Sunday, April 28, 2013

Karen R. Hardin's Spotlight: GIVEAWAY for HOSTS



Hi dear hosts!

I've been through a very rough week and didn't have the chance to make this earlier.
Here is our "thank you" for participating in Karen R. Hardin's Spotlight.

If you were part of this tour, enter the giveaway :)


GIVEAWAY FOR HOSTS ONLY:


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Friday, April 26, 2013

Tour Wrap Up, Reviews and Giveaway Winner: "The Devil's Elbow" by Ed Londergan.



Today we say goodbye to author Ed Londergan and his debut work: "The Devil's Elbow" a thrilling historical story.


THE DEVIL'S ELBOW



Quick Facts
Release Date: July, 2012.

Genre: Historical Fiction, history, action/adventure, romance.​

Formats Available: Kindle






Book Synopsis
Set in colonial Massachusetts, The Devil’s Elbow follows Jack Parker from his orphan childhood days as an apprentice to a greedy and brutal Boston merchant to the isolated pioneer settlement of Brookfield, where he ends up in the fight of his life to protect the people and place he loves.
The knowledge Jack’s father gave him, that the measure of a man is how he deals with the worst life can throw at him, the support of the powerful man who becomes his friend, and deep, unshakeable love for the childhood girlfriend who becomes his wife, fuel Jack’s determination and will to survive. All Jack has learned on his eight year journey meets its greatest test when he and ninety-eight others are trapped in a four-room tavern for three hot, humid August days, fighting for survival against 400 once-friendly Indians, who are determined to wipe them out and reclaim their land and way of life.






CHECK THE REVIEWS OF THE TOUR:



Excerpt 

“I can’t believe we’re actually about to be married,” she said softly, looking up at me. Her face was radiant, a wonder that filled my heart with overwhelming emotion at how much I loved this woman. “We’ve been waiting for this for so long,” she said, looking at the three of them.
“We’ve wanted to get married for years and now we will,” she told them earnestly, “and now we will,” she repeated in a whisper. Mr. Pynchon cleared his throat and began the short ceremony.
“Rebecca Morgan,” he said formally, “In the sight of our most gracious God, this man, John Parker, asks that you be his wife, from this day forward, until the Lord removes you from one another by death. How do you answer him?”
She turned and looked into my eyes. I could feel her love for me and it felt so good, so strong, and so wonderful.
“In the sight of God, I will be his wife,” she said never taking her eyes from me.
“John Parker, the Lord has given you this woman, Rebecca Morgan, to be your wife until death parts you. In the sight of God, do you accept her as your wife?” I looked at this woman, this girl that I loved for so long and was filled with a joy and happiness I had never known before.
“Yes, in the sight of God, I take her as my wife.”
“May the Lord in all ways be good to you. You have our heartiest wishes and prayers. You are now husband and wife.”

LINKS:




The Author

Ed Londergan is an author and passionate storyteller who enjoys sharing his work with everyone.
He loves to write, is working on a sequel to The Devil's Elbow, and is an avid reader and an amateur colonial historian. A graduate of Holy Cross, he lives in Central Massachusetts with his wife Barbara and cat Duncan.

Find more about him at: www.edlondergan.com




GIVEAWAY WINNER:

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Tour wrap up, reviews and Giveaway winner!


 One author, two stories.


Today we say goodbye to Karen R. Hardin, author of "Loyalty" and "Heart Strings and Love Nots"

Check her work and read the reviews of the tour.
Also scroll down and see the winner of the $20 Amazon Gift Card.




Quick Facts                                        

Loyalty:

Release Date: November 22, 2011                                        

Genre: Fantasy - Mafia​                                           

                                                               



Loyalty:
A mob story on the surface, but a metaphysical saga deeper within the pages, "Loyalty" begins when the power struggles between Mobsters and Gangsters of Chicago's underworld are forever changed by an affair between Italian mob boss, Frank Cipriano, and the wife of African American gangster, Jonathan Casey. When Anna gives birth to Frank's daughter, Jasmine, the Cipriano and Casey family ties bind Chicago's underworld for generations to come. Through tragedies and triumphs, loyalties are constantly questioned, but more so when Jasmine grows into a deadly beauty. As a hit woman for the Cipriano family, but with siblings ties to the Casey family, Jasmine is torn until the very end. Readers seeking a deeper challenge in their reading experience can take the metaphysical challenge of reading this money power trilogy as a novel that takes your mind as far as you will allow it to go.

                                                                                                                      Get it HERE.



Quick Facts
Heart Strings and Love Nots:
Release Date: October 25, 2012
Genre: Romantic Comedy.



Heart Strings and Love Nots:
Three diaries in one novel, “Heart Strings and Love Nots” is a comical drama of the heart-breaking yet life affirming love stories of three women. With different personalities the unlikely trio of best-friends are the perfect voices of reason for one another as the bossy bitch, Dominique, judgmental diva, Skylar and freaky church mouse, Reese, take readers on a journey of illicit affairs, strange religion, accidental prostitution all the way to marriage and motherhood.


Get it  HERE.



REVIEWS OF THE TOUR:



The Author

Karen R. Hardin has been hailed as a creative genius. With an imagination that developed from the sheer need to escape childhood abuse, her cultivation of higher consciousness at a young age brought forth unparalleled and unmatched artistry. She's turned out multiple scripts for indie film producers. One such script was written in a 24 hour period and helped to initiate the start of Derrty Entertainment's spinoff company UCME Films. Karen began her writing career with a dream that brought forth her first novel “Loyalty”, an epic mafia story. In 2012 Karen released a second novel “Heart Strings and Love Nots” with an eclectic take on novel writing, she created a southern sex in the city that blends three character diaries with perspectives based on some of the strongest stereotypical perspectives associated with women.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

WEBSITE



Check these Excerpts:



Loyalty:
Chapter 1It was a quiet Sunday afternoon when Anna Casey made her first visit to the Cipriano mansion. She was less than pleased to see her sister wearing a food stained apron when she greeted her at the door. Thoughts of a mausoleum crossed her mind as she was led through the foyer into the kitchen. Immediately hit by the warmth of boiling pots and multiple hot ovens, Anna removed her sunglasses. She placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot as if she were demanding an explanation.Abigail Williams pulled a large trash can to the middle of the kitchen floor and placed two stools on opposing sides. She watched her sister, Anna, become increasingly agitated at the sight of her older sibling working as a servant. Anna folded her arms and smacked her lips trying to provoke Abigail into allowing her to speak her mind. She only got silent glances in return. Abigail opened two sacks of potatoes and took two paring knives from the drawer. She laid one on the counter in front of Anna and took a seat, “If you want to talk, you have to work.”Certain this would be the only invitation to speak up, Anna took the knife, “I don’t understand why you want to be some white man's maid,” she paused for a reaction, but Abigail only gave another disapproving glance as she peeled potatoes with the speed of a pro. “Humph, you can be my maid, at least we're family,” Anna took her seat and leaned over the trash can with potato and knife in hand. “Jonathan has plenty of money. We can take care of you. You really don't have to work at all.”Abigail found herself in deep thought as she watched her sister mishandling the potato like only a housewife with a maid would. Anna paused and sighed heavily to make way for another comment, but Abigail cut her off, “I do not want to live off my little sister and her crooked husband.”“Wait a minute now” Anna carelessly flung her knife side to side talking with her hands, “John is no more crooked than your boss, and when I say boss I mean Boss.”“Be careful with that knife!”“Girl, you know you working for the Mob.”“This family has been good to me.”“But they’re not your family and this is not home.”“I have my own quarters, and when I finish my work, it's just like going home. I’m happy here, besides Rosa really needs me.”“Lord, my sister has quarters,” Anna threw her hands up in a fake moment of praise. “You went from head nurse to babysitting a mental case all because you felt sorry for her. And calling her Rosa like she’s your friend?”“She is.”“No. If she was your friend somebody else would be peeling these damn potatoes, and you’d be out shopping with her.”“Anna, she’s been through a lot, and she needs someone to care for her,” Abigail put down her potato and knife to turn off the ovens and lower the heat on the boiling pots. She poured pasta into the strainer, removed two pies, a pot roast and a cake from the ovens without breaking a sweat. Then took her seat and picked up another potato.“That’s what her husband is for,” Anna continued to reason, “but I guess he’s too busy taking care of people for real, if you know what I mean.”“Mr. Cipriano is a good man. You shouldn’t believe all the rumors you hear about him”“Mr. Cipriano, humph, you mean The Don,” Anna chuckled at her own wit, “or The Godfather.”“And what is John but a street punk turned so called gangster?”“Wait a minute now, John is a good man. He provides and cares for his family. He takes good care of us. He would take care of you too if you’d come live with us where you belong.”A devout Christian, Abigail had chosen a life of hard work and taking care of others including Anna, who never had to work a day in her life. As a spoiled housewife with a “take care of your own” attitude, Anna was often at odds with her older sibling.At first glance no one would think they were associates let alone sisters. Abigail’s homely appearance and serious demeanor toned down her beauty leaving her in the shadowed of Anna’s gregarious nature and flamboyant style. They shared the same features and long wavy hair, but Abigail’s dark almond skin made her an exotic beauty that Anna’s fair complexion and cat like eyes could have easily paled in comparison to.With her hair locked away in a tight bun and her hazel green eyes hidden behind black rimmed reading glasses, Abigail was easily overlooked. Anna, on the other hand, tossed her wavy locks and batted her long eyelashes every chance she got. The attention seeking beauty made men stop in their tracks.“Give me that,” Abigail quickly removed the knife from Anna’s wailing hand before it accidentally became a deadly weapon. “I don't need to be taken care of. Besides, if both of us were living with Jonathan, where would you run when he's being a tyrant?”Anna’s composure quickly changed from self assured offender to insecure defendant. She looked Abigail in the eye and confessed, “Abby, tyrant isn’t the word…lately he’s just been absent,” she exhaled with relief now that they were getting to the true topic at hand, her. She paused in deep thought then proceeded to seek counsel, “Don’t get me wrong, I love him, but-”





Heart Strings and Love Nots




Reese"I can't feel my legs," Dominique moaned and groaned.She had a nerve!!It was 10:00 p.m., something below zero on New Year’s Eve and there I was freezing my butt off in front of a shady night club surrounded by corn fields. The line wasn’t moving at all. I was pissed!I cut my eyes to my right glaring at my best friend, Dominique. It was her bright idea to bring in the New Year at a night club in the middle of nowhere. On the other side of Dom was our other best friend, Skylar, looking just as frustrated as I was. This was not how I was supposed to bring in the New Year.My mind drifted to the midnight watch service I was missing at Church. I wondered how many people noticed my absence, particularly if Pastor Terry had since his last sermon was all about how Christians should bring in the New Year praising God… not the D.J. He speculated that some of our members would be doing just what I was doing, “standing in line at a night club, checking our watches, and praying that we make it in before midnight as if our Savior was waiting inside”.If Pastor Terry didn’t notice I was M.I.A, certainly my mother and grandmother did. They were probably urging him to put me in his next sermon…they always had suggestions on what he should preach about. I started working through my alibi in my head, trying to figure out how not to lie without telling the truth. But it was a no win situation. My grandmother would just ask random but direct questions that require direct answers and my mother would make wild accusations until their combined forces made me confess."It's too freakin’ cold to be out here," Skylar’s grumblings broke my concentration."We should just go," I suggested as soon as I saw my window of opportunity to get Skylar to talk Dominique into leaving, "There's no way we're getting in, and I don't want to bring in the New Year standing in line," I thought I made perfectly good sense, but from the look on Dominique's face, I was speaking gibberish…I knew I should’ve driven my car.“Check him out,” ignoring me, Dominique turned to Skylar and pointed to a very unattractive man sitting in a really nice car, “Boss,” she smiled.“I doubted it,” Skylar frowned, “more like perpetrator.”That’s when I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. Dominique had just regressed to her early twenties and took Skylar with her. So, I made the most of the situation and began to pray for the lost souls in the parking lot like a mature Christian would. When I felt the Spirit move upon me…I knew I was doing the right thing. With my eyes closed and my thoughts pressed towards God, I blocked out the noise around me. It wasn’t easy with the overlapping secular music and all the random conversations seasoned with unnecessary cuss words. Everyone around me was restless and I had hell’s noise to contend with, but with the Lord’s help I was able to bow my head in a moment of silent prayer.“Damn…you embarrassing!!” Dominique’s outburst instantly broke my connection to Heaven. “You not in Church,” she snapped, “Christians ain’t even supposed to celebrate a New Year, it’s a pagan ritual,” she couldn’t resist adding some of her faithless facts.“Leave her alone,” Skylar defended my right to be openly Christian.I didn’t say a word to Dominique. I didn’t have to. The Bible tells us not to cast our pearls before swine…meaning don’t argue the Word of God with nonbelievers and Dominique had to be the biggest swine of them all. She was always ready to challenge any Christian with the truth as she knew it.  She was really good at twisting things around. If I told her I’m saved by my faith, she’d tell me that the Bible says to worship God in truth, and go on to explain how Christians act more like Pagans…especially at Christmas. I had yet to figure out how to explain my faith as being the truth, but deep down inside, I knew that it was.


GIVEAWAY WINNER:
Congratulations Melissa!
I'll be emailing you soon :)




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Friday, April 19, 2013

Tour Wrap up and Giveaway Winners: The Soul's Mark: Found





Today we say goodbye to the WINNER of 2012 Royal Dragonfly Book Award:

The Soul's Mark: Found by Ashley Stoyanoff. 
(Book 1 in "The Soul's Mark" Series)

Release date: July 19, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance.



 Synopsis:


Anxious to leave her destructive past behind, Amelia Caldwell moves to Willowberg, excited for a fresh start. Once there, she discovers that her birthmark is more than it seems. She has been marked by a vampire’s soul. Not only does she hold his soul, but Amelia is also his soulmate.



After almost a century of searching for his soulmate, Mitchell Lang fears the worst—he is going to lose Amelia to another man. His heart takes over, and his impulsive decision to take away her free will and to intensify their bond quickly turns her growing love into hate.



When they become trapped in the emotional rollercoaster of their souls' bond, open conflict erupts. Amelia has no intentions of belonging to anyone, not even her soulmate, and Mitchell refuses to let her go.



While she frantically searches for a way to escape his grasp, Amelia unlocks the painful memories of her past and uncovers a powerful secret. But before she has a chance to explore her newfound edge, she finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly game of revenge and is forced to realize that YOU CANNOT RUN FROM DESTINY.







The Reviews of the tour:





What do you need to know about this book?



  • 'The Soul's Mark: FOUND' Won 2012 Royal Dragonfly Book Award With a Perfect Score for Young Adult Fiction.  




  • The Soul's Mark: FOUND has been IndieReader Approved!

"Verdict: While this classic vampire-human love story could have been no more than another Twilight- style tale of possession, Stoyanoff takes care to create both an innovative backstory for the creation of vampires as well as a believable and entertaining romance." 










Not convinced yet? Here is an excerpt:


“Crap,” Angelle said, relaxing her stance slightly.  “It’s coming from the kitchen.  This can’t be good.”  She shot Amelia a frazzled look and then dashed up the steps of the porch.  At the glass double doors, she turned back and waved, gesturing for Amelia to follow.  “Come on, honey,” she called, before rushing into the house.


The screaming grew louder and another clatter echoed through the doorway.  Amelia rushed after Angelle, jogging over the inter-locking stone, dazed, as if she had stumbled into an alternate universe.  She climbed the three steps of the stone-covered porch and peeked through the open door, trying to stay out of the way of whatever chaos had been unleashed.


A faint smell of smoke washed out, followed by a man’s agonized yell.  Amelia glanced around, realizing she was walking into the kitchen.

“Ouch,” he groaned, sounding a bit amused.  His arms were raised in an attempt to protect himself from the blows of a broom swishing furiously at him.  “It was an accident!” he cried out.


On the other end of the broom was an elderly woman who looked to Amelia like she was made of circles, with a round pudgy face and plump round body.  She had on a flowery apron splattered with some kind of yellowy goo and she was screaming unintelligible utterances at the man as she continued to beat him relentlessly.


Suddenly, Amelia saw the stove light up, fire crackling and blazing.  Forgetting the scene in front of her, she dropped her bag and rushed in.  What had her mother said about grease fires?  Baking soda, use baking soda, Amelia thought, that was it.  She whipped open the fridge, frantically searching and grabbed a box of baking soda from the door.  She dumped it on the burning grease-lit frying pan.  The fire extinguished in a billowing cloud of smoke and she coughed when she sucked in a breath.


“What the hell is going on?” Angelle yelled, jumping in between them.  She snatched the broom out of the woman’s hands and tossed it out of reach.  It flew across the room, and slammed into the wall before clattering to the marble floor.  “That’s enough.”  She grabbed the man by the shoulders and shoved him away.

“He’s ruining my kitchen.  Look at this mess,” the elderly woman said in a tizzy, surveying the mess.  Amelia followed her gaze and noticed that the yellowy goo was splattered everywhere, smeared across the large cherry island, globbed on the weathered black wall cabinets, dripping from the ceiling, as if a bomb of stickiness had gone off.

The man was rubbing his shoulders, looking at Angelle as if she had really hurt him.  Amelia stood back and watched, trying to stay out of the way.  He was just as tall as Angelle, and bulky with muscles like a football player, a really hot football player.  “I was just trying to make pancakes for Amelia,” he said, smiling bashfully at Amelia.  Then he looked back over at Angelle, “And in case you missed it, she was hitting me.  Why did you shove me like that?”

Angelle rolled her eyes in a dramatic show of annoyance, “I’m sure you deserved it Eric.  You usually do.”  She looked over at the woman, who was now scurrying around the kitchen trying to clean up the mess.  “What did he do, Mabel?”
That’s Eric, Amelia realized.  She giggled.  He really was looking green.  That’s what the guard had been talking about.  His shaggy, uneven, punk style haircut was dyed in a vibrant, bright green.  Hot, she thought.  Green hair, hot?  Well, on him, yes, it was really hot.  He was covered in the same sticky goo—pancake batter?

“He used a blender without the lid,” Mabel said.  Her voice was stern and a touch motherly and she had a soft accent, maybe English, Amelia thought. And she looked absolutely fit to be tied.
He just shrugged.  “Stirring was taking too long.”
“You’re such a dork—and what’s with the hair?” Angelle laughed.  “You look like a little punk.”
“Don’t knock the hair,” Eric said, leaning back against the island, arms folded across his chest.
“You can’t go to the office like that,” Angelle said.
“Don’t have to.  I’ve been promoted to personal chauffeur.  And I think it looks great.  I thought you would appreciate it.”  He batted his eyes and struck a pose.  “It totally matches my eyes.”  He looked Amelia over and then pushed off from the counter, strolling towards her with a mischievous grin on his face.
Amelia had hoped they had forgotten about her and she really hoped she wasn’t drooling, because man, he was sexy, like head to toe sexy.  He stopped about a foot away from her and she met his eyes, which indeed matched his new hair color.
Eric dropped into a gallant bow and she giggled like a little schoolgirl.  He took her hand in his, and kissed it lightly.  “Welcome my lady,” he said playfully.
Angelle groaned.  “You are such a moron.”





BUYING LINKS:







About the author:

Ashley Stoyanoff lives in Whitby, Ontario and loves diving into the magical world of creating fiction. Over the years she has written numerous short stories. The Soul's Mark: FOUND is her debut novel. When not writing, she can be found reading sappy novels, watching cheesy chick flicks, and buying far too many clothes.






Links:




Giveaway:
Rules:


  • This is a TOUR WIDE Giveaway.
  • Open Internationally. 
  • There will be 5 winners that will be notified via e-mail.
  • They have 48hs to answer, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.



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Tour Schedule 
March 25: Black Lion Tours Blog: Introduction​.
March 26: MK McClintock Blog: Promo.
March 27: Le Vanity Victorienne: Promo.
                 Lindsay's Scribblings: Promo.
Mar
ch 28: Tina's Book Reviews: Promo.
March 29: Clean Romance Reviews: Promo.
March 30: Vanilla Moon Blog: Promo.
Mar
ch 31: Paranormal Book Reviews: Promo
April 1: Marked by books: Review.
April 2: Laurie's Paranormal Reviews: Promo.
April 3: Kimberly Lewis: Promo.
April 4: Bookworm Lisa: Review.
April 5: 
A Dream within a dream: Review and Promo.
April 6: I Know That Book: Promo.
April 7: 
Bunny Reviews Blog: Promo.
April 8: 
Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer: Promo.
April 10: My Serynity: Review.
April 12: A Book Lover's Library: Review.
April 13: 
Characterized Blog: Review.
April 14: 
Makayla's book Reviews: Promo.
April 15: 
Chapter by Chapter: Review.
April 16: Deal Sharing Aunt: Review and Promo.
April 17: Libby's Library: Review and Promo.
April 19: Black Lion Tours Blog: Wrap-up.