Sunday, June 30, 2013

Runaway Girl Blog Tour Kickoff (1 of 3 posts)


As a Write More Publications author, an avid reader and a huge supporter of my colleagues and indie authors, I am so pleased my blog will feature the kick off for the Runaway Girl blog tour!  I had so much great stuff. I’ve had to turn this into a three part  series!

 

Part 1: Synopsis, Review, Excerpt

 Runaway Girl is a vampire tale unlike any other. Take a look:

A missing vampire princess. A soul fractured among five young human girls. One loyal vampire with a grudge. Can vampire soldier Damian set aside his personal feelings to follow orders? Can princess Amelia's soul be reunited in time for the meeting of the three clans? Will her brother, Matthew, fight for the right to rule? Who will prevail?

In a world populated with vampire books Elaine White gives us a completely original tale filled with complex family relationships. White takes the emphasis off the predatory human vampire relationship and instead focuses on their world. She takes us inside a complex tale of clans and politics, family vendettas and warring lands. This book is more than one story. It is many stories interwoven into one original world. 

 My Review of Runaway Girl by Elaine White

An interesting vampire adventure! A vampire (kind of a pain-in-the-ass vampire) gets her soul severed into the living souls of multiple girls. However, her soul need to be reunited so she can marry Damian (aahhh, Damian), and rule the clans! Of course, it’s not going to be that simple, silly readers!  White leads the reader through multiple twists and turns, at the end the readers is pleasantly pleased with the direction of the story…and it’s just the beginning


Final thought: Vampire enthusiasts indulge!

 
 

And now for an excerpt from Runaway Girl by Elaine White
In the campus library, Emily was doing her best to tutor Tyler, a confirmed jock. She only had a few weeks to help him get his grades up. He risked losing his spot on the football team and Emily wasn’t about to be responsible for that. For two hours, Emily drilled the information into his head, trying to make sure that he would pass his classes. After all, he was paying her good money for tutoring and she wanted to make sure he got his money’s worth.

By the time they were finished, she was exhausted and happy to retreat back to her dorm room. She cut through the campus garden, surprised at how dark it had gotten since her classes had finished. But, then again, she had spent about three hours studying on her own and then another two with Tyler. And the constant interruption of the boys stopping by to say “hello” didn’t help.

What Emily didn’t notice as she made her way through the gardens, listening to her IPod, were the two shadows that passed her and then doubled back again. Within a moment, a hand crushed down over her mouth. Then forceful arms wrapped around her entire body, dragging her off her feet, pulling her into the nearby bushes. In a flash, her attacker forced her face away, bared his fangs, and was ready to sink into the soft flesh on her neck. Suddenly, she understood what was about to happen and fought back.

Emily struggled against the vampire attack until a second attacker shadowed above her, crouching down, then hit her right across her face. Emily’s head rocked back into a large stone, knocking her unconscious. One of the attackers knelt over her body and pressed his ear to her chest, then looked up at his friend who had hit her, furious.

“She’s not breathing,” he snapped at his friend, but he bit her anyway. He fed from her until he heard voices and people coming up fast, then he panicked. They had obviously been spotted. His friend wasn’t paying attention, so he literally ripped him away from the girl and they ran off into the night, leaving Emily behind.

“My God … is there someone in there?” a couple asked. They were taking a nice leisurely walk through the campus garden when they heard strange noises. They were just in time to see two men running off and Emily lying in the bushes. They recognized her, as she lay unconscious with blood dripping over her neck.

“Oh, shit! We’re going to have to take care of this,” the guy said to his girlfriend, who nodded with a worried look as he checked Emily’s pulse. He looked up at her and shook his head. Together, they managed to lift her up and carry her to the campus church. They hid her in the mausoleum behind it, laying her on top of an exposed casket. The couple sat together at the other end, waiting to see what would happen when she woke, if she ever did. They knew what had happened to her and were hoping that they interrupted her attackers in time before they had a chance to finish the job.

It took over three hours before anything happened. Emily woke up with a start. “Oh, my head,” Emily said groggily, reaching for the back of her head. Emily sighed, frustrated at how her night had turned out, ruining her plans. There was so much that she planned to do and now her time had been wasted. She didn’t even know where she was.
The couple was shocked into silence as they turned to stare at her in wonder. “Are you alright?” the girl asked. “I’m fine, thanks,” Emily replied, nodding her head. “I’m afraid I’m not sure if you’re going to turn or not,” the guy said with a sympathetic look in his eyes.
Emily had no idea what kind of trip the couple was on, but she was sure they were insane. “How can I turn if I’ve not been bitten?” she complained. The couple looked at each other curiously, pointing at her neck. Confused, Emily found her purse lying on the ground, then searched through it for her compact to check her reflection in the mirror. They were right. She did in fact have bite marks on her neck. She sighed, snapping the mirror shut and left without saying a word to the couple.

When Emily got back to her room, she was so angry and upset that she didn’t even bother spending the hour studying as she had planned. Instead, she spent a good half hour in the shower, scrubbing the dried blood from her neck. She patched up the wound as best she could and plopped onto her bed. Luckily, she had not fed from her attacker, which was necessary to turn into a vampire after bitten. So she was sure she wouldn’t turn. And she was determined not to.

Runaway Girl - p.27

Be sure to get your copy of Runaway Girl!


 

******Make sure you visit the other blogs on the tour. The more you visit and comment, the greater your chances are for winning. Interested in hosting a tour for Write More Publications? Contact us at : theresaoliverauthor@gmail.com or rboucher41@yahoo.com . Find Write More Publications on the web at www.writemorepublications.com

 http://stephaniegreenhalgh.blogspot.com/   A Writer’s Perspective ~ July 1st, 2nd  and 5th 

 http://www.jessicabaldwinaspiringauthor.blogspot.com/ Jessica Bladwin Aspiring Author ~~ July 7th

 http://amymahvampire.blogspot.com/ My Life as a Teenage Vampire ~~ July 8th

 http://blogsaboutwriting.blogspot.com/ Blogs About Writing ~~ July 9th

 http://www.tometender.blogspot.com/ Tome Tender ~~ July 10th

 http://www.kaylalone.blogspot.com/ I Love Books ~~ July 17th

 www.stephaniekeyes.com/the-blog/ Embrace The Magic ~~ July 18th


 
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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Latest Reads: June 2013



June Latest Reads

This month has been a busy one! At the beginning of the month, I wrapped up my first year as a fourth grade teacher in a new district. Then, I got in some serious writing time. My debut novel, “The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood”, will be published summer 2013 by Write More Publications. I have also been working on “Secrets of the Silver Slippers”, a co-authored story with the talented, Jennifer Paquette, which we hope to have self-published this summer. Of course, I’ve also made time for a little travel and a bit of fun! And you know what comes with travel and vacation? That’s right…SUMMER READING!

Out of the five books I read for this edition, three of them are written by authors I read regularly: Janet Evanovich, John Sanford and Cynthia Melton.  However, I am pleased to say I have also discovered two new authors. One is Wally Lamb. I’m not entirely sure how I missed him all these years, but “She’s Come Undone” turned me into a fan. And “Destined Oracle” is the debut novel from J.G. Martinez, an indie author who also publishes with Write More Publications.

 

Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

I have been a fan of the Stephanie Plum novels for many years. The wit and comedic aspect of these books keep me coming back. I know this book got many poor review, but I thought it was hysterical! In past books the grandmother’s antics kept me laughing, but in this book, the dialogue between Lulu and Stephanie had me cackling out loud! As for the storyline, Stephanie is still struggling between Ranger and Morelli (I pick Morelli), lots of people want to kill her, and she has a hard time keeping any car she drives from bursting into flames. Plus, I had the killer figured out super early in the story.

Final thought: Anything that can make me cackle like an old woman is worth my time. I will definitely tune in for the 18th one!

 

Rules of Prey (A Lucas Davenport Novel) by John Sanford

I read many of the Prey books about 10 years ago. I’ve changed incredibly as a reader and since Lucas Davenport is one of my all time favorite male protagonists, I decided to reread the series.  Detective Davenport is just as I remember him: dark, intriguing, methodical, intuitive and sexy as hell. The ladies love him, the men admire him and the bad guys fear him. In this novel, Davenport will use any means necessary to find the maddog killer before he has a chance to massacre any more women; and Lucas certainly doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty or even using an innocent woman as bait.

Final Thought: This page turner will keep you on your toes. Looking forward to spending more time with Lucas Davenport in the future!

 

The Long Road (A Zombie Awakening Book 3) by Cynthia Melton

This is the third in this zombie series. I thoroughly enjoy this series and anxiously await the release of the next one. In this story, the wayward band of survivors is tired of constantly moving around, so they are looking for a place to settle down...to call home…to start over. Zombies aren’t the only problem the survivors face. Of course, there are some happy times, as well. Chalice and Colton get closer, Mychal takes his role as protector seriously and Melton introduces a heartwarming reunion!

Final Thought: The end leaves you hanging! I need the next one!

 

Destined Oracle by J. G. Martinez

This debut YA novel by J.G. Martinez has everything: good, evil, tragedy, love, twist, turns and (my favorite) magic! Right away we meet Savina, an oracle. After living in the city her entire life, she finds out that there is an entire mystical world out there, complete with angels, oracles, werewolves, witches, vampires and more. In this new life, Savina plays a very important role. Not only does Savina graciously and humbly accept the role, she also rises to every challenge thrown at her. Martinez creates new twist on timeless magic, and leads the reader into a whole new world in this enticing story.

Final thought: Looking forward to what comes next for Savina and the others!

 

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb

LOVED.THIS.BOOK! Dolores is the epitome of a pathetic character, who has been beat down by hardship after hardship. As a reader, I wanted to jump into the pages and save her! When we first meet her, she is a young carefree child. Of course, this all changes quickly thanks to the selfishness of her parents. After that, it’s just one raw deal after another for poor Dolores, until she is so far gone you wonder if she’ll ever make it back. After rotten people walking all over her time and time again, thankfully, Lamb introduces some characters that nurture her and help her come back from the brink. The end had me red-faced and sobbing like a child (but in a good way)

Final Thought: Wally Lamb has made it to my ‘Must Read’ list.

 

Coming in July:

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

My Haunting Love by J.S. Wilsoncroft

***More to come, but at this time I haven’t decided what I’ll read after theseJ

Happy Summer Reading!!!

 

 


Thursday, June 13, 2013

I LOVE SUMMER



Yes, I love teaching, but I also really love summertime. Here is short list (in no particular order) of some of the things I appreciate most about summer.

1.       Sleeping until my body wakes up.

2.       Writing ANY time an idea takes hold! 3:00 a.m.?  No problem…it’s not like I have to work the next day.

3.       FAB music blaring ALL.DAY.LONG!

4.       Long enjoyable workouts.

5.       Cleaning! In the summer I can conquer one small task each day instead of having to use one of my days off to scrub toilets and floors, vacuum, dust, ect… (maybe one day I’ll be a NY Times bestselling author, and I can hire a cleaning lady)!

6.       Actually cooking and eating breakfast, instead of cramming a protein bar/banana/yogurt in my pie hole as I drive to work or rush down the hall to the next meeting. Today is was a turkey, spinach, feta omelete…delish!

7.       Grocery shopping whenever I feel like it (like a random Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. when there’s hardly anyone in the store).

8.       The heat! I know. I know. I’m alone in this thought, but little shorts and tank tops are my fave! Plus, I’d much rather be hot than cold AND I will take brutal summers over brutal winters any day!

9.       LOW Maintenance daily routines! Make-up: tinted moisturizer, bronzer, mascara and lip gloss. Hair: ponytail/sloppy bun. Wardrobe: shorts, tanks and flip flops (see #8)!

10.   Family time. LOVE traveling to see the FAM!

11.   NO WEEKLY STAFF MEETINGS!

12.   Not having to rush in the shower.

13.   Did I mention writing ALL DAY LONG?!?!?!

14.   Not having busy work or nonsensical time wasting reports to complete.

15.   Quiet time when my brain can actually shut down (or at least slow down).

16.   Minimal  NO stress.

17.   Not having scaly old lady hands as a result of constantly washing away of kid germs.

18.   PUPPY TIME all the time!

19.   A busy day consists of shopping and errands!

20.   Reading, reading, and then reading some more!


Just a few books that have made the summer reading list so far (in no particular order):

§  A Feast for Crows

§  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

§  The Awakening of Agnostos

§  My Haunting Love

§  Thou Shalt Not Kill

§  City of Bones

§  The Thorn Birds

§  The Light Between Oceans

§  The Magician’s Assistant

§  Wicked

§   Beautiful Chaos

§  The Sinner

§  Confessions

§  Drowning in You

§  The Host

§  Last Scene Alive

§  The Key of Amatahns

§  Wuthering Heights

§  To Kill A Mockingbird

§  Gone Girl

§  Dances with Dragons

 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Indie Authors Pay It Forward


No matter what anyone says people will always read…a lot! Personally, I like to support indie authors whenever possible. But there are so many out there, how does one choose an indie author?

Thankfully, Elaine White, author of “Runaway Girl”, created a well compiled list of indie authors. Peruse a few. Maybe even read one or two. Many indie authors will give free books in exchange for an honest review…I know I do (and I have two new books coming soon)! Who knows maybe you’ll be the one to help discover the next big trend! Check out the many up and coming authors!

Elaine White, you are amazing!!! THANK YOU!

Blog REPOST below! Please take a look at the original blog from Elaine White. http://ellelainey.wordpress.com/2013/06/09/pay-it-forward-results-writersauthors/
 
 
Pay It Forward Results – Writers/Authors

Start here


Okay guys, the time is finally here. This list includes information given to me and information I’ve found myself. It contains a list of some of my favourite people, bloggers and writers for you guys to look over. I’ve divided them into categories of how I know them and details of what they do, what genre they belong to and where you can find them on the web. Let’s start with our first category, writers/authors.

Please appreciate that I try to include something for everyone. As always, if I’ve missed anything, please tell me. I collected most of this information myself. I may have missed something. Enjoy -

Writers/Authors

J.S. Wilsoncroft – author and dog groomer (romance)
http://www.amazon.com/J-S-Wilsoncroft/e/B0061APZF8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_11
http://www.amazon.co.uk/J.S.-Wilsoncroft/e/B0061APZF8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1369993713&sr=8-1
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6614450.J_S_Wilsoncroft
https://www.facebook.com/loveisdeaf72?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/JSWilsoncroft
http://www.jswilsoncroft.com/
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JSWilsoncroft
https://plus.google.com/u/0/102845908669014085161

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Jennifer Paquette (greek mythology fiction)
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5774650.Jennifer_Paquette

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