Wednesday, June 26, 2013

New Romantic-Suspense SPLIT DECISIONS by bestselling author Carmen DeSousa is now available!





Split Decisions is a follow-up novel to the romantic-suspense bestseller She Belongs to Me. While you do not have to read the first book to enjoy the second, we believe you should have the option, so click here to avoid spoilers.

If you’re still here, read on for a first peek at Split Decisions and a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Book Description:

Sometimes you want something so badly you are willing to abandon everything you’ve ever known—including yourself.

Eighteen years ago, Jaynee Monroe married the man of her dreams, became the mother of four, and fulfilled her career goals. About to turn forty, she senses something is missing from her idyllic life. While Googling her name in an attempt to find herself, she unearths something so impossible, she contemplates her own sanity. Seeking answers, she embarks on a journey to discover the truth, only to end up abducted by a deranged stranger who insists on calling her Caycee.

Caycee took the road less traveled. Rejecting a marriage proposal from the only decent man she ever knew, she ventures to California to become famous. Eighteen years later, success has left her alone and miserable. Attempting to locate her lost love on Facebook, she discovers his infatuation with her. Not only does his presumed-dead wife have Caycee’s uncommon middle name, it appears he has photo-shopped her face over hers.

Never could Caycee and Jaynee have imagined decisions they made years earlier would threaten not only their lives but also their loved ones. Caycee must now reunite with the southern gent she dismissed eighteen years ago and convince him to accompany her to New York to locate his wife, the most important person in both their lives.

Download Split Decisions here:


Now all you have to do to register to win the $10 Amazon Gift Card is share this page via Raffle Copter. Contest ends 7/1/13 at 12:00 a.m. EST and you can share daily if you want. Good luck!




Monday, June 24, 2013

Today's Feature PAGE TURNER BOOK TOURS PRESENT ALEX'S LEMONADE STAND - FOUNDATION FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER EVENT FEATURING KAT FIGHT, COLLISION COURSE AND DRACIAN LEGACY





Today is a very special day! Today is a media even to bring support to Alex's Lemonade Stand - Foundation for Childhood Cancer. This is a topic near and dear to my heart. The first friend I ever lost, I lost to childhood Leukemia. I was 9, she was 13. We lived next door to each other. History has a sad way of repeating itself. My children lost a friend in April to bone cancer, he missed his 15th birthday by months. I hope someday there will be no talk of children with cancer, or anyone for that matter. I'm proud to have been asked to be part of this tour.



 Titles: Kat Fight, Collision Course and Dracian Legacy

Authors: Dina Silver, S.C. Stephens and Priya Kanaparti

Blurbs:

Kat Fight: The seriously funny, fabulously flawed Kat Porter has arrived, and she may just steal your heart—not to mention your boyfriend. Readers everywhere will revel in this sharp-witted, well-meaning whirlwind in author Dina Silver’s hilarious new novel, Kat Fight. In her quest for love, Kat makes every wrong turn, juggling two men, one best friend, and her own deeply confused heart’s desires.

Kat Porter is a consummate romantic, eager for her chance to find love and commitment. But after her boyfriend of four years, Marc, begins to grow apathetic and sends her calls straight to voicemail one too many times, Kat finally musters the courage to confront her so-called sweetheart, who seems more interested in dodging her than courting her. Though she’s no fan of ultimatums, Kat is at the end of her considerable wits, and lobs a massive one his way, completely confident that he'll make the right decision when faced with losing her. He doesn't.

With radio silence from Marc, Kat’s lifelong dream of finding a husband and forging a family is decidedly on the skids. That’s when her childhood friend Julie steps in, forcing Kat on a blind date to help her move beyond the break-up. Not only does Kat botch the setup, she instead finds herself in hot pursuit of Julie’s love interest, Ryan Sullivan. A man who, in addition to literally taking her breath away, is the living, breathing personification of everything Kat wants in a husband.

Can Kat connect with the man of her dreams without hurting two of the people she cares most about? At the same time, she must also contend with the quips of her beloved catty coworker Adam, her bi-polar boss Brooke, and a string of comic, unpredictable plot twists. All the while, Kat’s cheeky perspective and generous heart will leave readers adoring every moment of her journey while chuckling and cheering for the ever cute, razor-sharp Kat as she fights to land the love of a lifetime.


Collision Course: Lucas had it all – popularity, a devoted girlfriend, a brotherly best friend, and a loving mother who would do anything for him. His life was right on course to be a successful and fulfilling one, until the crash changed everything. It happened late one night during a sudden downpour. That evening, three young lives were lost and one life was left irrevocably altered. As the lone survivor, Lucas finds himself surrounded by swirling gossip of reckless drunkenness from the small town he used to warmly call home. Amid his own guilt and self-hatred, Lucas struggles to find hope, find peace, and maybe, even find love again.







Dracian Legacy: Ren and Axel are caught between two powerful magical races: one destined to end the bloodshed, the other out for vengeance.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Pernell is prophesied to end the war between the Dracians and the Telalians. So when a Dracian, Axel Knight, is sent to find and bring back the prophesied one before she turns eighteen and Telalians discover of her existence, unexpected sparks start to fly between the two. Once Ren finds the truth behind Axel’s arrival, she wants everything to do with him and nothing to do with his mission.

Things prove to become difficult as Ren’s life is constantly threatened by the Goarders, humans who sold their souls, a Proxy Succubi, and the leader of the Telalians, who has been searching for her as well.

With the clock ticking and Ren’s life in jeopardy, it is no longer just a mission for Axel. It becomes a personal endeavor to save the only one he’s ever loved. In a heart racing ending, they must find a way to evade the preordained war that won’t also end Ren’s life.


About Dina Silver: A graduate of Purdue University, Dina Silver has spent the past fifteen years feeding her red wine habit by working as a copywriter in the advertising industry. After seeing the bulk of her professional prose on brochures and direct mail pieces, she is delighted to have made the transition to novelist. She currently lives with her husband and son in suburban Chicago. Additionally, she loves talking about herself in the third person.

About S.C. Stephens:

S.C. Stephens is an independent author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her first attempt at a full-length novel was Thoughtless. She wrote the angst-filled love triangle in early 2009 and published it that summer on FictionPress. Amazed and surprised by the response, more stories were quick to follow.

Conversion, the first novel in a three story vampire series, was released in the fall. Collision Course, a tragic, yet hopeful tale of love and loss was released in early 2010. The second Conversion novel came out next, along with It’s All Relative, a different take on a one night stand story.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys reading other people’s fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movie theaters, and spending quality time with her children.


About Priya Kanaparti:

Indie YA/NA Author. DRACIAN LEGACY, a YA Paranormal Romance releases in 2013. Priya strongly believes that true love concurs all and that's what she writes about

She live in beautiful city of Boise, ID. She’s a full time working mom and part time YA Novel Author.


The Event Details:

** During the month of June, $1 of every Kat Fight, Collision Course, and Dracian Legacy purchase will be donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand - Foundation for Childhood Cancer **

PLUS: Author Rebecca Donovan from the Breathing series will be matching
every dollar they donate!

Alex's Lemondae Stand

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope.





Saturday, June 22, 2013

Kindle Fire Department: The Executive's Decision: Kindle Book of the Day 6...

Kindle Fire Department: The Executive's Decision: Kindle Book of the Day 6...: Here's one for all you romantics! When a woman who's vowed never to look for workplace romance again finds herself smitten for her n...

Friday, June 21, 2013

An interview with author Jamie Marchant

Today my I am pleased to interview author Jamie Marchant, author of Deamons in the Big Easy. 

Jamie Marchant lives in Auburn, Alabama, with her husband, son, and four cats, which (or so she’s been told) officially makes her a cat lady. She teaches writing and literature at Auburn University. Her first novel The Goddess's Choice was released in April 2012 from Reliquary Press. She released Demons in the Big Easy in January 2013. She is hard at work on the sequel to The Goddess’s Choice, tentatively titled The Soul Stone. Her short fiction has been published in Bards & Sages, The World of Myth, A Writer’s Haven, and Short-story.me.




What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

The high. When the words are flowing, it’s like a drug.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Fight scenes. I’ve never particularly enjoyed reading fight scenes and often skim through them, and that’s made them hard to write. My writers’ group makes fun of me because it the rough draft of my work, I’ll often have “Insert fight scene here” instead of the actual fight scene.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a more fly-by-the-seat-my-pants kind of writer. I never made a written outline or plotted a story arc. I had a basic idea of where I wanted to end up, although I didn’t know exactly how Demons in the Big Easy was going to end until I was nearly there. A lot of where the story goes depends on the characters. They tend to take on a life of their own.

How long have you been a writer? 

I started reading stories about the Man from Mars for my older sister when I was about six. I finished my first novel in high school (not that it was publishable). I got sidetracked for a few years when pursuing my Ph.D. in Literature, but I have been back to my first love for about 12 years.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

I usually have more than one project going. That way if I’m having difficulty with one, I can work on another.


Title: Demons in the Big Easy
Author: Jamie Marchant
Blurb: Adventurous in her youth, Cassandra built gateways between Domhan and its parallel realm of Earth. Now she’s too old for that kind of thing. But something is making it easier for demons to pass into Domhan. Not only that, but their behavior becomes inexplicable: whenever Cassandra banishes one, it laughs at her rather than resists, and it promises it will soon devour her essence and that of every resident of her small village. Cassandra is certain such a thing is impossible, for strong wards protect her village.
But then Cassandra’s granddaughter Aine falls through an unstable gateway. Cassandra is the only one within a hundred miles capable of creating a gateway and bringing Aine back. Despite her aching joints, Cassandra goes after her, and the gateway lands her in New Orleans. But something goes wrong with her tracking spell, which indicates Aine exists in four different places at once. As Cassandra struggles to find the true location of her granddaughter in the Big Easy, she discovers the source of the demons’ confidence.  Now, with an unlikely pair of allies—her timid granddaughter and a homeless man who may or may not be crazy—she has to not only save her granddaughter but also prevent both Domhan and Earth from being overrun by demons. 


Enjoy an excerpt from Demons in the Big Easy

Cassandra felt eyes watching her and turned. On the other side of the fence, just off sacred ground, stood a demon. It smiled at her revealing nasty, yellow teeth and a forked tongue, its cat-like eyes glowing with satisfaction. “Good e’vn, powerful one.” The demon was short, but bloated, as if it had just consumed someone’s essence, but it was too small to have gotten past the wards she had guarding the village.
Cassandra’s lips tightened as she wondered who had been caught outside the wards. She hoped it wasn’t one of those who relied upon her for protection. She’d warned them not to be without the village boundaries after sunset. She readied her staff to perform the ritual of banishment, but the demon’s behavior was odd. “Why have you sought me out? You know I’ll simply send you back where you belong.”
The demon laughed. “Today, yes,” it hissed. “But soon there will be enough of us to overwhelm your wards and devour your village.”
Impossible. The veil might be thinner, but not thin enough for demons to cross in multitude. It would take far too much energy. “Your idle threats don’t scare me.” Cassandra took her staff and began to draw a pentangle in the snow, the first step of the banishment ritual.
The demon smiled wider as the pentangle took shape; it should have cowered in fear. “I will feast on you yet, powerful one, and the meal will be delectable.” It licked its thin lips with its forked tongue and made no effort to thwart the banishment. Any effort it made would have been futile, but still, she usually had to do the ritual while fighting them off, a lapse of concentration on her part usually fatal. This demon just watched as if rather amused by the spectacle.
Cassandra finished drawing the pentangle and stood in the center. She planted her staff and began to chant in the old tongue. Directing her will and her energy into the staff, she pointed it toward the demon. The demon began to fade as she pushed it back beyond the veil. Usually, at this point, the demon would scream and curse her name. This one just laughed again and spoke a single word, “Soon.”











Thursday, June 20, 2013

Headed to the Romance Novel Convention #RNC2013 in Las Vegas in August

Last year when the Romance Novel Convention was being put together I got an invite via Facebook. I said, "sure, I'll go." Well so many things came and went over the year and this just was no longer important and I wasn't going to go. Along comes one of my authors from my publishing company and she's a finalist in one of the contests. She's going to go. And my head editor and one of my line editors are going to support her. Well as the owner of the publishing house I needed to get to thinking about this a little harder!  Today I registered in I'm headed to the Romance Novel Convention 2013 in Las Vegas.

As I watched the money process on my credit card I'm thinking, "I have too much going on to attend a conference in its first year." I have been to other conventions in their first few years and oh what a mess.  I could tell you stories, but I won't.

As I get to looking though what will be offered to us professionals I'm beginning to get giddy. There is great opportunity for my company, 5 Prince Publishing, to promote our great authors and to meet aspiring authors too! And as an author, the possibilities are great! The prices are GREAT! I'll be able to do sponsorship I couldn't do with some of the other organizations out there.

This is a conference for readers and authors of Romance...my favorite genre.

A costume ball? Really? Okay...I'm game.

And the best part is everything is all inclusive!  The last conference I attended everything was extra! (Not a way to win me over! So this is a PLUS!)

So yes, I wasn't sure at first, but in 6 weeks I'll be in the hot Nevada heat in some Victorian dress with some of the best people I know and a chance to meet others in my industry! I love to network and meet new people, so this can't go bad no matter what!

So if you are an author or a reader of romance and would like to mingle, join us! Join me! Stop by and say hello...come enjoy some of Vegas! The price is right! And you never know...you might meet a new reader, get your book picked up by a publisher, or even make some new friends.

Look into it... here is the info! Let me know if I'll be seeing you there! :)
http://romancenovelconvention.com/

Monday, June 17, 2013

Today's Feature and Interview: author J.S. Council, A Page Turner Book Tour


Today I am pleased to host another Page Turner Book Tour! Please welcome J.S. Council. 

Please tell us a little about yourself.
“Although I didn’t fully commit to making writing my life’s work until my sophomore year of college, I have always been a writer at heart. I was the only student in class to get excited about school papers, even asking to write a few for extra credit on occasion. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in Creative Writing – Fiction. After graduating, I moved to Japan where I wrote most of my debut novel, Airion: Return to Zire and all of my second novel Airion: Light and Dawn – the first two of a four book series. Japan was a peaceful place to just sit and write, but life in Japan was also filled with adventure. However much I loved it there, I had to return home to do what I love most. Write.”

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?

The beauty of reading is that the reader doesn’t have to choose between books or authors. They just have to choose which book they’d like to read first. Haha. I would say that my book is very different than the mainstream novels selling right now. Along with the underwater setting and the introduction of strange creatures of the deep, there are two teenage twin male protagonists and, although there is a bit of romance in this piece, it is written more as a bonus to the piece than the driven force behind the work. It is a true Epic Fantasy.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?

After reading Airion: Return to Zire and Airion: Light and Dawn, when it comes out, I want people to take away a sense of courage and motivation to fight through their doubts and failures to have success in whatever it is they want to do in life. I want readers to be able to relate to Kobi’s feelings of betrayal and admire his selfless forgiveness while his world is crashing down around him. But most of all, I want my readers to closed my book after reading the last page feeling fully entertained and excited to read the next book. J

What other careers have you had?

I used to be an English Teacher in Japan when I lived there for two and a half years. I taught English to Japanese Students of all ages from 2 to 65 years old. I created my own lessons and taught them with or without the help of the Japanese Head Teacher who maybe could or maybe couldn’t speak English. It was a great and rewarding job. The kids had a great time touching, pulling, and tying my dreadlocks in bows and hearts and anything else that would stay. Oh, I loved Japan.

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?

The origin of the Airian people is pretty interesting. The Airians were land walkers but became submerged underwater during what they called “The Flood to Rule All Floods”. This flood covered the land and destroyed all of the people on Earth. Sound familiar? I thought it would be very interesting to link one of the most famously known events of the western world to the piece. It’s funny, I’ve only had a few people come to me and ask about the link. I guess it does provide a good reason why there is a society residing underwater.

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

1. I can read, write, and speak conversational Japanese.
2. I have been dancing since I was 6. I dance ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop.
3. It took the same amount of time to write my first novel as it did to push myself to finally start my dreadlocks. 4 years.
4. I recently met, talked to, and shook hands with the English and Japanese voice actors of Goku from Dragon Ball Z. I am a very big dork. ^_^
5. I decided to try writing for a living because I had so many interests in life, I didn’t think I could ever settle on just one thing. With writing, I didn’t have to choose.

Thank you J.S.! And now here is a little about her book.

Title: Airion: Return To Zire
Author: J.S. Council
Series: Airion Series
Genre: Young Adult Epic Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Formats Available In: Paperback, Ebook (HTML, Kindle, Epub, PDF, RTF, LRF, Palm Doc, Plain Text (download), Plain Text (View)

 Aside from his outward appearance, Kobi is a normal thirteen-year-old boy. Living with his mother, his father, and his identical twin brother, Raili, with whom he spends most days at the cove watching dolphins and whales feed, he is happy with his life just the way it is. But his fourteenth birthday is coming and Kobi has no idea how much his life is about to change.

            When Raili is pulled through a puddle in the floor of their second floor bedroom by a monster armed with poisonous, spiked tentacles, Kobi goes in after him. What he finds isn’t Raili, but a new world all together, buried beneath the ocean. With a bounty on his head that has been there since he and Raili’s birth, Kobi will have to learn to fight or die before he can be reunited with Raili again. Everything he knew to be true was a lie.

            People he loved and trusted are not who they seem. He isn’t the normal boy he thought himself to be. A transformation is coming. Raili is gone. Blood is shed. Traitors lurk, waiting for their chance. War is inevitable. The fate of the world of Airion rests in his hands. The Wiseone speaks. Failure is certain.

Book Links:




Amazon  

Enjoy an excerpt from AIRON!

“If the Cellians just wanted us dead, why didn’t they just kill Raili instead of taking him?” asked Kobi.

“That is the question, isn’t it?” said Kaiyen slowly. “If they only wanted to use his power, wouldn’t they have taken them both?”

“Not necessarily,” said Rick, fist to his chin. “Having both would probably be too dangerous to risk. They may have been afraid of being destroyed from the inside if they worked together to free themselves. Even with one son of the prophecy, they could cause considerable damage, or so they may think.”

“But Raili would never do that though,” Kobi protested. “Dad…I…I mean, Black Master Rick. You know Raili; you know he wouldn’t do anything like that.”

“It may not be his choice,” said Kimi. “The Cellians can be very persuasive.”

Kobi’s heart sank. “What would they do to him?” he asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

“Whatever they had to,” said Kaiyen. “That is why we must focus on a plan of rescue, before Raili Saio acquires the powers they seek.”

“On our fourteenth birthday,” said Kobi.

“Yes,” said Kai Ventra. “Almost all Airians change on their fourteenth birthday. Along with the natural changes they undergo, such as growing gills, they also acquire unique individual skills, allowing them to thrive more than most others in that ability. These abilities can be anything from designing exceptional clothing to controlling the elements.”

“The stronger the ability, the harder it is to control,” said Kaiyen. “No doubt Cella is depending on this.”

“It won’t work,” said Rick.

“Agreed,” nodded Kaiyen. “But there is another matter that must be discussed, if I may.” Questioning eyes turned to Kaiyen. “Lady Sara,” Kaiyen continued after a swift nod from the King. He was addressing the old woman seated beside Kimi, “have you seen anything in your Kubec about a traitor in Zire.”

Whispers filled the room. “You go too far, Captain,” said Bran.

“What are you saying,” said the advisor to Bran’s left.

“Silence,” said Sai Thayne. The talking ceased instantly. The King’s questioning eyes fell on Kaiyen then turned to Lady Sara. “Wise One?”

“This man possesses a tainted heart,” said the old woman, her eyes gazing into the diamond block. “His treachery dives deep.”

“Do you know who this man is?” asked Kaiyen.

“I see not his face nor his rank,” said Lady Sara, her brow creased and her hands resting on the Kubec. “However, he knows all that we know and some we do not.”

“It is as I thought,” said Kaiyen, “Zire’s traitor has resurfaced.”



Friday, June 14, 2013

Interview with author Jodie Pierce

Today I'm pleased to have Jodie Pierce with me!


Jodie Pierce is married to her hubby, John who gave her a storybook happily-ever-after. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio but traveled to Brasil when she was 16 years old as an exchange student and she travels the US with her hubby. Jodie started writing as a teenager and even wrote for her schools newspaper and yearbook.

She has had a fascination with vampires since they were introduced to her as a child and has had a long history with them. It wasn't until she started reading the Anne Rice vampire books in college that she was truly inspired to stop writing sappy teen romance stories and focus on the vampires she loved. You will find some of her experiences from Brasil in her stories. Many of her stories have historical or researched facts as she also enjoys research and learning about new places.

She has published five short novels (Eternal Press), a short story in "Midnight Thirst 2", an anthology (Melange Books), has four self-published books and has several short stories that she still works on. She’s published a charity vampire anthology book with various Authors named In Vein, where all the proceeds of the book went to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. She's always busy with the next great vampire story as her mind is non-stop and even plagues her dreams.

Want to Connect with Jodie? Here's where you'll find her:




What is your favorite thing about being a writer? I like that I can be creative and it gives me that outlet that I need to do so. I love creating characters and their world around them. I meditate and before I became a serious writing it was hard but once I was open to my talent and enjoying myself, meditation became much easier. I honestly think the two things are related.

How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published? I wrote my first book in 2007. I didn’t get published until 2010. I wrote my first book in the old composition books and then when I got a laptop I typed out my story. I actually sent my The Vampire Queen story to a publisher in 2008 and they rejected me. Then Twilight hit and the love of vampires was rejuvenated. I resent them my book in 2010 and they took it. I was amazed. Funny how things work out.

Are any of your characters based on real people or events? Absolutely! I was an exchange student in Brasil and many of my stories mention my experiences there. Also, many of my characters or traits are based on real people. I find it more fun that way.

What books or authors have most influenced your life? I would say if it wasn’t for Anne Rice, I would still be writing silly romance books. When I started writing, my books were about relationships I had in school. Then in college I read several of her books and I realized that since I’ve had such a long relationship with vampires that I should be writing about them. It was a huge decision but it paid off.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task? I absolutely multi-task. For example, I am working on three projects right now. It takes me awhile to start writing as I have a horrible memory and I have to read the last few chapters to remember where I am in the story…It sucks!


Here's a little about the series:

The Vampire Queen:
A young woman awakes to find out not only is she an important Countess but she is also the very first or 'Ancient One' as she is called by her subjects. Her memories of being a vampire or anyone are gone so she must relearn everything (from spells to flying) from the people around her, but can they be trusted? She also learns her main objective as the old Countess was purifying the vampire race and wishes to continue with that work. The 'Others', powerful and evil vampires, attempt to use her memory loss to their advantage. They had been trying to entice her to their side for centuries. Struggling to remember her past, battling the 'Others' and coping with her new life keep the Countess busy throughout this spellbinding and thrilling novel. Will she succeed in her goals or will the 'Others' win her over to their side this time around?



The Vampire Chronicles:
The Countess returns to her mansion to find the inside in shambles and her lover delusional and in rags. She cleans her up, snaps her out of it and tells her of her plan to go to Venice. There was a small group needing a coven leader and she wants the position. Once there it was brought to the attention of the Countess that a young Japanese lady vampire had made most of them and was not following the rules of creation. The Countess and her coven decided she needed to be stopped. They went to Japan and a huge battle ensued. The Countess of course won but was later kidnapped. While in jail, her powers did not work. Once there, she was granted a meeting with Samuru, the Japanese Emperor who belaid her entire heritage. Afterwards, he allowed her to go with no resistance to her coven when they invaded to rescue her. The Countess and the voice that she had fallen in love with was a vampire too so he returned with her to Venice to live out their days. Her previous lover gave up and left the Countess. There are many other wonderful smaller characters in here.

The Demise of the Vampire Queen:
The Queen is once again ruling her subjects only this time it is a school for the ‘different’ children in Scotland. A school full of vampires, witches, warlocks, elves and fairies, one that is feared and hated by all who attend. A new group of witches and warlocks show up to her gates and cause all kinds of havoc within the school. Vampires and witches are at odds and only a few can see the survival of the school. An ancient lover and the Queen are reunited but at what costs? A new, as well as an old lover unite to attempt to take the Queen off her throne. Will it work? Will the Queen maintain her horrendous rule over the students? Can the spells woven work and change history? All will be told in the end.


Thursday, June 13, 2013

#NewRelease for MATCHMAKERS!



My baby has come home! This is how I feel today! My first novel that was ever published is re-released today and is home at 5 Prince Publishing!  Please check it out! 

If you're a fan of my Keller series or a lover of contemporary romance, I know you'll enjoy the journey of Sophia and David as they again are the victims of their Grandmother and Aunt's matchmaking schemes.


Available from 5 Prince Publishing www.5princebooks.com  books@5princebooks.com
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 13, 2013
Digital ISBN 13:978-1-939217-56-1  ISBN 10: 1-939217-56-3
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-55-4   ISBN 10: 1-939217-55-5

Matchmakers
Cellist Sophia Burkhalter thought ten years in Europe performing with an exclusive ensemble would have made it clear that she wasn’t a candidate for her grandmother’s matchmaking. After all, she’d walked away from the man she loved, leaving him back home in Kansas City.
David Kendal had fallen in love with Sophia, a match orchestrated by her grandmother and his aunt. However, the unexpected appearance of the daughter he never knew he had—and Sophia’s sudden, subsequent departure for Europe—thrust him into the role of single father.
Carissa Kendal has only ever wanted the best for her father. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that the very woman who broke her father’s heart might be the one to make them a real family.
Can Carissa and the women who originally played matchmaker to the duo convince them that love is worth a second try? Or will careers and past mistakes tear them apart forever before they have a chance to reconcile?



Bernadette Marie has been an avid writer since the early age of 13, when she’d fill notebook after notebook with stories that she’d share with her friends.  Her journey into novel writing started the summer before eighth grade when her father gave her an old typewriter.  At all times of the day and night you would find her on the back porch penning her first work, which she would continue to write for the next 22 years. 
In 2007 – after marriage, filling her chronic entrepreneurial needs, and having five children – Bernadette began to write seriously with the goal of being published.  That year she wrote 12 books.  In 2009 she was contracted for her first trilogy and the published author was born.  In 2011 she (being the entrepreneur that she is) opened her own publishing house, 5 Prince Publishing, and has released contemporary titles and began the process of taking on other authors in other genres. 
In 2012 Bernadette Marie found herself on the bestsellers lists of iTunes and Amazon to name a few.  Her office wall is lined with colorful PostIt notes with the titles of books she will be releasing in the very near future, with hope that they too will grace the bestsellers lists.
Bernadette spends most of her free time driving her kids to their many events—usually hockey.  She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.  An avid reader, she enjoys contemporary romances with humor and happily ever afters.

CONTACT INFO:
@writesromance on Twitter

EXCERPT OF MATCHMAKERS:
Sophia filed off the airplane along with the other groggy passengers. The red-eye flight to Kansas City had knotted up her stomach. What in the hell was she doing back here?
Perfect persuasion and just the right amount of guilt had gotten her on that plane. Perhaps the tightening of her stomach wasn’t the flying—it could very well be that she’d returned to the very place she’d run from ten years ago.
She’d run from a man and shattered the hearts of people she loved. The guilt stung a little deeper. She should have come home years earlier.
Sophia followed a small group of women from the plane into the ladies’ room. Exhaustion weighed down her shoulders. Within the hour, she’d be at her grandmother’s house, tucked into her childhood bed, and asleep. In the meantime, she splashed cool water on her face to keep herself alert.
She dried her face and hands and adjusted the scarf at her neck to ensure it hid the secret she kept from the world. She picked up the carry-on luggage at her feet and headed toward baggage claim.
“Sophia.”
The husky voice was soft and male and made her knees weak when she heard it. She knew that voice as well as she knew her own. The knot in her stomach returned, but this time it was like a fist in her gut.
She turned to see him standing there in his pilot’s uniform with his suitcase at his side—David Kendal, the very man she’d run from so many years ago.
He took his pilot’s hat off and revealed the dark, wavy hair that she’d once run her fingers through. It was now speckled with hints of sophisticated silver. His uniform was striking on him—just as it had always been. Even in the early morning hour, she felt her skin tingle when she looked at his broad shoulders and knew what it was like to rest her head against his chest.
“David.” His name floated from her lips in a sigh. Ten years had passed since she’d last laid eyes on him, and now he was as large as life standing before her.
“I thought that was you on the plane.” He was walking closer to her, and her trembling knees wouldn’t allow her to run the other direction.
The scent of his cologne washed over her. His dark eyes were smoky and wide as she watched him take in the sight of her.
“You look wonderful.” He stepped closer, and Sophia gripped her bag tighter and tried to swallow the ball of fear that had lodged in her throat. He gripped his hat tighter. “I’ve been following your career.”
“Really?” The muscles in her shoulders tensed. “Why?”
“Why?” He chuckled and took one more step closer, and her throat constricted. “Sophia, you’re…” He shrugged as though brushing off a thought. “You’re very talented.”
Sophia shook her head, trying desperately to remove all thoughts of him from before—of what she’d lost. She sighed. “David, it was nice to see you. I really need to get my luggage.”
She turned from him, head up, shoulders back, and strode toward the elevator, stepping in as the door closed. She leaned her head against the back wall and closed her eyes.
How was it possible that after ten years he could stir such feelings in her? Sophia took inventory of what she was feeling. There was a surge of attraction between them. Then the anger she’d felt for years accompanied the thought of him. She’d walked out on him. His betrayal was much stronger than the attraction. It had given her purpose to make something of herself. Her success as a concert cellist sprang as much from her desire to succeed as it did from a need to escape her feelings for David.
Sophia opened her eyes when she heard the elevator doors open. The small group of others who had been aboard the plane with her stood watching the empty luggage carousel go around. Sophia waited for her cello case to arrive in the oversized luggage. It killed her to have to check the instrument, but there were no other choices. It was times like this she wondered why she didn’t play the violin. She could carry that onto the plane.
Relief flooded her as a man brought her the case. She quickly opened it and examined the instrument to assure herself it had arrived in one piece.
Her trip was to last two weeks. She’d wanted to pack only one bag, but against her better judgment, she’d packed two. When the two suitcases dropped to the carousel, she pulled them off and stacked them. One hung from the other, and she slung her carry-on over her shoulder. With a grunt, she hoisted her cello to her side. She started toward the curb to collect a cab.
Footsteps clattered on the tile floor behind her.
“Sophia.”
She wouldn’t let herself turn to see him hurrying to her.
“Let me help you.”
“I travel like this all the time. I do not need your assistance.” Her voice was cold.
“I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t offer to help a lady in need.”
“A gentleman?” He’d already taken her suitcases from her and wheeled them out to the sidewalk. “Mr. Kendal, I assure you I do not need you.”
“No, you made that perfectly clear when you disappeared and left your engagement ring in the sink.” He kept walking, forcing her to follow.
“Where are you going?” She tried to keep up with him, but his long stride kept him a hefty distance ahead of her.
He pointed off into the parking garage. “My car is parked just over here.”
“Your car?” She trotted to catch up with him. “I’m taking a cab.”
“I don’t want you in a cab in the middle of the night,” he said, unwavering from his path.
She grunted and quickened her step again.
“I don’t care what you think—”
“I know.” He darted a stare in her direction.




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

The journey to get to tomorrow's launch (a rant)

I have tried, oh so hard, to just let go of the past few years. Since the very moment that I got an email in approximately September of 2009, I've looked back and kicked myself in the ass!

It was a letter from a publisher who wanted me. Yes Me! She wanted to publish me and make all my dreams come true.

What happened was a nearly a 3 1/2 year anxiety attack!

The fact is, I was sitting--Literally sitting in the lawyer's office--writing up a letter to legally go after the publisher for never paying me royalties in 2012. That's right, an entire year! AND when she paid previous ones she paid them late, in a money order, after telling me she'd sent them to my father's business so it must be their fault I didn't get them. WHAT???  Anyway, what I was finding out was I had been bamboozled!  But, on this very lucky day...as I sat with the lawyer...an email came to my inbox releasing me from the contracts she held. HALLELUJAH!!! (I called the lawyer and told him damn you're good!) She'd held these contracts over me like a blackmail, though I'd never done anything but give her my books (7 in all...4 edited...yes she'd given the others back the first time I told her I was done with her not doing what she said she was going to do.) I was NEVER offered advances. I was called names. I  was threatened! She'd "alerted the appropriate authorities" because she accused me of lying! She even decided that I wished her family ill will because I was a cold person and didn't care that her family members had died and she had moved.

So...I got the rights back. I put a countdown calendar on the wall and I counted the days until those books were MINE!!! MINE!!!! Mine...as they should have been.  I found the letter she sent me was a form letter. Her company was gone and her authors were free. I made an alliance. And a blog was written as though this author had followed me around for the past 3 1/2 years feeling my pain, when in fact...many of us were in pain. Such pain.

I'm going to share with you the link for the blog. It will give you the overall desperation us authors were in for so long and what was asked/demanded of us. I'm sad I had to go through this and I'm sad others did too, but now we all know we weren't alone.

Tomorrow this book launches from my own publishing house with a cover I'm so proud of I could explode. All the book covers look great. (Not some stupid humming bird that doesn't even fit the story but it was "something she had". BLEH!) I had to share this because it is part of the journey to get this book out there to more people than the Amazon Kindle world (where it ultimately only ended up!)

After leaving this house and opening my own my books have gone bestseller! I have the title of being an #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. I did that! I did! I built a loyal following of readers who ask for more! Sales are in quantities of thousands per distributor a month, not as she had once told me, "You're my top in sales with 70 sales" WHAT???? (Of course I've never been paid for those "70 sales" last July...but)

This is a rant and for those of you who follow me I hope you don't think little of me for it. Sometimes you just have to get it off your chest...and now it is. Matchmakers is on the WORLD market as of tomorrow and I couldn't be happier!!!

What is the lesson in this? And there has to be a lesson or I wouldn't put it out here. Know that mistakes happen and they will come around. Karma is strong!!!  REALLY STRONG!!! Investigate hard! I did and the surface stuff looked good. But there was SO MUCH MORE!!!  Ask questions! ASK! ASK!!!  And in the end know that you'll learn a hell of a lot when you make a mistake, but maybe we can help you avoid this one!  Here is the link to the blog that pinpoints it all...written by another fellow author like myself...who has prevailed!!! http://caraoneill.com/3/post/2013/02/the-dying-publishing-industrys-attempt-to-take-me-down-with-it-part-1.html

In all fairness this is not to start any fights, I just needed to free myself from the burden of all this. I'm sure there will be comments...I'm expecting them. But in the end...I just needed to rant.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Today's Feature is Faire Eve by Catherine Stovall

I am pleased to host the Page Turner Book Tour for Catherine Stovall and her book Faire Eve. 



Catherine Stovall is the author of Faire Eve, The Requiem of Humanity Series, Fearful Day, Sweet Sally Slasher, and Bloody Freedom. Stovall is a member of the International Thriller Writers and the creator of International Bug Your Library Day, an operation to spread awareness for Indie and Small Press Authors. 

Catherine is a fearless creature who surrounds herself with the joys of life both in and out of her fictional worlds. She lives in Southeast Missouri with her husband, three children, and pets. When not writing, she spends her time riding motorcycles, wearing elaborate hats, and genuinely enjoying the oddities in life.
Title: Faire Eve

Author: Catherine Stovall

Genre: YA Fantasy


Formats Available In: All eBook formats and Print

Release Date: May 31, 2013

Blurb: Under the watchful eye of her over protective mother, Eve grew up in a world without magic and fancy. She never cared about riding a unicorn, dancing at balls or being a princess. Now, all the things she never desired are hers and every other girl's dream is her nightmare"

The Sidhe ruled over fairy magic from the twilight city, Trig Na nOg, until a beast cast a dark spell to send them into a death-like sleep. In an attempt to reap revenge on the fairy people, Tiritchiq hunts Eve and her entourage as they campaign to place the halfling princess on the throne.

In order to save the world of Evalon and a family she has never known, Eve travels through dimensions, crosses dangerous landscapes, and learns to accept the Sidhe blood within. With the moody and handsome Daione Warrior Eldon by her side, she must embrace the darkness inside of her and face down a powerful foe.

Excerpt:

No one spoke and Eldon seemed hyper-alert. The sound came as a low rumble, as if somewhere in the distance, a train hurtled towards them on worn tracks. Quickly, it grew louder and the temperature dropped in a sudden plunge. As peril filled the air around them, the Ki’Lin broke into a run. Faster than the wind itself, they plummeted toward the boulders. 

Eve screamed with the sudden burst of speed. She locked her legs tight to Bai’s sides and gripped his mane fiercely to try to stay abreast. The stallion made no protest but Eve felt guilty about her own brutality but not guilty enough to slacken her hold and risk taking a fall. Eve focused on the boulders, hoping they reached whatever safe haven lay within them. She did not know if it was merely a safe place or another gate, but she knew they must make it in order to escape the darkness.

Eve leaned low over Bai’s strong neck. Her face nearly touched her hands as she fought to keep herself out of the chilling wind. She turned her head to the side to prevent his mane from assaulting her eyes and nose. Eldon sat high on Heian’s back with his silver blade drawn. His hair blew back in the wind and his face wore a mask of bravery. Eve felt safer knowing he would defend her. He was a Daione Warrior, and his duty was to the queen.

Eldon shouted, “When we reach the passage, do not slow. Hit it full force.”

Eve tensed. She knew they must be nearing their destination but the roaring drowned out the sound of the unicorns. She couldn’t help wanting to rise up and witness what happened when they crossed the spot in the road. Even as frightened as she was, she expected it to be nothing more than miraculous. As she started to rise, she saw the eyes.
To the right of the road, a forest stood. It did not seem special, an area full of tall trees. Deep within the darkest shadows, Eve saw two glowing blue eyes, much bigger than any animal in her world. When she looked into them, it felt as if a hand of ice reached in and covered her heart. She trembled violently and when she opened her mouth to scream, her voice froze in her chest. Almost at the same moment, the group slammed through the passage.

A dizzying and blinding change instantly overcame her. Eve, Bai, Eldon, and Heian were the first ones through. The passage led them from an empty countryside into the heart of a bustling village. Anyone who traveled the way often would know to do so slowly but the group had no choice but to charge through at full speed in order to escape the demon in the woods.

Bai and Heian reared up, front hooves filleting the sky above the cowering pedestrians. Those who were lucky enough to be safely out of harm’s way seemed too stunned by the presence of Ki’Lin to be afraid for their fellow townspeople. Some shouted angry screams, while others emitted gasps of awe. The rest of Eve’s escorts barreled through the gate and skidded to a halt but not soon enough to keep from colliding painfully with each other.

Eve’s grip faltered and she fell. No strong arms were there to catch her. She and Eldon were separated during the chaos. She slammed down hard onto the cobblestone street and cried out in pain. Stamping hooves pounded all around her and she choked on the cloud of dust they brought with them through the pass. Curling herself in a protective ball and covering her head with her hands, Eve screamed for Eldon.

You can find Catherine Here: