooooo, Pink likes that when I can’t figure it out.  Yes, I’m weird.  Harlie can figure stuff out rather quickly but me…not so much.

Sarah is a good character and I immediately liked her.  Sassy, snarky and the disbelief in her was great.  I’m not sure that I would have believed everything that I was seeing either.  From Miami to the backwoods…yep, not believing it.  She did find a sorta boyfriend in Drake but for me, I never really connected with him.  I knew something was up with him from the get go but never quite figured it out.    Her aunt Rose was just too weird for me but also very integral to the plot.  The teenagers in the story were the usual suspects but Jennie stood out for me.  She had figured it all out and was hell bent on helping Sarah whether she liked it or not.

Isabella and Thomas broke my heart.  I can not imagine living in the time of witch hunts, burning at the stakes and general fearfulness of the occult.  Especially since women weren’t considered smart and had to answer to a ma.  Humph…I don’t answer to a man and if I lived in that time, I would have been in the stocks for a very long time.

This book was creepy, thrilling and very fast paced.  The twist in the end was a doozy and it completely threw me for a loop.  I never saw it coming and I was a little let down.  While I loved the book and everything that it encompassed, I was let down in the last couple of pages.    I’ll let you read it and see if you felt the same way I did.

Overall, I would recommend Blood Hex.  It has everything that I’m looking for in a YA paranormal…well except the last two pages.

Demon by Laura DeLuca – Guest Post/Promo/Giveaway

Demon by Laura DeLuca

Demon, Book Two in the Dark Musicals Trilogy, inspired by Sweeney Todd is available now in both PRINT and eBook!

When Justyn and Rebecca set off for the New York School of Performing Arts, they think their dreams are about to come true. To their dismay, they aren’t in high school anymore, and the competition is steep. Rebecca must compete against accomplished singers for a role in the production of Demon Barber, including a stunning Gothic diva with her sights set on Justyn.

It doesn’t help that things keep disappearing from their apartment or that Rebecca’s father refuses to accept that Justyn is an essential part of her life. Yet, all this seems minimal in comparison to the serial rapist terrorizing the campus.

Consumed by fear and obsessed with revenge, Rebecca and Justyn start living the story of Sweeney Todd—both on and off the stage.

Excerpt: 

Rebecca unwound the silver ribbon. When she lifted the lid, she found two matching pendants, each laced to a long hemp chain. They were shaped sort of like seashells, with an endless spiral pattern that looped out from the center as the chambers grew larger. They were dark brown in color with a few hints of tan along the edges. The stones had been polished and smoothed on both sides, but when she lifted them, she could see that the two pieces fit together perfectly. She swore the halves fought to snap together, like magnets in her hand. There was an energy pulsing and vibrating within the stones that even a novice witch like Rebecca could feel.

“They’re beautiful,” Rebecca whispered as she ran her hand along the intricate grooves.

“It’s an ammonite.” Justyn lifted one of the pendants, brushed her hair to the side, and hooked the clasp around her neck. His breath tickled her skin as his hands moved with graceful dexterity, giving her goose bumps despite the humid August night. “They’re actually fossils that are millions of years old, named after Ammon, an ancient Egyptian deity. When they’re divided in half, they’re perfect mirrors of one another. Some cultures believe that if the two halves are given to lovers, it will bind them together forever. When made into necklaces, they’re often called soul mate pendants.”

“Wo-wow,” Rebecca stuttered. As usual, the sentiment behind Justyn’s gift was even more beautiful than the gift itself. It left her a little flustered. “That’s amazing. How do you know all this stuff?”

“You don’t spend eighteen years living with Darlene without learning a thing or two.”

Rebecca laughed. Justyn’s mother Darlene was definitely something special. EMT, exotic belly dancer, and Wiccan High Priestess were only a few of the titles she claimed. Rebecca knew she was a fountain of earth-based knowledge after years of studying the Craft. As Darlene’s new apprentice, Rebecca greedily dipped into that knowledge herself as often as possible.

“It’s beautiful,” Rebecca repeated, too overcome with emotion to think of anything more eloquent to say. “You certainly know how to make things interesting.”

“Like I told you on our first date, I try not to be boring.” He winked at her. “So … are you going to put mine on for me?”

“Oh yeah … sorry.”

Rebecca giggled as she lifted the hemp chain. She wasn’t nearly as graceful as Justyn. She almost dropped the necklace in the sand three times before she managed to get the clasp locked. When she finally had it secured, he placed his hand over her heart, where the ammonite lay. He did the same with her hands, lifting them to his chest. His dark eyes had lost all glimmer of humor. He met her gaze with a stare filled with genuine emotion. Beneath her fingers, she could feel the gentle, steady rhythm of his heart beating in perfect tune with her own.

“Our love will span both space and time. In this life and the next, you shall be mine. All eternity I will be by your side. For a love so strong cannot be denied. Spirit and flesh merged into one. So mote it be, for all days to come.”

When he was done with the recitation, he kissed her. Not just a gentle brush, but a deep, passionate embrace that left her throat tight and her heart pounding with a familiar  yearning.

“I’ve never heard that poem before,” she said once she’d caught her breath. “Who are you quoting?”

Even in the moonlight, she could see him blush. “I guess I was quoting myself. It was really more of an incantation than a poem though. These necklaces are meant to be a symbol of our love, and it seemed a little spell work could only add to the power of the stones. There is power in words, Becca. Just like there is power in nature.”

“You mean, you wrote that?”

He nodded, but his eyes twinkled, and the playfulness was back in his voice. “Well, actually, I just made it up as I went along.”

“Wow. Actor, singer, and now an improv poet slash chant writer. Is there anything you can’t do, Lord Justyn?”

He smiled and tilted her chin so he could look into her eyes. “I can’t stop loving you.”

Guest Post:

For anyone who doesn’t know, this author is a South Jersey girl through and through. Though I was born in Philadelphia, my family moved to our summer home in Wildwood, New Jersey before I started kindergarten. Today I live about fifteen minutes inland but our family business is still located in Wildwood Crest. When I started writing Phantom, I decided to set the story a little closer to Atlantic City because it corresponded better with the storyline, but in Demon, a few of the main characters visit my hometown in the first and last chapter of the book. Now you can see and hear a few of the sites Justyn and Becca would have enjoyed on their day trip to Wildwood.

Wildwood is a little island in South Jersey known for its endless miles of free beaches and it’s amazing boardwalk complete with dozens of rides. It hasn’t changed much since my own teenage years when I would spend the whole day hanging out with friends. In high school I even worked on the boardwalk, first at an arcade and later at an ice cream parlor. Here you can ride the Giant Ferris Wheel, feel the heart pound on the Sea Serpent roller coaster, or make a splash on the log flume. Just a few my old favorites, those these days I prefer the beach to the rides.

Wildwood has always been a popular tourist destination. Back in the sixties, a singer called Bobbie Rydell even wrote a song called Wildwood Days.  If you come visit in the summer, you’ll hear this song blasting through the speakers on the boardwalk at least once an hour.

In the summer months, the beach is dotted with colorful umbrellas, but like Lord Justyn, I prefer the seashore in the off season. It might be a little too chilly to go swimming, but there’s nothing more amazing than finding yourself staring out into the vastness of the ocean when you are the only person around.

Of course, since I had favorite characters heading to Wildwood, I had to have them stop by and say hello to my family. Our restaurant, Duffy’s on the Lake, makes a little cameo appearance in Demon.

 

“They drove the forty-five minutes to a little tourist town called Wildwood, a resort known for its free beaches and spectacular amusement parks. They spent the day sunbathing, exploring the boardwalk, and stopped for dinner at a little restaurant called Duffy’s on the Lake. Finally, they headed back to the beach to watch the sun set on the nearly deserted shoreline.”

The scenes in Wildwood take place at the beginning and end of Demon. The majority of the book is set on the college campus, but these two scenes are a few of my favorites. I enjoyed them so much, I decided to set the third book in the Dark Musicals Trilogy in another local tourist town. Stay tuned for Hyde when Justyn and Becca will come home for the summer and land a job at a dinner theater in Victorian Cape May. Watch as a new play comes to life both on and off the stage in the thrilling finale to the Dark Musicals Trilogy.

Demon Buy Links: Amazon    Smashwords   Barnes & Noble 

 You can also add Demon to your shelf on goodreads.

Phantom, Dark Musicals Book #1

If you haven’t read the first book in the series, now is a great time to get your copy. To celebrate the release of Demon, Phantom is now on sale for only $1.99 exclusively on Amazon!

The “Phantom” was a musical phenomenon that Rebecca had always found enchanting. She had no idea that her life was about to mirror the play that was her obsession. When her high school drama club chooses “Phantom” as their annual production, Rebecca finds herself in the middle of an unlikely love triangle and the target of a sadistic stalker who uses the lines from the play as their calling card.
Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.

Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed.

Buy Links: Amazon    Smashwords     Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart.  In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years.  Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.

Author Links:  Website      Facebook      Twitter     GoodReads      Pinterest 

Giveaway:

 

Laura is giving away a Demon prize pack includes which includes a signed copy of Phantom, gothic key chain, incense gift set, mini Buddha figurine, lavender purification bath salts, geode, crystal point, natural stone pendant, and sage smudge stick with abalone shell. 

This giveaway is open to US Residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway