24 January, 2013

GCR Promotions Cover Reveal: Kiss Of Fire with Rafflecopter Giveaway

Thanks to author Rebecca Ethington and Good Choice Reading Promotions, Read My Mind is happy to present the cover reveal for Kiss Of Fire!


About The Author:
Rebecca Ethington has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then on stage with years of theatrical performances. The Imdalind Series is her first stint into the world of literary writing.

Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. She was born and raised in the mountains of Salt Lake City, and hasn’t found the desire to leave yet.

Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her amazing family.

Website | Twitter | Facebook




Blurb:
Joclyn Despain has a scar. In fact, it is almost like a brand on her skin. She doesn’t know why it appeared on her neck, but she doesn’t want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won’t let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.

The scar is the reason she is being hunted.

If only she knew that she was.

If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.

Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; but he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.


GoodReads
Barnes and Noble | Amazon








GIVEAWAY

U.S. ONLY: One (1) print copy of BOTH Kiss of Fire and Eyes of Ember

INTERNATIONAL Winner will receive e-book copies

Just enter via the rafflecopter at the end of this post! Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

18 January, 2013

Promo Blitz: Obscura Burning by Suzanne van Rooyen



Read My Mind is participating in a book blitz for the YA sci-fi novel, OBSCURA BURNING by Suzanne van Rooyen. Thanks to the author and Xpresso Book Tours, I have a bunch of content to promote the book, and there's even a giveaway!


About The Author:
Suzanne is a freelance writer and author from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland and finds the cold, dark forests nothing if not inspiring.

Suzanne is the author of the cyberpunk novel Dragon’s Teeth (Divertir), the YA science fiction novel Obscura Burning (Etopia) and has had several short stories published by Golden Visions Magazine, Space and Time and Niteblade. Niteblade nominated her short story Where dreams are grown for the Pushcart Prize. Her non-fiction articles on travel, music and other topics can be found scattered throughout the Internet.

Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When not writing you can find her teaching dance to ninth graders or playing in the snow with her shiba inu.

Suzanne is represented by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook



***

Setting a Story Somewhere You’ve Never Been

Of the 13 countries I’ve visited on 3 continents, I have never been to the US. Why my story insisted on being set in New Mexico remains a mystery, but that’s what my characters were telling me so that’s where I set the story despite having never set foot on American soil.

Setting is vital to any story. Setting becomes a character unto itself and should be made as real as possible. This is not easy when you’ve never been to said location. In the interest of verisimilitude, I did extensive research. This involved reading everything I could about New Mexico, specifically the Four Corners where my fictional town is located. I also watched documentaries about the State and its oddities. I even trawled through Youtube to find posts by New Mexican teenagers so I could listen to their accents and slang. (Apparently, thanks to an honest reviewer, I still got it wrong).

Thanks to the online writing community Scribophile, I was able to compile some anecdotes about life in NM as well - what a sunset looked like, which way storms blew in, what storms smelled like, what small town residents did to celebrate the 4th of July, what people typically ate, what the vegetation looked like etc. There was tons of research that went into this book and I still managed to get things wrong. Yup, I mangled the Spanish expletives and used Britishisms where I shouldn’t have.

From this experience, I’ve learned some extremely valuable lessons. 1) Better to write about a place you’ve actually been. 2) Know your stuff inside out - there is no such thing as too much research. 3) Own your mistakes even if you (embarrassingly) refer to the wrong city as the capital.

There’s nothing wrong with setting your story somewhere you’ve never been but brace yourself for backlash from readers when they find your mistakes, which they will because authors cannot get every nuance of a culture they’ve never experienced right without seeing, hearing, tasting and feeling the place for themselves. That said, I don’t think I did too badly writing this book as I did from my spot in the forests of central Finland.

***


Here's a taste of OBSCURA BURNING!


Closing my eyes, I imagine New Mexico burning, can almost smell it, the pungent pine, fireball mesquite, and smouldering cacti. I should be worried about the damage the UV’s doing to my scars, but after tonight, none of that will matter.

Just when you think it can’t possibly get any hotter or the mercury will explode, the temperature rises just a few more degrees. Today, Coyote’s Luck lies in a simmering mirage, hotter than any hell imaginable.

The crush of mesquite huddling between the tombstones offers little respite from the sun. Sticking to the dappled shade, I thread my way toward Danny’s grave. I’m not alone.

She looks like a ghost with the white sundress fanning around her legs, her long black hair teased by the warm breeze. For a moment, I think it’s one of the ch’iindi made flesh, until she turns at the sound of my step.

Gabriela, her face a teary-eyed frown. She folds her arms and returns her gaze to the grave. When did she get so thin? She was always so voluptuous, a shorter, less saggy version of her mother. Now she looks more like a sixteen-year-old kid, barely there in layers of cotton.

stand in silence, both just staring at the grave. The rosaries dangle over the stone, tied in knots around the stems of already dead flowers. There’s a white and blue beaded one, the one that was attached to Danny’s bed, the one he’d kiss at night before going to sleep.

“I miss him so much,” Gabriela says eventually.

“So do I.”

“I blame you, you know.” She casts me a sidelong glance.

“Maybe you should.”

She nods and sniffs and fingers one of the blooms turned brown by the heat.

“Dead, all of it.” She tears the petals from the stalk. “Little Maria, now Daniel.” She turns her dark eyes on me, searching for something I wish I could give her.

“This is killing my parents. Daniel was their only son. They’ll never have more children. Once, I had a brother. Now I’m alone. Sister to dead siblings.”

That’s the most Gabriela’s ever said, to me at least. I’m stunned into uncomfortable silence. There’s nothing I can say that’ll make it right. But tonight, maybe there’ll be something I can do.

“I wish I could make it right.” My words sound so pathetic.
She harrumphs and digs her sandaled toe into the dirt. “Nothing can make Daniel dying right.”

“I’m sorry.” There is nothing else I can say without trying to explain the whole confusing story and Gabriela’s not the type to believe in rifts in reality.

“Tell Daniel you’re sorry. He’s the one who died because of you.” She takes a deliberate step away from me, crosses herself, offering prayers in Spanish to the ether.

“I loved him, you know.” Maybe I am to blame, but she makes it sound like I don’t give a crap that he’s dead.

“Obviously not enough.”



Blurb:
The world's going to end in fire…and it's all Kyle's fault.

Kyle Wolfe's world is about to crash and burn. Just weeks away from graduation, a fire kills Kyle's two best friends and leaves him permanently scarred. A fire that Kyle accidentally set the night he cheated on his boyfriend Danny with their female friend, Shira. That same day, a strange new planet, Obscura, appears in the sky. And suddenly Kyle's friends aren't all that dead anymore.

Each time Kyle goes to sleep, he awakens to two different realities. In one, his boyfriend Danny is still alive, but Shira is dead. In the other, it's Shira who's alive... and now they're friends with benefits. Shifting between realities is slowly killing him, and he's not the only one dying. The world is dying with him. He's pretty sure Obscura has something to do with it, but with his parents' marriage imploding and realities shifting each time he closes his eyes, Kyle has problems enough without being the one in charge of saving the world...

Goodreads
NookBook | Barnes and Noble | OmniLit | Amazon | Kindle


Don't forget about the giveaway! Just enter via the rafflecopter below, and Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway





16 January, 2013

Infinity Tour: Author Sedona Venez Talks Romance



Welcome to Read My Mind! Sedona Venez, the author of INFINITY is visiting today, courtesy of Good Choice Reading Promotions.

About The Author:
This is a pseudonym for T.L. Clarke.

Infinity (Valkyries: Soaring Raven, #1) is her debut into Adult Fiction (paranormal romance). Expected release: January 2013

T.L. Clarke (TLC) is the author of Preteen/Teen Paranormal and Fantasy novels with an edgy twist. When not writing, TLC is watching bad movies, listening to music, and traveling.

Website (as TL Clarke) | Twitter (as TL Clarke) | Goodreads | Facebook


***

Sedona Venez’s Top Ten Things to Include on a Romantic Evening...

10. Be a flirt. Heighten expectations... touch and kiss during your romantic dinner.

9. Turn up the music. Make a playlist of your favorite songs and turn the lights down real low.

8. Get his sexy on. Buy him something sexy and leave it on the bed waiting for him.

7. Peak his arousal. Put drops of Lavender, ylang-ylang, or sandalwood on your sheets to kick-up desire.

6. Make it hot. Set the scene in the bedroom with lots of candles.

5. Make it wet. Prepare a romantic bath with rose petals. Don’t forget the sponges.

4. Make him hunt for it. Make him go on a sexy hunt for treasure…you waiting in the tub for him. Leave a note with all erotic clues leading to you.

3. Nibbling is always permitted. Feed each other strawberries, chocolate, and champagne in bed.

2. Incorporate playthings. Need I say more?

1. Be Inventive, make him find the honey. Blindfold him, put honey or chocolate on your body and dare him to find it. Make it fun, give him erotic clues.

Remember, it’s all about having fun. Make it a safe, sensual and romantic evening!

 ***

Thanks Sedona!

Want to find out more about INFINITY?


Blurb:
Infinity is a troubled 22-year-old superstar singer with the worst reputation for drugs and hard partying. Now, she is on the road to a comeback with her controversial tour. But everything about doing the concert feels wrong from missing employees, to anonymous threats to ruin her career. Things spiral further out of control as she wrestles control of her life and career from a relationship that crossed the fine line between love and obsession. She deals with a powerful corporation determined to kill her and everyone she loves.

Infinity knows too much, with no way out.

Now she must put her safety and trust in the hands of sexy, tattooed and delicious Torch Channing and Boulder Vigari, hired to keep her from getting killed. Boulder wants to make her his. He won't stop until he claims her. Torch struggles with his primal need to possess her and his hatred of everything she represents.

Infinity is determined to protect her heart while dealing with the pressure of pulling off another successful tour without spiraling into another mental meltdown.

Goodreads
NookBook | Amazon | Kindle



Check out the rest of the stops at the Tour Schedule Page


14 January, 2013

Book Tour Review: Tidal by Emily Snow

Blurb:
Now that Willow Avery is out of rehab, she's got one chance left to prove herself before she’s officially on every producer’s shit list. At least, that's what her parents and agent are claiming. She doesn't really give a damn if she never makes another movie or not—she just wants to get on with her life, get back to her friends, and find her next escape. But Willow is broke. And whether she likes it or not, acting is the only job she knows how to do.

When she accepts the lead in a beach drama, Willow finds herself in Hawaii. And in Hawaii, she finds Cooper, the gorgeous surfer hired to train her for her new role. With the bluest eyes she’s ever seen and the sexiest Australian accent she’s ever heard, Cooper’s different from the men she’s used to. He doesn’t want to use her. And he refuses to let her fail.

But when an old friend re-enters Willow’s life—a friend whose toxicity she’s been drawn to time and time before and whose presence brings about the painful memories she's tried so hard to suppress—Willow will have to choose between the girl she was and the person she’s becoming. The lifestyle that helps her forget the pain and the man she’s falling hard for.


I liked the premise of TIDAL right from the beginning. The second chance and redemption aspect of the book drew me in and was skillfully handled by the author. Willow is starting over from her spoiled, drunken, drug-fueled past after rehab. Not only does she have community service to complete, but she has to train for a new movie role. She's thrown right back into real life, with all of its physical and emotional demands and can't fall back onto her old habits of numbing with substances. Even better, the author Emily Snow, has written Willow in a relatable enough way, that the reader really gets the idea that Willow doesn't want to fall back into her old habits. There's a great inner dialog of hers that keeps the reader aware of how hard it is for her to do what she is doing.

Snow portrays Willow and her surf trainer slash love interest with real depth. Though they both have secrets that are revealed near the end of the book with great fanfare, their characters are not flat up until that point. They are not page holders to advance a certain plot or agenda. Cooper is especially interesting because he seems to understand what Willow is going through, but gives her no quarter in excusing herself.

I really though that the struggle, as well as the romance and ultimate ending of TIDAL was well-crafted. The language wasn't overblown, but there were parts that didn't pull any punches, especially in dialog. Hawaii and surfing is the background of this novel, but ultimately it is a great story of finding truth in oneself, finding romance and someone who cares, and getting rid of toxic behaviors and people.

Book Rating:

13/15
4 star
A-

Goodreads
NookBook | Amazon | Kindle




About The Author:
Emily Snow is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the DEVOURED series (2012, 2013) and TIDAL (2012).

Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads


Complete Tidal Tour Schedule from GCR Promotions


This book was provided by the author via GCR Promotions, with no other compensation except for the expectation of an honest review





10 January, 2013

VBT: Fateful Waters by J.M. Anton (with giveaway)



Welcome J.M. Anton! As part of the VBT (Virtual Book Tour), organized by Goddess Fish Promotions and the author, Read My Mind is promoting FATEFUL WATERS today. This is a contemporary western that incorporates suspense, friendship and a hero/heroine HEA.


About The Author:
Jackie Anton is the author of Backyard Horse Tales: Sox 2nd Edition, recepient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. She makes her home in Northeastern Ohio.
Mother of two adult Children and a Grandmother she and her husband of forty-one years live on a small farm in Medina Township. As author of the family friendly series Backyard Horse Tales (readers age 8-adult) her adult novels are written under the pen name J.M. Anton.

An avid horseperson she and her husband continue to ride daily. She loves a good mystery as well as working out the day-to-day struggles and complexities of human relationships. Find out more about the author on her blog “Writing for readers in a .com world.

Website


Special or surprising information uncovered while researching “Fateful Waters.”
by J. M. Anton



One of the many surprises came as I was researching the use and function of GPS and smart phones. My daughter who lives in Virginia kept me straight on all the technological references, as well as pointing out blackouts on phones, and the limitations of GPS devices. The story required that the heroine and her sidekick be out of touch for periods of time.

Another area of research brought in the linguistic talents of my other daughter who lives in Texas. My heroine is inclined to periodically revert to her maternal grandmother’s German language. I did some research online and found that my German was extremely rusty, but I translated the phrases that I wanted for the book and sent the English and German translations to Houston. After checking her conjugation with her German Professor, my daughter returned my German phrases. That was indeed a special undertaking that unleashed a series of harrowing events for our heroine, Lexie.

My memories of the Texas Panhandle are several decades old. As fate would have it there are family and friends who still reside in Texas. The drought was so wide spread that is was not difficult to get first hand observations of living with the heat and lack of rain. I was in the middle of a rewrite when my daughter told me that she was traveling to Lubbock and catching a flight to California. “Please take some notes while you are there, pay attention to the airport and the view from the plane.” I pleaded.

As a result of the interview at the completion of my daughters business seminar, I was able to put Lexie on a plane and share the devastating landscape from a birds eye view. The view from the plane on landing in Cleveland was from my personal observations, but I feel that the view of the Texas Panhandle from in high had much more impact.

The following excerpt is of Lexie’s return home in Chapter 10 of “Fateful Waters:


***

Lexie carted her luggage out to the porch, then returned to her room to make one last sweep. She picked up her handbag and her laptop, before closing the door behind her. She made the long walk down the hall and closed the door on this chapter of her life. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when Booker arrived in the same long sleek black car. Her belongings loaded in the trunk, and securely belted in the passenger seat she said goodbye to the Rocking R. As she stared blankly at the parched landscape she began to envision green rolling hills, sparkling rivers, and the vast waters of Lake Erie. Ohio beckoned to her wounded soul.

Booker didn’t chauffeur her to the rental car dealer, but to Lubbock’s rendition of an International airport. Mel’s dad refused to let her make the long drive back home alone. Instead, he booked a first class ticket for her to Hopkins airport. She would have a short layover to catch a connecting flight home, but she didn’t mind a delay once she was well out of Texas. Mrs. Potter was to meet her in Cleveland.

Once she was safely in the air, tears flowed like the much prayed-for rain in this part of the country. Waves of heat rose from the tarmac as the small commuter plane took to the sky and circled the airport to head east. Lexie gazed through her veil of tears at the scarred and desolate view beneath her. The largest scars on the land below looked to be natural riverbeds, now bone dry, and the larger indents could have been man made quarries, but they were now barely discernible mud puddles.

***


Blurb:
Follow Melinda Potter and Alexandra Parker, across the country, as the friends travel from their home on the shores of Lake Erie to the drought-stricken state of Texas. After graduation from The Ohio State University, Melinda has a date with an online Romeo. Lexie, who is supposed exert a moderating influence on her impulsive friend, winds up in a hospital where she wakes to everyone calling her Mrs. Ross. She doesn’t have a clue how she got there, or who Mr. Ross is.

Goodreads
Dog Ear Publishing


DON'T FORGET! J.M. Anton is also giving away a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a random commenter during the course of the tour. Leave a comment at Read My Mind with a favorite Western romance to be entered.

Make sure you check out the other tour stops HERE

08 January, 2013

S.G. Rogers Guest Post and Giveaway: From Paperback To Popcorn



Welcome S.G. Rogers to Read My Mind today! She's here to talk a little about her favorite fantasy books turned movies.


About The Author:
Originally from Southern California, S.G. Rogers has lived in Asheville, North Carolina and Laurel, Mississippi. She earned her first black belt in Tae Kwon Do from martial arts champion Billy Blanks.

Later on, she earned black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido from Master Myung Kim. Currently residing in beautiful Savannah, Georgia, S.G. Rogers writes fantasy and romantic fantasy stories.

She’s owned by two hairless cats, Houdini and Nikita, and lives on an island populated by exotic birds, deer and the occasional gator. Although she’s most often drawn to speculative fiction, she’s been known to break away to write other genres.

Tab is her beverage of choice, but when she imbibes, a cranberry vodka martini doesn’t go amiss.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads



From Paper to Popcorn: S.G. Rogers’ Top 10 Fantasy Books-Turned-Movies


1) Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986). This marvelous novel became an animated movie of the same name in 2004.

2) Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum (1900). The classic story became a unforgettable Technicolor film in 1939.

3) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published by J.K. Rowling in 2000. The movie version was released in 2005.

4) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was published by J.K. Rowling in 2003. The film of the same name was released in 2007.

5) The Princess Bride was a 1973 novel written by William Goldman. The book was adapted into a first-rate movie in 1987.

6) The Time Machine was a novella written by H.G. Wells in 1895. Although there have been many adaptations, my favorite is the 1960 version starring Rod Taylor.

7) Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote the Barsoom series of novels beginning in 1911. John Carter (2012) was a very enjoyable adaptation.

8) A Christmas Carol was a Victorian-era novella written by Charles Dickens in 1843. My favorite adaptation is the 1970 movie musical with Albert Finney.

9) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court was a novel written by Mark Twain in 1889. In 1949, it became one of my favorite movies starring Bing Crosby.

10) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was published in 1950, and was written by C.S. Lewis. The 2005 film has some marvelous special effects.



Here's an excerpt from the beginning of TOURNAMENT OF CHANCE to whet your appetite!


***

“Today is a momentous occasion,” said King Chance, after he’d settled himself on a cushion. His booming voice resonated across the field. “Let the finalists for the Tournament of Chance come forward.”

“Your Majesty, I present Lady Felicia of the Valley and Heather of the Jagged Peaks,” announced Sir Fitzelle.

Felicia glided toward the king as if to greet an old friend, but Heather hung back. Now that the moment had arrived to actually meet the king and queen, her feet were frozen to the ground. Suddenly wishing for
invisibility, she forced herself to move toward the king’s canopy. All eyes swiveled in her direction as she stood next to Felicia. Murmurings and titters rippled through the royals at Heather’s appearance. Although Felicia ignored her altogether, the queen openly laughed, as did many of the courtiers. A rosy blush crept toward Heather’s hairline.

The king beamed at Felicia. “How splendid to see you again, dear girl.”

“And you, Your Majesty,” Felicia responded. Her smile showed the lovely dimples in her cheeks.

Queen Chelsea frowned — far less pleased to see Felicia than was her husband. King Chance next focused his attention on Heather. His welcoming expression did not slip one bit, but Heather was taken aback. His eyes resembled those of a cold, poisonous snake.

***


Blurb:
When a beautiful commoner enters the Tournament of Chance archery competition, her thwarted victory sparks a revolution in the oppressive kingdom of Destiny. Although Heather never believed the legends about the restoration of Ormaria, after three shape-shifting Ormarian wizards awaken from a long magical slumber, she joins their perilous quest to regain the throne.

Heather battles vicious predators and angry trolls to free the wizards’ magic, but at a horrendous cost. She is unexpectedly torn from the arms of the man she loves and hurled back in time to fulfill a prophecy not yet written. The ensuing maelstrom tests Heather’s survival skills, wits, and endurance.

Will she become an unwritten footnote in history, or can she trust the magic to lead her back to her one true love?

Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Amazon



Thanks to Kathy at Book Blasts and Blog Tours, as well as the author of TOURNAMENT OF CHANCE, S.G. Rogers, there is also a $25 GC Giveaway! Just enter via the rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.
Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Ends 1/23/12

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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